Ben Abler

Current

• Director, Application Development at Kaleidoscope Sports and Entertainment

Past

• Solution Architect & Associate at Plante & Moran PLLC
• Senior Systems Engineer at Plante & Moran PLLC
• IT Specialist / Consultant II at IBM Lotus Software

• Senior Consultant at Whittman Hart
• Senior Consultant at marchFIRST
• Senior Analyst at Kellogg Company
• Consultant at Delfield Company (Self-employed)
• CAD Operator at Delfield Company
• Technology Advisor & Technician at Western Michigan University
• Apple Technology Representative at Apple Computer, Inc

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7 more...

Education

• Wayne State University
• Western Michigan University - Haworth College of Business

Recommended

10 people have recommended Ben

Connections

334 connections

Industry

Information Technology and Services

Websites

• My Blog
• My Company
• My RSS feed

Ben Abler’s Summary

Director of Application Development with proven success in a wide variety of technical leadership positions, projects and situations.

Ben Abler’s Specialties:

Team Development and Staffing, Process Implementation, Offshore Development, Vendor Negotiation, Applications and Portal Architecture, Lotus Notes & Domino, Workflow, BPM, Product Evaluations, Web Applications, Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007 (MOSS) and WSS 3.0, HTML, DHTML, Java, Javascript, AJAX, XML, VB.NET, C#.NET, Workflow Foundation, Sharepoint Designer, Infopath, Office 2007, Visual Studio 2005/2008, Project Management, Business Analysis, SDLC, Agile Methodology

Ben Abler’s Experience

• Director, Application Development

  Kaleidoscope Sports and Entertainment

  (Public Company; IPG; Marketing and Advertising industry)

  September 2008 — Present (1 year 3 months)

  Kaleidoscope is the parent company of R*Works, and a unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG)

• Solution Architect & Associate

  Plante & Moran PLLC

  (Partnership; 1001-5000 employees; Accounting industry)

  January 2006 — September 2008 (2 years 9 months)

  Sharepoint Architect (MOSS), Architecture Evaluation
  Sharepoint Architect (MOSS), Intranet Implementation
  Application Architect, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Implementation
  Solutions Architect & Tech Lead, Applications Migration
  Solutions Architect, Microsoft Applications Assessment/Roadmap
  Code Deployment Manager, Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server Intranet Implementation
  Project Manager & Architect, Performance Management Upgrade
  Project Manager & Architect, HealthTrax Workflow
  Project Manager, CRM for Blackberry
  Project Manager & Architect, Blackberry Mobile Applications and Integration
  Senior Systems Engineer, Centralized Mail and Centralized CRM
  Project Manager & Architect, Project Performance Assessments
  Architect, Microsoft SQL Server Roadmap
  Architect, Workflow BPM Tool Evaluation Project
  Architect, Remote CRM Installation
  Project Manager & Architect, TaxTrax Workflow
  Project Manager & Architect, Lotus Enterprise Integrator

• Senior Systems Engineer

  Plante & Moran PLLC

  (Partnership; 1001-5000 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  2002 — 2006 (4 years )

  Senior Developer, Client & Project Acceptance Workflow– Sarbanes Oxley
  Senior Developer, Compensation Determinations and HR
  Project Manager, Common Notes Lookups
  Senior Developer, Client Service Review Database
  Senior Developer, Focus & Choices
  Senior Developer, Internal Survey Applications
  Project Manager & Architect, Partner Tax Draw, Voting, Participation, and Compensation
  Senior Developer, Suggestion Workflow
  Architect & Senior Developer, P&M Today & Bulletin Board
  Senior Developer, FSR Caseware Integration
  Project Manager & Developer, Blackberry CRM Synchronization
  Project Manager & Developer, Administrative and Paraprofessional HR Systems
  Project Leader & Developer, Enhanced Contact Management (CRM) Application
  Project Leader & Developer, Client Survey Workflow Applications
  Project Leader & Developer, HR Career Development Plan Database
  Project Leader & Developer, Project Performance Assessment Database
  Lead Support Expert, Corporate-Wide Notes Applications

• IT Specialist / Consultant II

  IBM Lotus Software

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; IBM; Computer Software industry)

  2001 — 2002 (1 year )

  Team Developer, Schmalbach-Lubeca Americas – Self Service Internet Website
  Lead Application Analyst, Allianz Life Insurance - Notes R5 Software Migration
  Team Developer, ITS RAM Consulting - Operations System
  Application Analyst, Nalco Exxon Energy Chemicals – Application Analysis

• Senior Consultant

  Whittman Hart

  (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; Computer Software industry)

  2000 — 2001 (1 year )

  Project Leader and Developer, Whirlpool Corporation - Dealer Sales Storefront Portal Enhancements
  Team Developer, Knoll Corporation - Dealer Order Inquiry Status Extranet System

• Senior Consultant

  marchFIRST

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Computer Software industry)

  2000 — 2001 (1 year )

