Jonathan L. Tolstedt

Fargo, ND  58103

e-mail:  jtoolshed@aol.com

 

 

Educational Background:

 

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering / Mathematics Minor.

South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.                             December 1988.

 

Master of Science in Computer Science.

University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.                                                               May 1999.

 

Formal training in the following topics:  Systems Engineering, Object-Oriented Software Design, Leadership, Requirements Analysis, Team Building, Capability Maturity Model.

 

Employment History:

 

June 2003 – Present                            President/Founder/Consultant

                                                            Brainstorm Consulting, LLC

                                                            Fargo, North Dakota 58103

 

September 2002 – Present                   Business Development Internal Team Lead

                                                            Phoenix International/John Deere

                                                            Fargo, North Dakota 58102

 

June 1999 – Present                            Adjunct Lecturer

                                                            North Dakota State University

                                                            Fargo, North Dakota 58105

 

August 1996 – September 2002          Project Manager/Lead Engineer

                                                            Phoenix International/John Deere

                                                            Fargo, North Dakota 58102

 

January 1989 – August 1996               Software/Systems Engineer

                                                            Rockwell Collins Commercial Avionics Division

                                                            Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498

 

Significant Achievements:

 

President and founder of Brainstorm Consulting, LLC, a home consulting business providing technical writing and project management services to customers.  Customers include departments from the engineering college at North Dakota State University, as well as a local technology start-up company.  Primary author on an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) proposal for the Department of Defense.  Investigating and aiding the start-up company with patent research and documentation.

 

Project Management

Project Manager for all electronic development and system design on the John Deere Self-Propelled Forage Harvester project, which contains multiple, networked electronic modules.  Responsible for all project accounting, maintenance of schedule and project plan, tracking project development progress, acting as customer technical contact, and overseeing prototype transition through the manufacturing floor.

 

Technical Project Lead for several electronics development projects for off-highway applications.  Responsible for the coordination of all project technical activities, including project quotations, requirements gathering, system design and implementation, field testing, and transition into production.

 

Acted as Technical Coordinator for the development of Rockwell Collins Commercial Avionics largest technical proposal effort to date.  Assumed complete responsibility for the production of the 1500-page technical presentation, including coordination and facilitation of the proposal team inputs.

 

Software Development

One of two engineers responsible for the complete development cycle of real-time system software for the Standby Indicator active-matrix LCD displays for the Boeing 777 aircraft.  Participated in all phases of the product life cycle, from initial requirements analysis to formal product verification.

 

Lead all internal teams working on the development of quote packages for new business opportunities.  Work closely with both the customer and the internal technical team to assemble the data packages used as our response to Requests For Quotation (RFQ).  Write technical costed proposals for submission to the customer.

 

Responsible for the development of Phoenix International’s internal quote process.  Lead an internal team in the development of new cost estimate templates and proposal formats.  Primary contributor to the development of these tools.

 

Developed software for an on-highway truck data recording system, including functions for the vehicle-based embedded system and the PC-based office software.  Led the effort to capture the product requirements and implement as new system functions.  Assumed complete systems responsibility for the development of a truck driver DOT log entry application, based on a handheld personal computer platform.  Led all technical development and managed all project resources.

 

Solely responsible for introducing and incorporating a modular object-oriented design approach for a major Boeing avionics display project.  This was the first use of the object-oriented design methodology within the Rockwell Collins avionics division on a commercial product.

 

Primary author of technical white paper on establishing a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for the John Deere company.  Worked with company president and staff to establish the Center at Phoenix International.  Worked with company president to set up technical teams to implement advanced technology programs at Phoenix International.

 

Prototyping

Designed several functional “virtual prototypes” that simulate the user interface of new products during the product conceptualization phase.  Used the virtual prototypes as tools to elicit product requirements from the customer.  Created the programs using Microsoft Visual Basic and other prototyping tools.

 

Initial and primary project management contact during the development of a new strategic alliance between Phoenix International and a leading electronic manufacturing services company.  Served as the single point-of-contact for this company.  Responsible for the format and submission of product information flowing to the alliance partner.

 

As Adjunct Lecturer at North Dakota State University, have taught classes in electrical engineering, computer science, and industrial engineering for the past nine semesters.

 

Activities

 

Authored and published five technical papers and presented all but one at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Off-Highway Exposition between the years of 1998 and 2002.  Fifth paper was published in the July 2000 issue of Industrial-Utility Vehicles and Mobile Equipment Magazine.  Published an article on giving your first speech in Toastmaster magazine.

 

Wrote a 70,000-word children’s adventure novel and am seeking a publisher.  Have also submitted a children’s picture book manuscript to potential publishers.

 

Member of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Served as Vice Chairman of Society of Automotive Engineers Advanced Concepts Committee.  Organized two technical sessions during the 2000 and 2002 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Off-Highway expositions.

 

Organized over 20 engineers to speak at area junior and senior high schools on the topic of engineering during National Engineer’s Week four years in a row, and received a “Service to Education” award from the West Fargo School District.

 

Founded local chapter of Toastmasters International Public Speaking Group.  Served as club’s first year president.  Achieved level of Advanced Toastmaster Bronze through the completion of 20 public speaking projects, and will complete level of Advanced Toastmaster Silver by July 1, 2004.

 

Created a scholastic chess club for 25 students at a local elementary school, and serve as the club’s coach.  Taught the club members how to play chess, and continue to teach them basic tactics and strategy.  Track each child’s progress on a multi-tab Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.