JonHaass.com - Experience Page - Collaborative Consulting

Jon Christopher Haass - Experience

Created Collaborative Consulting in 2002 as vehicle for Coaching, Consulting and Co-active leadership projects. Clients include individuals and corporations. I received training as a Co-active Coach and Leader at the leading institution CTI. I am a proud member of the International Coaches Federation and adhere to their principles of integrity and confidentiality.

Recruited as VP Business Development to be part of the initial executive team for Sendmail, Inc. an email startup. Had the responsibility of creating partnerships for distribution, marketing and technology integration. Companies included IBM, HP, Sun, Intel, Adobe, Compaq, and Red Hat. Developed strategies for monetizing existing Open Source relationships and integrating the technologies of others through acquisition. I knew something was up when a colleague would ask. "Do you have a minute ... mind if I close the door."

As VP Worldwide Marketing and Product Management for the leading Interactive Television company, OpenTV, Inc., was in charge of strategy for all four product solutions. Met with leaders in satellite, cable and broadcast television to understand the needs of the marketplace. Created the OpenPartner program to develop a vital community of OpenTV developers, broadcasters and advertisers. "Listening to the needs of customers requires reading between the words."

Held the position at Sun Microsystems as Group Marketing Manager during the spinoff of what was to become OpenTV. Prior to that, was the Product Line Manager for Multimedia Products where I developed the strategy for software, hardware and solutions including leading edge products like desktop video conferencing and hypertext way back in 1993. Originally came to Sun to help create and launch the first interactive CD training system that included audio, video, graphics and linked text pages, before HTML. "We were ahead of the curve."

Co-founded my second company, LaserPlot Inc., based upon the idea to display nautical charts with location overlay, much as is commonplace today in cars. Charts were digitized, stored on CD-ROM, integrated with GPS, Loran and other shipboard equipment. As VP Development and a stint as CEO, I received much on the job training during those 7 years. The company operated for twenty years serving the marine industry.

After completing my graduate work, I remained at MIT and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in mathematics and cosmology. During this time, with funding from grants, I led a team of students in the development of courseware for the creation of computer based interactive teaching. I was lucky to mentor and coach dozens of bright students during those years. I enjoy a taste of that today as an Adjunct Professor at a local Junior College, teaching 1 course per semester and offering workshops on Leadership in Life.

My formal education was culminated in 1984 with the publication of my Ph.D. thesis at MIT in the field of Mathematics. Entitled "Toward a Dynamical Classification of Spiral Galaxies", a relatively small number of people on the planet took notice! The movie version, which covered an elapsed time of 2 billion years, was easier to understand and was presented in Europe, Canada and Asia as part of my tour of various conferences, institutes and universities.

While a graduate student, a fellow student and I, created a company for Scientific Software Development called SunSailor Designs. We typeset an Herbal Medicine Book, created software for a Martin Gardner book among other projects.

Prior to graduate school, I was employed for one year by the Laramie Energy Research Center. There I created a computer model on what today would be considered a tiny machine in order to simulate Oil Shale Retort. Supervised by a man with a graduate degree, I knew more training was in order!

During my undergraduate years at the University of Wyoming, I received two degrees. While studying a variety of Mathematics subjects, I was given the opportunity to teach during my junior and senior years. In the summer, I was employed with the Physics department creating the hardware and software for the new telescope that was being planned and installed at nearby Mount Jelm.

I have held a variety of jobs as short order cook, cowboy, roustabout in the oil fields, heavy equipment operator and truck driver. I appreciate the wide range of experiences each has provided me.