Raymond N. Grau

Designer & Developer

Email: Ray at this website
(sorry spam bots)
Phone: (720) 491 1373
Web: RG Design

Introduction

Raymond N. Grau is a believer in Christ, dedicated husband and a loving father of 3 kids. I enjoy learning about technology and how we can use it in our busy lives to make it easier on us. When I am not sitting in front of my computers, I spend time playing hide and seek, dress up, nerf gun wars and joking around with my family. I know I only have so much time with them. My wife and I love trying new adventures and spending as much time outside as we can. We love to hike, bike, kayak, camp, play at the lake, play at the park or just sit for a moment and relax in a quite time.

Skills

Technical Proficiency & Skill Sets

Photoshop

Illustrator

Indesign

PHP, HTML & CSS

Proficient in MS Office - Google Docs

Wordpress

Social Media

Customer Relations & Support

Hard worker, Team Player, Leader & More

Window, Mac & Linux

Professional Profile

Love working online with clients – most people are not aware of the tools out there to make running their business easier. Working with CMS (content management systems) has made that gap between business owner and web so much easier.

During my career I have worked within many different industries. Although I’m doing the same job each time, I get the privilege and experience of learning something new. Always going on a new adventure. I’ve toured an oil rig, helped start up a fresh water and saltwater fish store, worked extensively in real estate, medical equipment and laser sales, event planning, and countless e-commerce projects. No matter the industry, the goal never changes: helping companies utilize the latest technology in a meaningful way, bringing them success as they develop their presence in a digital marketplace.

Recent Work

Companies who have blessed me with work.

RG Design

2006 – present

OWNER/DESIGNER/DEVELOPER

Graphic Design Duties:
Web Design/Graphic Design – Project lead on all web design and graphical web design implementations per client criteria and project requirements. Based on existing web presentations, various platforms are used to determine web infrastructures. Examples include WordPress site implementations for greatest fiscal impact and functionality per budget restrictions. Fully capable of developing custom websites using various coding languages as needed and tailored to client project requirements and goals.
Print Design/Graphic Design – Project lead on all print design and print graphics for direct marketing campaigns and general advertising and marketing materials including but not limited to brochures, booklets, programs, posters, door hangers, place cards and business cards. Full understanding of spot colors, bleeds, print layouts, and formatting specifications for printing process. Facilitated file preparations, communications, and delivery to
printing representative(s).

Marketing Duties:
Sales – Fully responsible for new and existing business development initiatives through the use of direct marketing campaigns, freelance networking and advertising, email campaigning, and customer relationship management. Web Marketing Consulting/Brand Building – Consult with small to medium size business owners to determine SEO and web marketing conditions. Once web presence evaluation is complete, successfully develop web marketing initiatives and campaigns based on market research findings and existing web presentations. Maintain all client SEO campaign, ad word accounts, social marketing initiatives and email campaigns. Brand development and management is deployed to produce seamless brand presence between physical business presence and web presence. Provide analytical services on new and existing websites. Utilize analytical tools to determine success or failure in these areas dependent on market conditions and customer targets/goals.

Social Media Management & Marketing – Social media updates via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube and similar. Create and manage social network campaigns, including post creation, content writing, PPC/Google Adword campaigns and social network marketing. Determine success or failure through the use of analytical tools.

Pneuma33

11/2015 – present

WEB DEVELOPER / WEB SERVICE MANAGER

formally More Cabbage

Leadership
Develop and Manage a team of freelancers
Understand best practices responsive web design and development
Develop processes for efficient systems and train others to learn/replicate
Be a servant-leader example
Serve clients and employees with a giving approach
Help build and maintain profitability for MWS when it is in your power to do so

Server, Domain and Support
Manage systems for handling existing clients small web site requests
Provide support for web site inquiries that are sent to support
Hold response times of four business hours
Conduct server/WordPress/security/plug-in updates on our hosted web sites
Learn our Plesk system for administration our DV Server at Media Temple
Manage the Amazon S3 CDN server
Immediate response time if web site is down
Set up domain and server structure
Set-up gmail proxy systems for clients under their domain
Develop habits for excellent communication: voice/email/text/follow-through
Bug fixes
Responsive layout fixes
Browser compatibility
Manage CMS systems
Manage form builds
Set-up minor database integration (MySQL)
Manage freelance coders as your back-up support team
Use bit bucket and push commits
Develop systems that can be documented
Swap out photos or copy on web sites
Claim/renew domains or social nomenclature
Order install secure certificates

Development
Code in HTML, Javascript, PHP
Attend meetings dealing with web development
Participate in some branding meetings
Landing page development
Understand best practices layouts for SEO
Select templates for quick sites
Content migration for existing sites
301 redirects in Google
Some SEO support
Some Social Media Technology Research
Implement Efficiency

Additional
Practice a few projects and initiatives with your team to help develop company
Keep your skills sharp
Track all billable hours in FunctionPoint
Other technology projects may arise
Have fun/laugh and pray for our company, culture and CEO

Prolific Minerals & Snorkels

7/2014 – 9/2015

WEB MASTER / DEVELOPER

peakroyalties.com | prolificminerals.com | snorkels.fish | myfishandcorals.com | mulligan.today

Webmaster Responsibilities:
While working with Peak Royalties we launched a sister company under a different name, Prolific Land & Minerals. During that time I guided the management team on which web technologies would best serve the new business along with the development of the new website for Prolific. During the first year with this company we launched another 4 sites under different business names.

