For six years I was involved in the development and deployment of professional sports websites -- the National Hockey League website and the PGA TOUR website. While I was ultimately responsible for most technical issues - web hosting and servers, website statistics, and content deployment, most of my day-to-day focus was on the design, structural integrity and effectiveness of the website content presentation. To that end I:
- Analyzed and specified procedures, page structure and design templates, and standards and practices for both content and technical requirements, including navigation design, HTML prototyping, graphics standards, content development and deployment practices.
- Designed and developed site "experiences" and branding strategies based on internal\external client and end-user requirements.
- Contributed a strong knowledge of navigation, design, layout, typography, scale, color, browser, and usability practices/issues.
- Researched and implemented new program applications, and web design techniques into the website with an emphasis on multimedia technologies.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PGA TOUR, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (3/1998 - 3/2001)
Technical Manager, www.pgatour.com
- Defined and maintained website technical design and integrity, site-building standards and practices, content development, testing, and publishing.
- Supervised staff of 8\10 (primarily content producers).
- Graphics design and development -- created, enhanced and maintained site graphics.
- Designed the web page templates and specified the requirements for the backend DB2-based programs that built
the real-time scoring, the players' bios\stats, and each TOUR's stats and records from the TOUR AS400.
- Designed and managed the development of a content updating tool that would allow 130 PGA TOUR Tournaments to manage the content on their individual websites.
- Interfaced with IBM and CBS.Sportsline.com, (PGA TOUR Foundation Sponsors) for application development, webhosting, and content deployment.
- Interfaced internally with the Information Systems department for computer and networking support, and access to the TOUR DB2 data for website integration.
- WebTrends analysis of server logs with emphasis on content management and system integrity.
- Managed two complete website re-designs. Responsible for integrating the content from 1000's of existing pages into new website page designs.
- Technical director for audio\video cybercasts from several PGA TOUR events.
- Designed and built (html, graphics, navigation, etc) several PGA TOUR mini-sites.
- Nominated for Outstanding PGA TOUR Employee, Q1, 1999.
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE, New York, NY (1996 -1998)
Technical Director, www.nhl.com
- Website technical design and integrity, defined and maintained site-building standards and practices and content testing and publishing.
- Graphics design and development -- created, enhanced and maintained site graphics.
- Interfaced with IBM for application development and web hosting.
- Designed, managed the implementation of, and maintained the real-time scoring system using the SportsTicker wire service.
- Designed and managed the development of NHL player and team stats and results pages, updated daily from NHL "Official Stats" DB2 database.
- WebTrends analysis of server logs with emphasis on content management and system integrity.
- Tested and integrated advertising and ad banner systems into the website.
- Completed transfer of website management and content development from vendor (IBM) to NHL website in-house staff.
- Technical director for "real-time" on-site audio/video cybercasts from several NHL events including the Stanley Cup Finals and All-Star Games.
IBM INTERACTIVE MEDIA GROUP, Atlanta, GA (1995 -1996)
Website Producer/Developer (consultant)
- Member of Production and Development team for the NHL website.
- Transferred 1000's of pages of website content from existing NHL website to IBM developed NHL website.
- Technical director for on-site real-time coverage for major NHL events.
AT&T, Tribeca, New York, NY (1992 -1994) (Consultant)
Content Developer, Publishing Manager, RCTV, DownTown Digital
- Support Content Producers (page development, navigation).
- Use results of on-going focus group research and usability studies to optimize navigation design and content planning.
- Schedule and implement content publishing to remote server in Chicago.
- This historic research and development project was AT&T's early investigation of interactive television. For 9 months sports, news, kid's programs, music, etc. were broadcast as a unique cable Channel into 50 homes in Chicago. The content was updated three times a day.
WEBSITE PORTFOLIO
- The National Hockey League www.NHL.com -- Lots of Teams, lots of players, LOTS of work
- The PGA TOUR www.pgatour.com -- Many of my design and content concepts still exist on this site
- Luxury Home Brokers www.luxuryhomebrokers.com -- Waterfront Real Estate in Jacksonville, client loved the look and feel!
- The Ultimate Sail www.UltimateSail.com -- About the America's Cup Race/Experience
- Rockforever Rockforever.com -- Classic Rock-N-Roll featuring the Voices of Classic Rock
- John-Gates.com -- This site...
- Blue Star Brewery -- My "home watering-hole" - I live across the parking lot and play in the Big Bands on Tuesday night
- Texas Bandmasters Association -- my opportunity to contribute back to the music educators who started me on my music career
EDUCATION
- Masters of Arts - 6\1992 - Instructional Design, Computers in Education. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY.
- Bachelor of Arts - 6\1989 -- New School University, New York, NY.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- INTERNET: HTML, DHTML, JavaScript, CSS, SSI
- WEB APPLICATIONS: HomeSite 4.5, TextPad, WS-FTP, WebTrends, Dreamweaver
- WEB GRAPHICS: PhotoShop 7.0, ImageReady 3.0
- MULTIMEDIA: Premiere, SoundForge 5.0, Media Cleaner Pro, Finale 2000, Visio
- DESKTOP: Microsoft Office XP, Visio
- OPERATING SYSTEMS: WinXP/WinNT/2000, Win95/98,
- AUTHORING: ToolBook
- MANAGED THE USE OF: PERL/CGI, ASP, VB Apps, Lotus Notes, "C", DB2, JavaScript