This comprehensive biography is an account of my work-experience responsibilities in greater detail. I spent the last 40 years meticulously putting this employment biography together. Starting by writing my resumes as early as 1982 when first entered the tech-industry job market. Never filled out a job application, I was always hired as a temp worker on contract thru what they called back then, job shops (temp agencies). It was the preferred way for nonprofessional workers like myself to start in the industry back then. I use to joke about calling myself an employment whore and the job-shop recruiter was my pimp.
Back in the early 80s after I was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy and did a short stint as a jet mechanic in the civil service, I was lucky enough to have my brother Pete help me get a job as an entry-level draftsman. I had no experience except for a couple of drafting classes in high school.
Being a cold war veteran seemed to help as at that period the nation was in a cold war with Russia and China and technology in the Silicon Valley was centered around national defense and homeland security. Major industries thriving in the valley were satellite communications because of president Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars agenda. Technology in satellites to detect incoming ballistic threats and the ability to shoot them down. Major companies like Lockheed and FMC were buzzing with work and money to burn that trickled down to the smaller companies in their support. It was easy at that time to find a job.
At the same time the Internet was being developed as a means of electronic communications between military installations and missile silos. That’s how I remember it began. Eventually this technology was adopted for public use as open source for the private sector to expand and flourish. This started the Dot-Com boom. First there was intercompany communications thru email, then intercommunications thru modems for home to work communications. Then private domains like AOL (America On-Line) and Netscape for social online communications thru email. Eventually major retail companies expanded to shopping online and all hell broke loose and the Dot-Com boom turned into the big-bang like a tsunami.
As the Dot-Com tsunami was beginning to pick up speed the cold war was coming to an end. The Iron-Curtain between East and West Germany was being torn down and the Soviet Union was breaking up into different republics. this was in 1991 and it seemed that Reagan won competition to see who could out do the other technology-wise. So many of the defense related tech-companies started cutting back as the money dried up from uncle Sam. Work was becoming more competitive. To stay alive in this industry you have to adapt to change or get left behind.
Engineering drafting-design was changing as well, migrating from drawing on the drafting table to drawing on the computer with CAD, Computer-Aided Design. The most popular program was Autocad. Some of the old-time designers didn’t like computers and refused to change. Which reinforced the adage at the time “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. I think that many of them were just set in their own ways where they were more proficient and comfortable. Not me, I loved computers.
I must admit it was slow going at first and it would take longer to create a drawing on CAD then it did to manually draw it by hand. There was a rift between old time designers and young new engineers who claim that CAD will someday do away with the need for draftsmen and designers. This pissed some of the old timers off because you're talking about their livelihood. Being a younger guy enthusiastic about learning how to use computers I didn’t mind all the chatter. I just kept to myself and learned as I went along to see how things turn out. I would say to the old-timers “what better person to create drawings on the computer than the draftsman and designers themselves. That turned out to be so
true.
There’s more to engineering drawings then just knowing how to draw engineering sketches on a PC. There are drawing standards set in place so that companies can communicate effectively with the U.S. government and other countries. There are drawing standards for machinists and fabricators as well. The bottom line is to achieve proper engineering communications so instructions are understood clearly and everyone is on the same page. You couldn’t just throw everything on a drawing and expect everyone to read your mind on how to build something. This was something most engineers were frustrated with cause all they wanted to do was engineer something so they left the drawing standards to the designers and drafters, and that’s how things turned out in the industry. So, the collaboration between engineering and design continued.
ABOUT ME:
Native born Californian raised in the Silicon Valley. I'm an accomplished Technical Design Specialist with a background in R&D. Instrumental in developing solutions to complex design problems with many years of success in product development, conceptual design, vendor fabrication, and the manufacturing process.
I have the technical skills and experience to quickly understand any situation in the engineering design environment. I add value through innovative thinking and problem solving and comfortable throughout the entire spectrum of the R&D process. My experience extends across
conceptual brainstorming, to the manufacturing process, and product release to market and customers.
The diversity of my experience emanates from various company disciplines for example, the semiconductor industry, medical systems and devices, bio-tech pharmaceuticals, military defense, life sciences, and consumer products. I specialize in overall systems design, reverse engineering, NPI new product integration, manufacturing, and sustaining engineering. Have dabbled in Civil Engineering infrastructures, mechanical HVAC, piping and instrumentation Diagrams, P&ID's. If you work in the Silicon Valley long enough you will be exposed to different technologies and gradually evolve with new scientific discoveries and technology. The most treasured asset to a company in the tech-industry is a tech-workers knowledge and experience.
