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Mug Shot

Bio

I am Craig Huizenga, the owner and chief bottle washer at HiDat services. I have twenty years of eclectic industry experience, giving me exposure to a wide variety of technologies and processes. For what it’s worth, I have a BS in Computer Science from Western Washington University (1989). I live in Bothell, WA (that’s a suburb of Seattle) with my wife, three children, twelve chickens (don’t tell the authorities), two lizards, and one iguana. When I’m not staring at a computer, I like to cook, bike, and work in my woodshop.

Industry interests include managing information overload (OK, age catching up with me, I don’t seem to be able to absorb and retain as much as I used to), the implicit web, and somewhat related to these two, figuring out what I should be listening to next (nobody has really cracked that music exploration nut very well yet).

For those that are interested, here’s my online resume.

Principles

Thinking and understanding. My greatest asset is my ability to look at a problem, assess it, and based on experience and research, be able to rapidly narrow down to a solution. I have a knack for being able to quickly figure out what is important.

Capabilities

  • System analysis, requirements, architecture, design, coding, testing, and documentation.
  • Worked on a wide range of systems, from web sites to business systems to embedded hardware/software.
  • Understanding the business drivers of technology, balancing short term and long-term technology needs.
  • Comfortable acting as team lead.
  • Comfortable doing sales support.
  • Learn quickly.

Programming Languages / Tools / Environments

  • C#/ASP.NET/AJAX
  • Ruby/Ruby on Rails
  • C++
  • Powerbuilder
  • SQL - MS SQL Server, MySQL, Sybase SQL Anywhere
  • Linux/Bash Scripting
  • UML - Enterprise Architect
  • Embedded systems software/hardware
  • Familiar with Java, Python, XML

Experience

Hidat Services, Bellingham and Seattle, WA, 1994 to Present

Owner/Consultant

Operated my own consulting company, working directly with clients to analyze, architect, implement, and support various software systems. Projects include the following:

  • Dorsey Digital Media, Toronto, Ontario - Custom digital asset management system and web portal.
  • PlayNetwork, Inc., Redmond, WA - Defined and developed embedded systems software for the company’s custom CD-Player (C++). Built system to rip, normalize, and encode content for company’s custom CD-Player (C++). Created proof of concept for companies web site (ASP, VB-Script, SQL-Server).
  • Elenbaas Company, Inc., Sumas, WA - Feed Mill Management System (Powerbuilder, VB, Sybase SQL Anywhere, Rockwell RSView Industrial Control Software). Implemented all aspects of a complete production, billing, and inventory system. Software maintains clients, feed recipes, products, inventory, feed contracting, invoicing, and purchasing. System interfaces to an Allen Bradley based industrial control system for production of the actual feed.
  • SpaceLabs Inc., Redmond, WA – Enhanced and maintained a automated sales quote application (Powerbuilder/Oracle).
  • Roeder Company, Bellingham, WA - Condominium Reservation System (Powerbuilder and Sybase SQL Anywhere). Implemented reservation and A/R accounting system for four condominiums in Hawaii. Software manages reservations, room availability, reservation reporting, pricing, billing, and receivables collection.
  • Clydesdale Breeders of the United States, Pecatonica, IL - Registration Information System (Powerbuilder and Sybase SQL Anywhere). Built a system to track this horse registry’s horses, owners, and membership; this system is now being used by a dozen other registries across the U.S. and Canada. Built web interface (ASP/SQL Server) to allow users to access registry information.

Judy’s Book, Inc., Seattle, WA, March 2006 to August, 2007

System Engineer

Team member in developing company’s ‘Deals’ website. This included a prototype done in Ruby/Rails/MySQL and subsequent rewrite in C#/ASP.NET/SQL Server 2005. Responsible for many of the personalization features of the site, as well as the low level url rewriter. Assisted in the implementation of Apache Lucene based search engine into social network based local reviews website (C#, ASP.NET, SQL Server).

PlayNetwork, Inc., Redmond, WA, Feb 2000 to Feb 2006

Senior Systems Architect

Responsible for designing and implementing all of the company’s music playback and distribution technologies (C++, Linux, Java, SQL Server). This included five generations of music players and two generations of network distribution servers. Music playback players have ranged from DOS based PC’s to fully embedded hardware/software to Linux based custom PC’s. The distribution software is able to manage distributing content to thousands of players either via UDP multicast or TCP unicast. Built the companies CD digitization system, which rips, normalizes, and encodes all the content the company uses. (C#, C++, MS SQL Server). Provided sales support for prospective customers - both phone and on site.

Anvil Corp., Bellingham, WA, 1992-1994

Computer Programmer

Developed manpower tracking application used for refinery turnaround scheduling system (VB, MS SQL Server).

Kailani Word Travel, Bellingham, WA, 1989–1992

Computer Programmer

Replaced custom reservation system based on a Unisys System-80 minicomputer with a Novell network and custom database application (C, Btrieve, Magic-PC).