Engineer Software

**** ***** *****

Cardiff, CA *****

760-***-**** home

*.*******.*****@****.***

J. Michael Birch, MSEE

Education

University of Pittsburgh, PA M.S. Electrical Engineering GPA 4.0/4.0.

University of Manchester, UK B.Sc (with honors) Electrical Engineering.

UCSD Extension: 1997 - present: additional training in Intensive Java, Object Oriented

Analysis & Design, Wireless Communications, and Internet Architecture & Networking.

Professional

Summary Software Engineer and Project Director/Producer with 40 years software engineering and senior

management experience. Expertise in interactive media, online education, games and all aspects of

the software development life cycle. Co-founder GTE Interactive Media.

Technical

Skills Platforms: Game consoles, Windows, Mac OS, OS-X, Unix, VxWorks, RTOS.

Programming: ActionScript, Assembler, Java, C/C++, Director, Authorware, VB etc.

Internet-based: HTML, DHTML, XML, CGI, Javascript, Dreamweaver, Flash, etc.

System Design: Client/Server/Database, Data Communications, UML, Rational Process,

Object-Oriented Analysis and Design, User Interface, 3D Graphics and Games.

Other: Interactive TV/Video, Wireless, DVD, Audio/Video Encoding and Streaming.

Experience

2000 Computerade Products, Cardiff, CA

to Present Computerade is a home-based special education software company, founded in 1989.

I design and develop software for Computerade based on my wife's content expertise.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Currently designing and developing several iPad apps for Special Education.

Designed and developed five special education products for Mayer Johnson, LLC.

CONSULTANT

Served as Expert Witness for trial re software development of online games.

Consultant to local e-learning companies re ActionScript 2.0/3.0 and XHTML.

Prepared a detailed game and training proposal for IVID re an RFP from Ford.

August 2005 Mira Costa College, Oceanside, CA

to June 2006 Mira Costa College is an accredited community college serving North San Diego County.

ASSOCIATE FACULTY - INSTRUCTOR

Instructor for IMT-190 Multimedia Programming, intermediate ActionScript 2.0 class and lab.

Developed course and created all materials including a comprehensive website (part-time).

February 2004 Accord Solutions Inc,, San Diego CA

to November 2006 Accord Solutions is a high-tech company specializing in super-fast secure computing.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Business development, writing SBIR proposals and project management for DoD contracts.

Developed visualization tools in Flash ActionScript 2, PHP and mySQL (part-time).

February 2004 Teramedia Communications Inc,, San Diego CA

to November 2006 Teramedia created a targeted TV advertising system but failed to get necessary funding.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER / DIRECTOR CONTENT SYSTEMS

Created Flash MX and MPEG-2 metadata demos for TV executives and investors.

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August 1997 CompassLearning, San Diego, CA

to November 2000 CompassLearning (aka Jostens) is the leading provider of curriculum based educational

software. I developed plans and prototypes for porting existing lessons to online systems.

I also directed and led the successful development of 99 new core curriculum lessons.

DIRECTOR R&D, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Programmed prototypes in Visual Basic, DHTML and Javascript to determine which

development tools were best suited for new CompassLearning web-based products.

Prepared standards and development processes to reduce costs, and improve quality.

Designed the software API to integrate new CompassLearning lessons with web server

software based on Apple s WebObjects platform and using a scalable ODBC database.

Used Rational Requisite Pro to write Use Cases and Sequence Diagrams as a member

of the engineering team designing and developing a web-based management system.

Wrote part of the SIF XML specification, a national standard to enable interoperability of

school computers. Represented CompassLearning on the SIF working subcommittees.

Conducted analysis and wrote research reports on streaming audio/video, wireless

LANs, and net appliances for Ripplewood Holdings ($4B owner of CompassLearning).

Initiated a strategic plan and discussions with Gateway Computer and America On-Line

to provide CompassLearning educational content for schools, on new net appliances.

Evaluated potential "dot.com" acquisitions and partnerships for CompassLearning by

analyzing their services and technologies and reviewing their business strategies.

PROJECT DIRECTOR

Hired a team of 12 programmers and artists, and directed the work of a software

development company in Brazil, to develop 99 LAN lessons in Authorware and then

integrate them with the Windows NT (and Unix) client/server management software.

Prepared budgets (>$1M) and schedules using MS Project. Negotiated payment terms.

