|
While pursuing a business degree, Brad found himself in need of steady income. A long-held love of computers drove him to change course and enroll in a technical college. After one year, he had earned a certificate and successfully interviewed with the American Stores Company, which, at the time, was the largest grocery store chain in the country. During the interview, Brad was surprised when the manager asked if he could low-level format a hard drive. Given that he once built a computer from the ground up starting with only wires and components, formatting the drive seemed a fairly simple task. Not only did Brad land that job, he worked his way to the American Stores Company corporate office where he set up the corporation’s first token ring LAN.
This was an auspicious start to a new career, a career that has ranged from computer support to telecommunications to web development.
While working in the computer support department at Northwest Pipeline, Brad helped one employee on a regular enough basis that he eventually asked Brad to join his team. The team was building a two-way radio/mobile telephone network system that would span 11 states. Over the course of 4 years, Brad worked with the team to create a very large proprietary network of base station radios, telephone interconnect boxes, and microwave backlinks to central PBXs. With the project complete, Brad had developed new skill set and was being offered new opportunities.
Brad was recruited by and interviewed with Western Wireless (later VoiceStream; currently T-Mobile), one of the largest PCS mobile networks in the United States. He joined the company as a member of an elite team that reported directly to the president. Brad’s role on the team was to test for interference between microwave radios and newly installed PCS radios. Brad had a unique skill set that included being able to program radios, analyze their spectrum patters, and adjust the radios for interference. Brad was able to save the company millions of dollars in microwave relocation costs they would otherwise have incurred. Brad also played a key role in the company’s completion and launch of the first PCS system in the United States.
After the initial push to acquire the channels needed for the PCS system, Brad went to work for Radio Dynamics Corporation, the software company that developed the interference calculator he used. Brad spent the next 8 years running interference analysis for AT&T, Cingular Wireless, Powertel, and Voicestream. The government required the PCS providers to coordinate use of the spectrum for 10 years, after which they could broadcast freely within their spectrum. This meant that Brad’s career as a frequency coordinator came to an end.
Luckily, while at Radio Dynamics, Brad had the opportunity to learn programming. Using this new skill set he started a career as a freelance programmer and web developer.
Brad became associated with Academic Innovations when a listing on Craigslist caught his attention. The educational publisher was looking for a web developer to help bring a vision for a dynamic online planning tool to life. Brad has been an integral part of Academic Innovations’ digital development team ever since.
Brad’s programming prowess, business acumen, and entrepreneurial mindset are evident in the systems he has developed and in the way he has grafted new functions and features onto existing Academic Innovations’ systems. For instance, when Brad started working with Academic Innovations, 75% of workshop and conference registrations were submitted by phone or fax, and all details regarding event logistics related to workshops, conferences, and tradeshows existed solely on paper. The upgrades Brad has made to the proprietary system now allow the company to manage at least 95% of workshop, conference, and tradeshow planning and logistics electronically, and nearly all registrations are submitted online.
Brad has also been instrumental in the development of My10yearPlan.com®. He’s helped the team at Academic Innovations transform a fledgling online planning tool into a robust digital system that provides learners with a decision-making coach rather than a computerized crutch, all of which furthers the mission of helping every student realize their potential as a self-sufficient adult.
Over the years Brad’s entrepreneurial spirit and personal interests have fueled the creation of several successful businesses -- a record company, a retail outlet store, a real estate investment company, and a dance company -- and with each new venture came the mastery and development of new skills, including marketing, accounting, business management, customer service, and legal services.
Brad is also actively involved in building a strong network of programmers/web developers in Southern Utah. Three years ago, while searching for local programmers with whom he could collaborate, Brad saw an advertisement for a code camp. It was the first event of its kind in the area, and Brad was intrigued by the concept: For three days, programmers from across Southern Utah would work in teams to build competing versions of the same application. At the end of the three days, all applications would be presented and the team that could successfully incorporate the most features (from a prescribed list) would win.
Brad attended the camp and, with a team of high schools students and their teacher, did nothing but code, eat, and sleep for 72 hours. When compared with the other teams’ applications, the application submitted by Brad’s team was the most complete and had incorporated all the desired features.
Brad was asked to serve on the committee for the next code camp. His main pre-event responsibility was to work with local educators to promote participation among high school students. His efforts were successful and enrollment tripled. For this shortened, 24-hour event, Brad chose not to compete, but participated as a mentor available to any group needing help troubleshooting or resolving bugs.
Brad continues to serve on the code camp committee and, during the most recent competition, juggled the roles of evening shift supervisor, mentor, and competitor.
Brad’s family, faith, and volunteer efforts are all priorities that he balances successfully with his professional pursuits.
| 
