Kevin Fries Programming and Consulting

May 06 – Sept 10 Computer and Communications Technologies, Inc
Senior Linux Engineer / New Technologies

Combined with my boss (project manager), we would analyze market conditions in the cellular device market segment to identify potential new products. Once identified, we would design a solution, which could include custom hardware, software, or operating systems. Once the solution has been designed, simulations would be built using virtual machines. As the design is approved, and further refined, a physical version would be created using standard desktop/server hardware. Further refinements made, and management is consulted for additional features. Then a final physical prototype would be made with special, embedded versions of stock parts. If the project was approved to continue after this point, SMLA designs would be created, and initial customized prototype developed, manufacturing costs, and marketing projections completed.

In developing our devices, I would be required to design hardware, build customized versions of Linux operating systems, design and code custom programs, and configure services installed on the devices. I had a special build lab, which was separated from the main corporate network, for which I managed all the servers, desktops, and custom devices on that network to enable design and testing environments.

Jul 02 – Jan 06 Hydrologic Consultants, Inc
Chief Information Officer

Hydorologic Consultants is a company that specializes in consulting with mining companies regarding ground water mitigation issues. The companies that they consult with are located all around the world, and in some extremely remote locations. There were about 20 people when I started, which eventually trimmed down to about 15. But they spend a significant amount of time at customer sites. So, this network needed to be running, correctly 24hr a day, 7 days per week.

Much of their work consisted of complex ground water modeling programs (many took days to do a single run), CAD, and advanced office applications to prepare reports. Key elements to manage was email and ftp uptime, internal network availability, and data storage and retrieval.

My job there was as a full charge network administrator, and one man IT department. I was responsible for standardizing all OS and hardware platforms; implementing new server platforms to stabilize email, FTP, and internal file sharing; NAS operations; backups; and reporting to ownership the status of the network. Being the only member of IT, I was also on 24x7 call rotation.

Jan 01 – Oct 01 Alpine Access
Java Project Manager

When I started at Alpine Access, they were just coming out of a phase of their early evolution where they had to turn their initial proof of concept internal software that was being used for early customers, into a more enterprise class package. Shortly before I was hired, Alpine Access had engaged an external vendor to write the enterprise class software. I was then hired to manage the project from the company's side, and to manage the integration into their existing systems.

Eventually, the project was internalized, and I was then utilized as a systems analyst, and programmer to write new functionality, and to interface this software with internal systems such as ADP, HR, and ERP.

In addition to these duties, I would be utilized in the role of special operations troubleshooter. In this role, I would be used for anything from upgrading our enterprise grade Sun Sparc servers; to writing special web based applications for Fortune 500 companies such as Hickory Farms and Disney.

Mar 00 – Dec 00 Westwood College of Technology
Instructor of Advanced Networking

My primary duties was as the instructor of “Advanced Networking”. This class consisted of two parts:

IP networking and addressing, DNS, DHCP, Cisco Routers, and other general networking topics.
Network Servers such as HTTP, Email, Database, File Sharing, etc.

I taught this class from a dual boot Windows NT/Red Hat 6 environment teaching IIS server along side of Apache; Exchange Server along side Postfix; SQL Server along side MySQL; and CIFS/SMB along side NFS.

In addition to my primary class, I taught classes in Java Programming; HTML; Oracle Database & SQL; and Linux Desktop. The graduate program would also utilize my services to ad-hoc teach a class session on utilizing Enterprise Sun Solaris and E-Commerce tools to web enable their businesses.

Jun 96 – Mar 00 State of Colorado, Division of Wildlife
C-Quad Systems
Internet Solutions for Business
Owner/Consultant

I was first hired by the Division of Wildlife to write programs to track project status of many different project the division had in place. Eventually, they asked me to stay on and write programs for their education department; hunter services; and to webify the hunter regulations.

When the departments ability to retain me as a temporary employee (2 year limit), my supervisor asked the owner of C-Quad system, a certified state vendor, to hire me on so as to redirect my work through them. Once hired, I continued to work on many of the same projects for the state that I did before, and took on several other projects as a head network administrator for an Internet Service Provider partially owned by C-Quad Systems. I also was contracted out to new clients, consulting on how to take their business to the web.

Eventually, C-Quad systems lost its biggest contract, Lockheed Martin, and closed its doors. I then continued to run the business with a new partner until all the clients were successful transitioned to new providers.

Kevin Fries

Objective

Skills Survey

Job Summary

Employment History

Education

Activities & Associations