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Benjamin Callister

New York, NY

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Objective

Seeking a lead or contract position with a company designing and implementing cool system architectures and back-end components for large-scale and/or small-scale data-driven system(s) and/or applications. Special interest in leveraging the Internet as a significant resource.

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Tutor.com,

Vice President of Engineering, CTO

New York, NY

10.2000 – Present

Mr. Callister leads Tutor.com's technology efforts creating next generation software tools that provide people with the best online educational experience. Before joining Tutor.com, Mr. Callister worked for Digital Discoveries where he designed and implemented a technology system for job seekers looking to market themselves in today's competitive landscape. Previously, Mr. Callister worked extensively in the entertainment and gaming industry creating products for companies such as Disney Interactive, The Discovery Channel, Toyota, Saab, Minolta, Baby GAP, Cyberflix and Interactive Pictures Corporation.

Selected Accomplishments:

  • Manage a software team ranging from 5 to 13 engineers
  • Direct all corporate technology initiatives and directions
  • Conducted strategic technology alliances with outside companies where appropriate
  • Design and implementation of next generation educational software. The results of this project was a platform that includes the following capabilities:
  • A rich peer-to-peer system that works seamlessly through firewalls
  • A ‘Smart Content’ system that allowed for the definition and management of XML structures and associated content, in an overall network structure, that all sits on top of an underlying SQL Server database (more below)
  • Client-side learning software that:
  • Intelligently connects the user instantly to hundreds of online educators in their desired field of interest
  • Adapts itself to the learning environment via a never-ending dynamic toolset that is subject and context-sensitive (ie. a calculator for math sessions; a periodic chart for chemistry sessions; an outline tool for English sessions; a whiteboard for art sessions)
  • Provides an infrastructure for third-party developers to create new tools for distribution within select educational contexts
  • All settings are stored server-side within the ‘Smart Content’ system to minimize client-side requirements as well as allow users to move from machine to machine without losing their continuous learning environment
  • Contains a complex multi-threaded implementation for the dynamic injection of run-time learning modules within the application
  • Is self-updateable by nature
  • Several .NET Web Services to handle interaction between the client and the ‘Smart Content’ system as well as business-specific functions
  • Provides a rich security model for data going on the wire between clients and servers within the system
  • Adopted industry standards wherever possible and appropriate (ie. XML, SOAP, COM)
  • Written using C++, Visual Basic, COM, and .NET (C#, ASP.NET), where appropriate
  • Designed and developed a ‘Smart Content’ system that allowed for:
  • Easy definition and management of XML structures within metabase
  • Association of content to XML structures (this content can exist anywhere in the world)
  • XML structures from multiple domains could be intelligently inter-related
  • Comprehensive set of APIs for accessing data structure network
  • Complete query engine for complex interactions with the XML structures and their associated content
  • Efficiency and robustness of SQL Server 2000 (the underlying database)
  • Developed a complex ‘Smart Matching’ system that employs statistical algorithms for dynamic discovery of the best run-time student/teacher match. This system alone brought user ratings up 30% - a significant factor for prospect customers and one that helped us quickly scale our business
  • Helped design and build a scalable, fully redundant enterprise solution to handle significant load of customer base. This system runs Compaq hardware with Windows 2000, using a SQL Server cluster on the back end. Other significant tools used include Application Center 2000 and Local Directors configured to properly load balance across the various servers
  • Built a sophisticated metrics system that allows employees and customers to interact with a set of databases on a regular basis and provide them with the business information they need to better understand the customer as well as make overall better business decisions
  • Design and implementation of a scheduling framework that allows for easy injection of components. Several components that manage many of the regular business tasks are managed and executed within this framework
  • Helped design and build powerful utility tools and websites that customers interact with on a regular basis to acquire critical business information. These sites employ traditional ASP as well as ASP.NET technologies offering the best in terms of scalability and performance
  • Design and implementation of a powerful content conversion tool that allows publishers to convert existing document content (ie. PDF) into web content. A testing system was also created that allowed pieces of converted content to be grouped into a test that could then be taken online

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Digital Discoveries,

Senior Software Engineer

Knoxville, TN

04.1996 – 10.2000

While working at Digital Discoveries, Ben acquired a very strong software design and development discipline. Applying this discipline to his work, Ben helped design and create a full-scale 3-tier architecture for a system similar, but much more complex, than that of Monster.com. This system helped job seekers and employers alike market themselves in today's competitive landscape.

Selected Accomplishments:

  • Designed and implemented back-end components in VC++, VB, COM, DCOM
  • Heavy use of Rational Rose and UML
  • Acquired intimate knowledge of the ObjectStore object-oriented database system
  • Designed and implemented a small SDK for production CD-ROM
  • Designed and implemented complex parser component that read data coming in over the wire from a CD-ROM application and injected the information into the back-tier ObjectStore database
  • Developed various system testing applications in C++ and COM/ATL with Visual Basic
  • Did an extensive amount of research on XML
  • Designed and performed various Y2K tests

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Interactive Pictures Corporation (IPIX),

Software Engineer

Knoxville, TN

05.1994 – 04.1996

While working at IPIX, Ben was the sole developer for a six-figure Photography CD-ROM title for Minolta Corporation. He also created many multimedia applications for companies such as Toyota, Saab, The Discovery Channel, Sachi & Sachi, The Gap, Baby Gap, and several real-estate firms.

Selected Accomplishments:

  • Sole programmer for a 6-figure photography CD-ROM title for Minolta Corporation
  • Worked closely with third-party developer in the creation of the IPIX Xtra Plugin
  • Developed many multimedia demos for known companies
  • Worked closely with design and content teams
  • Reported to one lead project manager

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Cyberflix,

Knoxville, TN

05.1994 – 11.1994

While working at Cyberflix, Ben helped develop known game titles including: Titanic: A Journey Out of Time, Dust: A Tale of the Wired West, and Redjack's Revenge.

Selected Accomplishments:

  • Acquired my first experience with working in a serious production environment and team
  • Member of the ‘Titanic: A Journey Out of Time’ game team
  • Worked closely with proprietary DreamFactory development tools
  • Conducted research for various portions of game
  • Beta-tested various games before they were distributed

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Education

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

Knoxville, TN

Major: Computer Science (Some College)

Latest Special Training Courses:

  • 2002 DevelopMentor Training – Essential .NET
  • 2001 Groove Training - Tool Development
  • 2001 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC 2001)
  • 2000 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC 2000)
  • 1999 Visual C++ Conference in Anaheim, CA
  • 1999 Visual C++ Pre-Conference sessions on COM+ and MTS

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Skills

  • Interests: .NET, Web Services, P2P, C#, XML, SOAP, Distributed/Parallel Computing, Multivariate Statistics, Adaptive Learning Techniques
  • Primary Tools: Visual Studio, .NET, COM(+), MTS, ATL, XML, ASP, STL, UML (Rational Rose)
  • Databases: SQL Server, ObjectStore, Access
  • Supplemental Tools: VSS, Application Center, Team-Track

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Special Projects

There are many projects that I have worked on (on my own time) over the past decade that hopefully serve as somewhat of an indication of my interests and dedication to this profession. Some of these products are sold and used in various industries today. Below are links to both my personal business site as well as my personal website. Both contain further information on these projects and on me.

  • Personal Business Site:
  • Personal Website:

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Other

  • Favorite Publications: Essential .NET, Code Complete, Essential COM, Inside COM
  • Personal Interests: Soccer, music, games, statistics, and family

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