Dan Gifford

4535 S 2300 E Suite B (385) 202-5920

Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Willing to travel up to 20%.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Highly self-motivated broadly experienced software developer with excellent communication and presentation skills and a strong entrepreneurial drive. Dedicated to making the project and the organization successful by working smart, solving tough problems, and delivering high quality software on time and on budget. Accustomed to thriving in constantly changing, dynamic environments. Areas of achievement include:
  • Desktop / Web Development – Experience with enterprise web development, real time video analysis, writing custom computer vision algorithms, building RFID enabled tracking systems, and communicating with electro-mechanical controls and sensors.
  • Mobile / Embedded Systems Development - Experience on the BlackBerry, Playbook and many different Windows CE devices.
  • User Interface Design - Experience producing simple and usable graphical user interfaces for Windows desktop systems, embedded devices, and other proprietary platforms.
  • Self-motivated - Able to quickly and independently learn any new technology.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
  • Languages Fluent – Java (ME), C#
  • Languages Proficient – Java (EE), XML, SQL, T-SQL
  • Languages Basic – Actionscript, HTML5, Javascript, CSS, C/C++(very limited)
  • Databases – SQL Server (2000, 2008, 2012), “BlackBerry Persistent Objects”, HTML5 indexedDB
  • Operating Systems - Windows, Windows CE, Linux, BlackBerry OS, Blackberry Tablet OS (QnX)
  • Compilers/IDEs - Visual Studio, Eclipse, JBuilder, NetBeans, BlackBerry JDE, Sybase Unwired Workspace, Adobe Flash builder 4.5
  • Libraries/APIs - .NET (1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 (limited)), J2EE/J2ME/JavaME, BlackBerry APIs (4.3-4.7), JGraph, Bouncy Castle, IC-Imaging, jQuery, jQuery Mobile, Sencha Touch
  • Software Engineering Techniques - User Interface Design, Design Patterns, OOA/OOD/OOP, MVC, Multithreading, SOAP, UML Modeling, Component-based Development, Multi-OS Development, Reverse Software Engineering (proof of concept), Serialization, Webservices (REST & SOAP)
  • Other Computer/Software Skills - Tortoise SVN, Subversion, Perforce, Soap UI, Team Foundation Server, Sybase Unwired Platform, JBoss, nLite, Adobe Photoshop, Expression Web, Visio, Serial, Bluetooth, and Network communications, RFID tag reading and writing, Image manipulation
  • Other Technical Skills - Customization of existing hardware designs, SolidWorks (Mechanical Modeling), Machine shop skills, Rapid electro-mechanical prototyping, Custom cable creation

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
July 2012 - Present / Owner
Gifford Software Consutling LLC – Salt Lake City, UT
(Main technologies used: Linux, C#, .NET 3.5 & 4.0, HTML, Javascript)
Note: the LLC was initially called Gifford Software LLC and based out of GA. I moved the business to Utah in April of 2013.
  • I am currently available for new contracts.
  • Formed patentable ideas for various information security products.
◦Along with other products, researched and developed (on paper) new public key security dongles.
◦I have put these efforts on hold while looking for more software development contracts. Although I am in the process of commercializing these products, these efforts will not affect my performance at my full time employer.
  • Worked on full stack enterprise .NET web project.
◦Worked on a full stack enterprise .NET web project. Mainly did middle tier work.
  • Worked on a 3D file viewing utility which allowed STL files to be viewed in C# applications.
  • Worked on image processing routines in C#.
  • Evaluated ARM boards for use in embedded Linux environments.
  • Evaluated Linux on Android options. The idea was to use the tablet as a controller for 3D printers.

