BenAbler.com

Sharepoint B2C

2012-03-24T08:53:00.004-04:00

Over the last several years I've had some type of position that involved me in some way with using Microsoft Sharepoint. Traditionally, this tool has always been thought of as a best in class internal-use tool for intranets. However in the last couple years this trend seems to be expanding to external B2C sites as well. Now we have several leading sites using Sharepoint on their public facing branded sites.

Check out this site and you may be surprised at the sites running in the B2C space on Sharepoint.

http://www.topsharepoint.com/?r_sortby=highest_rated&r_orderby=desc

Construction

2012-02-06T23:19:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I've taken on a good construction project. I've finished off a basement before (with some help) and closely supervised 3 new constructions of building a home... but not much in the last 6 years.

This project is much smaller in size: new kitchen countertops, backsplash, crown molding, carpet, drapes, and fresh coat of paint. We haven't done much to our house since we built it, and it's time for some sprucing up.

I've never done crown molding before, and considered hiring this out. But I enjoy the challenge and I have the tools, so why not? I'm learning that it is not so simple to get those angles right. For those just starting out with this, the dual sided crown molding really helps to just make it easy to flip it over and not worry as much about cutting the correct side of the molding -- but it's still challenging to say the least.

2011: A Life Changing Year

2011-12-31T11:03:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've blogged. I spend more time these days on linkedin and twitter. However, I would like to take a few moments to reflect on what has been an excellent year all around. A few highlights:

1. We had great news from Alexander's cardiologist that he most likely won't need any more heart surgery.
2. Andrew is doing very well in school and sports.
3. Emma constantly reminds us of her presence in wonderful ways.
4. I hit my goal of losing ~70 pounds and kept it off.
5. I knocked another year of classes off on my MBA degree at Wayne State University (which was named among the top part-time MBA programs in the country by US News and World Report), and started a new certificate program at Carnegie Mellon University.

2012 will be hard to top this, but I'm looking forward to trying. :)

Wayne State University part-time MBA program named among top in nation

2011-08-28T15:53:00.004-04:00

For complete article, visit here.

SBA part-time MBA program named among top in nation
WSU, UM only Michigan universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report

By MARCENA GORGAES | The South End
Updated: 08/19/11 11:17pm

The Wayne State School of Business Administration has earned its way to many notable awards recently. Appearing in the 2012 edition of the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools,” WSU’s undergraduate business program was recognized as one of the top schools in the nation for its part-time master of business administration program.

According to the U.S. News & World Report guidebook, “part-time M.B.A. rankings are based solely on a fall 2010 peer assessment survey that asked business school deans and M.B.A. program directors at each of the nation’s 295 part-time M.B.A. programs to rate the other part-time programs on a 5-point scale, from marginal (1) to outstanding (5).”

Only 165 colleges in the U.S. were acknowledged for their master of business administration programs. There were only two universities recognized from the state of Michigan, exemplifying WSU’s high level of achievement.

The other university that was acknowledged for its undergraduate business program was the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which ranked as the top university in Michigan with part-time M.B.A programs.

The SBA has also been acknowledged in 2011 for other achievements.

The school was featured in the 2011 editions of the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” list and Princeton Review’s “The Best 300 Business Schools” list. Furthermore, the school’s online master of business administration option was named among the top “Best Buys” by GetEducated.com.

The SBA has an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International-accredited degree program with a wide range of undergraduate majors from which business students can choose. Some of the majors students can choose from include accounting, finance, management, marketing and global supply chain management.

Currently, there are 2,600 undergraduate students enrolled in the SBA. More than half of these undergraduate students focus on earning their degrees while also maintaining part-time work. The part-time master of business administration program allows students to earn their degree even if they also have to work or raise a family.

Golf Update

2011-04-22T08:48:00.002-04:00

After almost a year of trying out clubs, I've decided to keep my Ping IsoForce Anser putter and replace everything else. I'm going all Callaway and purchased from Callaway Golf Preowned. It's a great site that sells like-new clubs and significant discounts! I picked up an FT-iz driver, FT 3 wood and 2 hybrid, Diablo Forged 3-9, PW and Jaws Chrome wedges. I haven't hit any of them except the driver because the weather has been so bad lately. Hopefully soon I'll get on the course!

