Jd Smith

UI Pros is a boutique staffing and consulting firm in the Dallas, Texas area, specializing in full-stack web, mobile and digital marketing analytics technologies. We now provide staffing and consulting services and help build teams for a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 1000 companies to medium-sized digital marketing agencies. As a consultant with 20 years of Fortune 500 experience, I know the tech, and I know the industry. I created UI Pros to help match great developers with great companies, and provide consulting services with the best talent.

At Rent-A-Center I have led the e-commerce development team and took ownership of a number of key roadmap initiatives, and provided strategic guidance to executive leadership with respect to digital marketing, customer data and e-commerce technology solutions. Initiatives include a successful responsive site redesign and update of the SAP Hybris C/4HANA eCommerce platform, saving the project which had gone sideways when I arrived, redesign of the Rent-A-Center mobile app, Google and Adobe Analytics implementation and migration from Adobe to Google Cloud Platform and BigQuery, Analytics tag automated quality control setup through QA2L, AWS Lambda cloud-based image optimization, SSO services improvements, SEO cleanup and web performance improvement (cutting page load time in half from what it was when I started, and communicating a clear framework to exec. stakeholders.) I helped to build out a strategic data analytics capability and team in the organization, and we tackled challenges with custom tagging inside mobile app WebView as well as native mobile and server-side tagging. Collaborating with IT teams, I implemented quality control processes for RAC's eCommerce codebase using Continuous Integration with Jenkins triggering SonarQube, Created corporate code review guidelines (Manual and Automated) and code formatting standards. RAC acquired Acima in 2021, and I helped build a comprehensive web and mobile analytics tagging and data strategy to cover both companies going forward. Most recently I've been involved with training the analytics team and strategic consulting for data analytics strategy leading into the GA4 transition.

Liquitomic helps enterprise brands connect with customers through marketing technologies. At Liquitomic I contribute technical insight and architecture guidance on a variety of digital marketing efforts - ranging from analytics tagging, site performance audits and data layer implementation to SEO and paid media. We work with a broad range of tools and technologies including Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, Tealium, Looker, Heap and Google Data Studio.

At GSK's R&D Data & Computational Sciences division, I'm leading the UI development team and directing UI architecture standards across the organization to drive efficiency and improve user experience, with the goal of reducing cost and time to market for GSK pharma products. As team lead I am responsible for end to end product development of all internal custom web applications, and have delivered a number of applications this year already. This includes leading offshore developers in Java microservices and AngularJS / VueJS application architecture, web components development and exploring new frameworks like Polymer for economy of scale, and custom data visualization for operational and scientific metrics and data sets. There are close to 10,000 data scientists and researchers at GSK whose current workflow is complicated, involving lots of different tools, and we're streamlining them to improve their productivity and drive results.

Search Discovery is a digital marketing and analytics agency helping organizations get the most from their data. At SDI I directed technical analytics architecture on a number of projects including mobile app analytics projects. Clients included Xerox, Steelcase, CIGNA, Goldman Sachs, Republic Wireless, Darden Restaurants, Crocs, Genuine Parts, Things Remembered, Biltmore, Scentsy, Johnson & Johnson, Extended Stay America and numerous others. My responsibilities included: * Manage and direct both strategic and technical analytics activities across multiple clients with minimal oversight, while directing 1-2 team members in completing tasks and deliverables * Identify and develop digital marketing solutions that solve client challenges and drive business value * Help clients understand their business goals * Provide technical leadership to multiple ongoing client engagements across a variety of tools and technologies * Develop plans, technical specs and estimates for the implementation of technical solutions * Mentor and provide coaching and training to other team members * Provide support to business development efforts including brainstorming solutions, demonstrations, estimating and pitching ideas to clients * Have fun creating awesome solutions!

IgniteD2K is a big data startup with a technology platform that allows businesses to identify their customers' purchase intentions in real time by mining social signals. My role has been to architect the UI and analytics interfaces for Ignite’s dashboard applications. On this project I went deep into Angular JS, implementing best practices and creating custom directives and services. I also got a suite of unit tests up and running using Jasmine, Karma, Yeoman and Gulp.

