Experience

Optimum Technology, Inc.

• United States
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Technical Writer, Marketing Writer and Trainer

  • Jan 2017 - Present

  Optimum Technology develops solutions to help keep law enforcement safe and informed. They include customized law enforcement records management systems, criminal justice search engines, and FBI UCR NIBRS (Uniform Crime Reporting National Incident-Based Reporting System) software, and more. Responsibilities include: - Technical and marketing writing - Instructional design and delivery of training materials (on site and Web based to multi-state clients, including state public safety organizations and police and sheriff agencies). - Writing, creating NIBRS and SRS (Summary Reporting System) system administrator, agency administrator, and user training manuals for the states of Texas, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, California - Conducting instructor-led, hands-on training at the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Idaho State Police, New Jersey State Police, Pennsylvania State Police; Virtual training for Illinois State Police, Alaska Dept. of Public Safety, California Dept. of Justice, South Dakota AG Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Dept. of Public Safety, New Mexico State Dept. of Public Safety. - Creating online Help in Adobe RoboHelp - Creating, narrating, and editing training and marketing videos in Captivate, iMovie, FinalCut Pro X and converting them to .mp4 and .mov formats; uploading them to YouTube -Writing and designing job aids (i.e., help-desk aids) for clients - Giving product demos at user conferences and uniform crime reporting association events - Strategizing company’s social media platforms - Writing and designing LinkedIn and Facebook posts for Optimum Technology - Envisioning, writing and updating Optimum Technology Web site content, graphics, screenshots - Testing software environments and giving feedback and updates to system developers, product and project managers. - Leading daily standup calls with development, QA, and product management team - Writing media releases, mktg. campaigns Show less



SOS Writing Services and Training

• Owner/Writer/Editor/Training Developer/Instructor

  • Sep 1995 - Present

  I started SOS Writing Services and Training in 1995 as a full service communications company specializing in technical, marketing, business and education writing, editing, training and promotions. I work with government, mid-size to large corporations, and small businesses to promote and support message, brand, products, and services. The U.S. Dept. of the Treasury, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Applied Innovation, Legent Corp., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, The Ohio State University, Otterbein University, JDA Software, Inc., WinWholesale/WinSupply, YP.com (Yellow Pages), Religion Newswriters Foundation, Siemens Corp., EmergiTech, and Zumwald & Company are some of the agencies and companies that have hired my company for a variety of projects.SOS Writing Services & Training specializes in marketing communications, technical communications and training for these industries (but not limited to):- Services- Telecommunications- Technology- Software- Healthcare/Medical- Pharmaceutical- Government- Publishing- Education- University- Digital Advertising- Engineering- Industrial (HVAC, electric, plumbing)- Retail, including Supply Chain Skills:- Project planning and managing- Creative idea generating- Team leading- Managing, hiring freelance writers, graphic artists, print vendors- Researching- Interviewing- Copy writing- Editing- Web site writing- Layout, Design- Training/Instructional Design, Development and Delivery- Training Advising, Educational Needs Assessing- Instructor-led Training, Computer-based Training, Virtual Training Center Training, Self-paced Training- Learning and Development Implementing-Organizational Change Management-Agile My writings are published in textbooks, documents, instructor-led, self-paced and computer-based training, marketing collateral (for example, brochures, direct mail and sales pieces, competitive analyses) and Web sites. Show less

• Owner/Developer/Writer/Editor/Trainer

  • Sep 1995 - Jan 2017

  Mktg/Training/Writing/Editing for:U.S. Dept of Treasury, Bureau Fiscal Svc: Taught classes on leadership, listening skills, team building, DiSCWinSupply (Dayton): Wrote Management Development Training Program for industrial materials supplier; self-paced CBT, instructor led. Business philosophy, relationships, leader/entrepreneurship principles, strategic planning, hiring, coaching, performance reviews, change mgmt, mktg, sales, customer service. SMART, SWOT, STARYP.com (Columbus): Wrote direct mail for Yellow Pages.com's client, LarmcoOtterbein University (Westerville): Edited Physics, Biology & Earth Science, Sociology & Anthropology, English Dept. brochuresJDA Software (Scottsdale, AZ): Training doc development. 2 Sales & Operations Management & 2 Inventory Optimization coursesNovartis, DeltaPoint, InnerPath Consulting: Edited, rewrote pharmaceutical/medical sales trainingEmergiTech (Dublin) 9-1-1 Emergency, Fire, Law Enforcement Software Co: Wrote case study, Web site info, user testimonialsThe Ohio State University: Developed 9 training courses; conducted 18 Lunch & Learn sessions to Tech International employees: Basics of Communication, Intro to Windows, Workplace Computer Skills, Intermediate Microsoft Excel, Advanced Excel, Intermediate PowerPoint, Intermediate Microsoft Word, Advanced Word, Internet BasicsExecutive Coaching/Career Transition Co. (Phoenix, AZ): Wrote Web site section to promote brand message, servicesZeller Mngmt (Dayton), Creative Interiors (Columbus): Wrote press releases for new business resulting in 2 stories in the Dayton Daily News and interior design co.Mktg PR Co: Wrote Web site, brochure for Hilliard dental practiceSiemens Corp (Cols): Technical edit of airfield solutions docsReligion Newswriters Foundation (Westerville): Grant proposal writing. Researched 150 private and corporate foundations; wrote Letters of Inquiry; interviewed 30 reporters/authors for annual report Alan Morgan Group: Website editing Show less



