RALPH CRAWFORD
Watsonville, CA *5076
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphcrawford
Phone: 831-***-**** *******@*****.*** Cell: 831-***-****
SUMMARY
Experienced Manager who architects, organizes and implements technical content programs
for global corporate events and conferences.
Acquires and engages speakers via strong interpersonal realationship development and
incentive programs. Manages relations with event
management partner / vendor counterparts, industry partners and internal marketing and
engineering teams to drive attendee registration
with appropriate content to target developer (engineering) and market segments.
Experienced in design and creation of virtual versions of content for distribution,as well as
unique web-based programs.
Recognized for organized tracking tools, delivery results that were on-time and within
budget, and initiated programs that drove quality
repeat speakers and served to drive industry conference interest year over year. Seasoned
at supporting, developing, and increasing
customer and developer satisfaction, driving adoption to products and reducing costs based
on thorough analysis of needs verses wants.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
•Highly skilled in the application of strategy and day to day logistics
•Develop project requirements
•Educate teams on strategic direction
•Manage virtual global events teams
•Manage vendors
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC., Santa Clara, CA 1995 – 2010
Curriculum Development Manager 1999 – 2010
Global Events Strategy and Delivery
Developed, produced, and delivered the Curriculum Program for Sun's largest developer
events, including JavaOne, CommunityOne, Forum and the Customer Engineering
Conference (CEC) that enabled attendees to experience in-depth training, community and
networking in the software technology industry.
• Created processes that managed and administered the technical content portion for
events.
• Managed the database that tracked the process for conference event content and
speakers from submission, review, selection and on-site production support through
post-production presentations and wrap up reporting.
•Partnered with marketing and drove increased paper submission by 75% with 33% less
time in cycle.
•Maximized efficiency with 20% more content offerings, 50% less staff and 20% less budget.
•Created online component of 85% of top-rated sessions that drove the adoption of software
and learning to 95%.
• Increased session ratings by 10% year over year. Maintaining session ratings of +4.0,
based on a scale of 1 – 5, 5 being the highest, as determined by conference attendees.
• Acted as Team Member: Event Marketeer Magazine Award: Best Single Venue / Single
Market Event 2008.
• Recipient of five Corporate Marketing Awards.
•Directed the strategy, development and implementation of the Hands-On Labs Program,
which became an industry standard practice.
RALPH CRAWFORD PAGE TWO
SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. (Continued)
Loaner Coordinator Manager 1995 – 1999
Market Development and Engineering (MDE)
Managed multi-million dollar development and tradeshow loaner equipment and the
engineering staff that prepared the delivery of equipment for partners usage.
Maximized efficiencies by creating loaner pool processes. Created a database tracker that
ensured timely delivery and receipt of equipment and increased loaner systems delivery year
over year by 58%.
• Tracked, managed and delivered loaner systems that went to 180 events and 420
partners and ISVs over one-year period. Events supported ranged from small (1 – 5
systems) to large (500 – 800 systems) events with full on-site support.
• Gained authority from corporate levels on priority events and then negotiated requests
with business units that prioritized needs and supported MDE market segment loaner
pools.
•Increased laboratory productivity for the physical working capacity that prepared loaner
equipment through a simple re-design that standardized the process for a quick,
simultaneous software and OS loads of multiple systems. Now fewer people could
support more requests.
PRIOR TO 1995, SELF EMPLOYED as a REPAIR TECHNICIAN and Teacher of Secondary
school Mathematics.