How
to Find Me:
Phone: 530-263-4249
E-mail: chuck@whitlockcreative.com
Objective:
I enjoy
working in diverse roles involving web development, graphic design and
publications (technical or marketing), online media project development,
programming, packaging, and project management—or any combination
of those facets. My skill set is unique in that I have expertise in
technical web/online development and graphic design/technical communication.
Having been a career technical publications/art department manager and
writer in both marketing and engineering organizations has given me
a useful set of cross-discipline skills and the project management know-how
to bring projects together. Such a background makes me ideal for new
or growing teams that need cost-effective skillsets, and startup companies
or subsidiaries that need the skills of a whole department with only
a few people. I’m also a good fit in established groups that can
benefit from having a jack-of-all-trades for guiding and mentoring.
Technical
and Management Highlights:
• Creation
and management of a Marketing Graphics and Web Development department
responsible for overall company “Corporate Identity” and communications
in terms of look, feel, and content, reporting directly to the company
CEO. Diverse roles responsible for website content and programming,
including interactive SQL database and forms-driven lead capture system
(tools included PHP/MySQL/Perl and javascript). Also responsible for
marketing collateral and ad design, including 4-color brochures, tradeshow
graphic design, and end user items (cables, labels, industrial design
support) and defining the look and direction of company communications
(manuals, notes etc.). Working in a startup venture-capital funded company,
I produced almost all deliverables myself.
• Creation
and management of an end user products department responsible for end-user
product documentation, website creation and updates, color packaging,
ancillary support items (cables, labels, industrial design support [panel
overlay design, silkscreen graphics, badges, etc.]), engineering support
activities, and design and production of customer fulfillment items
(posters, mousepads, coffee cups, t-shirts, etc.). My group served to
“productize”
hardware and software systems and options. Projects were scheduled and
coordinated with other project and program managers to provide all the
product aspects surrounding base electronics hardware and software.
• Management
of single and multiple publications and graphic art departments, ranging
in size from 4 to 15 employees. These groups produced high quality software
user and programming documentation, hardware user and service documentation,
marketing communications materials (brochures, product information sheets
and newsletters), and graphic design items.
•
I have taken several small departments through a controlled growth process
into larger state-of-the-art groups. In all roles I have always found
ways to use the unique talents of individual team members to amplify
the overall capabilities of the group beyond their numbers. I’ve
been effective in recruitment, performance management, and in finding
ways of helping employees improve in key areas. At each company I’ve
employed and adapted project management systems to track tasks, resources,
projects, and financials.
•
In high volume departments I’ve
developed database systems for tracking project components and deliverables,
sometimes tying into the companies business MRP systems in order to
ensure nothing was overlooked.
• Held
financial responsibility for budget forecasting, over/under period and
quarterly accounting, supplies ordering, outside services contracting,
expensing, and vendor relations. I have always operated consistently
under budget, while keeping my departments modern and using state-of-the-art
equipment (where budgets allowed).
• Developed
company-wide standards for consistency and uniform product appearance.
• Developed
graphic design standards that applied to all company produced end user
products.
• Pursued
aggressive strategy of management tools improvement and technology self-education.
Took many (and will continue to take) courses in management training,
and kept up to date in software skills, and digital and analog electronics
technology.
• Love
of innovation: I’ve
always looked for new and better ways to do the things teams routinely
do. For example, I pioneered hypertext and online multimedia help systems
way before the advent of the web. I’ve
been able to offer cost and time saving process improvements using new
methods and insight.
Areas
of Skill:
•
Web Design and Programming (including interactive databases and lead
capture systems)
•
Graphic Design
•
Software Technical Writing
•
Hardware Technical Writing
•
Technical Illustration
•
Project Management
•
Marketing communications
•
Online Help system development
•
Multimedia development
•
Packaging design
•
Industrial design (2D only: rear panels/labels/etc.)
•
Customer training
•
Budgeting and forecasting
•
Familiar with a wide variety of product introduction and development
processes
•
Limited programming experience in Perl, Javascript, PHP, Pascal, Modula
2, BASIC, and Assembly. I’ve taken classes in C and C++ (although
I’ve never actively used them in a development project)
•
Started career as an electronics technician in an R&D environment doing
proto development and testing.
•
System Manager of a Tandem mainframe (TNS I, TNS II and TXP system experience)
while working at Systems Integrators.
•
Experience with Windows, Linux/Unix, Macintosh OS, Dec VAX VMS, HP 3000
MPE, and Amiga OS
2002-to-Current
Major Accomplishments with WhitlockCreative.Com
Provided
a wide variety of eMarketing, Corporate Identity/Branding, Marketing
Collateral, Web Development, and Technical Publications services to
companies in the bay area, Sacramento, and Grass Valley/Nevada city
areas. Companies included IRTI, Timogen, Malibu Networks, HCT, FlixOnDVD,
Saul Rayo (rayoplanet), Leslie J Productions, Annie Horanšs, and many
others. Successfully produced well-received materials covering the spectrum
from high technology companies to Musical Artists, and everything in
between.
2000/2002
Major Accomplishments at ZF Micro Devices Inc.
As
a startup company I created and managed the joint areas of Corporate
Website, Corporate Identity, Marketing Collateral, “Productization”,
and Industrial design (silkscreen/labels/badges/etc.). I also assisted
in recruiting and setting up the Technical Publications effort (designed
templates/found writer/etc.) within the company.
1998/2000
Major Accomplishments at Telestream Inc
As
a startup company I created and managed the joint areas of Technical
Publications, Corporate Website and Intranet development, Packaging
design for all products, Graphic Arts, and inhouse Industrial design
(silkscreen/labels/badges/help screens/etc.)
