The year was 1994, the year they first appeared. I was minding my business, that of a fledging small cap investment banker.

Of course, I'm referring to the DOTCOMS, rising from the landscape like weeds, and all looking for the same thing: INVESTMENT CAPITAL.

Finding myself in the center of the surge, that being Southern California, I began getting calls from strange people looking for money to finance their dotcoms.

My assignment was always the same: "JR, we need you to help us contact investors so we can sell them on our 'KILLER APP' (business model)."

This presented an interesting challenge. I had the communication skills, having authored many print-media campaigns over the years. What I lacked was the technical skills required to distribute investment campaigns over the Internet.

Problem was, there were no "off the shelf" contact management programs available in 1994. So I learned how to write programs myself, using this great new language called "Cold Fusion. So now I was a investment banking computer geek. A rare breed, indeed.

But the dotcom "bubble" couldn't go on forever, and it didn't. In 2001, it all blew up.

While I regret not acting sooner, I'm thankful I got out when I did. And while some really great websites (see right margin) and campaigns of my design did not survive, my code-writing skill did. I just needed a new gig.

Several years later, that "gig" is just now getting attention in the not-for-profit marketplace. Especially right now, NPO's are looking for better ways to serve constituents, communicate with the public and raise money...all on a shoe-string budget!

It's really a great deal. I donate my service to them, and they give me the satisfaction that comes from doing something worthwhile with my time. Now that is what I call a "killer app"!



Experience.

2001 JRL Consulting, Charleston, SC and Cincinnati, OH
Web Development for Non-Profit Organizations.

1994 VCilitate.com, Newport Beach, CA
Institutional Investment Marketing.

1992 Time off, Miami, FL
Bought a sailboat...and a computer. When I wasn't sailing, I was teaching myself how to "hard code".

1990 JRL Consulting, Pasadena, CA
Independent Securities Specialist. Equities, Fixed-Income, Insurance and Annuities

1985 EF Hutton & Company/Shearson Lehman, Columbus, OH
Stock Broker

Hometown:   Cincinnati, Ohio

Family:  Youngest of five brothers.  Mother from Ohio, Father from Virginia.  Both of German descent.

Education: BS in Marketing, Ohio State University (1976). Licensed Securities Register Rep (Series 7), Licensed Securities Principal (Series 24), Licensed Commodities Broker (Series 3), Licensed Insurance Agent (CA and FL, Life and Annuity).

Hobbies: Sailing, Rowing, Biking and, of course, Photoshop!