}Robert Anthony Whistler BSc Hons

8 The Barns, Littleport, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 1GG

E-mail: rob@robwhistler.com

Website: http://www.robwhistler.com

 

 

Summary

·         Gained First Class hons. Degree in Computing from DeMontfort University

·         Worked in the Retail I.T. and insurance replacement industry for 7 years

·         Expert in Internet technologies

·         Managed a team of developers and designers for 4 years

·         Managed and delivered E-Commerce and Windows Application projects for clients such as Domestic & General, Richer Sounds, Hughes Electrical and Digital Phone Company

·         Excellent motivational skills, a team player and have strong work ethics

 

Education

1st Class hons Computing Studies . DeMontfort University, Milton Keynes (1997-1999)

}  The final year project delivered a system for Fraser Replacement Services, Milton Keynes, called Resolve99. It was a TCP/IP client/server complaints handling system, that was actually put into use by the company after the project was submitted.

HND Computing Studies . Nwarks & Hinckley College, Nuneaton (1993-1997)

}  Achieved highest grades and was recognised at a college awards ceremony for my contributions to the college. Worked as a lecturer during summer holidays teaching Internet technologies. Trained lecturers on latest Internet technologies.

 

Experience

Web Services Development Manager (2003 .Current)

Cromwell Business Systems Ltd, Ely, Cambridgeshire

Managing a team of web designers and developers. Built a system from scratch to integrate with the company back-office database and operating system. Maintaining customer e-commerce websites. Built & managed using LAMP-based environments over 20 branded commercial e-commerce sites. Built & Managed the Richer Sounds Intranet & ticketing solution. Built from scratch a Cromwell Control Panel for customers to better understand the performance of their website in Management Information terms. Have excellent customer rapport with clients on a daily basis. Project managed major projects such as the Amazon Merchants@ integration, where we were the 2nd company outside of USA to integrate with the new Amazon XML ordering engine.

Contractor (2001 - 2003)

Cromwell Business Systems Ltd, Ely, Cambridgeshire

Worked on a number of scoping and programming projects, most notably a website for the members of the Virgin Group, called Virgin Tribe, which had the involvement of Richard Branson.

 

Contractor (2001 - 2002)

Domestic & General, Wimbledon

Modified a version of the Pi2000 system for Domestic & General, that hooked into their back office AS/400 solution. Created a Visual Basic application to allow product maintenance.  This was the main system that was used by all staff in the call centre in Bedworth, Warwickshire, where claims would come in for D&G policies. Once completed, sold the code to the IT supplier for Domestic & General where a team of developers continue to maintain the solution.

 

Contractor (2000)

Digital Phone Company, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Design and built a mobile telephone validation system, based on lessons learned from the Pi2000 GFK electrical validation system.

The product consisted of a Visual Basic application to administer the product database, SQL Server database to hold the information, and a Visual Basic application to perform the calculation and ordering of the resulting product.

The source code was then sold and taken over by a team of developers, and has been so successful that the company has recently been bought by HomeServe in recognition of the contracts achieved.

 

Contractor (1999 .2003)

Hughes Electrical, Lowestoft, Suffolk

Started contracting 3 days after my final university exam. Produced a large number of projects from design to deliverable. Notable highlights include: -

·         Pi2000 . a VB and SQL Server based solution, using GFK data to provide current day replacements for old electrical goods.

·         Home Electrical Direct and Hughes Direct e-commerce websites. Built using ASP and SQL Server, then PHP and Mysql, with a VB frontend to administer products. Orders were placed via SOAP XML into the backoffice system.

 

 

Technical Skills

}  Web Development . XHTML, CSS, XSL-T, XML, SOAP Server & Client, WSDL, AJAX,  PEAR, CURL, Apache 1.3 & 2.0, Microsoft IIS, payment gateway integrations, Amazon, Merchants@ XML integration, Ebay integration, SSL.

}  Databases  . SQL Server, MySQL, D3/PICK, Access

}  Operation Systems . Windows (3.11 through Vista), Linux (Redhat Enterprise, Fedora & Debian)

}  Programming . PHP, ASP, Visual Basic, VBA, Javascript, Linux Shell, C#, Pascal, Modula2, Cobol, C++

}  Graphics . Photoshop, Imageready, Paint Shop Pro, CorelDraw

}  General . Microsoft Office suites since Office 95, Visio, Windows Help, HTML Help, Subversion, RPM Package Manager, PDF creation with GUI and via scripting

 

Personal Skills & Interests

}  A keen team sports player; play for weekly 6 a side team

}  Enjoy reading, travelling and cinema

}  Like to research and learn new and upcoming technologies

}  A belief in myself that if I do not know something in I.T., I will do my utmost to learn it

 

Website References

}  http://www.richersounds.com . The Richer Sounds e-commerce site using the system I produced and managed

}  http://www.hughesdirect.co.uk . The latest Hughes Direct website, the latest version using the infrastructure created at Cromwell

}  Business24 Article . a new link to the award won by Digital Phone Company for the Valid8 software I built then sold to them

}  http://www.edp24.com/Content/Business/2002/bizawards/020820ShortEEDA.asp - another link to the business award won by Digital Phone Company in 2002 based on the Valid8 software I built and sold to them, it quotes that they had become the leading supplier of mobile phone replacements as a result

}  http://www.ispreview.co.uk/ - ISP new online magazine I wrote articles for in 2000 through 2001