About Us (Me)
Personal Profile
and Condensed Biography of Rich Van Winkle
Just the Basics: I was born in Mansfield Ohio in 1950, attended elementary school in Mobile Alabama, and went to high school and my first two years of college in Columbus Ohio. After 4 years in the USAF (SERE instructor), I finished my BAs in Industrial Engineering and Secondary Education at Eastern Washington University (1977). I taught at The Dalles High School (Oregon) from 1977-1983 and began teaching part-time at “Treaty Oak CCSD” (now Columbia Gorge Community College). By 1980, I was CGCC’s “Program Manager” for both the Welding Department and the Computer Science Department, teaching high school during the days and college at night. Soon thereafter, we were turning out certified welders (under the PCC certificate program) and certified micro-computer specialists under Oregon’s first such programs (which I authored, got approved, and administered). Then, things got hectic.
In 1983 I took a sabbatical (so my then-wife could finish her degree at U of O) and took the job of “Director of Technical Development” at the S.E.E. Corporation – an interesting enterprise started and operated by John David Garcia, author of “Psychofraud”, “The Moral Society”, “Creative Transformation”, and others. Having been bitten by the entrepreneur bug, I started Cherry Computers (Inc), co-founded ACS Software Company, FarmFax, CES Software, IT Management Services, and the like.
I entered semi-retirement in 1994, travelled around the world, founded a non-profit named “The Human Future” (TheHumanFuture.net), and began writing (RichWritings.com). I formally retired (as in taking my “pension”) in 2005 after joining up with Jane and meeting her friends Ron and Kim. I stay fairly current in several technologies and occasionally consult for former businesses, favorite clients, good friends and family. I serve on the Board of Directors for several companies and a few organizations, try to keep up with Jane, and still find time for skiing, climbing, diving, travel, and my latest undertaking – getting my private pilot’s license.
I value productive relationships and good people. Although I stay plenty busy, I welcome the opportunity to join with others in synergistic interaction towards shared purpose. Let’s find a worthwhile goal and work together to achieve it.
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