A 1985 graduate of Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio, Amy has a strong
background in computer systems and with both system and application software.
She has worked for NCR, SASC (now CSC via ARC), TRW, and now for American
Computational. While at TRW, she worked with
Mike
in his efforts to support TRW's avoinics intergation
projects. She became very proficient in adminsitering computer
systems, becoming an acknowledged expert in VAX VMS systems, and she and Mike
formed a team within the team. This mini-team invariably got handed very
challenging efforts and they formed an effective working relationship.
Although, due to time constraints, she originally joined us as a tech writer, Mike always harbored the desire to take advantage of her full range of talents. Eventually he wore her down and had that desire fulfilled.
In addition to being a gifted engineer, Amy performs one of the most important services of anyone in our company; she keeps Mike on his toes. Her eye for detail lets her uncover many things that Mike overlooks. He argues with her (he can be kind of stubborn), but more often than not she brings him around (so can she).
Amy does more than just critique our code, naturally she participates in its design and creation. Like Mike, she has a knack for thinking around corners, and has that keen mind for details, for the little things that make a program not only complete but useful. Many engineers focus on the immediate task, on the big picture, and fail to account for the fact that a user will not necessarily do things the same way they do them. Amy can get into the minds of the user and suggest ways to make our software easier for them to use, thus ultimately making it more useful to them.
Like the rest of us, Amy has a variety of interests outside of American Computational, but she has the most unique. She is part-owner of a marina, Sugar Hollow Dock on Norris Lake in Tennessee. This opportunity caused her to leave TRW, and she joined American Computational a year later. Contributing to our efforts provides a way for her to keep her technical career active since she can fit it in during slack periods of her more visible activities. If nothing else, it gives her a reason to escape occasionally from the constant pressure of attending to her dock's customers! Is Mike more demanding than anglers and boaters? Only Amy knows for sure.
Balancing Sugar Hollow against American Computational overburdens her more than a bit during the summer, especially when you factor in the demands of raising two children! But she always has a smile of greeting for marina customers, and always produces quality work when she dons her technical hat.