David R. Sowder

Technical Proficiencies:

Skills and Abilities

Management Oriented:

· Capable of directing the work of others to achieve specific goals

· Skilled at project planning and execution

· Capable of achieving goals with financial economy

· Self motivated

Academically Oriented:

· Quick thinker

· Enjoys and excels at solving technical problems

· Mechanically adept

· Fast learner

· Able to communicate well in both spoken and written communications

· Sharp geometric intuition and visual imagination

· Capable of putting forward convincing arguments

· Capable of implementing ideas and complex projects with elegance and economy

People Oriented:

· Inventive and patient in explanation of technical concepts

· Possessed of an acute sense of responsibility and duty

· Able to act with vision and purpose

· Outgoing and vocal among strangers

Professional Experience

Working as supervisor of the Language Acquisition Center since early 2004:

· Developed new web application features while documenting, refactoring and maintaining existing code base

· Administered computer systems, providing services in areas such as security, backup, availability, upgrades and user and network service maintenance

· Managed the Mac OS X-based computer lab of 25 machines, including installation, configuration, updating and troubleshooting

· Supervised and scheduled several employees

· Provided supplemental technical support for department's faculty, staff and administration

For two years, designed, implemented and maintained the complete Internet Service Provider's systems and network. In the years following, continued in the business relationship providing consulting as needed.

Accomplishments include:

· Consulting with respect to the operating system selection and implementation

· Design, installation and configuration of Linux-based servers for standard services including: Web (Apache), Email (pop3 and sendmail), RADIUS server (Livingston), DNS (BIND)

· Installation and configuration of integrated modem access servers (Livingston Portmaster III and US Robotics Total Control), a Cisco router, a Veloce ISDN router and T1 DSU/CSU

· Setup of T1 and ISDN BRI and PRI types of communications lines

· Service and support of customer computer systems and networks including:

· Installation and configuration of IP masquerading and dial-on-demand computer systems

· heterogeneous network client software configuration on PCs

· Registering domain names

Various positions including: Lead Programmer, Assistant Director of Information Services, Network Manager and Lead Software Technician.

Accomplishments with respect to the campus network:

For twelve years, managed the design, installation, and growth of SWAU's campus computer network. Beginning with a simple terminal-server based network connected to a VAX, grew the network to a 400+ node heterogeneous Internet-connected Ethernet network linked by 15+ Linux-based routers and served by 15+ Linux-based servers and other server platforms such as Windows NT/2000, OpenVMS, Mac OS X and AIX.

Accomplishments with respect to the campus administrative software:

For five years, designed, implemented, and maintained various administrative database systems for almost all the administrative offices of the school, including the Records Office, the Business Office, the Financial Aid Office, the Adult Degree Program Office, the Alumni Office, and the Admissions Office.

· Design and implementation of the student registration system, student transcript system, student grade records system and other detailed and summary reports for the registrar's office.

· Redesign and re-implementation of a payroll system for multiple employment structures and maintenance of the existing payroll system for the business office.

· Maintenance of software systems for the student finance office.

· Design and implementation of a student registration system, contact tracking system and videotape library management system for the adult degree program office.

· Design and implementation of an annual alumni fund report generator and implementation of reports including balance sheets, labels, and various ad hoc reports for the alumni/development office.

· Design and implementation of various information screens and implementation of reports including detailed and summary reports of statistical enrollment information, labels, and various ad hoc reports for the admissions office.

Accomplishments with respect to management:

For nine years, managed the campus Linux-based academic and general user computer systems and network.

For seven years, managed the campus OpenVMS-based administrative computer system.

For six years, trained and managed students including activities such as network, software, and hardware installation, configuration, and repair

For six years, managed project coordination among multiple departments and conducted software and hardware evaluation, recommendation and purchasing

Taught introductory UNIX class, based on Red Hat Linux, providing a relaxed learning environment where student discovery was encouraged. The students did very well in the class and expressed an interest in further exploration of UNIX/Linux (The students were starting from a experience level generally limited to Windows without use of the DOS/command prompt). The class introduced the students to concepts such as basic Red Hat installation, the UNIX command line, UNIX shell scripting and the paradigm differences between UNIX/Linux and Microsoft Windows.

Education

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, Southwestern Adventist University, Keene Texas, 1996