At Search Discovery I helped their client Johnson & Johnson to deploy and manage Adobe Analytics (Omniture) implementations across 500 of their global brand sites, using Adobe Dynamic Tag Manager (DTM,) which Search Discovery pioneered and sold to Adobe. jQuery is heavily used, but raw JavaScript knowledge is also essential. On this project I've helped to architect parts of a global solution that is applied across all of the client's brand sites. I'm very comfortable within the SiteCatalyst reporting interface and helping with the QA process to pinpoint the causes of problems in the analytics reports. I've done custom code for various third party tagging and APIs also, like ForeSee and Doubleclick, and tied into the APIs for services like YouTube. While at SDI I performed full Adobe Analytics implementations via DTM on 43 of JnJ's brand sites: Aveeno.com, AveenoMD.com, Band-aid.com, BenGay.com, CleanAndClear.com (desktop & mobile), CosmeticsReform.com, Desitin.com, GetReliefResponsibly.ca, HealthyEssentials.com, JJMyStore.com, JohnsonsBaby.com (and AU, BR, CA), JohnsonsBabyCare.com, Lactaid.com (desktop & mobile), Listerine.com (and CA, CO, DE, ES, FR, UK), Motrin.com (and CA), Neutrogena.com (desktop & mobile), OneTouchReveal.com, Pepcid.ca, Reactine.ca, Regaine.de, Rembrandt.com, RembrandtBoutique.com, RocSkinCare.com (and CA), Rogaine.com, Splenda.com (and CA), Sudafed.com, TucksBrand.com, Tylenol.com (and CA), WomensRogaine.com and Zyrtec.com. I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to automate the deployment of certain rules and global changes, and sometimes I get the opportunity to do some ninja-like JavaScript work. SDI is a great team to work with - truly the best in their class.

At Solutia, I helped Quicken Loans build a flagship real estate search website, www.myperfecthome.com, which is intended to compete with giants like Trulia and Zillow. They have are the first public site to aggregate all MLS databases in the US. My primary role on this project was to ensure that architecture was put in place to allow the single-page JavaScript application to be crawled and indexed by search engines, and for every page URL to be bookmarkable and shareable so that a visitor returning through a shared link would return the application to the appropriate state. The final implementation included a separate cluster of web servers for pre-rendering, middleware that serves pre-rendered versions of each page from prerender.io to search engines, and software that generates and submits sitemaps for around 3,000,000 pages. We achieved these goals and met an aggressive project deadline. In addition I contributed to the front-end AngularJS application architecture, especially as relating to SEO and URL routing. I learned the depths of UI-Router and the built-in ng router as well.

ZeOmega is a leading provider of software for integrated care management. It transforms traditional episodic-based care into an ongoing and collaborative healthcare model that benefits everyone involved: the payer, the provider and the patient or member. As a UI Architect I have worked to solve existing pain points in the web application and to make ideal front end technology choices for the future. This includes migrating an existing YUI implementation to AngularJS, with Python. The surrounding front-end technology stack includes Angular UI, Angular-gettext for i18n, Bootstrap, Grunt, Bower, Karma test runner and Jasmine or Mocha for JS unit testing.

Primarily focused on developing UI for a new platform for handling contracts in the healthcare supply chain industry. I work closely with the UX and interaction designers, other developers and the product owner. Used jQuery UI and custom jQuery plugins such as dataTables, Modernizr, Prototype, Highcharts SVG/Canvas/VML charting tool, Java EE / Spring Hibernate, Spring Web Flow / MVC with a DSL (domain-specific language) and Oracle. Product's official release was in April 2013, so I was able to work with a great development team to see it through to launch.

OCC is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization. At OCC I developed components of a financial services application using ExtJS and Java. I did both client and server-side coding for each component's Ext JS and Java / JSP portions. We used Spring MVC Framework and DB2 database, wrote unit tests in JUnit and interfaced with designers and system testers to ensure the application is working as business users expect. I also did some collaborative programming to learn from and help other developers, and to improve the architecture.

As an independent consultant I handle web development, strategy consulting and entrepreneurial projects. I often work with subcontractors to tap into the right expertise and deliver results that pay.

Iron Mountain is a leading provider of information management services. This position involved ExtJS theming for Iron Mountain's RecordCenter 2.0 application. We focused on reusability for other applications within the company, and Javascript refactoring using the MVC model for ExtJS 4. CSS3 and backwards-compatibility down to IE6 were a requirement, and the prep for migrating to ExtJS 4 from the current 3.31 involved mastery of SASS/SCSS and ExtJS 4's new theming structure. This project was a brilliant learning opportunity through remote coordination with a team of top-notch UI developers who are the best in the ExtJS world, some who co-authored technical books on ExtJS.