In other Golf news, Golf Digest recently came out with their top 100 public courses list, and there were several shakeups compared to last year.

Of the courses I've played, Whistling Straits and Arcadia Bluffs stayed at their #3 and #10 spots respectively. I generally agree with this ranking. While I enjoyed playing Arcadia Bluffs significantly more than Whistling Straits, it did feel like Whistling Straits was a more championship level of difficulty in comparison. Forest Dunes dropped a couple spots to #20, and Eagle Eye tied for #53. New on the list was a course I played in Wisconsin known as the Bull at #86. I found this course in great shape, very challenging, and a bargain!

New Michigan Courses on the list this year include True North at #33, Elk Ridge at #69, the Bear at #81 and Lakewood Shores at #88. Tullymore dropped significantly from #15 to #36, and Black Lake and Bay Harbor held onto their middle of the pack rankings of #46 at #62 (slight changes).

I was disappointed to see Shepherd's Hollow fall off the list, but with so many new additions something has to get bumped I suppose.

Golf Clubs

2011-03-07T22:38:00.002-05:00

I'm back in the market for new golf clubs. Navigating through the sea of choices of golf equipment and what is marketing vs reality is a very difficult task. So far, I bought a new Callaway FTiz driver but really I'm looking at replacing the entire set (except my putter). I still need a fairway wood, iron set, wedges, and possibly a hybrid. Irons are the toughest choice out of these...

Mizuno has some nice offerings this year with the JPX800 Pro and MP53, both which are on my short list. I still can't get away from that buttery feel of the Callaway Diablo Forged as well. For a low to mid 80s golfer, there are too many choices out there and it's hard to make a decision.

More demo days coming up over the next few weekends will hopefully lead to making a decision about this before the snow melts.

Reflecting on 2010

2010-12-31T16:53:00.004-05:00

As I reflect on the past year on this New Year's Eve 2010, I realize that this was really a year of great accomplishments.

1. My family is doing wonderfully. The kids are growing up so fast, and are doing well in school. Alex had great news from the cardiologist at his heart checkup and Andrew continues to do well in everything (especially baseball).
2. I lost 50+ pounds and am in the best health since high school. Plain and simple exercise, sticking to a schedule, and eating healthier did the trick. A little direction and accountability by these folks have helped out more than I ever imagined.
3. I finally started my MBA at Wayne State University - in my opinion one of Michigan's best MBA programs - and knocked out 5 courses. I have 9 more courses to go and am learning a great deal as I pursue a dual concentration in MIS and Management.
4. After an exhaustive job search, I expanded my professional network which resulted in my choice of great opportunities in a down economy, and I feel I made the right choice. I get to work with great people, innovative technology, and cool cars.
5. Last but certainly not least, I posted my best ever round of golf on 18 holes!

I'm looking forward to 2011 and what the new year will bring. Happy New Year everyone!

liveOn* - "Safely connecting you in ways you never thought possible"

2010-09-15T20:44:00.010-04:00

Today was a big day at the office, and you'll be hearing a lot more about what OnStar has in the works in the coming weeks and months.

Here are a few articles released today that are worth a good read:
- OnStar Relaunches Its Brand with Focus on “Responsible Connectivity” - GM.com
- GM's OnStar service to become Facebook friendly - USAToday.com
- OnStar Looks to Connect Drivers With More Than Their Stolen Cars - adAge.com

Considering New Golf Clubs - Callaway and Taylor Made

2010-08-15T23:05:00.003-04:00

Watching the PGA Championship on TV at Whistling Straits (where I played last year) got me motivated to go check out some new clubs for some reason. I went to Carl's Golfland to check out some new irons this weekend since the Callaway Tour Fit Bus was in town. I was thinking the Callaway X-22's are on sale for $379 so I'd probably pick up a set for cheap and this would be a good replacement irons set.

Well, it didn't turn out as I expected.

They had me try the Callaway Diablo Forged +1 irons. I have to admit that I have never hit a 6 iron like this before. I was consistently bombing a 6 iron 220+ yards...straight. It was just like butter. I do have a club speed of about 110 mph, which also means I need "Project X 6.0" shafts according to the rep.

