Technology, politics, progress, and culture have all evolved extremely quickly over the last several years. The world seems to be changing every day. During this time, I have been on a whirlwind professional journey that feels very much the same. This journey has led me to new forums and to meet new people while I have learned many new things. As I reflect back on the past several years I have a feeling of gratitude for the people that are in my life and for the opportunities given to me. Here are some of the highlights from the last 3 amazing years.
*I will be adding to this list – so if I left you off, it’s not on purpose… consider it coming soon!
SMPS (Society Marketing Professional Services) – Jacksonville, FL – February 2019
I delivered a presentation to a group of industry marketing professionals on the “smart cities” projects happening in Jacksonville, Florida, including benchmarks to other leading cities, such as Las Vegas. Emphasis is given to connecting people using transportation technologies, such as Autonomous Vehicles and the architectural look and feel required to integrate smart cities technologies seamlessly into a city landscape. I then participated in a thought panel with executives from the North Florida TPO, the Cordish Group, and Allied Reliability.
USDOT / FTA BUILD Grant Award (US Department of Transportation / Federal Transit Authority) – 2019
Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, PhD, presents the City of Jacksonville and JTA with a federal funding award of $25M in response to the City’s proposal in the national BUILD Grant competition. I was the lead engineer and a key contributor to the proposal strategy and content, including the technology partnerships, finance strategy, private investment, and project delivery model.
PULSE Corporate Retreat – Pennsylvania – December 2018
I led a workshop on the skill sets required to integrate complex technology projects. Particular emphasis was given to delivering projects with Industry 4.0 concepts, including concepting, finance equations, engineering, construction, and commissioning.
WEPCO Corporation – Pittston, PA – September 2018
I co-led a training session for software and automation engineers joining the WEPCO Corporation. These engineers were recruited and assembled to design and implement IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) projects using Industry 4.0 techniques. Their profile projects include advanced flexible manufacturing and e-commerce fulfillment.
APTA (American Public Transportation Association) – Jacksonville FL – May 2018
I gave a speech on strategies for implementing autonomous vehicles into public transportation. The talk focused on insights necessary for public sector employees to be confident in selecting and deploying AV’s including: technology obsolescence, managing risk, funding models, data management, and cyber security. After the presentations, I gave tours of prototype AV technology being piloted by the JTA.
USDOT (United States Department of Transportation – Washington DC - April 2018
A team of transportation professionals and I from Jacksonville, FL traveled to the USDOT to meet with senior officials and advisers to the Secretary of Transportation on the President’s cabinet. The meeting centered around how technology and innovation can be infused into government projects with special emphasis on creative deployment of public-private partnerships (P3’s).
TFMW (Transformational Food Manufacturing Workshop) – Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA – April 2018
I returned to my Alma Matter to teach on transformative innovation and how, in today’s fast paced world, innovation is closely coupled to research and development. By applying the innovator’s model to traditional institutional research, faster advancements can be achieved with lower risk of obsolescence.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority – Award of Excellence – 2018
I received the award of excellence from JTA for my central role in establishing the authority’s autonomous vehicle program. The early success of this program resulted in JTA being the first public transportation agency to establish an Automation Division, purposed to drive automation into all aspects of public transportation, including buses, ferries, para-transit, regional transportation, micro transit, and mobility hubs.
TFMW (Transformational Food Manufacturing Workshop) – NIST, National Institute of Standards & Technology, Gaithersburg, MD – November 2017
I taught food manufacturers and federal government standards curators on the possibilities for transforming food manufacturing when private sector innovation and federal government collaboration come together in P3 (public-private partnership) models.
Keurig Green Mountain – Collaboration Award – 2017
Kate and I pose with the KGM Collaboration Award for 2017, which was awarded to our project teams for creativity and innovation in the design of automation systems.
TFMW (Transformational Food Manufacturing Workshop) – US Congress, Washington DC – April 2016
I taught industry experts and representatives of the US Congress on some of the advanced features and technology in food manufacturing systems and food safety systems.
The opportunities of the last three years have made for an incredible journey. I only hope for more opportunities in the future to grow, meet new people, and continue to share what I am passionate about. I have complied all of these highlights on my website, so stay tuned into what's coming!