I was primarily responsible for JavaScript development with YUI, JQuery, HTML and CSS and Python, Django, PostgreSQL and sometimes PHP / MySQL on the back end. Roles included implementation and oversight of web analytics platforms, overseeing one full-time web analyst, participating in marketing strategy, Director of Email Marketing using the SilverPOP enterprise email platform, paid search marketing and digital marketing optimization (testing and improving response), and handling international domains. For Omniture / Adobe SiteCatalyst (v14) and Data Warehouse (a migration from my earlier IBM CoreMetrics implementation) I worked with Adobe engineers to set up a customized solution for multiple shopping cart types and their attribution models: standard ecommerce, donation and sponsorship, and free promotions. I used some JavaScript tricks in cooperation with the back end architect to identify failed transactions that normally would have gone unreported. Email, social media and offline campaign data were integrated. My analyst and I attended Summit 2010 and completed Omniture Basic and Advanced Training. I helped define KPIs and and drove KPI adoption in the organization to make data actionable. I set up a series of multivariate and A/B tests with Google Website Optimizer in cooperation with the web marketing team that took free promotion conversion rates from 16% up to 68% in some cases, and implemented Google Analytics and niche web analytics platforms like ClickTale to run in parallel. In 2008 I took the lead on a research project which enabled our organization to migrate to a new CRM software provider, DonorDirect. I also managed relationships and contract negotations with third party vendors, such as Rackspace, SilverPop, Neustar, Brightcove, Payment processors, SeeWhy, Perry Marshall, Google Adwords, SEO.com, Vanderhurst SEO group and Revolution Systems.

Developed websites end-to-end and managed online advertising, analytics and marketing strategy for small and large businesses. A sampling of clients include: • www.dianavincent.com (Jewelers) • www.renowncreative.com (Branding & Graphic Design) • www.healthtrustcorp.com (Healthcare) • www.coretrustcorp.com (Healthcare) • www.omgeo.com (Financial) • www.exxtreme.com (Web Usability) • www.keithself.com (Government) • www.onlifehealth.com (Healthcare) • www.forensicmed.com (Medical)

GSI Commerce is a leading provider of ecommerce and interactive marketing services for the world’s premier brands and retailers. During this contract I built HTML & CSS layouts for major internet retail sites such as polo.com, hp.com, wilsonsleather.com, nfl.com, dockers.com etc. Worked full time as the primary UI developer for Polo.com catalog updates.

OneBeacon Insurance Group provides specialty insurance solutions. During this contract I built and maintained global HTML, Javascript and CSS templates for dozens of internal insurance applications such as agent quote generation apps, with an emphasis on cross-browser compatibility, code re-usability and W3 WAI, ARIA & Sec. 508 accessibility. Worked with JSP, Java J2EE and IBM Websphere Application Developer (WSAD). Built XSLT templates for XSLT-FO pdf generation.

MortgageRamp is a leading provider of business-process outsourcing and technology solutions for the real estate finance industry. At MortgageRamp I was responsible for HTML, CSS, Javascript, XML, XSL, XSLT and Flash development, and image prep for web with Photoshop and Imageready. I worked primarily on a commercial mortgage broker application called DealCentral that streamlines commercial application packages and generates PDF documents of the complete package.

CNA is the 7th largest U.S. commercial insurer and the 13th largest U.S. property & casualty insurer, providing insurance protection to more than one million businesses and professionals in the U.S. and internationally. At CNA I did advanced HTML, Javascript and CSS development for an insurance application that enabled field agents to quickly generate quotes. While my coding responsibilities were mostly front end, I also integrated that code with Java Server Pages (JSP).

Ethany Corporation provides software solutions, product development, web site development and hosting, and training services. For Ethany I developed portions of web applications in Microsoft ASP (Active Server Pages) and SQL. Also built Crystal Reports for those apps.

IO Partners was a holding company that backed a few dot-com-era startups. At IO Partners I developed major components of a Visual Basic application designed to interface with a PDA for their "Personal Trainer Network" startup. The application tracked physical fitness workout routines and personal nutrition data. I built a web application using ASP (Active Server Pages) and SQL Server that mirrored the functionality of the VB app and was able to interface with the hardware device through the computer IR port using an ActiveX control.