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE:
July 2019 to present Honolulu Bohemian
Moved to the Honolulu Arts District - Chinatown, to pursue my passion for the digital arts as an artist-designer, and continue my research in behavioral graphics communications. Was approved by the Hawaiian Arts & Performing Arts committee for an art studio lease at the Chinatown Artists lofts and granted by the Board of Directors Kim Taylor Reese for participation in the
Mark's Garage art exhibitions and the
First Friday Events on Hotel Street. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, productivity was hindered with economic set backs, and is just now starting to come back., summer 2021.
Freelance Digital Designer
APR 2018 - July 2019
Vallejo California
Every now and then, companies that I have worked for would call me for work on small jobs,
including
Medical Artwork,
Animated Gifs,
Event Flyers, Logos,
Clip Art, and Home renovations. Lately I have not been called for work since January of 2020 and I can only presume it's because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
As a designer at biotech pharmaceutical companies it was my responsibility to create
product handling labels to meet industry regulations conforming to FDA and GMPs requirements. I also produced packing and shipping labels to meet international standards of foreign countries.
At manufacturing companies my responsibilities have included creating artwork for product serial number name plates, safety handling, and hazardous materials, to name a few, and product labels that direct proper operational application.
DRB Homes
Dec 2017 - APR 2018
CAD Artist, architectural-residential designer
Location: Alamo California
Assisted team with residential designs, renderings, and floor plans
for high end residential renovations.
Drawings were created with CAD program
Chief Architect.
Heliodyne Inc. (Solidworks, Autocad, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver)
Mar 2016 – Oct 2017
Engineering Design & Documentation Specialist
Location: Richmond California
Oversee and organize subsystem level activities.
Develop and design precision system weldment frames, sheet metal panels and brackets, and electronic control system assemblies.
Design and develop plumbing and piping diagrams and assemblies.
Work with Solidworks CAD in the design of assemblies.
Prepare
design documentation including drawings, models, specifications and production release documents.
Create, approve, revise and maintain design documentation.
Develop and recommend alternative design approaches.
Identify
product development innovations and develop, quote, and implement solutions to meet technical requirements and requests.
Assist in the vendor selection / evaluation process.
Assist sales department with
technical publications and data specification information.
Maintained installation and service manuals.
Work with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign in the design of wiring diagrams, labels, spec sheets and manuals.
Create, Update,and maintain BOMs, new parts, assemblies and sub-assemblies using the FishBowl database program.
CAD Contractor:
- 9-2015 to 3-2016
Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. – Fairfield CA
On contract assignment providing drafting support on the HTWTP Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant, for the city of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, PUC. Updated over 100+ drawings to an As-Built condition, some minor changes and some major; Design-Drafting
support incorporating redline changes on seismic study improvement upgrades, structural retrofits, HVAC mechanical retrofits, piping plans,lighting schematics, electrical schematics, instrumentation diagrams and P&ID updates. In the 6 months I worked at Kiewit I learned so much about civil engineering and the San Francisco Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant and why San Francisco is known for the best water in the nation.
- 8-2015 to 9-2015
Cost Plus World Market Corporate HQ, Oakland CA
Short term contract assignment for the Visual Merchandising group. Implemented Home Relay upgrades on 79 stores selected for special projects; Determined analytical solutions for integration of new fixture displays within existing Autocad store floor plans.
- 2-2015 to 6-2015
Sanovas, San Rafael CA,
Assigned to multiple departments for visual graphic design support; Worked in marketing to produce product literature and conceptual marketing artwork; Supported Compliance and Regulatory generating product labels and operating instructions; Worked directly with CEO creating visual artwork for patent submissions; Worked directly in engineering developing CAD drawings and documentation.
Managed the CAD Vault for drawing and technical publications database storage.
- 1-2015 to 2-2015
Versa Engineering, Concord CA
Temporary 1099 contract work for oil refinery facilities upgrades working on source controlled spec-sheet research and updates for P&IDs'.
- 9-2014 to 11-2014
Planet Pharma Staffing Agency @ Biomarin, Novato CA
Temporary assignment to help reduce backlog of P&IDs' drawings for the facilities department. Biomarin, Novato. On the facilities side I helped the teams responsible for new equipment placements and environment safety requirements with drafting support.
- 2-2014 to 9-2014
On Disability: Went under the knife for corrective back surgery. Did not fully recover back to normal, but able to work with restrictions..
- 8-2013 to 1-2014
R&D Technical @ Therma Flite, Benicia CA
Helping engineering department catch up on drawings backlog using Solidworks and Autocad.
2011 to 2012
RF BIOCIDICS, Vacaville CA (Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012 & Autocad 2012)
Senior Designer, Played a major role of a dynamic design team in the development of RF and Microwave systems designed for disinfections (pasteurization) and disinfestation of food products.
