Curriculum Vitae
Mar 2nd, 2007 by Larry
Larry Eiss
Software Executive
Product Management • Strategic Alliances • Technical Marketing • Customer Satisfaction
Strong performance record covering all facets of the product life cycle from cradle to grave, including the development of highly effective strategies for design, development, rollout, and maintenance of highly technical and complex software solutions, and revitalizing existing products. Proven record of communicating technical concepts, establishing strong strategic relationships, and dramatically improving customer satisfaction. Skilled at developing competitive intelligence and highly effective white papers and articles that dramatically increase product marketability and sales. Characterized as being insightful, resourceful, and a team builder. Effective under pressure with excellent leadership and interpersonal skills. Solid technical skills coupled with polished professional style.
Core competencies and experience include:
● Written and verbal communication
● Relationship building
● Team development
● Strategic product planning
● Competitive intelligence
● Business Intelligence market knowledge
● Strategic alliances and business development
● Customer satisfaction
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Information Builders, Inc. (IBI – over $300 million, private) World Headquarters, Manhattan, NY 9/98 – present
Director, Advanced Technical Services
Coordinates the resources of Information Builders to resolve technical issues and turn around strained relationships at large high profile accounts in both pre- and post-sale stages.
• Directs resources from all groups within the company to satisfy customer and prospect requirements
• Manages account relationships and provides executive sponsorship to ensure the complete satisfaction of Information Builders customers
• Serves as escalation point-person for hot, high-visibility, high-value, time-critical problem escalations
• Drives creative resolutions, sets customer expectations, works in a consultative capacity to suggest best practices that should be implemented to ensure long term account stability
Technical Director, Product Management Strategy
Responsible for the strategic direction of the WebFOCUS Suite of products. Tasked with improving IBI’s position in the Business Intelligence market.
• Directed team of product managers responsible for redesigning the WebFOCUS user interface
• Coordinated IBI product and technical team involvement in high-profile presales situations
• Drove research into technologies to determine build vs. buy benefits
• Managed cross-product feature design, implementation, and integration relying on resources from multiple teams
Computer Associates International (CA $4.5 billion, NYSE) World Headquarters, Islandia, NY 6/92–8/98
Director Competitive Intelligence 12/97 – 8/98
Charged with establishment of the Competitive Intelligence organization at CA.
• Created and implemented the business plan
• Designed and established department procedures
• Conceptualized and authored the CA Competitive Intelligence Handbook, which documents departmental functions and procedures
• Managed book development project for “Working With Unicenter TNG” – 1998, Macmillan
Director Strategic Business Alliances 1/96 – 12/97
Worked closely with CA executive management, established, negotiated, coordinated, and managed the most strategic relationships and partnerships the company maintained. Paved the way for strong and profitable relationships by bringing disparate groups within partner organizations together in support of Unicenter TNG as their standard for enterprise management. Established and managed CA’s relationships
with Digital Equipment Corp., Tandem Computers, Inc., and Novell as well as Internet and desktop alliances including Netscape Communications, Inc., Open Market, Inc., Spyglass, and SCO.
• Drove alliances to contribute over $40 million in first-year revenue to CA
• Grew revenue from these alliances to more than $150 million in the second year
• Negotiated partner bundling deals for Unicenter TNG Framework, which when announced at CA-World, (CA’s annual worldwide user conference) directly resulted in a sustained 8% increase in stock price (NYSE:CA 7/15/97)
• Lead the creation of significant new relationships and technology integration projects that helped to make Unicenter a $1.4 billion product
Client Base Owner (Product Line Director) – Xbase Products 8/95 – 1/96
Guided the $11 million Xbase product line including CA dBFast, CA Clipper, and CA Visual Objects (VO). Supervised a team of 30 developers, quality assurance staff, and support technicians on both coasts. Conducted new-version beta testing, maintenance (bug fix), and technical support. Directed and managed the Technicon conference at CA-World and approved all materials submitted for sessions. Due to a shift in focus, the company had slated these products for retirement and begun to downsize the team to staff other projects.
• Reversed declining employee morale and customer relationships, preventing the departure of key developers and slowing degradation of sales
• Heightened client interest ensuring the development and release of version 2.0 of Visual Objects in December, 1996 (This increase in interest was sustained and resulted in two subsequent versions)
• Laid the groundwork for worldwide product rollout, and speedy acceptance of the new version
Director, Application Development Strategy 4/93 – 8/95
Defined and communicated the strategic direction and positioning for application development products. Directed product launches, approved the marketing message, and guided creation of collateral materials. Authored marketing plans and reviewer’s guides. Traveled extensively keynoting conferences and lecturing about application development and product strategy on six continents.
