I was tempted to post my resume here but it only tells about half the story. I am a self taught machinist, inventor, carpenter, and what I call a "builder". I worked in construction for eleven years. I really am a carpenter. I actually did build structures & such. I'm still pretty good at it too.
But as a builder, I like to build things, not just houses & such. I like machines. I like to make and modify them to do different things or do what they do better. This extends into wood, metal, electronics, and computer programming. Whatever it takes. I don't shy away from trying much. I've been pretty successful at a lot. But there are those who are crazy smart in all these things and I really admire these people.
I fancy that I am artistic and have had a couple of good successes with photography. I never had the training or time to develop my art, so who really knows? I write a little and have had a couple of editorial letters published in the L.A. Times. Not a huge deal, but worth some mention.
I currently have one patent for the Boil Stop. I researched and wrote this patent on my own. Simply did not have the cash for a patent attorney or service. Having done it and seen the garbage that passes for patents, I will never pay for one to be done. I may never do one again. But, that's a whole 'nother Oprah.
By day I am an Information Systems Department Director. I'm the geek that tells the other geeks what to do. Well not really, just at a high level. They know more about what they do than I do. I act as a bridge between them and the business. I apply a lot of my creative skills to this when I get the chance. Which is not often.
I do my best to be a good guy and a good manager around work, but I am not perfect at either.
I have an MBA from UC Irvine and a BS in Management from Pepperdine.
I have been married for almost 21 years. We have a great daughter, and an old Rottweiler, and a medium sized condo. We live in Southern California but are not really into the scene here at all. It's just where we live.
I do some minor volunteer work with my Home Owners Association and we donate what we can to charity, mostly the Red Cross. Our old things go to Salvation Army. I like their mission of helping adults. I think people tend to toss wayward adults out and write them off as lost causes too much.
Meanwhile we are trying to start this little side business selling cooking gadgets & such. These will all be original creations of ours. The Boil Stop is the first of these. I am also working on a line of decorative trivets with a "Bad Boy Biker" thing going for them.
There is an entire file of inventions that I just don't have time to get to either.
As I've been building this CNC machine, I have caught the CNC bug too. Not sure where that will take me. But I believe there are some product opportunities there as well.
That should give you an idea who I am. Thanks for reading.
Best,
John