Then "just for fun" they had me try the new Callaway FT Iz 9 driver with a Diamana Whiteboard 83X shaft. Again, 300+ yard drives...straight.

I was so excited about this potential to improve my game and get some sweet clubs!

Until I found out the irons are $1000, and the driver alone was $700. The shaft I was hitting just happens to be the same shaft that Tiger plays.

So I walked away with nothing. I plan to stick with my Callaway Hyper X 460 for now, but for irons I think I'm going to look into the Taylor Made Burners with the stiff shafts ... I hear you can pick up a set for about $550 which is more in my range and they are similar to the Diablo Forged.

Back from NYC

2010-08-05T22:37:00.003-04:00

We recently took a weekend trip to Manhattan. I could bore you with the details, but the important thing to note is that we learned there are 171 Starbucks in Manhattan.

With a land area of only 22.96 miles this means there are roughly 7.5 Starbucks every square mile. We literally saw Starbucks across the street from each other, and you never walk more than 3 blocks before finding one.

We hit up 3 or 4 of them. I wish I would have thought of charging $6 for a cup of coffee.

New position, opportunity, and direction

2010-05-13T13:24:00.003-04:00

After searching for a couple months for my next opportunity, I was fortunate enough to have a few opportunities to choose from.

I have decided to work for OnStar at General Motors in a Senior Architect role. I'll be working on ground-breaking technology that saves lives every day, and that is something that is difficult to pass up. I get started in this new chapter tomorrow.

Who opened the floodgates

2010-05-01T17:08:00.004-04:00

I have been very fortunate recently to have several incredible opportunities to choose from for my next career move. I am excited to be going back to work soon and working on ground breaking technology.

The economy is certainly looking up already!

Head First OOA&D!

2010-04-07T15:47:00.007-04:00

I'm spending some time during my job search brushing up on my technical skills. I have to commend the authors of the Head First books. I'm currently re-reading Head First OOA&D (Object Oriented Analysis and Design) and this is a fantastic book. Anyone looking to learn/relearn or brush up on UML, Java, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation and OOA&D should go pick this book up and read it.... then read it again.

Typically the definitions of anything OOP/OOAD are detailed and complicated. I will try to summarize some of the major considerations in many software architecture scenarios. I have always been big on "REUSE" and keys to making this a reality are having a deep understanding of the following:

Inheritance: Inheritance let's you build classes based on other classes and avoid duplicating code

By carefully designing your application using inheritance you can simplify designs and eliminate wasteful code by reusing classes throughout the application. When you need a new class, your options are to write a new one from scratch, copy an existing class, or reuse an existing class with inheritance. Reusing an existing class with inheritance requires more knowledge, but really is a fundamental concept that needs to be utilized more often to reduce code.

Polymorphism: Polymorphism allows for apps to be more flexible and less resistant to change by allowing subclasses to "stand in" for superclasses

While this may sound related to inheritance (and it is), one key exception is that polymorphism typically happens at run time. This is also more specific to a variable or argument of instances of various classes. When properly used this allows you to call a method that will work differently according to the type of class the object belongs to. This also goes deep to the point of reuse of code in that many times methods can be overridden instead of duplicated.

Encapsulation: Encapsulation is when you protect information in code from being used incorrectly by separating data from application behavior

Typically, objects should reveal the interfaces needed for interacting with the object. Encapsulation allows the details which are not relevant to the use of the object to be hidden, which aides in readability and maintenance of coding.

Java vs .NET

2010-04-06T10:59:00.007-04:00

I've recently been to a few interviews at various companies, and the topic of Java vs .NET seems to be a popular topic to discuss... so it seemed like a good blog post!

There are plenty of comparisons of Java vs .NET on the net. Those with personal preferences can argue the merits of each and back them up with good solid reasons.

As an architect and technology leader, I'm more interested in the practical side of comparing the two. I do have a broad and deep background in IBM and Microsoft technologies and have worked with .NET / Visual Studio IDE, and Java / Eclipse IDE as well.

