| Bio |
|
THOMAS B. CROSS
2525 Arapahoe Suite E4 – Boulder, Colorado 80302 - 303-594-1694
Email [email protected] - Blog - http://crosstalk-techtionary.blogspot.com
LinkedIn for References & Recommendations - http://www.linkedin.com/in/techtionary
Twitter - http://twitter.com/techtionary
Web sites www.techtionary.com, www.ocsforum.com, www.msnopedia.com & www.thomasbcross.com
• Thomas B. Cross has been nominated for the CSIA Technology Executive of the Year and Technology 2010 Apex Awards
• CrossTalk Authored by Tom Cross is Named One of the Top-10 Telecommunications Blogs – http://navigator.cision.com/Top_10_Telecommunications_Blogs.aspx
• "Having known Tom for more than a decade, to me he is quite the “quintessential innovator.” Tom developed and delivered a week long data and internet training which turned out to be a terrific course for everyone! Throughout the past decade he created TECHtionary the “World’s First and Largest Animated Library on Technology. Few yet can appreciate that TECHtionary is more than just a source of knowledge. TECHtionary is proven to reduce the cycle by educating not only channel/business partners but provides critical insights to the decision-maker allowing them to more easily and rapidly understand the benefit to the organization. In summary, Tom delivers on time, on budget proven tools and solutions yielding immediate and long-term revenue-generating and cost-saving benefits." Sandy Spencer – RVP Qwest Communications
• These are the evaluation scores from Tom’s Presentation to Microsoft Partners & Staff Called “Top-10 Tips for Success” Part 3 of 3 on Telecommunications Networks
Instructor Courseware Overall Satisfaction Business Results Learning Effectiveness Job Impact Environment Average
Average 8.73 8.38 8.73 8.64 8.45 8.45 8.91 8.59
• The score is out of 9.0 and that’s the highest score I have ever seen ! Great job Tom – Mike Zeim – Microsoft US Partner Skills Development
• Wow!!!!!! I didn’t think beating your survey score last time was possible - and look at those results! Great job, Tom! Jessasym West - Microsoft US Partner Skills Development
•
• "I personally have sat through a number of Tom's sessions and found every one of them to be well organized, interactive and informative - OCS Forum and TECHtionary.com are highly recommended resources to bring your organization
up to speed on SIP and Microsoft OCS." - Alan Percy the Director of Market Development at AudioCodes.
•
• Tom Cross is exceptionally technically astute - the most technically proficient individual I know of in the industry. Yet he has the rare ability to deliver the message in a way the laymen can understand. Tom has done a great job for TBI in the past and he is well respected within the industry. I would recommend Tom for any job or project.” Geoffrey Shepstone – President - Telecom Brokerage, Inc – 847-353-1842 - Master agency for Qwest, XO, Global Crossing and 30 other companies
•
• “Tom Cross’ speech on “Why Businesses are Buying VoIP” is certainly one of the top presentations ever given at CTA. The presentation was insightful, indepth and innovative. In addition, the presentation was lively, energetic and engaging. He has the great ability to take complex subjects and make them exciting and understandable. Mr. Cross is a very popular speaker among CTA's membership and superb communicator.” Gary L. Witt – Former Executive Director - Colorado Telecommunications Association
•
According to Dan Callahan, Associate Dean of University College, “Thank you for accepting my invitation to chair the advisory board to the Master’s of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems and the Master’s of Applied Science in Telecommunications programs of the University of Denver’s school of professional and continuing studies, University College. As you well know, the industry segments served by these programs are changing rapidly in technology, in application, in policy and in structure. It is essential that we continue to evolve our programs such that their educational outcomes will result in well-educated professionals in that field. The board’s input will be valuable to that challenge.”
Cross Pens "Winning Customer Case Study"
The CSIA Insurance Company Case Study authored by Tom Cross was the “Winner of our case study competition,” according to BroadSoft.com
• Evaluations from recent webseminar in Flash for Qwest. additional evaluations available.
• “Thank you for making it fun. That was the best on line training I have done in five years!”
• “I thought that the training was one of the best I have been a part of. The training was fun and educational at the same time. Very professional and educational. A+”
Senior-level Technology Marketing-Communications and Business Development Executive with a proven track record for creating and sustaining growth.
