Bill Gimbel
William A. Gimbel
mobile: +1 (312) 208-6629
Summary
Hands-on technologist focused on leading software development teams, performing architecture, design, and implementation, and infrastructure design, deployment, and system management.
Specialties
enterprise software development, web deployed applications, scientific, education, financial, engineering, LMS, CMS, development process and methodology
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Science
Experience
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), San Francisco, CA
April 2010 – present
Director, Information Technology
Overseeing all aspects of this state agency’s software development and infrastructure needs. Developing an in-house Ruby on Rails based custom grants management system with data integration to a public facing Drupal based website. Migrated the server infrastructure to a private cloud setup utilizing the latest VMware offerings and enhanced the network infrastructure to include normal levels of redundancy in connectivity, data storage, and capacity.
Hands-on project management, architecture, design, coding, and deployment of CIRM’s Ruby on Rails based grants management system. Developed a meta-data driven framework for deliverable definition reducing programmer time from four to six weeks down to a few days to deploy a working online deliverable for review and release. Added a stereotype abstraction layer to help control our internal namespace, reduce meta-definition redundant code, and further speed up deliverable deployments this time reducing programmer time on each deliverable that could utilize these stereotypes now down to a few hours. Developed a RESTful JSON web service to provide automated access to up-to-date grant application data for the CIRM public website.
Began as a contract Information Technology Advisor provided by Infonetica, Inc to the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) from April 2010 – May 2012, converted to a staff Director Information Technology position in May, 2012.
Independent Projects
June 2009 – May 2012
aptReader, San Francisco, CA, May 2011 – May 2012
Sole Proprietor
Creating a native iOS and Android e-reader app focused on a better reading experience for reference books.
Private Clients, June 2009 – May 2012
Computer Training
Providing in-person and remote customized training and systems troubleshooting for private individuals.
News Mixers, San Francisco, CA, March 2010 – April 2010
CTO
Brainstormed a new venture to promote social news consumption with a compelling game competitive component to be deployed across both mobile devices and traditional web browsers.
Learning Express, LLC, New York, NY, January 2010 – April 2010
Systems Architecture
Created a technical roadmap including design and implementation details for integration of the next releases of the company’s products with Google Services focusing initially on Calendars and Documents. Designed an XML workflow for managing the users’ resume content that is part of the new release of their Job and Career Accelerator (JCA) program launch. Worked with the publishing staff to define a path to convert the publication of hundreds of eBooks authored in Quark and Adobe InDesign and currently output into PDF format to be output now into ePub and MOBI format to best support the current set of eReader platforms.
Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY
October 2006 – May 2009
Director Engineering
Led the software engineering efforts to create and maintain the SAM Enterprise Edition product line working to migrate from a purely client-server deployment model towards a full web-based one. Coordinated all projects with the business, marketing, and product producers focused on integrating the work of our external software development and QA vendors with that if our internal staff. Migrated the development practices from a former custom methodology based loosely on RUP to an Agile approach.
Began as a consultant – analyzed software development and deployment plans for migrating to a web centric model of curriculum delivery.
PEAK6 Investments LP, Chicago, IL
June 2005 – September 2006
Director, Technology
Led development teams focused on the core infrastructure software components required to operate a boutique proprietary options trading business. This included all forms of exchange connectivity (FIX, CMS, and Exchange Specific APIs), order and quote handling, incoming market data feed processing, and the entire underlying messaging layer (PGM) on which all of our systems were built. Formed a new development effort designed to replace the legacy C++ and Perl based application layers with a new C# / .NET based application server and framework. This layered architecture provided a series of abstractions hiding the underlying messaging / data access, a canonical data model representing the core business concepts, a business logic plug-in container, a generic domain query processor, and client application API for use by the trader workstation application developers. A subsidiary professional trader arcade utilized the first release of this server.
