Jim Gagnon

8400 Surprise Valley Road
PO Box 292
Comptche, CA 95427

543 34th Avenue
San Francisco, CA  94121
Overview
  • Skilled in relating real-world situations to computational models using theoretical/holistic approaches.
  • Managerial expertise in creating and sustaining innovative software corporations.
  • Experience in architecting and implementing database, analytical and financial software.
  • Able to address multiple problems at a system level and provide scalable, sustainable solutions.
  • Proficient in explaining complex systems in easy-to-comprehend terms for non-technical audiences.
  • Success in generating significant savings through development and redesign solutions.
Work Experience
        Co-founded Abacus Concepts in 1984 and nurtured it from a raw, self-financed start-up to a mature 30 employee private corporation. With two MacUser Eddies, six MacWorld World Class awards and a 60% market share world-wide, Abacus was the undisputed leader of Macintosh Statistical Analysis and a significant player in the Win32 world. Wearing a job title of CTO, served on the Board of Directors and as the creative juices behind the software. Managed development staff and budget while serving as lead programmer. Technical responsibilities were the user interface design, software architecture and implementation of the entire StatView product line. Innovative technologies created at Abacus were a lightweight dynamic object engine with full transactional history, container documents and comprehensive change management. StatView’s unique user interface allowed non-technical users simple access to complex and comprehensive Statistical calculations and displays in four languages (English, French, German, Japanese). Sold Abacus in 1997 to our largest competitor, SAS Institute.
        Once the details of Abacus’ sale were complete in mid-1998, embarked on a period of volunteerism and adventure that lasted four years. Single-handedly brought John Swett Unified, one of the poorest grade schools in San Francisco, up onto the Internet and donated enough computers to wire every classroom. Spent time aiding and instructing the elderly in computer skills. Embarked on a year and a half long overseas vacation including a year safaring across Africa. Returned home to begin a family and to find new challenges.
        Prior to Abacus, work experience ranged from driver-level coding on PCs and UNIX boxes up to complex financial software on IBM mainframes. Also used language skills to serve as a specification and documentation writer in addition to programming.
        Recent employment consists of secure Java webapp and MySQL development using Linux and Eclipse for a small Software Service company, and research for a smartphone startup designed to service the equities and trading market.

Education
        Programming since 1974 in high school, received a BS in Computer Science, Systems Programming at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Spent several graduate semesters designing a leading edge distributed Relational database for the CS department.

References and Skills list available at http://www.jimgagnon.net/resume/history.html