JDA Software (now Blue Yonder)

• Columbus, Ohio Area

• Certification Advisor, Training--Education Services

  • Jan 2012 - Mar 2013

  Employee. Advised clients on appropriate Supply Chain training for employees to master Super User, technician and system administrator skills. Included public and private instructor-led and virtual WebEx training, self-paced elearning, and more. Quoted training prices and wrote contracts/Statements of Work (SOWs), internal SOWs, and created registration and payment reports for revenue recognition and billing. Set up training classes in LMS and registered customers for training and exams. Field client phone calls and email inquiries. Marketed and suggested specific courses based on customer needs. Coached clients on how to run classroom connectivity tests and user browser tests as prerequisites for private, on-customer-site training. Read test results and assisted customers if connectivity failed. Worked closely with JDA training managers, directors, content managers, system engineers, instructors, business coordinators and other training advisors to provide customers with best training options. Maintained training calendar and requested virtual training center (VTC) class connectivity for deployments. Offered the following training: Fulfillment, Demand, Order Optimization, Master Planning, Reporting, SCPO Tech, WebWorks Foundation, Supply Chain Planner, Factory Planner, Supply Chain Strategist, Sales and Operations Management, Inventory Optimization, and Order Promiser. Show less



JDA Software

• Columbus, Ohio

• Instructional Designer

  • Aug 2010 - Oct 2011

  Instructional designer/contractor for four courses (two Inventory Optimization and two Sales and Operations Management). Instructional designer/contractor for four courses (two Inventory Optimization and two Sales and Operations Management).



Glencoe McGraw-Hill

• Education Textbook Writer

  • Oct 2003 - Aug 2004

  For Glencoe McGraw-Hill: Education writing (contract) included more than 100 feature stories for middle school social studies textbooks. Feature sections included "Biographies", "Linking Past and Present", "History Makers", "The Way It Was" and "You Decide". For Glencoe McGraw-Hill: Education writing (contract) included more than 100 feature stories for middle school social studies textbooks. Feature sections included "Biographies", "Linking Past and Present", "History Makers", "The Way It Was" and "You Decide".



Nokia (Formerly Lucent Technologies)

• Technical Marketing Engineer

  • Sep 1997 - Sep 2001

  Employee. Responsibilities included serving as teletraining coordinator for 12 sales-related courses, tradeshow coordinator, marketing and PR writer, competitive analysis writer/presenter, etc. Tradeshow and conference contact (national and international tradeshows and conferences), including SuperComm, Telecom, Telemanagement World and Forum, TeleStrategies, FutureComm, Networld + Interop; Network Fault Management planning representative for Lucent OS 2000 Customer Symposium, SoLUtions 2000 and Lucent Service Assurance Conference; wrote/created scripting, program outline, signage. Wrote competition presentation and teletraining, presentations and collateral; PR: Project manager for internal releases (Town Crier win announcements, Marketing Express, Lucent Today, In the News) and external press releases (OneVision NFM product launch). Show less



Applied Innovation

• Dublin, Ohio

• Instructional Designer Consultant

  • Aug 1996 - Nov 1996

  Wrote "The Big Picture, Telephone System Basics" training manual for Applied Innovation employees (Dublin, Ohio). Wrote "The Big Picture, Telephone System Basics" training manual for Applied Innovation employees (Dublin, Ohio).



Legent

• Software Development
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Technical Marketing Collateral Manager

  • Jul 1993 - Sep 1995

  Employee. Responsible for marketing communications projects and collateral for more than 40 systems management and distributed systems management software products/solutions. Provided mktg. project plan and budget forecast for division; hired and managed freelance writers and outside vendors; wrote brochures and product fact sheets, direct mail campaigns and collateral, customer surveys; interviewed and wrote customer testimonials; designed presentations for product rollouts/sales calls; created video presentation for executive level; promoted a seminar series; developed a tape and disk management evaluation notebook, business plan and cost justification. Show less



AT&T

• United States
• Telecommunications
• 700 & Above Employee

• Technical Marketing and Product Training Developer/Instructional Designer

  • Sep 1985 - Feb 1993

  Employee. (National Product Training Center, Dublin, OH). Developed technical training manuals for customers, system administrators, installers and end users. Developed internal technical and overview training for instructors, account executives, non-technical personnel. Field trialed technical courses on customer sites and from AT&T facilities nationwide. Installed, tested system software and hardware in simulated data center and switching training environment. Technical Marketing included promoting 80 transmission training courses; planning marketing strategies and curriculum sequences; serving as training contact for customers, account executives and managers; creating training schedules, brochures and announcements; developing Transmission-training packages for customers; writing, designing/submitting articles and ads to Telephony, TE&M, and LAN Times magazines; providing international and domestic training tuition quotes; serving as a satellite tele-training coordinator. Also served as president/leader of WE-Train, an associate engagement organization at AT&T. Masterminded the annual Employee Appreciation Day (to help improve employee morale). This popular event brought hundreds of employees together to enjoy a day of activities (outdoor team-building games, frog jumping contests, music, dancing, picnic, etc.) As president, also organized and ran yearly children's holiday party, Halloween party, bocce' and volleyball leagues, Operation Feed food drives, company picnics at The Columbus Zoo and Murphy's Party Barn, tours of training facility to scout troops, etc. Show less