- Responsibilities included conceptual design layouts for full system cabinet fabrication and complete engineering documentation release for product manufacturing.
- Responsible for materials evaluations and selection mostly aluminum alloys 6061 for tubing and machined parts 1100, 5052 for sheet metal panels and enclosures. Some SST 304 & 316 for continuously moving parts. Used various polymers like Delrin, ABS, and Teflon for non-conductive parts and tooling fixtures.
- Some simple FEA evaluations for stress on modeled parts. Incorporating mass properties and running calculations on the Inventor CAD program. Collaborated with mechanical systems engineer.
2008 to 2009
APPLIED MATERIALS, Fairfield, CA (Solidworks 2008 & Autocad 2008)
Contract Mechanical Cad Designer
Developer of large-scale industrial glass-coating equipment. Supported core business by collaborating with colleagues in design of capital equipment. Created conceptual layouts from engineering design reviews. Facilitated engineering changes and upgrades to existing systems by providing design drafting expertise.
- Completed conceptual design layouts for retrofit upgrade to an existing industrial glass coating assembly.
- Made key contribution to critical system upgrade by supplying design drawings and technical publications support.
- Responsible for materials evaluations and selection SST 304 & 316 and aluminum alloy 6061 for machined parts 1100 series and 5052 aluminum for sheet metal panels, brackets, and enclosures.
- Collaborated with mechanical engineer for FEA evaluations on stress and thermal expansion on modeled parts. Incorporated mass properties and ran calculations on Solidworks Cosmos program.
2006 to 2008
ACCURAY INCORPORATED, Sunnyvale, CA (Solidworks 2008 & Autocad)
Mechanical CAD Designer ECO Processor
Manufacturer of ground-breaking radio surgery medical technologies. Contributed to ongoing refinement of company’s robotic radio surgery product by writing and incorporating engineering change orders (ECOs) for
new product integration of precision patient-positioning system. Created
assembly and fabrication drawings for next system upgrade improvements.
- Collaborated with colleagues in Physics Department to create conceptual layouts and completed design for laser image-calibration tool projects.
- Facilitated engineering upgrades to existing systems by integrating new designs for mounting support retrofits for electronic control system devices.
- SITE PLANNING: With new customer orders the Site Planning team would prepare plans to integrate new system installments at the customer site. It was my responsibility research customer facility sites for existing floor plans and create new drawings with integrated new system installation. I developed conceptual layouts for engineering review and equipment placement floor plans, elevation, plumbing, and electrical drawings.
2003 to 2006
Took the time off to spend quality time with my mother who was diagnosed with cancer.
2001 to 2003
GE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, San Francisco, CA (CoCreate Solid Designer, Solidworks)
Mechanical CAD Designer
Leading developer of full body scanners, x-ray imaging, medical diagnostic, and biopharmaceutical technologies. (Now GE Healthcare).Transformed engineering design reviews into conceptual layouts. Provided drafting support for engineering changes and upgrades to existing systems.
- Contributed conceptual design layouts for oil-free system electron beam assembly.
- Facilitated upgrade to existing system by created conceptual layouts and completed machine drawings for electron beam assembly retrofit.
- Drafting documentation was created in CoCreate Solid Designer / engineering analysis documentation-FEA was created in Solidworks Cosmos. Used Autocad on occasion for facilities layouts, assembly and test instructions when needed.
1998 to 2001
GENUS TECHNOLOGIES, Sunnyvale, CA (Pro-Engineer 2000i)
Mechanical CAD Designer
Developer of Chemical Vapor Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition Systems for the Semiconductor industry .Supported core business by collaborating with colleagues in the design of CVD and ALD capital equipment. Created conceptual layouts from
engineering design reviews. Facilitated engineering changes and upgrades to existing systems by providing design drafting expertise.
- Completed conceptual design layouts for innovative Vapor Deposition mixed gas chambers and gas manifold assemblies.
- Made key contribution to new product integration upgrades by supplying design layouts, contributing research and development of new technology, and interfacing and working with vendors and suppliers.
1992 to 1998
SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGIES, Sunnyvale, CA (Pro-Engineer 2000i & Autocad)
Designer/Drafter – Technical Specialist
Developer of Integrated Diagnostic and Tester Systems for the Semiconductor industry.
Provided drafting and design support for new product development of
integrated diagnostic systems using e-beam technology.
- Completed conceptual design layouts and standard drafting support for innovative diagnostic systems assemblies and tester equipment for back end semiconductor development.
- Made key contribution to new product integration upgrades by supplying design layouts, contributing to R&D of new technology, and interfacing and working with vendors and suppliers.
