Title:  President
Employer:  Communications Advantage, Inc.
Nickname/Alias:  Robert

What I'm Best Known For (in the Telecom World):

Taking conversations off into seemingly unrelated digressions which in my mind are completely related to the current topic.

Other Primary Areas of Expertise:

• Local and Long Distance Carrier Analysis/Evaluation
• Telecom Expense Management System Evaluation and Implementation
• IP Telephony / PBX RFPs and Evaluations
• Call Centers and Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
• New Construction/Relocation Project Management
• Business Process Evaluation 

Summary of Professional Background:

I have worked as a telecommunications consultant for eleven years providing all of the above services.  Currently serving second two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Society of Telecommunications Consultants (STC) and as Internet Committee Chair for the STC.
Writer of six articles regarding telecom cost management and technology trends for BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS REVIEW magazine.

Prediction on the Future of Telecom & Telecom Managers:

Users will get used to softphones because of the pervasiveness of headsets.  As soon as traffic citations are issued for not being hands free, everyone will have one.  Telecom managers will become cell phone administrators and will eventually be tasked with administering links between the telephone system and cellular, instead of activating digital or IP station ports.

Weirdest Thing People Usually Don't Know about Me:

As a teenager I worked for the Ringling Bros. circus as a townie for two summers, I was invited to go on the road with them (run away with the circus) but it was hard work and just a summer job. 

When I'm not talking or doing something in relation to telecom, I'm usually...

Watching British comedy DVDs or playing guitar.

Book and author I'm currently reading:

Nothing at the moment – I recently read The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

CD currently or most recently in my car stereo:

Joni Mitchell – Hits

The stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do or say in relation to a phone:

I once worked with a company that depended on their telephone system for 90% of their sales, but would not put in a dedicated analog line for monitoring and maintenance.