AromaWeb
Freelance Web Developer and Designer
Floating Head LLC
Freelance Web Developer
Heritage Multi-Media
HyperStudio
Scantron Quality Computers
America Online, Inc. (1)
America Online, Inc. (2)
America Online, Inc. (3)
Motor City Macintosh User Group
Hope Lutheran Church
Robbins Typsetting & Design
Guitar Instruction

2003 - Present
Marketing Manager

Although presently employed as a marketing manager, my obsolete resume and portfolio remain online for reference purposes.

1997 - Present
Owner

Founded the world's most popular informational holistic aromatherapy Web site.

• Responsible for the entire development, design and graphic creation of this 200+ page site.
• Authored 98% of the written content that appears on the site.
• AromaWeb is a part-time business that moved from a hobbyist site to a business model in 1999.
• Responsible for establishing pricing and selling banner advertisements and business listings.
• Responsible for all promotion and advertiser leads including direct mail.
• Responsible for billing and sending renewals to advertisers.
• Received noteworthy awards and kudos including Yahoo's! highly sought-after sunglasses icon that identifies AromaWeb as the editor's Aromatherapy category choice.
• Obtained significant publicity within various well-known local and national magazines, newspapers and books. Yahoo! The Ultimate Desk Reference listed AromaWeb as the only site within its aromatherapy category and had this to say: "The site is so good you can almost smell it."
• Setup AromaWeb as a DBA, maintain legal city and county company registrations and manage the administrative, business and accounting functions for this sole proprientorship.

September, 2001 - March, 2002
Senior Web Developer

Performed dual roles as senior Web developer and lead Web designer. Developed, co-developed, provided graphic design/creation, composed administrative documentation and/or provided maintenance services for over 40 Web sites for Floating Head and its outside clients. Major responsibilities also included research, reporting, content writing, client communications and technical support.

• Lead designer for 19 sites.
• Lead developer for 14 sites.
• Developed various ColdFusion applications and content management backend areas. Applications include custom CF ecommerce system, message system, eCard system.
• Acted as remote administrator for 10 SQL 7 datatabases.
• Graphic creation and layout design:
  • Graphic creation for most sites where I acted as lead designer.
  • Logo design for four sites.
  • Flash and GIF89a banner ad design.
  • Powerpoint presentations.
• Responsible for troubleshooting, reporting and overseeing server issues. Acted as liason between server administrators and management.
• Managed and maintained:
  • Security for all company passwords (e-mail, ftp, sql database, backend content admin areas, external sites).
  • Details for 96 company owned domains.
  • Offsite backups of sites and original graphic files.
• Received frequent compliments from superiors and clients on quality work, support and professionalism.
• Received exceptional marks (92 and above out of 100) on each performance review.
• Performed search engine optimization and submission for selected sites.
• Taught marketing staff how to evaluate Web traffic and referrer data and setup spreadsheet template for their ongoing use.
• Mentored Web staff about Web design strategies and search engine optimization strategies.
• Responsible for reviewing resumes of Web developers and designers and for conducting initial interviews with potential candidates.
• Communicated well with clients and walked them through the content administration backend areas.
• Developed preflite procedures. Provided documentation on over 20 backend administration areas as well as for other development/design matters.
• Coordinated site testing procedures.

August, 2000

Oversaw three short-term freelance Web projects while seeking full-time employment.

Aug. 1996 - July 2000
Web Developer and Marketing Specialist

Developed, co-developed, provided graphic design and/or provided maintenance services for over 70 Web sites for Heritage Newspapers and outside clients. Major responsibilities also included marketing research, reporting, content writing, client communications and technical support.

• Designed, Developed, co-developed and maintained a wide array of Web sites for both large and small clients.
• Sites ranged from large ASP sites to small, static sites.
• Met and conversed regularly with clients.
• Composed eight proprietary marketing and technical handbooks for the exclusive use of Heritage Multi-Media's clients:
  • Establishing a Business Presence on the World Wide Web
  • Pre-Flight Handbook
  • Developing and Organizing the Written Content for Your Web Site
  • Search Engine Handbook
  • An Introduction to Effective E-mail Correspondence
  • Promoting Your Web Site
  • E-mail Account Setup
  • Resubmitting Your Site's URL to the Search Engines
• Responsible for researching and reporting on Web-related technologies.
• Responsible for researching and reporting on marketing strategies for the benefit of HMM, its clients and Heritage Newspapers.
• Composed the majority of text for the Heritage Multi-Media Web site, composed copy for several print ads, and assisted various clients in the content writing for their sites. View an image of the advertisement
• Performed extensive Web site critiques for new and potential clients.
• Managed all incoming general feedback and inquiry e-mail flowing into each of the Heritage Newspaper properties for approximately 1 year.
• Received frequent compliments from clients on excellent service, support and professionalism.
• Received the grade "Outstanding" for all five categories on my last performance review. "Outstanding" is the highest grade achievable for each performance category.
• Consistently received outstanding performance reviews.