- Supported calibration tools design for systems using laser opto-mechanics, for measurement diagnostics on a high precision air suspension test bench.
- Responsible for materials evaluations and selection SST 304 & 316 and aluminum alloy 6061 for machined parts and frame weldments, 1100 series and 5052 aluminum for sheet metal panels, brackets, and enclosures. Various polymers for non-conductive parts and tooling fixtures.
1991 to 1992
LORAL FAIRCHILD, Milpitas, CA (Autocad)
Contractor - Designer/Drafter
Design support for the product development of infrared camera surveillance systems for commercial and military defense use.
1989 to 1991
LOCKHEED LIFE SCIENCES @ NASA Ames Res Ctr, Moffet Field CA (Autocad)
Contractor - Designer/Drafter
Provided drafting and design support for experimental space flight project equipment.
- Provided design and standard drafting support for space flight project requirements for various customer country requirements from Japan, Germany, and the United States.
- Made key contribution to new product development of equipment centered on scientific experimental projects. Created fixtures, rack and panel assembly modifications, power supplies, control units, cooling systems, UPS, and related cable harness assemblies. Created transport design support in rodent cage carriers, equipment shipping containers, and specialized ground support equipment and adapters.
- Responsible for generating periodic updates of the department design drafting manuals and procedures fully integrated with DoD-STD-100/1000 drawing requirements and ANSI Y14.5 standards.

1988 to 1989
WATKINS JOHNSON & VARIAN, Palo Alto, CA (Autocad & Manual drawing)
Contractor - Designer/Drafter
Joint Military Defense project between Watkins Johnson and Varian. Provided drafting and design support for Satellite Communications systems.
- Provided design and standard drafting support for Signal Gun assemblies, TWT assemblies, and related power sources Satellite systems.
- Manual PCB design support of multi layer power supply board assemblies.
- Made key contribution to new product design by supplying drafting layouts, contributing to R&D of new technology, and working with vendors and suppliers.
1982 to 1988
Teledyne CME, San Jose, CA (Autocad & Manual drawing by hand)
Drafter
Military Defense project, provided drafting and design support for
Airborne and Ship launched countermeasure equipment.
- Designed potting molds for high voltage RTV units.
- Made key contribution to new product development, and electronic packaging.
- Light manual PCB design support of analog and digital multi layer board assemblies.
1981 to 1982
Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF), Naval Air Station Alameda, CA
Aircraft Power plant Mechanic
Depot level, full aircraft engine breakdowns and rebuilds for the US Navy. The day after my honorable discharge from the Navy I was hired as a temp worker for the civil service. I only worked for one year and did not pursue permanent employment. I didn't want to be a grease monkey.
EDUCATION:
2021
edX classes online. HTML5 and UX Design courses on line.
Online courses offered are from well know
universities across the nation and abroad.
2013
UC Berkeley extension San Francisco California - 2013
Post Baccalaureate Programs in pursuit of UX-UI design
2009-2010
LearniT Computer Traning Center & SFSU downtown off campus center, 2009 – 2010
- Vocational skills training, Multimedia - WEB Design & Development
Vocational job retraining program sponsored by the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Solano County. Funding for this program came from Federal Government stimulus money under President Obama.
- As an unemployed Navy Veteran the Veterans Affairs (VA) department contacted me for job retraining programs and I chose the WIB program among others that were available.
Activities and Societies: The Veterans Affairs department has been a great resource and blessing.
- The VA has contacted me every time I have been unemployed and provided me with information on vocational training programs, healthcare, starting a business, and financial assistance. The VA has consistently provided support when I needed it and for that I am forever grateful. Just one of the benefits of serving your country and the governments way of saying thank you.
1997-98 / 2005-07
University of San Francisco USF
2130 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA
Bachelor of Science, Organizational Behavior from the College of Professional Studies, received undergraduate degree in 2007.
- The course of study in Organizational Behavior at the college of professional studies program at USF was centered around researching and analyzing organizational dynamics. Taking a critical approach to understanding corporate business culture(s) and structure(s), and how and why they operate.
- Acquired skills in qualitative and quantitative methods of research, organizational assessment, diagnostic-analytics, implementation, evaluation, and design to assume leadership roles in organizational departmental development and management. Ideal for positions in program management as a director.
1991-92, 94-96
Mission Community College Santa Clara California part-time
General Education
1983-84
DeAnza College Cupertino California part-time
General Education
1982
Masters Institute Santa Clara California,
Printed Circuit Board, PCB, design training
1981
Bay Valley Technical Institute Santa Clara California,
Vocational Associate Certificate in electro-mechanical drafting.
U.S. Navy Military Service