I envision that PMs have three critical responsibilities:

Also, the PM really needs to have good taste and a good perspective on the industry in general and the competition in specific.

As a Product Manager, I communicate with stakeholders inside and outside my firm, including customers, end-users, and industry sources, to create a product specification (PRD, MRD, or CRS, depending on whom you talk with). I then chair the team of professionals and the efforts of the different specialties and departments, both within the organization and outsourced to third parties, to bring the spec from concept to customer. (It doesn't hurt to also be able to bring my own experience and ideas to the mix.) I also sometimes like to say that the PM is the person who does whatever needs to be done to make the product happen.

As PM, I take responsibility for making sure the product gets shipped on time, to spec, and with the accepted level of quality - and ensure all the details are resolved. This includes issues such as software and hardware engineering, graphic design, manual writing, QA, manufacturing, contracts, certifications, partnerships, distribution, promotion, launch, inventory, trade shows, and more.

...include designing a major computer electronics appliance, one of the first PDAs, and two "edutainment" products sold nationally at retail. I helped develop the first home-banking system, one of the first digital talking toys, an early automated "build management" system, and drivers for some of the earliest color scanners, color printers, video capture hardware, and digital cameras. I architected a medical imaging system with a central processing hub, network-interconnected, as well as a specialized system for product photography. I've managed and successfully shipped products including Java-based consumer image viewers, digital video editing, photography, and multimedia, plus web-based products for photography. And this is just a sampling.

Note that it is difficult to summarize all aspects of my career in two pages. So, this is an abbreviation, and is not exhaustive. Don't see what you're looking for? Ask -- there is certainly more information available, perhaps of great interest to certain industries.

Electronic mail address

Web address

Main phone

408 945 1362

Mobile phone (when travelling)

510 378 6700

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the international professional society for computing. This is the official general chapter in Silicon Valley and the Northern California region. I'm currently on the executive committee.

An affiliate of Blue Knot and the Jewish Federations in the San Francisco Bay area, JHTC brings major executives to monthly meetings to talk about high technology issues, and provides a networking venue. Strictly a business and networking activity for high-tech professionals, the free monthly meetings are open to everyone. I'm currently a committee chair.

SIGGRAPH, its Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, is a division of ACM devoted to graphics, and uniquely involves not just engineers and scientists, but also educators and artists. I led the chapter in 2002.

A community of professionals, proactively networking to support career advancement. ProMatch offers speakers and programs in related topics, as well as classes, seminars, and experience in areas such as public speaking and facilitation skills.

I am a graduate of the Webb School of Knoxville, and then the University of Tennessee, designated a College Scholar with a B.A. in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, and a minor in creative/visual media - along with graduate-level work in areas such as compiler design, cryptography and computer security, advanced operating systems, and interface design. I graduated through a special "mini-Masters degree" program.

In the past, I have been a leader in both professional and faith-based activities, including organizing a chapter of my professional society. I've also been a key organizer and leader in the international computer user group movement, chairing a regional society. Plus, I have been involved as an organizer of two large regional conferences over the years.

I also write: having published two books in the computer field, I also have contributed to several medium- and small-press publications, with regular columns in PC Register (occasionally reprinted in other similar publications).

I have lived and worked in East Tennessee, South Florida, and Silicon Valley, with contract work in New York City and elsewhere, travelling widely

Science fiction, the latest consumer electronics gadgets, photography, history and travel

Last Revised: April 5, 2003