Website Development Duties:
Product research to locate which CMS systems would best fit company goals are for doing business on the web. Implementation of CMS systems to the company’s web servers along with all bug testing and reporting. Designing and developing custom applications to fit the needs of clients using the websites. Successfully launching website on time and under budget. Coordination with the media department for image and video assets used for the development of the websites. Designed and developed a fully customized website for Snorkels Fish & Corals

Marketing Duties:
Business Development – Responsible for new and existing business development initiatives through the use of email campaigning, social networking and customer relationship management in the store.
Social Media Management & Marketing – Provide social media updates via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube and similar. Created and managed social network campaigns, including post creation, content writing, PPC ads with Google Adword campaigns and social network marketing. Determine success or failure through the use
of analytical tools along with suggestions on improvements.

Finer Solution

7/2010 – 6/2014

MARKETING – GRAPHICS – CUSTOMER SUPPORT

finersolution.com | proptrackr.com

Software Development Duties:
Product Testing – Ongoing live testing of system software to identify issues/bugs. Identify issues through active customer testing/support ticket creation.
Bug Reporting/Versioning – Manage bug reporting process through technical support, support ticket management and tracking. Work with lead developers to track bug fixes and version updates. Track all documentation related to bug discovery, bug fixes, and version evolution/updates.
Technical Writing/Knowledge Base – Responsible for support center/knowledgebase development. Includes technical writing, creation of step by step training manuals and video tutorials. Constant evaluation of current support system content, updating and revising when necessary.

Graphic Design Duties:
Create all graphical content including ad banners, social header graphics, icons, and various web graphic development as required and on an ongoing basis. Develop icon concept for software product/workspace.
Develop graphical content for the printing of business cards, advertising layouts and promotional print materials as required and on an ongoing basis.

Marketing Duties:
Business Development & Sales – Responsible for new and existing business development initiatives through the use of direct marketing campaigns, freelance networking and advertising, email campaigning, social networking and marketing, cold calling and customer relationship management.
Social Media Management & Marketing – Provide social media updates via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube and similar. Create and manage social network campaigns, including post creation, content writing, PPC/ Google Adword campaigns and social network marketing. Determine success or failure through the use
of analytical tools.

Operations Management Duties:
Human Resources – Manage job postings, conduct interviews, manage social interactions relating to
employment opportunities.
Customer Relationship Management & Technical Support – Answer incoming calls and emails to address customer issues and concerns, provide phone training and support. Conduct follow up with customers as new updates evolve and version changes occur.
Oversee day-to-day office functions and administrative office management.

Med1Online

8/2007 – 4/2009

GRAPHIC DESIGNER WEB PRODUCTION SPECIALIST

Web Production Specialist Duties:
Managed bulk upload of new product listings using a content management system. Implemented organic SEO standards and documented SEO process.
Tracked and improved site ranks, measured by successful analytics reports.
Tested new web enhancements by helping the IT department find and fix bugs. Wrote image editing process and policies for content team.
Maintained product updates using SQL tables or content management system admin. Managed and conducted ongoing testing for adequate site functionality.

Graphic Design/Web Development Duties:
Developed email designs and layout concepts.
Created online graphic promos for the website and for PPC ads on other medical websites.
Conceptualized and implemented numerous landing pages for financing contact forms, marketing contact forms, online emails and promotional landing pages.
Designed web banners to advertise various landing pages, product deals and informational banners. Implementation of Web 2.0 – Added informational product videos, set up the blog and social networking interactions. Redesign of the homepage to facilitate product/manufacturer advertising requirements.

Colorado Ski & Golf

6/2004 – 6/2007

GRAPHIC DESIGNER WEB PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR

Graphic Design/Marketing Dept Duties:
Drafted print graphics to promote SSV’s retail shops in the mountain resorts of Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek and A-Basin. Along with Breeze Ski Rentals and RentSkis.com.
Designed informational signs for Colorado Ski and Golf’s annual event “Ski Rex”.
Developed email ads that would be sent through Westword’s email list for “Ski Rex”.
Created web banners to be placed on 9news.com promoting “Ski Rex”.
Designed full color print ads promoting Colorado Ski and Golf’s mountain resort stores to be placed within hotel rooms at the five major ski resorts in the region.
Created large format signage (16’ x 8’ +/-) for the Grand Openings of SSV’s new stores.
Drafted and produced informational fliers for store employees.

E-Comm Dept Duties:
Site Maintenance & Testing – Lead tester for multiple retail sites affiliated with CSG.
Managed Dept HR Tasks – Interviewed, emailed and corresponded with applicants for a web production assistant. Updated and tested P2P links with top vendors like The North Face, Burton, Spyder and more.
Resolved regular site issues such as code corruptions, old pricing and outdated product information.
Designed and uploaded web graphics to the following sites: www.GearDirect.com, www.GolfBargains.com, www. ColoradoSnowboards.com, and www.MountainGifts.com using a backend content management system
(sites are now obsolete.)
Concept and design of web based emails distributed to internal consumer lists.
Full design of web based promotions and advertisements.
Lead project manager for inventory controlled system which included testing, updating and maintaining product inventory for the E-COMM Department.
Maintain and update products within the four prominent sites for the SSV E-COMM Department.
Manage SEO procedures and methods, including interaction with Google, MSN, and Yahoo.

Education

2002 – 2004

Westwood College of Technology

Graduate from Westwood College of Technology in 2004 with an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design and Multimedia. Since graduation, continued education has been sought after and achieved to remain abreast of emerging technologies and marketing strategies. Maintaining an edge on the competition is what keeps businesses thriving. Understanding future goals and visions is what produces ongoing success! Strong work ethic and the ability to meet deadlines is another characteristic of ongoing project success.