Experience
I began my career at HP in 1977 after graduating with a BSEE from the University of Colorado at Boulder. My first assignment was the 8" floppy disk subsystem for the HP250 small business computer.
I progressed through various assignments in firmware and hardware (analog and digital) design, and within 6 years moved into management as an R&D project manager. During the 13 year span from 1983 to 1996, I led teams that delivered personal mass storage, color scanners, and MFP/fax. Some products had supporting Windows software. Several of these products were first-to-market.
- Color scanner with on-chip filters delivered a cost/performance breakthrough over the beam-splitter/prism design. This opened up the market from professional graphics designers to consumers
- LaserJet Fax MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral). Awarded the Demo '95 award for the most innovative product.
- 5.25" Winchester disc co-developed with US-based OEM
- 1.4MB 3.5" flexible disc codeveloped with Sony
A 2-year period as the product generation productivity manager followed. I managed the R&D Services and Current Product Engineering departments, and developed the infrastructure, tools, and processes for many years of world-class product generation for scanners. During that time, I was selected for an HP Fellowship program and earned a Masters Degree in the Management of Technology, which integrates an MBA with Innovation Management, Product Marketing, Economics, ROI analysis, Design for Manufacturing, and Quality (Malcolm Baldridge).
Returning to project management in 1996, I delivered the software solutions for two generations of desktop scanners. This included the first release of the Intelligent Scanning Technology and the first HP scanner utilizing the at-that-time-infant USB. As program manager, I led three R&D project teams and had direct reports of 10 software, human factors, and hardware engineers. These solutions marked the desktop scanner's transition to "mainstreet". Desktop scanners were a huge financial success, and won many awards for consumer satisfaction ratings.
As the market for consumer scanners began to decline, I was enlisted to lend my expertise to digital cameras. I proceeded to develop the market requirements, schedule, risk assessment, specifications, defect tracking and issues/progress tracking for three generations of Photosmart R-series cameras. This included providing the cross-functional coordination to insure that the full solution was delivered on time and met customer needs and quality. In 2006, three of these cameras were rated in the Consumer Reports top-10 besides numerous other awards from technical magazines. They also became quite famous with the Design Gallery feature called "slimming" that made the subjects in the middle of the picture appear to be 10-15 pounds lighter. Oprah loved it!
In 2006, I transitioned to the Windows software for cameras. In addition to 11 software releases for the new camera models in '07, I invented and championed a new user experience, architecture, business model, and core technologies for the camera On-Board Software (no CD required). This progressed from concept to I/L in 20 weeks. This was awarded first-place at two HP Innovation Fairs. I was recruited to lead the cross discipline collaboration team for the consumer software lab, spanning labs in 5 locations, to expand this user experience to the AiO and printer platforms.
During 2008, I led the Innovation Steering Team for the HP consumer products software lab, contributed to the Orchestra user experience team, was product engineer for a commercial scanner, and created a business plan for online document management as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
My accomplishments while working for HP were highly rewarding for both HP and I.