Steve Smedes

- Partner support on everything regarding the API platform.
- Support the internal partnership team on questions and presentations regarding the Viadeo API.
- Manage the development of partner applications.
- Promote the API platform at different events (tradeshows, hackdays, meetups, etc).
- Monitor and promote the API platform online for developer communities at different social networks.

Responsible for all software, content, ads, services, and support needed for operating a broadband touchscreen media network with 10,000+ units worldwide. Directed a 5 person team who supervised the network, resolved client application and networking issues as tier 3 support, ran data analysis and reporting, developed internal company tools, and managed all software and content releases.

• Managed multiple external systems that made up the platform including front end development, software deployment, advertising network, database administration, change and configuration management, web systems, billing, and customer self configuration tools. Administered all third party systems that integrated with the platform such as data feeds, billing, data distribution via Akamai and Amazon S3, and social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare).
• Responsible for development and maintenance of internal company tools such as business data reporting, trouble ticket escalations, configuration management, knowledge base wiki, content deployment systems, customer billing system, bug tracking, and third party feed integration.
• Performed all sales engineering functions including technical training, demo creation, customer collaboration on design, and supported customer hardware/software launches in field.
• Administered new advertising platform and transition to DART DoubleClick, ran 100+ campaigns worth over $4 million from major customers including Visa, Anheuser-Busch, Absolut Vodka, State Lotteries, and more.
• Fine tuned escalation process and issue tracking for faster turnaround and increased customer satisfaction, led to 25% faster close time on issues and 15% improvement in customer satisfaction.
• Designed and developed release process for all software and content, created alpha/beta programs to ensure smooth releases. Reduced release issues by a factor of 20.
• Ran multiple 24/7 interactive media deployments including 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and White Sox U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
• Introduced Agile Scrum process and acted as team Scrummaster.
• Provided all business analysis of data, created executive reports, and developed company reporting system.
• Collaborated with all hardware partners and third party developers for product integration and API support.
• Supervised and integrated work from multiple teams including development, music and publishing, graphic design, support engineering, content management, customer service, and advertising operations.

Supervised broadband network with 5000+ clients, resolved client application and networking issues, and generated software releases. Participated in transition from struggling startup to successful firm and engaged in many aspects of both business and technology in the process.

• Supervised tier 3 systems support group. Final point of escalation for difficult bugs and highest level of support for any internal user, partner or customer issues.
• Managed client software releases across multiple products and hardware platforms, also international releases, weekly music releases and UI graphical and ad updates. Conducted alpha/beta programs for major releases and resolved any resulting issues.
• Personally supported our top three hardware partners and majority of software partner and third party application developers.
• Coded a variety of internal support tools for support, operations, and music staff.
• Assisted in many aspects of business due to small and fluctuating staff. Executed in product and project management, third party code integration, UI development, build development, quality assurance testing, marketing, sales, collateral generation, trade show support, and managed almost all aspects of our entire gamer product line.

Coded and supported customer web to voice applications. Engaged in all aspects of customer support from beginning sales cycle to design and implementation of application. Acted as main technical contact for all sales/marketing functions.

• Built applications utilizing a broad range of internet and voice technologies including various web languages, VoiceXML, TTS (text to speech), ASR (speech recognition), grammars, telephony and vocal UI. Completed large individual coding projects in both Java and Perl. Responsible for department intranet and hardware.
• Supported numerous customer accounts through technical sales, requirements gathering, application design and development cycle, and sustaining in field.
• Executed many sales and marketing functions including project management, collateral generation, customer and partner API training, trade show support, and requirements planning for future products.

Supported integrated chipset/graphics product from a software driver perspective.

• Acted as technical expert at both app and driver level with focus on 2D/3D drivers, digital display technologies, and operating system interface.
• Managed our top tier OEM hardware partners and game developers: analyzed beta software, resolved customer issues, fixed bugs, and drove customer feature requests.
• Coded ‘amped’ driver, designed UI interface, defined and wrote requirement specs.