March 1996 - Aug. 1996
Webmaster

Through Syndicomm Online Management, Inc., I was contracted to develop and maintain Roger Wagner Publishing Inc.'s HyperStudio Web site (now owned by Knowledge Adventure, Inc.). HyperStudio is a multimedia product for Windows, Macintosh, Apple, and Acorn computers and had registered software users in excess of 1,000,000 at the time.

April 1995 - Feb. 1996
theLINQ Development and Documentation Supervisor

theLINQ was an online service specifically targeting educators and students.

• Developed the layout, graphics and wrote the HTML code for the accompanying 200+ page Web site.
• Developed the graphics and layout for the proprietary client/server software.
• Composed 100+ page written documentation and reference lists for both Client and Server software products.
• Oversaw the entire production of product documentation in both print and online versions.
• Supervised and reviews the educational content of theLINQ.
• Provided internal support to technical support department and sales staff.
• Supervised the testing and bug reporting of new software builds.
• Provided feedback to third party vendor on application stability, testing results, suitability issues, and provide feature requests.
• Organized schedule for new software releases.
• Oversaw special projects including but not limited to product CD-ROM demonstration disk development.
• Generated detailed reports on server attributes.
• Coordinated written update materials for customers including but not limited to update letters and addendums.

1994 -1995
Quality Control Supervisor for AOL Guide Program

• Ensured quality of performance and high morale level of 12-15 staff members assigned to my team.
• Provided ongoing training and clarification of procedures to staff.
• Rated performance of staff members.
• Provided motivation, support, and assistance to staff in fulfilling their customer service duties.
• Mediated disputes between staff members.

1993 - 1994
Online Guide

• Gained significant experience and insight into the unique and valuable characteristics of online communities.
• Instructed subscribers on how to utilize the online service and Internet to meet their needs via the online service's real-time chat areas.
• Provided technical assistance to subscribers with general computing difficulties.
• Operated and host live chat area help rooms and other areas of the service.
• Enforced the online service's code of conduct
• Report members who violate the code of conduct.
• Utilized effective communication and personal skills to maintain peaceful and pleasurable atmosphere within the real-time chat areas of the service.
• Actively assisted in the training of new customer support representatives.
• Completed intensive six-week training course.

Jan. 1994 - Aug. 1994
Technical Support Member Advisor
(held this position concurrently with the position mentioned above)

• Provided in-depth technical assistance and customer support via electronic mail (e-mail) to subscribers.
• Promoted areas of the service, and advised subscribers on how to efficiently utilize the service to meet their needs.
• Troubleshot computer system and telecommunications difficulties.
• Instructed subscribers on how to perform various tasks on Macintosh and PC computer equipment.
• Reduced subscriber cancellations and increased subscribers' satisfaction due to prompt, knowledgeable, and personable support.
• Responded to approximately 240 inquiries per day.
• Assisted technical services department by providing detailed reports on errors and technical problems that arose with the service.
• Worked with the management team to create a friendly and helpful environment for members.

1990 - 1993

• Founded a nationally acclaimed Macintosh User Group (MUG) based in the Metro-Detroit area.
• Achieved 'National User Group' status with Apple Computer Inc. User Group Connection for the MUG's membership consisting of persons from 32 states and 4 countries.
• Organized and supervised the following programs:
  • Developed liaison with other Macintosh user groups for joint promotion and referrals.
  • Utilized national online services and computer magazines for free promotion of MUG.
  • Designed promotional flyers and brochures
  • Assembled press kits for use in requesting review copies of software.
  • Editor of MUG newsletter, MacInTimes.
    • Designed and published each issue.
    • Reviewed over 20 different software packages.
    • My reviews have been published by over 20 different U.S., Japanese, and Canadian user groups, and have appeared on the monthly subscription CD-ROM, Nautilus.
    • Organized mailings of newsletters by scheduled due-dates.
• System Operator for the MUG's Bulletin Board Service (BBS)
  • Designed layout of BBS.
  • Maintained all aspects of the BBS including keeping the system in operation, monitoring for errors, verifying all newly uploaded files, categorizing the 11,000 files held in the online software library, helping members with their questions, and established the guidelines set forth for the use of the BBS.

1989 - 1993

Held several prominent leadership roles.

• Elected as Church Board of Director by 1,100 member congregation (1989-1992).
• Co-Chairperson, Christian Education Committee (1989-1992).
• Church Librarian (1989-1993).
• 9th-12th Grade Sunday School Teacher (1989-1990).

1990-1991

Utilized my business expertise and Macintosh DTP knowledge to establish an in-home desktop publishing business.

• Major responsibilities included copy development, creation of graphics, layout design, and final paste-up and printing of advertising circulars, newsletters, brochures, programs, and price lists.
• Created a direct-mail advertising campaign. The response rate was 200% greater than the industry average for similar promotions. The exceptional response to this campaign is attributed to the design, copy choice, and targeted market for the advertisement.

1984 - 1986

Employed my marketing and musical background to establish a business teaching guitar and music theory.

• Established a successful market niche for the service.
• Developed curriculum for beginning through advanced students, and motivated students to achieve set goals.
• Utilized time management skills effectively for scheduling 30 students weekly in addition to attending college full-time.