Louis S. Berman

▪louis@squideyes.com▪(215) 316-8538▪
▪http://squideyes.com▪https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-berman▪

CUSTOMER-OBSESSED ARCHITECT, ENGINEER, LEADER, AZURE EXPERT

▪Cloud Transformation▪Process (Re)Engineering▪Consulting▪Enterprise Architecture▪
▪AZURE▪DevOps▪AI+ML▪PaaS▪SaaS▪Analytics▪Data▪HPC▪Serverless▪IoT▪
▪FinTech▪Health▪E-Comm▪Ag▪Manufacturing▪ISV▪Broadcast▪SaaS▪Pharma▪

As an early proponent of Azure, I designed / architected / developed / managed 150+ significant Azure projects; from enterprise-scale transformation (DOW+Dupont; 1,800+ workloads) to sales portals (Weichert Realtors) to landing-zones, governance and DevOps (Disney, CTC, Intrado, Walgreens) to app modernization (Insurance Technologies) to cloud governance (Comcast) to secure content management (Wolters Kluwer) to trading services (Ars Unica) to HPC (DuPont) to petabyte-scale file repositories (Bentley Systems) to IoT (Comcast) to Serverless (NBCUniversal) and more.  In my role as an unabashed Azure booster, I’ve lectured extensively on Azure, hosted a pair of Azure podcasts (AzureAbility and AZURE@EPAM) and open-sourced a ton of software (SquidEyes.Basics, SquidEyes.Trading, SquidEyes.TechAnalysis, DotNetVids, MediaSyncDemo, FuncityDoDa, BlobGateway, SetCodeHeaders, DukasFetch, OandaTicks, MarsPhotoFetcher, AzureNames and more), both on and off the cloud.

• Software Architect, skilled in ideation, analysis, solution design, security,  DevOps, API-ification, IaC, CI/CD, micro-services, globalization, testing, human-factors, scalability, performance, shift-left and right, documentation, Serverless architectures, composability and communications.
• Seasoned Manager, adept at leading development, operations and business-oriented teams alike; both internal and outsourced.
• Proven Ability to manage and deliver complex technology projects, analysis and diagnosis of project issues / designs / business requirements, and to provide specific technical solutions; including custom tools, tech innovations, and—if needed—troubled project issues remediation.
• Expert Programmer, personally developed hundreds of services, websites, APIs, agents, libraries, GUIs, NuGets, drivers, desktop apps, functions, webjobs, PowerShell scripts, containerized services components (Recently: C#, .NET 6.0, Blazor, ASP.NET Core 6.0, MS-SQL, MVC, WPF, MVVM, React/Redux, .NET MAUI, Xamarin, Docker, and a host of Azure services: App Service, Cosmos DB, Blobs, Functions, Batch, Storage, EventGrid, Logic Apps, ML, APIM, SQL Azure, AKS, Cognitive Services, AAD B2B and B2C plus everything networking, like VNETs, NSGs, Policy, ExpressRoute, Traffic Manager and FrontDoor.
• Trading Innovator, invented technical analysis, simulation and live trading tools, data feeds, AI agents, tick-farms, FIX-protocol engines, money-management tools, and indicators.
• E-commerce Pioneer, filed two media-distribution / rights-management patents (for Kideo.com).
• Worked in and developed technology for Finance, Trading, E-Commerce, Automotive, Banking, Manufacturing, Health Science, Insurance, Beverage, Educational, Computer, Logistics, Publishing, Broadcast, Pharma, Food, Office Productivity, Software, Real-Estate, Management, Architectural / Engineering / Construction, ISV, Media, and Retail.

Developed and hosted two podcasts—AzureAbility and AZURE@EPAM.”  Notable episodes include “Scott Hanselman: Microsoft’s Chief Azure Enthusiast,” “Three Cloud Thinking,” “DevOps Rockstar Abel Wang Talks Azure DevOps,” “Cognitive Services: My Next Superpower,” and ” Matthew Henderson: Serverless God”

Developed the very first global-scale Content Delivery Network (CDN) deployed on Azure—predating Microsoft’s own offering by some 19 months!—and a 3,200-core HPC cluster that delved into crop genomics—one of the largest RDMA-style clusters ever fielded in the Azure cloud.

Created a custom Azure cloud-based repository (at Wolters Kluwer) to securely mediate access to 3TB / 2.5MM documents; back when such things were exceptionally hard.  Created web-based and desktop tools to maintain the repositories.

