Del Olds
Director of Engineering
Del Olds began his career developing spacecraft control and thermal test systems for NASA when he was 18. Shortly after earning his BS in Software Engineering, he was a technical lead working on projects as diverse as flight simulators, navigation systems, inventory management, web-based applications and training systems. While there, Del was given an opportunity to create a New Media unit where he managed a team of 20 researchers, writers and developers charged with developing new technologies for the aviation industry. It was this experience that led Del back to Portland and the interactive world where he has focused on web-based applications. In his down time you’re likely to find him on the Oregon Coast, refining his photographic eye or enjoying time with his family.
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. — Charles Darwin
Education
BS in Software Engineering, Oregon Institute of Technology
Other Interests
- Drinking coffee. You have no idea how much coffee.
- Dabbling in guitar and bass (when no one is listening)
- Anything involving the Oregon Coast
- Photography
- Enjoying disaster/zombie/sports movies with his daughters
- Quiet weekends with the wife
Favorite Bands
- Silversun Pickups
- Pixies
- R.E.M.
- Jars of Clay
- People in Planes
Favorite Movies
- Pan’s Labyrinth
- Seven Samurai
- Pulp Fiction
- Leon
- 12 Angry Men
- This is Spinal Tap
- North by Northwest
- Do the Right Thing
Recommended Books & Magazines
- Wired
- American History
- Founding Brothers
- Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
- A Nuclear Family Vacation
- The Road
Networks
Posts by Del Olds
What’s better than Internet dating … picking your seatmate on your next flight
Many of us have had a terrible flight experience; sometimes due to seatmates we would never chose to socialize with. Ever. Random seating is akin to playing Russian roulette with your sanity. KLM has stepped up to save the day by offering “social seating”, a chance to pick your seatmate using Facebook or LinkedIn.
Polarizing!
Today I picked up my spiffy new prescription sunglasses … well, at least I think they are spiffy (my wife politely used the word “…interesting”). Undaunted, I slipped them on, and to test the reading ability, flipped open my iPad and …. WHOA!!! Black screen of death. I could barely make out a few icons and really couldn’t [...]
Thank Goodness There’s an App for That!
An app helps me win at parking roulette and saves my hundreds???? Sign me up! A classic example of modern technology and simple idea revolutionizing our everyday lives …and saving me some coin!
America’s Next Top Model
I once had a serious addiction. I overcame it years ago, but now I find it creeping back into my life. You see, I was a serious book hound. .. And now I have an e-Reader. So where's the book rental model? Quickly - before I go broke!
Stuff I Learned From Great Customer Service
“Man, I am never coming back to this place!” We’ve all said it. The result of a perfect storm of terrible customer experiences, often compounded by the fact the service provider just doesn’t seem to care. And then we’ve had the opposite experience … that one great moment where everything was so perfect it would overshadow [...]
Stuff I Learned From a Hawaiian Wedding
OR … No Man is a (Social) Island Recently my family had the pleasurable experience of attending a wedding … in Hawaii! My oldest daughter, Sarah, married her high school sweetheart Ken on a picturesque beach, replete with a view of Diamond Head framing the background. Given the high cost of weddings these days, the kids had a [...]
Stuff I Learned From a Yard Sale
About every 10 years my wife and I decide to simplify our life and expunge our household of “valued treasures” by means of the ubiquitous yard sale. Now I’m the guy that keeps everything (I have every letter when we dated, just about every birthday and father’s day card from my 3 daughters, lots of [...]
Are We Ready for the Digital High School?
Is the US system ready for a digital high school? Has the effectiveness of the traditonal brick-and-mortar come to an end? I think a virtual high school plan may be the solution for overcrowded, underfunded school districts, and breathe a spark of excitement back into the educational system.
Social Media: Brand Management or Customer Service
I think most consumers would lately rate their customer service experiences right up there with a root canal, which is unfortunate since it could be such a great touch point with customers. A recent experience showed me how well social media can restore consumer confidence.
