Resume

220 South Saluda Ave, Columbia, SC 29205
CELL: (803) 361-5195
EMAIL: aaron@atraub.com

SUMMARY

  • 14 years leading and managing User Experience and Technology teams for brand-oriented companies.
  • Broad knowledge of the Finance, Insurance and Technology sectors.
  • Expertise in information architecture, interaction and visual design, technology development, brand strategy and marketing.
  • Excellent written, verbal and visual communication skills.

EXPERIENCE

User Experience Lead & Consultant
Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company 6/2003 – Present

  • Built and managed the User Experience Team.
  • Authority over web and application design, information architecture, user interfaces, content management and front-end web development.
  • Creative Director for Internet related initiatives.
  • Successfully implemented the User Experience for a 35 million dollar .NET enrollment system.
  • Established product brands and brand strategies.
  • Wrote the business case and defined the plan to redesign Colonial Life’s extranets.
  • Transitioned sites into Sitecore’s content management system.
  • Personally implemented and designed the user interfaces for WPF/XAML applications.

Technology Director
Here is New York 10/2001 – 6/2003

  • Built and managed the Web Development Team.Designed the brand, Information Architecture and website.
  • Built an image archive and management system.
  • Developed a .Net point of sale and fulfillment system.
  • Managed the operational aspects of the organization that pertain to technology.
  • Successfully transferred the archive to The New York Historical Society and the Smithsonian Institution’s 9/11 Digital Archive.
  • Contributed to the donation of over a million dollars to the Children’s Aid Society through proceeds from the website and gallery.

Founder and President
Exzo Inc. 12/1999 – 9/2001

  • Founded a company to address the need for better controls to manage
  • privacy and security associated with Internet transactions.
  • Created a detailed business plan, executive summary and technical documentation.
  • Solicited venture capital.
  • Crafted detailed use cases and information architecture.
  • Produced a working prototype of the technology.

Interactive & Technology Director
Wechsler Ross & Partners 11/1998 – 12/1999

  • Co-founded the Interactive team.
  • Helped establish Wechsler as an integrated marketing company across
  • both print and the Internet.
  • Wrote a detailed business plan and implemented its strategy.
  • Led all technology development efforts.
  • New York Life: Designed the “Mainstay Funds” brand for print and Internet.
  • Ariel Mutual Funds: Designed an award winning web site with integrated online
  • account access.
  • SinglePoint Financial: Helped conceive and launch the marketing campaign, identity and website for the financial startup.
  • Other Projects: Standard and Poor’s, Flip Funds, Morningstar, TravelEX and OnMoney.

Web Producer & Senior Developer
Studio Archetype / Sapient 7/1996 – 11/1998

  • Programmed user interfaces with HTML, JavaScript, ASP, et al.
  • Lead technical aspects of projects.
  • Contributed to brand development, visual design, information architecture and business strategy.
  • First Union: Technical lead for the strategic redesign of First Union’s web presence.
  • Kodak: Development team leader for the prototype of the Kodak PictureCD. Managed the UI and technology development effort while partnering with Kodak’s imaging team.
  • IBM: Worked on various aspects of IBM’s web presence including three redesigns of IBM.com and the e-business brand.
  • Other Projects: Morningstar, MetaCreations, Fidelity, @home, and The Travel Channel.

Webmaster and Unix Administrator
Adaweb & Total New York 10/1995 – 5/1996

CONSULTING

  • Itekka: Consulted on the product design, established the brand and implemented a WPF application and website for this stealth mode company. (2009-2010)
  • CSC: Provided application design and information architecture that CSC used as a template to update all P&C insurance products. (2007-2008)
  • Toyota: Implemented a public site for Latin America and an Intranet that allowed dealers to centrally access inventory, manage and track sales and chart competition. (1998)
  • American Express: Worked as a consultant on American Express Financial Direct, one of the first online trading and investment research sites. (1995)
  • Other projects: Kodak Professional, IBM research, Concord Consortium/CILT, Jewish Child Care Association, Aaron Siskind Foundation, Do You Know What it Means, et al.

EDUCATION

School of Visual Arts
Master of Arts Degree in Computer Art & Design Graduated 1997
Completed a master’s degree with concentrations in Internet development,
virtual reality programming and user experience.
GPA: 3.82

Grinnell College
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy Graduated 1993