Kaplan, Inc., Chicago, IL / Oakland, CA
May 2000 – June 2005
Vice President of Engineering
Built a seasoned engineering team from scratch pulling in the best resources I knew from my recent experiences combined with focused hiring of remaining openings. This team originally consisted of twenty-five software developers including two managers, five QA and five operations staff inclusive of a manager each. Managed this team to an original $21MM three year development plan to develop an enterprise level distance learning authoring and deployment platform. This J2EE based platform allows Kaplan curriculum developers to produce and deliver courses with minimal further engineering effort. Delivered three major releases, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 on time within a twelve-month timeframe total from start to finish and under budget by approximately 10%.
Developed integrated curriculum authoring and assembly tools (CMS). This CMS is implemented as a J2EE server application with a full Swing client front end. Deployed the first three releases successfully which are now in use by three business units for their curriculum authoring needs. Some of this content authoring work is also performed utilizing this tool with off shore resources in India.
Worked directly with the software architecture team on overall system and detailed technical designs. Managed day-to-day development processes of the entire engineering group in conjunction with my direct report management team. Assisted the Kaplan CTO in evaluation of various vendors’ systems under consideration for implementation within the corporate-wide environment. Performed technical evaluations of various corporate entities for possible purchase as part of Kaplan’s aggressive merger and acquisitions plan.
After some restructuring, took over the management of the product development team in addition to my current engineering, QA, and operations staff. This group is charged with the traditional product marketing roles of requirements gathering and definition combined with management assistance of our clients’ projects helping to guide them through their own implementations of our technologies within their businesses.
Migrated the development team from our offices in Oakland, CA to our divisional headquarters in Chicago, IL. and deployment platform.
Carstation, Inc., San Francisco, CA
September 1999 – April 2000
Vice President of Architecture
Transitioned a previously existing completely outsourced core development project in-house building a staff of thirteen permanent employees, (eight software engineers and five QA staff), augmented with twelve consultants under our internal management. Performed a technology assessment of the company’s software and hardware components. This assessment recommended a parallel development path of three future maintenance releases occurring in concert with a long-term major release focused on addressing the shortcomings of the existing platform. Delivered the first of the three maintenance releases on time and within budget as acting Vice President of Engineering with a portion of the team while focusing the remaining team members on beginning the next maintenance release cycle. Engaged an external company of ten people to begin sustenance work around the existing platform and maintenance releases. The aim of this arrangement is freeing up internal staff to begin work on the long-term release in parallel with the existing engineering efforts.
InstantObjects, Inc. (formerly Electric Classifieds / Match.com), San Francisco, CA
May 1997 – September 1999
Vice President of Engineering / CTO
Led the entire development staff of engineers, operations, and QA totaling fifteen individuals. Created a new business plan in conjunction with the rest of the executive management team. The goal of this plan was to secure funding of our new platform development effort for the coming year. Focused the development efforts around a new server-side Java-based multi-tier application system to deliver our next generation set of classified advertisement site building tools. This new platform was delivered on an aggressive six-month product cycle, with quarterly iterative functional delivery cycles in the following year. Worked with marketing and sales to shift our outside focus from one of application delivery to one of providing tools for our customers to develop their own web-based applications.
Director of Engineering
Managed a team of six engineers focused on maintaining and extending an existing web-based classified advertisement application. Attended to existing customer needs through prioritizing outstanding defects and new feature requests. Coordinated the efforts of the QA and operations managers to effect successful and timely product releases. Designed the product requirements for a new platform re-write working with input from the product marketing and account management teams.
Prior Experience
Digital Generation Systems, San Francisco, CA
January 1996 – May 1997
Senior Software Engineer
Designed and implemented improvements to the company’s C++ / Linux based second-generation client-server audio advertisement deliver system.
Computer Curriculum Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA
September 1994 – January 1996
Team Leader
Led a team of four developers creating a Windows and Macintosh client-server curriculum application system, and later, a web based curriculum delivery system.
MDL Information Systems, Inc., San Leandro, CA
September 1992 – September 1994
Group Manager, ISIS/Objects
Managed a group of six engineers developing a proprietary cross-platform library used internally for all application development.
Senior Software Engineer
Developed a Windows, Macintosh, and Motif chemical drawing application, which was delivered as part of a client-server chemical database system.