January 2011
-
July 2012 / Mobile Applications Developer
BlackBerry (Research In Motion) – Alpharetta, GA
(Main technologies used: J2ME,J2EE Web Services (REST/JSON), MVC, JBoss, Eclispe, jQuery, jQuery Mobile, Sencha Touch, Sybase Unwired Platform)
FULL LIFE CYCLE
  • Took on a lead functional role for a 2+ million dollar project which allowed SAP SRM carts to be approved, rejected and forwarded using BlackBerry mobile phones.
◦While a contractor, traveled to Canada for a week to perform additional on-site QA testing and audit the development process of an ongoing project.
▪Along with another colleague, found more bugs than the entire testing team combined.
◦Kept a log of all known defects. Worked with the Canadian based development team to fix all known issues before bringing the app to the executive pilot group.
◦Worked with other teams to create application support plans.
◦Performed development on an as needed basis. Assisted the off-site development team when needed.
  • Created three demo applications using Adobe AIR and HTML5 technologies for use on tablets and smartphones.
  • Performed bug fixes on mobile HR (Taleo) and ticketing (Remedy) applications.
◦Took un-compilable proxy and client code and got it to compile.
◦Analyzed existing proxy servers and performed upgrades on the existing codebase as deemed necessary.
◦Re-released the applications into production with minimal/no assistance.
October 2009
-
December 2010 / Software Engineer
Ingenious Med – Atlanta, GA
(Main technologies used: J2ME, Wifi & Cell tower communications, BlackBerry OS, .NET Web services (SOAP / XML), BlackBerry Persistent Objects)
  • Part of a team of 3 which ported over an existing medical charge capture web app to the BlackBerry.
◦The app allows physicians to create bills on their BlackBerry cell phones.
◦Initial work quote from RIM: 1.3 million dollars and 12 months.
◦Total execution time (inception to shipment): 9 months.
  • The BlackBerry app works on the following devices with operating systems 4.3 and higher:
◦Curve (all versions)
◦Tour (all versions)
◦Bold (all versions)
  • Met with the executives and the company founder on a regular basis to polish the product.
  • Co-designed the user experience for the product with the mobile product manager.
  • Met with physicians to get their input on the device / software.
  • Helped demo the app at the HIMMS conference.
  • Wrote approximately 70% of the code on the devices.
  • Designed and implemented a custom on device “database” using persistent objects.
◦Defined all objects and stored them inside multiple vectors which were semi-serializable, had full text searching, and were sortable with multiple indexes.
◦Wrote HIPPA compliant cryptography routines for the data.
  • Partially developed version 2.0 of the app. Selected work includes:
◦Partially integrated version 1.0 of the app with Thompson Reuters' existing BlackBerry app.
◦Improved the performance of the app by re-architecting the data layer.
  • Interacted with internal and external sales professionals and provided support when necessary.

September 2008 -
July 2009 / Undergraduate Research Assistant
Georgia Institute of Technology: Contextual Computing Group - Atlanta ,GA
(Main technologies used: J2ME, Wifi communications, BlackBerry OS)
FULL LIFE CYCLE – BlackBerry only
  • Won 1st & 3rd place for the College of Computing at the institute wide UROP and UROC research symposiums.
  • Coordinated with senior PhD students to model, partially design, and prototype children's toys for use in the possible early detection of autism.
  • Developed keystroke logging and statistical software on BlackBerries, and pure J2ME emulators, for research studies involving mini-qwerty keyboard usage.
  • Developed a wireless time syncing protocol between BlackBerries and cars for use in a study determining the safety of texting while driving.

January
2007 -
July 2008 / Software Engineer
Gifford Engineering - Alpharetta, GA
(Main technologies used: C#, .NET 2.0/3.5, XML, Serial, Bluetooth and Wifi communications, Windows XP, Windows CE)
FULL LIFE CYCLE
  • Successfully saw a computer vision product from conception to market.
  • The product was a silicon wafer bar-code reader used in semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Germany.
  • Total sales to date: over $350,000
  • Oversaw all non assembly level code developed on site.
  • Traveled domestically to design, support, install, and maintain systems/products for clients.
  • Developed real time image processing libraries and lighting algorithms.
  • Developed custom UIs and back-ends for Windows and Windows CE systems.
  • Customized Windows installations for use in semi-custom computing platforms.
  • Tested dozens of cameras and lenses for use in production equipment.
  • Wrote software to analyze, catalog, and store thousands of digital images. Used cryptography techniques to hide registration data inside the images.
  • Wrote custom install/uninstall scripts and GUI installers/uninstallers.
  • Assisted in the design and implementation of RFID enabled tracking systems.
  • Setup wireless communications systems between embedded devices and other wireless devices and desktop systems.

January 2006 -
December 2006
(summer off) / Co-Op
McKenneys, Inc. - Atlanta, GA
  • Designed, tested and implemented web based custom user interfaces on three different server platforms for custom industrial HVAC systems ranging from 1 to 55 story buildings.
  • Areas of achievement include:
  • Retrofitted HVAC controls interfaces for The Bank of America Plaza.
  • Retrofitted the user interface for the life support system for The Georgia Aquarium.
  • Designed and implemented the HVAC controls interfaces for Terminus 100, a 26 story high rise building in downtown Atlanta.

EDUCATION
2009 / Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Georgia Institute of Technology
CERTIFICATIONS
  • CSM – Certified Scrum Master (Scrum Alliance) - August 2010

PRESENTATIONS GIVEN
  • BlackBerry Users Group – March 2012
  • BlackBerry Users Group – November 2011

CONFERENCES ATTENDED
  • BlackBerry Developers Conference 2009 – San Francisco, CA
  • HIMSS 2010 – Atlanta, GA