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Professional experience and qualifications

Adam Thede

VP of Engineering

Tennessee | Contact Me

Professional Summary

Accomplished VP of Engineering with extensive experience in full-stack development, strategic leadership, and product management. Proven expertise in scaling technology teams, optimizing system performance, and implementing process improvements that drive business growth. Adept at leveraging data-driven methodologies and innovative technologies to enhance product offerings. Committed to fostering collaborative teams and delivering solutions that exceed customer expectations.

Experience

Possip | Nashville, TN | November 2019 – Present

Vice President of Engineering

Strategic Leadership and Team Management:

  • Scaled the engineering team from a sole developer to various dynamic team sizes depending on business needs. Currently a team of four, including a senior product engineer, data science intern, and UX/UI designer.
  • Recruited, trained, and mentored team members, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning.
  • Implemented Agile methodologies with two-week sprints, enhancing productivity and project visibility.
  • Developed formal career paths for team members, promoting professional growth and retention.

Technical Achievements:

Infrastructure and Performance:
  • Successfully migrated from Heroku to Google Cloud Platform (GCP), enhancing system reliability, scalability, and performance while reducing hosting costs.
  • Implemented critical security measures in GCP, ensuring compliance with industry data protection standards.
  • Improved performance bottlenecks related to database operations.
Process Improvements:
  • Established and optimized systems for handling tech requests and tech support, introducing a system that improved response times and customer satisfaction.
  • Refined code review and QA processes, implementing thorough vetting procedures and increasing the quality of code deployments.
  • Introduced productivity tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and ChatGPT, boosting developer efficiency and code quality.
Product Development and Innovation:
  • Launched official product roadmaps, including charter documents, product requirements documents, and success metrics tracking.
  • Led the development and release of major features such as admin management, enhanced report analysis, and exports.
  • Integrated a machine learning pipeline into the production application, enabling advanced analytics and insights.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
  • Started surfacing product usage and technical metrics, utilizing tools like Segment, Google Analytics, and BigQuery with Looker.
  • Leveraged data to make informed decisions on feature prioritization and to enhance customer engagement strategies.

Customer Experience Enhancements:

  • Collaborated with design and product teams to improve the platform's user interface and navigation.
  • Implemented accessibility features and incorporated user onboarding tools like UserPilot to streamline adoption of new features.
  • Improved authentication systems with Devise, enhancing security and user experience.

Business Impact:

  • Supported significant growth in survey distribution and data collection, with reports delivered increasing by over 330% in four years.
  • Ensured all technical initiatives aligned with broader business goals, focusing on ROI, customer retention, and new sales opportunities.
  • Contributed to the company's ability to capitalize on its primary strengths: distribution network, survey experience, and reporting processes.

Senior Market Advisors | Nashville, TN | April 2016 – November 2019

Senior Software Developer

Project Leadership:

  • Designed, developed, and maintained agentcontract.com, an electronic contracting solution streamlining the onboarding of insurance agents.
  • Co-led a team of two engineers, overseeing the full software development lifecycle and ensuring timely delivery of features.

Technical Contributions:

  • Built the platform using Ruby on Rails, with hosting on Heroku and integrations with AWS services.
  • Integrated third-party APIs, including NIPR.com for licensing information, Adobe eSign for electronic signatures, and Salesforce for CRM functionalities.

Business Impact:

  • Reduced agent contracting time, improved satisfaction, and increased the number of onboarded agents.
  • Enhanced operational efficiency, contributing to increased revenue and a stronger market position.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, TN | September 2014 – April 2016

Software Developer

Web Development:

  • Developed and maintained key websites and applications, including vanderbilthealth.com, mc.vanderbilt.edu, and myhealthatvanderbilt.com.
  • Converted legacy web properties to responsive designs using Bootstrap, improving accessibility and user engagement across devices.

Technical Skills:

  • Utilized HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, and Git for enhancing website functionality.
  • Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders, including patients and medical professionals.

Lehman Brothers | New York, NY | 2002 – 2007

Vice President

Capital Markets Trading:

  • Managed a matched-book trading ledger, acting as the primary market maker for emerging market fixed income repurchase agreements.
  • Traded sovereign debt of emerging market economies, generating millions in annual revenue through effective strategies.

Leadership and Collaboration:

  • Sole trader in New York for emerging market repos, coordinating closely with the London office.
  • Recognized the transformative impact of technology on trading efficiency, fueling a passion for leveraging technology in business operations.

Education

University of Colorado at Boulder

  • Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics (Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science in Finance
  • Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Honors: Recipient of a full-ride academic scholarship sponsored by the Boettcher Foundation.

Additional Studies:

  • Visiting student at Harvard University – Completed courses for Economics degree.
  • Semester at Sea – Global study program visiting multiple countries, enhancing cultural awareness and global perspective.

Technical Skills

  • Programming Languages: Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, HTML, CSS
  • Frameworks and Libraries: jQuery, Bootstrap
  • Databases: PostgreSQL
  • Version Control: Git, GitHub, Bitbucket
  • Cloud and Hosting: Google Cloud Platform (GCP), AWS, Heroku
  • APIs and Integrations: Twilio, SendGrid, GG4L, Google Translation API, Bit.ly, NIPR.com, Adobe eSign, Salesforce
  • Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello
  • Data and Analytics: Segment, Google Analytics, Looker
  • Security: Authentication and authorization strategies, data privacy compliance, security training implementation

Professional Skills

  • Strategic Leadership and Vision
  • Team Building and Mentorship
  • Agile Methodologies and Project Management
  • Product Management and Roadmapping
  • Data-Driven Decision Making
  • Process Improvement and Automation
  • Cost Reduction Strategies
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
  • Continuous Learning and Professional Development

Additional Information

  • Lifelong Learner: Committed to staying updated with the latest technology trends and continuously enhancing skill sets.
  • Personal Projects: Engaged in a long-term digital archiving project, digitizing over a century of family history, including photos, films, and documents.
  • Global Experience: Extensive travel experience, fostering adaptability and cultural awareness.

Certifications and Training

  • Graduate of Nashville Software School: Intensive full-stack software development program.
  • Professional Development:
    • Completed security and compliance training through MyCurricula.
    • Regularly attend workshops and courses on cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and leadership.