1994/1998
Major Accomplishments at Scitex Digital Video (formerly ImMIX)
Built
an End User Product department modeled after Apple and MicroSoft groups
that provided similar in-house services. Recruited and hired personnel.
Designed how all publications, packaging, and the end-user experience
would work together for the best customer benefit. At the time, this
was a unique and new solution to problems of providing cost-effective
low-headcount engineering support and end user support. (Traditionally
companies had multiple departments to accomplish the same activities.)
Created the first online hypertext documentation systems in the traditional
video industry. Created the first online publications libraries on CD
ROM in the video industry. Developed unique processes for “re-purposing”
end user product objects for highly cost effective and elegant products.
For example, graphic themes were often designed from the beginning for
joint use in web, online help, packaging, documentation and marketing
communications with minimal adaptation. Text was “chunked”
into non-linear modules for use in print, online and web applications.
Created the first interactive GUI online help system for Macintosh-based
video systems product using the Apple-guide language and compiler.
1989/1994
Major Accomplishments at GVG
Merged
the divisional Technical Writing groups from each of the divisions into
a single group, increasing the groups output and leveraging the groups
varied skills for better use across the whole product line. At the time
I resigned to join ImMIX, my GVG department stood at 14 technical writer/illustrators
and supported a publication library consisting of hundreds of manuals.
I promoted and supported the development of standardized documentation
and appearance through the use of widely distributed file templates
and common tools. In customer surveys, manuals were highly rated over
competitor’s manuals. Started peer training clinics to raise everyone’s
skill levels and ensure group appreciation of each individual’s
capabilities. Developed an automation strategy that included networking
workstations, database/project tracking, and improved media archival.
1983/1989
Major Accomplishments at System Integrators Inc.
Reorganized
several technical publications groups into one, and managed it and a
graphic arts department. I modernized both departments by bringing in
new (at that time) electronic publication and graphic arts tools to
automate production. I helped marry the development of technical manuals
with line art/graphics development, which formerly had been a separate
and manual process. While at SII, I wrote code for a new proprietary
technical manual publishing system using a propriety SII language and
compiler (STYL). My software (called “NewPubs
II”)
was still in use years after I left. System Integrators had an inhouse
printshop with litho and duplicator presses. Providing full prepress
services for that shop helped me learn the nuances of black and white
and process color publishing technology. Since System Integrators sold
products to the publishing industry, our own art and publication quality
had to be at the very highest level all the time due to the scrutiny
of our peers.
Management
and Job History (partial):
Marketing
Graphics and Web Manager, ZF Micro Devices Inc., reporting to CEO...2000
to 2002
Customer
Communications Manager, Telestream Inc., reporting to Marketing Vice
President...1998 to 2000 (resigned to join ZF Linux Devices/ZF Micro
Devices)
End
User Products Manager, Scitex Digital Video (formerly ImMIX), reporting
to Engineering Vice President...1994 to 1998
Manager
of Technical Publications (PSD Division), Grass Valley Group, a subsidiary
of Tektronix and later Manager of Technical Publications for all of
Grass Valley Group, last manager was Ron Collins ...1991 to 1994
Senior
Technical Writer (PSD Division), Grass Valley Group, Supervisor was
Les Andrews...1989 to 1991
Manager
of Technical Publications and Graphic Arts departments (Direct Supervisor
was Robert Strack, Vice President of R&D), System Integrators Inc...1985
to 1989
Senior
Technical Writer System Integrators...1983 to 1985
Senior
Hardware/Software Technical Writer Digital Engineering (company went
out of business same year)...1983
Hardware
Technical Writer/Electronics Technician Exploration Logging (petroleum
geology data acquisition systems company)...................................................1978
to 1983
Education
Summary (partial):
•
Legal Framework for Employee Relations, Northwest Management Training
•
IS0-9000, various courses/seminars from Tektronix, and Society of Technical
Communication
•
Rummler Broche Information Mapping
•
Managing Transitions seminar, William Bridges
•
CD-ROM Publications Authoring/Development seminars, Society of Technical
Communication (’93)
•
Management Series, University of Davis Extension Services
•
Xerox Xcellence Course, Management Training
•
Gulf Nuclear Radiation Safety Training-Received Certification for handling
nuclear sources
•
American River College (ARC), Electronics AA degree (digital electronics)
•
California State University Sacramento (CSUS) 4-years, English Major
References:
John
Lio - Vice President of Operations, ZF Micro Devices (liofam@pacbell.net
or jlio@zfmicro.com, 530-273-5116)
David
Feldman - CEO, ZF Micro Devices (dlf3995@yahoo.com)
Ray
Brinks - Chief Technology Officer, ZF Micro Devices (rbrinks@zfmicro.com,
mbrinks@pacbell.net, or 408-263-2727)
Mike
Clader PHD - Director of Engineering, ZF Micro Devices (mclader@prodigy.net,
530-888-0720 or cell 916-801-9211)
Renee
Bula - Marketing Communications Manager, ZF Micro Devices (renbula@aol.com,
650-207-1063)
Mike
Berrey - Information Technologist, Spherion (michael_berrey@non.hp.com,
530-470-9098)
Bob
Rhodes - Engineering Director, Grass Valley Group (brhodes@grassvalleygroup.com,
530-477-0229)
Rob
Rawnsley - Owner/Proprietor, Printer-On-Retainer Inc. Printshop (916
928-0507)
Gary
Hammer - Technical Writer Contractor: various companies (ghammer@jps.net)