• Raised global product awareness to unprecedented levels making CA Visual Objects the best selling application development tool for Windows in Eastern Europe
• Increased international profile of CA’s application development products by keynoting various conferences, visiting clients, and briefing trade press
Product Champion 6/92 - 4/93
Coordinated all technical communication related to Xbase. Planned and defined developer conference curriculum and its delivery. Edited annual conference proceedings in excess of 1000 pages. Created technical presentations and collateral material. Trained staff and clients on Clipper and Visual Objects.
• Enhanced Computer Associates’ understanding and assimilation of the technology acquired from Nantucket Corp.
• Bolstered the existing customer base by addressing concerns about the Nantucket acquisition at user group meetings and on CompuServe
• Forged product interest in new market segments by leveraging CA’s leadership in the enterprise
Nantucket Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (acquired by Computer Associates 6/92)
Technical Marketing Engineer 9/91 – 6/92
Interfaced with product development to ensure latest knowledge of current and future product features and direction. Authored white papers, competitive analyses, educational materials, presentations, and applications. Edited all outbound communication for technical accuracy and served as the technical contact for the press and other sensitive audiences.
• Authored white papers positioning Clipper in the enterprise
• Authored competitive analysis positioning Clipper against FoxPro
• Directed developer conferences and established their curricula
• Educated technical support staff about Nantucket products and object-oriented concepts
J&L Consulting, Bouckville, NY
Owner/Sr. Consultant 4/85 – 9/91
Provided consulting services including strategic IT planning, systems analysis and design, application development, and technical support. Designed, developed and implemented numerous microcomputer-based information systems and applications in Xbase and many other environments. Clients included Carrier Division of United Technologies, Inc., Crucible Steel, Nice-n-Easy Grocery Shops, Clestra Cleanroom Technologies, and Chronicle Guidance Publications.
• Designed, developed, and implemented equipment repair tracking and fleet management system
• Coded and implemented LAN-based travel-expense reporting and cash disbursement system for a Fortune 500 manufacturing company
• Created purchase order control and vendor analysis system for a specialty steel company
Various Positions 6/79 – 2/85
• Designed and managed first computer information center, training program, and PC standards and procedures at $100 million Syracuse Supply Company
• Implemented the first computer center at Canastota, NY Central Schools
• Programmed a leasing system in COBOL as a subcontractor
• Coded a database management system and program generator in MBASIC
• Developed and conducted the first computer training in the Syracuse, NY area
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
X3J19 ANSI Xbase Standards Committee - Assisted in the proposal to ANSI for formation of this committee and served as the representative of Computer Associates. Drafted and presented proposals for inclusion in the standard and participated in debating proposals brought before the committee.
Central NY PC User’s Group – Founded the group in 1984 and served in many capacities. CNYPCUG currently reports over 200 members.
Association of Professional Computer Consultants – Co-founded the association in 1986, served two terms as President, and served on Board of Directors until relocating to Los Angeles.
PUBLICATIONS
Author:
“From Where I Sit” column in the WebFOCUS Newsletter
“Persistent Object” column in Visual Objects Advisor magazine
Project mgr/editor:
“Working With Unicenter TNG” – Que Books (1998)
Technical editor:
“Clipper 5.3 A Developer’s Guide” – M&T Books
“Visual Objects A Developer’s Guide” – M&T Books
Forward author:
“Visual Objects A Developer’s Guide” – M&T Books
“Network Programming in CA-Clipper 5.2” – Ziff-Davis Press
Cover quote:
“Using Clipper Special Edition” – Que Books
OTHER
Author and instructor - Numerous computer courses including Object-Oriented Theory & Concepts, introductory through advanced FOCUS and Xbase Application Development, BASIC, various word processors and spreadsheets, and general computer literacy.
Accomplished and polished public speaker - extensive international speaking experience; superior communication and interpersonal skills
PERSONAL
Very happily married, with two adult children
I enjoy my family, reading, woodworking, photography, technology, and travel
In addition to my thoughts here, I share thoughts on photography and woodworking at LarryEiss.com.