My career has lead me down the direction of working with .NET more than Java. It's not necessarily that I "decided" or had a preference to do so, but that was the path my career took. I have worked with many talented developers over the years (many with deep experience with both Java and .NET). My observations and feedback on the two languages are that it seems that teams can accomplish more in less time with .NET compared to Java. It also seems that there are greater resources and support for .NET as compared to Java, as well as availability of talent. Perhaps this is because Microsoft is a large company with vast resources (and $) which evangelizes .NET and all of the Microsoft portfolio of products. I realize this is simply based on my personal career experiences and everyone has unique perspectives on this.

However, many systems are built on Java for a variety of good reasons. J2EE is a large scale enterprise programming platform that can handle the most robust projects and situations. It really comes down to looking at the particular goals and requirements of the system(s), organization(s), and evaluating staffing and costs for each.

I remain technology agnostic and open minded on the Java vs .NET debate, and believe every situation is unique and should be evaluated for the best programming platform.

Sharepoint Saturday in Michigan

2010-03-13T19:40:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the many fine individuals and sponsors who hosted Sharepoint Saturday in Ann Arbor today. It was an excellent free event with several informative sessions. Sharepoint 2010 looks like another winner, so I'm going to spend some time getting up to speed on this new technology.

I am still bummed I didn't win the XBOX 360!

Online Jobs & Your Network

2010-02-23T20:31:00.006-05:00

In this economy, the number of applicants clearly exceeds the number of open positions by a wide margin. Over the last month I have applied to dozens of positions that I believe to be strong match for my abilities. I have had several interviews, but most of these interviews have been through my professional network and very few from an online job application at monster.com, careerbuilder.com, indeed.com, theladders.com, etc.

I am not used to this lack of response. Throughout my career I have always been the person who gets the quick call back, gets the interview, and gets the job. I have heard from several recruiters that organizations are absolutely flooded with resumes for every open position. I met a recruiter at a large company in the area, and she explained that 30,000 people have applied for 180 open positions at their company. Wow! 30,000! Simple math shows there is a very slim margin of having your resume pulled out of the stack and in most cases -- you need to know someone.

Anyone who is not on networking sites such as linkedin, needs to get there and build your network out now. A job seeker has a very slim chance of landing a position without a strong network. This is the only angle that is working for me so far in this job search, and is at least resulting in some good leads. I have confidence in my ability, leadership, and knowledge, and it's just a matter of time before I land somewhere again.

Hopefully that landing will be sooner rather than later.

Back on the Hunt

2010-02-16T17:52:00.008-05:00

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I am back on the hunt for a job. I'm not usually the person "laid off" so this is a little new for me. It's happened to me before, but the circumstances behind that typically involved bankruptcy or something like that.

I read something the other day about how 80% of candidates selected for interviews these days are from networking. I am living this in the real world and finding this to be very true. I've applied for several dozen positions which I appear to be a strong fit, and I'm sure my resume is stacked on a heap of other resumes as the days go by one after the next.

Thankfully by using my network and linkedin, I have a few good leads I'm hunting down and hopefully should land on my feet again soon. Look for an update when that happens.

The golf fever is coming back around....

2010-02-02T22:18:00.003-05:00

A golf post? In February? Yes of course! It's around this time of year where I start to think... why do I live in a place where I can't play golf year round? I suppose there are more important things in life than golf (like family I suppose :-). Looking back at the last year, I had my best year that I can remember that will be hard to top in 2010.

A few highlights of 2009:
1. My first hole in one! I called it on the way up on hole #6 at Yarrow (with two witnesses)!
2. Playing the twin "Pebble Beach" courses of Lake Michigan: Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and Arcadia Bluffs up north. I enjoyed Arcadia Bluffs more, but Whistling Straits was more difficult (and more expensive).
3. Recorded a couple rounds of 80, which is my lowest round on 18 holes that I can remember.
4. Finally made it up to Boyne Highlands in the late fall, and played 72 holes in rain, sleet, and at times SNOW.
5. Finally straightened out my slice... well not really but once in a while I do hit one straight.

I hope 2010 will bring more great golf!

And the choice is...

2009-11-10T14:52:00.004-05:00

I have decided to start MBA at Wayne State University, starting in January 2010.