  Team Developer, MIBIZ.com – System Improvements and Advertising
  Team Developer, marchFIRST, Inc. - Corporate HR and Operations Databases
  Lead Application Analyst, Burnham & Flower Insurance – Domino Environment
  Project Leader and Developer, Herman Miller Corporation - Sales Force Application

• Senior Analyst

  Kellogg Company

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; K; Consumer Goods industry)

  1996 — 2000 (4 years )

  Project Leader and Developer - HR and Legal Case Management Tacking System
  Project Leader and Developer - HR Intranet Database and Web Site
  Lead Support Analyst - International Lotus Domino HR Compensation Planning System
  Team Developer and Administrator - HR People Services Call Center System
  Lead Support Analyst – Executive News Information Systems

• Consultant

  Delfield Company (Self-employed)

  (Self-Employed; 501-1000 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  1996 — 1997 (1 year )

  Architect and Web Developer - Delfield Company

• CAD Operator

  Delfield Company

  (Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Machinery industry)

  1995 — 1996 (1 year )

  Project Leader - Delfield Company
  AutoCAD Operator - Delfield Company

• Technology Advisor & Technician

  Western Michigan University

  (Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)

  1994 — 1995 (1 year )

  Technology Manager, Dept of CECP - Western Michigan University
  Trainer, Dept of CECP - Western Michigan University
  Web Developer, Dept of CECP - Western Michigan University
  Computer Technician - Technical Computing Services - Western Michigan University

• Apple Technology Representative

  Apple Computer, Inc

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; APPL; Computer Hardware industry)

  April 1994 — April 1995 (1 year 1 month)

  Student Trainer, Support and Sales - Apple Computer

Ben Abler’s Education

• Wayne State University

  MBA Candidate - 2012 ,

• Western Michigan University - Haworth College of Business

  BBA , Computer Information Systems, Business

  • The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching places WMU among the 76 public institutions in the nation designated as universities with high research activity.
  • In its annual ranking of the nation’s 4,000 colleges and universities, U.S. News & World Report consistently lists WMU as one of the nation’s top 100 public universities.

  Activities and Societies:

  Lee Honors College, AITP, WAMO Computer Club

Additional Information

Ben Abler’s Websites:

• My Blog
• My Company
• My RSS feed

Ben Abler’s Interests:

Internet and technology, workflow/BPM, sports (baseball, football, basketball, golf), fatherhood, construction, digital photography

Ben Abler’s Groups:

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist - WSS 3.0 Configuration, May 2008
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist - MOSS 2007 Configuration, April 2008
Various Lotus & Microsoft User Groups, 2002-2008
IBM Certified Advanced Application Developer – Notes/Domino R4 to R7, 2001 to Present
Certified Microsoft Office Expert Specialist (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) - Present
R5 CLP, R4 CLP, R4 CLS, Certified Master Notes Programmer - 1999
International Who’s Who Among Information Technology Professionals, 2000-2001
International Association for Human Resources Information Management, 1998-2000
Cyborg Systems Users Association, 1998-2000
International Webmasters Association, 1997-present
Association of Information Technology Professionals, 1997
President, Founder, & Webmaster of the WAMO Computer Club, 1994-1997
WMU Lee Honors College, 1994-1996

•    Executive Suite
•    International Association of Software Architects
•    The Greater IBM Connection: IBM's alumni program for past and present IBM employees
•    Lotus Software Professionals
•    Facebook.com
•    313 Digital
•    WMU Alumni Association
•    Microsoft Office SharePoint Server - 2007, 2010, ...
•    Plante & Moran Alumni
•    .NET People
•    Microsoft Office Specialist Network
•    Association of Information Technology Professionals
•    SharePoint Experts
•    SharePoint MOSS User Group
•    SharePoint 2007 - 2010
•    ConnecTech Detroit
•    Motor City Connect
•    Haworth College of Business
•    IBM co/ex workers independent group
•    Automotive Digital Marketing
•    Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
•    SharePoint Users Group
•    LinkedBPM
•    Lotus Notes/Domino Technologies
•    Guru's of Lotus - Worldwide
•    marchFIRST Alumni /Former employees
•    TechEd 2008 Attendees
•    WhittmanHart Alumni and Friends
•    The IT Architect Network
•    A Western Michigan University Alumni Group
•    Wayne State University - School Of Business
•    Western Michigan University Alumni.
•    The MBA Association
•    Wayne State University Students and Alumni
•    ISPA (International SharePoint Professionals Association)
•    MBA Highway | MBA & Recruiter Network
•    WMU Business Information Systems
•    Infinity Solutions Worldwide - Think Tank Group

Ben Abler’s Honors:

Plante & Moran Associate Promotion, January 2007
WMU Dean's List (3.5+ GPA), 1997, 1998
WMU Academic Scholarship, 1994
Rotary Club Technical Student of the Year Award, 1994
First Place – Computer Programmer COBOL / BPA – Regional Competition, 1993
Third Place – Computer Programmer COBOL / BPA – State Competition, 1993
Eighth Place – Computer Programmer COBOL / BPA - National Competition, 1993

Ben Abler’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch