Marketing Communications, Web Content Provider, Copywriter, Technical Writer, Editor, Instructor, Trainer, Speaker
Sacramento, California Area
- Current
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- Senior Technical Writer at Eigen Inc.
- Past
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- Technical Writer / Trainer at CA Dept of Workers' Compensation
- Courseware Developer at California Independent System Operator
- Technical Analyst IV at Hewlett-Packard Company
- Marketing Communications Manager at The Analytical Group, Inc.
- IT Instructor at Learning Tree International, Inc.
- Publishing Courseware Developer at USA Group—TRG, Inc.
- Managing Editor & Seminar Leader at Mastering Computers, Inc.
- Founder and President at Crossover Technologies (Sole Proprietorship)
- Publishers' Representative at Various
- Recommended
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17 people have recommended Chris - Connections
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345
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- Industry
- Information Technology and Services
- Websites
Chris Morton’s Summary
OBJECTIVE—To obtain a challenging position where my more than 10 years' experience in marketing communications, technical writing, copywriting, publishing, web content authoring, IT training, and event coordination will add value.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
• Michigan Advertising Excellence awards—Lead and Inquiry Solicitation, Color Ad Campaign
• Over 100 of my edits were published in Microsoft Corporation’s Windows 3.1 Getting Started, Windows 3.1 User Guide, and MS-DOS 5.1 User Guide software manuals.
• Letters of distinction—Microsoft, Ziff-Davis Media, Technicolor, Weyerhaeuser, Autodesk, Aldus, Data Design
• Procured marketing rights, named product, and rewrote documentation for AutoCAD add-on. Produced and placed single ad which drew sales from across the U.S. to the Middle East.
• Wrote code for remote detection of illicit software users in effort to stop revenue loss.
Chris Morton’s Specialties:
User interface expert, editor/author, commercial publishing liaison, acclaimed public speaker, geek-to-neophyte translator.
Chris Morton’s Experience
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Senior Technical Writer
Eigen Inc.
(Hospital & Health Care industry)
September 2008 — Present (1 year 3 months)
Senior technical writer for medical imaging equipment developer providing solutions to GE and others. Involved in all aspects of product commercialization, including engineering, quality control, marketing, and manufacturing.
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Technical Writer / Trainer
CA Dept of Workers' Compensation
(Government Administration industry)
October 2007 — July 2008 (10 months)
Under contract to Deloitte, wrote training modules in FrameMaker and lead "train-the-trainer" sessions as part of $50MM Curam-based software development project.
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Courseware Developer
California Independent System Operator
(Non-Profit; 201-500 employees; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
2005 — 2006 (1 year )
Team member assigned to research, write, fact-check, and produce web-based courseware for $170MM J2EE web services software and hardware upgrade for state electrical grid scheduler/operator.
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Technical Analyst IV
Hewlett-Packard Company
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; HPQ; Information Technology and Services industry)
2002 — 2005 (3 years )
Note: Not WFR'd.
Primary:
Wrote HTML web services documentation for J2EE applications deployed on worldwide UNIX servers. Cross-checked disparate software documentation with system test and production staff to verify accuracy and continuity.
Led effort to revise installation guide process. Created new templates.
Conceptualized and wrote WinBatch macros to automate creation of installation guides.
View samples: www.ca-dreaming.com/Clips
Secondary:
Departmental intranet webmaster and librarian, including SharePoint administration.
Incorporated JavaScript routines to facilitate information retrieval.
Provided ad hoc Microsoft Office and printing hardware technical support.
Reinstalled software on departmental UNIX test servers.
Wrote and maintained GetURL, used throughout each day by the entire department. -
Marketing Communications Manager
The Analytical Group, Inc.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
2000 — 2001 (1 year )
Primary:
Wrote and produced multiple software manuals, online Help, PR releases, direct mail, and other marketing collateral for marketing research software and services firm.
Conducted a thorough updating of company website.
Extensive pre-production liaison work with commercial printers, including Adobe PostScript troubleshooting.
Organized and produced offsite, bi-annual software users group conference. Edited and redesigned staff-produced PowerPoint presentations.
Secondary:
Contributed numerous suggestions to enhance installation and user interface of software products.
Conceptualized and wrote code for remote detection of illicit users in effort to stop revenue loss.
Suggested free source code programmers could use in software products to reduce development cost.
View samples: www.ca-dreaming.com/Clips -
IT Instructor
Learning Tree International, Inc.
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
1996 — 1999 (3 years )
Primary:
Senior instructor for network-based Microsoft operating system courses held nationwide for IT professionals. Set up and led onsite courses for Boeing, Exxon, Dow Chemical, Sprint, Nortel, and Navajo Indian Health Services. Also responsible for classroom equipment setup, software loading, and troubleshooting.
View IT professionals' testimonials:
www.ca-dreaming.com/ltreetst.htm
Secondary:
Seminar leader for nationwide “Windows 95 Power Seminar” tour, 1997. Wrote seminar course content and created animated, audio/visual PowerPoint presentation with embedded WinBatch macro scripts.
Recorded instructional videos—including voiceovers—for bonus CD-ROM.
Seminar brochure copywriter.
Subject-matter expert (SME) and technical editor for Windows 95 computer-based training (CBT) product.
View marketing samples: www.ca-dreaming.com/Clips/
Other:
Wrote Windows utility to check/modify Windows' GUI default settings.
View code: www.ca-dreaming.com/wbutils.htm -
Publishing Courseware Developer
USA Group—TRG, Inc.
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Computer Software industry)
1995 — 1996 (1 year )
Primary:
Conceptualized and coded Microsoft Word custom publishing solution comprised of WordBasic macros. Designed and created ancillary toolbar displaying custom buttons.
View project: www.ca-dreaming.com/wordpub.htm.
Secondary:
Wrote technical documentation for internal distribution. -
Managing Editor & Seminar Leader
Mastering Computers, Inc.
(Information Technology and Services industry)
July 1992 — April 1995 (2 years 10 months)
Primary:
Researched, wrote, and produced monthly Windows Tips & Secrets newsletter (circ. 22,000).
Author of Opening Windows and Advanced Windows Tips & Secrets books.
Conceptualized artwork and contracted graphic artists.
Pre-production and commercial printer oversight, including PostScript troubleshooting.
Initiated and wrote subscription renewal report for management.
Managed assistant editor and research assistant during transition.
Secondary:
Featured speaker, trainer, and marketer for sixty-city “Inside Windows” annual seminar tour.
Integrated Microsoft PowerPoint with multimedia tools and automation utilities.
Wrote and regularly updated seminar materials.
Generated over $20,000 per seminar in add-on sales.
View IT professionals' testimonials:
www.ca-dreaming.com/mcitest.htm
Other: Staffed booth at Windows World trade show. Wrote installation routine and provided support for Windows Tip-A-Day software.
View code: www.ca-dreaming.com/rcstpwbt.htm -
Founder and President
Crossover Technologies (Sole Proprietorship)
(Sole Proprietorship; 1-10 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
August 1988 — June 1992 (3 years 11 months)
Services:
Value-added reseller (VAR): PC sales, systems integration, training, maintenance, and service. Largest client: Weyerhaeuser Corporation.
Specialized in desktop publishing, Windows applications, and office networks.
Authorized reseller: Autodesk’s AutoCAD, Novell NetWare and Aldus PageMaker.
View client testimonials:
www.ca-dreaming.com/letters.htm
www.ca-dreaming.com/weyertst.htm
www.ca-dreaming.com/custtest.htm
Marketing:
Conceptualized, wrote, and produced creative, desktop-published print advertising.
Two regional awards: Lead/inquiry solicitation and color advertising campaign.
Received creative marketing recognition from Aldus and Autodesk.
Produced scripts and acted as TV and radio advertising talent.
Procured marketing rights, named product, and rewrote documentation for ProtoCall, an AutoCAD add-on. Produced, and placed single ad which drew sales from the U.S. to the Middle East.
View marketing samples: www.ca-dreaming.com/Clips -
Publishers' Representative
Various
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Publishing industry)
1978 — 1985 (7 years )
· Harbor House Publishers, Inc.—Seaway Review magazine. Solicited international accounts by phone and via self-composed, computerized direct mail. Oversaw all logistics, procured and set up booth, and represented company at shipping industry trade show (Houston).
· Prism Publications, Inc.—Traverse, the Magazine. Coached new publishers regarding print advertising sales, advertising production, and regional consumer magazines. Coached other contracted sales reps as they came onboard.
· Hart Energy Publishing, LP—Northeast Oil Reporter. Staffed booth and promoted magazine at annual oil and gas trade show, Monroeville, PA.
· Michigan Oil & Gas Association—Michigan Oil & Gas News.
· Noverr Publishing, Inc.—Preview Community Weekly newspaper. Also: Production staff member responsible for prepress operations (negative opaquing, stripping, and plate burning) of several regional tabloid editions.
· SCN Communications Group.—Spinal Column weekly community newspaper.
Additional Information
Chris Morton’s Websites:
Chris Morton’s Interests:
Microsoft, Windows, PCs, page layout, computer graphics, digital audio, MP3s, new technology, marketing, public relations, social networking, musicology, sociology, Americana, travel, Beatles, jazz, blues, screenwriting, multimedia, gourmet cooking, wine, water sports, hiking, inventions, childrens' books
Chris Morton’s Groups:
Society of Technical Communications
mediabistro.com AvantGuild
Former volunteer audio technician, Cornerstone Community Church
Licensed FCC broadcaster, and former part-time, substitute, or volunteer operator/announcer at the following Michigan-based radio stations: WTCM, WNMC, and WLJN, Traverse City; WWRM, Gaylord; and WGRY, Grayling.
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HP Alumni -
Society for Technical Communication -
eMarketing Association Network -
HP Connections -
All Things Film -
Radio Paradise Members
Chris Morton’s Honors:
Volunteer Technical Editor—Microsoft's MS-DOS 5.0 Users Guide, Windows 3.1 Users Guide, and Windows 3.1 Getting Started manuals.
Short-Term Contracts
· Business Editor—Beveridge Consulting Group's "Selling Professionally Successfully" and "Managing the Sales Force" 200-page manuals.
· Instructor—Lyondell Petrochemical. Developed courseware and taught onsite Windows 3.1 course.
Speaking Engagements
· U.S. Coast Guard Computer Security Conference
· West Michigan Electronic Publishing Expo
· Michigan Business Education Association
Created professional, "Ken Burns"-style DVD, complete with backtimed and/or edited audio clips, integrated video, menu with titles and audio loop, custom label... the works! Over 75 units in distribution.
Chris Morton’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- expertise requests
- business deals
- getting back in touch