Resolved technical and contract issues with the developer including necessary design

changes at no additional cost. Established processes to expedite delivery, test and

integration of deliverables. Completed the project on time, and on budget.

January 1990 GTE Interactive Media (GTE-IM), Carlsbad, CA

to April 1997 GTE-IM (aka GTE ImagiTrek) was created as a startup venture within GTE. As employee

#1, I wrote part of the strategic plan and grew GTE-IM to 140 people and ~$40M revenue.

In 1997 GTE closed the division to focus on Internet infrastructure rather than content.

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (1995-97)

Directed development of advanced 3D graphics games for Windows, Sega, Sony

Playstation etc. programmed in C/C++, and using graphics created on SGI rendering

systems, and with AVID, Composium and other professional Audio/Video tools.

Defined product requirements and design specifications and supervised all aspects of

software development for 2-3 concurrent projects developed in the UK, and Europe.

Established schedule, budget and milestone deliverables for each $1M - $2M project.

Conducted frequent project reviews, evaluated deliverables and approved payments.

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (1994-1995)

Reviewed 100s of proposals and game designs. Worked with GTE legal counsel to

prepare development contracts. Evaluated the ability of developers in the US, Canada

and Europe to succeed with leading-edge technology and to create great games.

Won key projects and good terms from leading international developers (Argonaut,

Funcom, Attention to Detail, etc.) over competition from Sony, Virgin, EA, etc.

Successfully negotiated an agreement with the Rolling Stones to develop and publish

the best-selling Voodoo Lounge interactive music CD-ROM.

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DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY (1990-1994)

Hired and supervised GTE-IM's startup software engineering team with up to 12 people.

Initiated innovative projects in MPEG, CD-ROM, CD-I, and interactive TV set-top boxes

that firmed up the technical direction and met the business goals required by GTE Corp.

Directed internal MIS operations until the company could afford separate staff.

Created, designed and developed the novel Time Traveler "Hologram" arcade game.

Acquired a license for the patented hologram technology and sold the manufacturing

rights to Sega, Japan. The game generated sales revenue of over $18M.

September 1988 SAIC, San Diego, CA

to January 1990 Science Applications International Corp is a major DOD communications contractor.

PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Designed the UNT Multi-Network Controller (MNC) and Interface for the US Navy based

on TCP/IP protocols. Devised an architecture that significantly improved performance.

Directed two engineers programming the MNC and related components in C/C++.

July 1986 Pacific E/O Center, La Jolla, CA

to June 1988 PEOC was the San Diego division of Recon Optical Inc. based in Chicago.

BUSINESS MANAGER / SENIOR ENGINEER

Prepared budgets and schedules, and managed multi-million DOD contracts for

development and test of ATE (automatic test equipment) hardware and software.

Supervised vendors and evaluated quality and completeness of deliverables then

signed off on progress payments. Ensured timely acceptance by DOD customer.

Prepared successful proposals for ATE systems and interactive training software.

May 1985 Intelligent Images Inc., San Diego, CA

to June 1986 III was a High-Tech startup that created realistic interactive simulations for medical training.

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

Hired and supervised 4 programmers and created a series of award-winning computer

controlled videodisc simulations for realistic emergency care training & education.

Prepared schedule and budgets, directed and integrated the internal effort with software

development work by an independent vendor.

August 1984 SDSU School of Business, Information Systems, San Diego, CA

to May 1985 Full-time faculty member at San Diego State University, School of Business

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR / LECTURER

Prepared and taught undergraduate courses in Data Communications, Operating

Systems, and Programming Languages.

1965 to 1984 Control Data Corporation, La Jolla, CA

Software development. Small computer division of a Fortune 500 company. 450 people.

MANAGER / PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Project Manager and Lead Software Engineer for a wide variety of industrial control,

data communications and educational software projects, written in Assembler and C.

Managed development of PLATO educational courseware and runtime systems for

various microcomputers. PLATO was the first online educational computer system.

Manager of a Hot Line software support and MIS operations group with up to 24 staff.

MISCELLANEOUS

Speaker and panel member at industry events, and local professional groups.

Published papers on process control, interactive video, PLATO for PCs, etc.

Developed initial web-site for Mayer-Johnson Co: www.mayer-johnson.com.

US Citizen. Senior Life Member IEEE, MIT Forum, Commnexus, SDSIC.

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