Tom has three decades of experience in startups and consulting advisor with leading providers and venture capital companies in market planning and development, hardware/software design and development, project management, intellectual property in telecommunications, information technology, conferencing, teletraining, telecommuting, groupware, networks, call centers, internet, artificial intelligence and other fields. He has managed the successful development of more than 10 software, hardware and internet products to market and received industry awards for this work. He has authored 13 books including Teleconferencing (TelePresence), Telecommuting, Intelligent Buildings, and Knowledge Engineering – Business Applications for Artificial Intelligence. He has authored/scripted, produced and directed 15 commercial videos and created more than 3,000 of online e-learning Flash tutorials on telecommunications, internet, routing, wind power, electricity, smart grid, RF-radio frequency SIP-session initiation protocol, RFID-radio frequency identification, VoIP-voice over internet protocol, IPT-internet protocol telephony, VoIP security, artificial intelligence, networking, WiFi-wireless fidelity, TMDA-time division multiple access, CDMA-code division multiple access and hundreds of other technologies. He has been the Technology Columnist - Telecommunications Magazine, Technology Columnist - Converged Solution Providers Network, Contributor - Phone+ Magazine, Contributing Editor to Web Hosting Magazine, Security and Emerging Technologies Columnist, Member Board of Technical Advisors - VoIP Security Alliance and Technology Columnist for National Association of Telecommunications Dealers, Federation of Internet Solutions Providers of America, Association of Service and Computer Dealer International. He is the writer, animator and producer of the World's Largest Animated Knowledge Source on Technology – www.techtionary.com – recipient of Web Hosting Magazine Editors Choice for Best Technical Help.
Some of the key highlights are:
• Executive Management – negotiated legal, financial contracts, performed due diligence and guided merger/acquisition negotiations for Bellcore and others.
• New Business Strategy – conceived and designed new products and new markets in commercial real estate, higher education, GIS-Geographic Information Systems and economic development for BellSouth, grew Bellcore multi-media (e-learning, CBT-Computer-Based Training, web-based online and teleconferencing) products from $100,000 to $7 million in three years and others. Self-funded and grew software company from zero to $700,000 in three years, hired/fired/managed staff of 25 sales, support, engineering and other staff.
• Business Strategy Consulting – successfully completed many strategy planning projects for TimeWarner. Wrote and designed virtual office telecommuting strategy for CableLabs and others.
• Business Case – conceived, wrote, developed financial projects and presented business cases for new products and markets for BellSouth and venture capitalists (under NDA).
• Competitive Intelligence – researched, analyzed and presented competitive matrix on competitors, channels, customer configuration and customer needs (under NDA).
• Onsite & E-Learning – instructor-led and e-learning course development on IBM RUP-Rational Unified Process, Rational RequisitePro/Web, Requirements Management-Use Cases, SharePoint Essentials, Wiki/Blogs, SharePoint 101, Function Point Analysis and other Qwest specific courses of business process, project management, software development, leadership and other topics.
• Technical Writing – research, wrote, edited and published hundreds of complex documents and documentation for telecommunications, building systems, internet security, smart grid, sales, HIPAA, software, wireless, internet and other topics and recipient of “Outstanding Author” from IFMA-International Facility Managers Association.
• E-Learning – instructor-led and e-learning course development on Microsoft OCS-Office Communications Server 2007 R2, SIP and other courses.
• Business Development – created and built multi-level channel partner distribution for BellCore, BellSouth, Qwest and others.
• Regulatory – wrote and presented testimony before PUCs and Congress on communications policy and regulatory issues, working knowledge of FCC, state and local regulatory tariffs, procedures and issues including CATV franchising.
• Marketing-Communications (marcom) – designed advertising, campaigns, public relations, packaging, pricing and promotional concepts for Carrier Access, Bellcore, BellSouth and others in IP Telephony, Telecommunications and other companies. Directed staff of five in proposals, website design, website promotions, graphics, public relations, Wall Street investor meetings and investor relations for public company. Designed, managed, and analyzed PPC, SEO, strategies for internet marketing.