The program is considered by many to be the third best in the state of Michigan -- next to Michigan and Michigan State. However, they offer by far the most flexibility of any graduate program. On nearly all WSU MBA courses, you can choose between the Detroit Campus, Farmington Hills Campus, Online, or Saturday offerings. I'm sure this is one of the reasons it is one of the largest AACSB MBA programs in the country. The tuition and fees is reasonable and the advising and students I've met with in the program have been very helpful.

I'm looking forward to getting started.

MBA choice in Michigan

2009-10-25T09:56:00.007-04:00

I have applied to 3 universities in Michigan to start an MBA in January 2010.

1. Wayne State University
2. Central Michigan University
3. Oakland University

In the end, UM-AA and MSU were too expensive and I would never see an ROI. UM-Dearborn was also too expensive and they would not consider any foundational waivers for my BBA degree (AACSB accredited) because of a 7 year limit. I don't need to repeat my BBA degree in addition to an MBA and it was very easy to rule out these options as a result. Among the three I have applied, it's going to be a tough decision for me as each program is uniquely different in the approach.

Wayne State University offers the most flexibility with courses online, downtown, or at the Farmington Hills campus. WSU also has a strong reputation in the metro Detroit area, where I plan to stay since we have family ties. CMU is a cohort program which is accellerated and completed in under 2 years. All courses seem predetermined and must be followed in order. This is nice on one hand, but also might introduce problems if the program did not go exactly according to plan. OU is also a strong reputation in metro Detroit, but does not have as much flexibility as WSU. There is not an online option, and courses are taught in Rochester Hills with some courses at the Birmingham campus. This means I would need to drive from Novi to Detroit to Rochester Hills to Novi every day of class, which might simply be just too much time in the car.

I expect the decision to come down to WSU or CMU and I will make the decision within the next month.

Goodbye Mt. Pleasant

2009-10-14T18:27:00.004-04:00

My parents sold their old house in Mt. Pleasant a couple weeks ago. Mt. Pleasant was my childhood stomping grounds - the place I grew up. I went up there one last time to stay and say my goodbyes which just happened to be near the same time of my high school reunion. It was nice to close this chapter out.

I still do plan to get up there one more time to play Buck's Run, which somehow has avoided me all these years.

Golf 2009

2009-04-18T21:58:00.004-04:00

New courses on my list for this year:

- Arcadia Bluffs
- Eldorado
- Shepherd's Hollow
- Whistling Straits (if we make it to Wisconsin)

Bought a new Chevy Malibu

2009-04-04T21:54:00.003-04:00

I recently puchased a new 2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ. I this is my first GM car and I'm very impressed. It seemed to be a good value with price for features in its class.

Work Update

2009-01-14T23:07:00.005-05:00

It's been a few months since I left my previous position where I was at almost 7 years. I'm taking a step into more of a leadership role by staffing teams that develop state of the art web apps based on software as a service, software + services, and reuseable platforms. Most of these are being built on the Microsoft stack but we are exploring open source technologies on LAMP such as Joomla as well. We're establishing a fantastic team that I'm confident will make major waves in 2009.

Wii Fit Review

2009-01-04T12:53:00.003-05:00

I've done a few workouts on the Wii Fit. It is a fantastic and fascinating workout instrument. However, there are some significant limitations you should be aware of.

1. The BMI ratings and Wii Age are completely off for children. It told Andrew that he was actually 13 years old and overweight (he's a perfectly healthy little boy). Do not put any stock whatsoever into what it tells your children.
2. You can not easily workout with any partner. The game starts with you choosing your Mii and everything you do is recorded under that Mii. This also means that player 1 must completely finish their workout before player 2 can begin. You cannot do multiplayer except for one 2 player running aerobics exercise (and the second players stats are not recorded).
3. For each 1 to 3 minute exercise you do, you need to keep the Wiimote handy because you have to hit A several times for each exercise. After each exercise, you have to go back to the main screen and select a new exercise. It is extremely annoying to not be able to program your workout so that they go from one to the next automatically (or at least with hitting the "A" button once).
4. Number 3 above also leads to spending an excessive amount of time just navigating the console in Wii Fit. You will not be able to complete a 30 minute exercise in 30 minutes, it will be more like twice that time due to all of the starting and stopping in between each exercise.

It's a fascinating first attempt at interactive workouts on gaming consoles, but it definitely has plenty of room for growth.