• Public Relations & Corporate-Investor Presentations – research, wrote, designed graphics and directed long-term public relations press releases, investor and board of director presentations distributed and managed magazine relations.
• Revenue/Sales Development – designed and delivered technical, sales and channel partner training for Qwest (trained more than 2,000 channel partners throughout the US), TimeWarner (sales and marketing staff), Cox (sales, marketing, support and others), Microsoft and many others.
• Account Management – cold-called and built strategic/major, OEM, wholesale, channel partner, national and international distributor accounts. Created software/hardware distribution through TechData, Ingram Micro and European distributors.
• Sales Training –designed and delivered Consultant and Channel Sales classroom training courses for Deloitte Consulting Internet Academy (US and Europe), ICG, Qwest, Cox, TimeWarner and many others as well as developed and delivered CRM/SFA/ERM Course for Dale Carnegie.
• Software Development – designed, performed project management, tested and successfully delivered award-winning software to USWest called NETTALK a LAN-Local Area Network multi-user IM-Instant Messaging, CTI-Computer Telephony Integration, email, calendaring, and activity management system. Designed and built many LAN communications software systems for clients ahead of schedule and under budget.
• Software Management – designed, managed, tested and wrote documentation for many software products including CROSS-CONNECT a remote control and modem sharing system with network management features, CROSS-POINT – an electronic mail, bulletin board, conferencing (groupware) and office administration system.
• Web Software Development – managed, tested and wrote documentation online e-learning tutorials for Flash and other software formats – achieved Editor’s Choice for Technical Help from Web Hosting Magazine and designed and produced other web sites.
• Enterprise IT Management – evaluated, configured and implemented international voice/data/IT system for Fortune 500 company. In addition, designed and delivered “Internet Academy” hands-on course on cabling, internet, LAN switches and routers for Deloitte Consulting.
• Hardware/Software Product Development – designed voice/data products for Carrier Access, Storage Technology, United Technologies, Lanier, and other companies.
Speaking, Books and Publications
He has delivered more than 200 speeches worldwide on IT, telecommunications, internet, forecasting, trends and other topics to industry associations, executive retreats and private events. He has written more than over 300 articles on telecommunications topics including but not limited to teleconferencing, artificial intelligence, telecommunications management, organizational management, intelligent buildings, CENTREX/ISDN, internet security, VoIP, wireless, telecommunications, internet, telecommuting, electronic mail, groupware, and other issues. He has authored/co-authored Teleconferencing - Linking People Together Electronically (Prentice-Hall), Teleconferencing - State of the Art Report (Pergamon Press), The Softside of Software (John Wiley & Sons) on software documentation, Networking: Electronic Mail Handbook (Scott-Foresman), Intelligent Buildings (Dow Jones), Networking Personal Computers in Organizations (Dow Jones), Telecommuting - The Future Technology of Work (Dow Jones), Knowledge Engineering-Business Applications for Artificial Intelligence (Simon & Shuster), Chief Technology Officer (Cross Market Management), Split Second Society (Cross Communications), Lan$ell-Desktop Guide for the Connectivity Sales Force Automation Professional (written for Novell/Qwest), LANCOM - LAN communications solutions (Cross Communications), Net-Tips (Cross International). Principal Author and Research for published industry reports on: CENTREX - Strategic View (I and II), Intelligent Buildings and Information Systems (IBIS I and II), and Telecommunications Outlook.
Education and Professional Development
B.S. in Business and M.S. in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado. Nuera-certified systems engineer - voice over frame/IP, certified trainer (VoIP), and Copper Mountain Networks – certified advanced provisioning. Tom has senior-level “hands-on” working knowledge of Flash, HTML, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio, Camtasia, Dreamweaver, TEDS LMS, Learning Composer, SharePoint, Illustrator, Microsoft Office Communications Server, PhotoShop, Framemaker, and other programs. He has taught Global Knowledge five-day courses for CompTIA Security+, CCNA, VoIP and Checkpoint Security. Tom holds CompTIA Certified Security+ Professional, Green IT and IT Technology for Sales certification and Pearson Vue Certified Test Administrator.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Affiliations with Networks / Associations |
|
|
LinkedIn
|
|
|
|