Co-invented and developed the superlative Smartie! trading platform (at Ars Unica, as Founding CTO).  To quote M.B. of Guilford, CT: “It is horrible to trade on the other platforms after using Smartie!  Makes me feel like I am guilty of trading malpractice!”  Created custom trading libraries to integrate with Hotspot, Currenex, FIXI, PFG Best, Lucre, OANDA, CTS Futures and Integral (both FIX-protocol and proprietary).  Developed Azure cloud-based services and client frameworks for trader account and profile management, onboarding, error logging, trade-plan management auditing, and secure content delivery.  Created a high-speed historical data-feed utilizing custom Azure-based data repositories, the Azure CDN and smart desktop agents.

Created three different technical-analysis/simulation platforms (at NPI Traders, as CTO) along with 60+ trade and order-management agents.  Using those agents ran millions of simulation sets, iterating ranged parameter-sets against multi-year tick-level pricing/volume data, frequently employing self-tuning genetic programming-based AI frameworks.

As a speaker, Mr. Berman has presented on a variety of technical and scientific topics, including “Blazor+MAUI: Better UI with .NET 6” for ZED, “Batch Processing in Azure” for Microsoft’s TechReady, “Zero to [Azure] DevOps” for Philly Code Camp, “Lap Around Serverless” for Microsoft’s DataFest, and “ScopeSeeing: A Lifelong Quest to Visit The World’s Greatest Telescopes” for the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF); the world’s largest astronomy event.

As founding CTO, managed explosive technological growth at GiftCertificates.com as the company earned its first $130M in revenue and raised $140M in venture/debt capital. Oversaw a $20M capital/technical operations budget. Coordinated three in-house development teams (40+ developers; 3 locations) plus two outside development firms and numerous consultants. Negotiated a 40% lease-cost reduction (Cisco; originally $3.5MM) and a 6-month “no-interest” payment postponement (HP; $3.1MM). Created two massively-redundant data centers; managed a multi-site 18-person IT team in support of this infrastructure. Built a 141-seat in-house call-center. Designed an automated fulfillment operation scaled to support the fulfillment of more than $500MM worth of gift certificates per year—all from a single location. Led the search-for and build-out of an 80,000 sq. foot corporate operations and fulfillment facility; managed 27-person facilities development team who coordinated the work of 250+ contractors.

Co-founded BrainTree, a consulting practice that specialized in strategic consulting, application development, and e-commerce. Clients included Citibank, Hewlett Packard, Morgan Stanley, Digital Equipment Corp., Saks Fifth Avenue, MERCK, Continental Grain Co., MetLife, Johnson & Johnson, MCS Canon, Chemical Bank, UNISYS, Nabisco, American Express, New York Life, Smith Barney Shearson, Best Foods, Medco and Upjohn.

Work History (With Notable Accomplishments):

• EPAM Systems (Chief Technologist, September 2020 to Present): lead Azure technology for the firm, which was the top IT Services company on the Fortune “100 Fastest-Growing Companies” list; for three years in a row!  Supported transformation projects for companies like Disney, CTC, Intrado, Walgreens, Harley-Davidson, Edward Jones and more.  As EPAM’s top Azure expert, I support dozens of technical-sales pursuits and internal projects.
• Microsoft (Cloud Solutions Architect, May 2015 to September 2020): Fielded one of one of the largest RDMA-style clusters ever fielded in the Azure cloud, for DuPont.  Working with Bentley Systems (one of the largest Azure accounts in the world, both by spend and diversity of tech) to modernize their 500+ workloads and move them into the cloud. Helped Comcast (NBCUniversal+Telemundo+DreamWorks, etc.) to speed their rush into the Azure cloud.
• Neudesic (National Architect / Custom Application Development, May 2013 to May 2015): Conceived / developed several Windows 8 XAML Store applications, including the extremely well-received Toyota Innovation Fair POC.
• Ars Unica (CTO, September 2011 to May 2013): Co-invented / developed the superlative Smartie! trade execution platform.
• Wolters Kluwer (Senior Solutions Architect, June 2006 to September, 2011): Created EzPass (no, not that EzPass!), the rights-management system that mediated all access to secure online-content for hundreds of top medical journals (AJN, Anesthesiology, etc.)
• Anheuser Bush (Solutions Architect, July 2003 to May 2006): Conceived and developed WebFlow: the rights management / auditing / software workflow system that managed SDLC for the company’s 1,200+ websites in accordance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
• Kideo.com (CTO, October 2002 to May 2003): Invented a new distribution channel that supported the “stealth” delivery and coordinated presentment of high-resolution video, audio and other content over low-bandwidth Internet connections.
• NPI Traders (CTO, April 2000 to June 2011; Side-Project): Developed a variety of Forex and Futures trading platforms; most notably TRAPCIS: a profitable futures platform that used self-tuning genetic programming-based AI frameworks to make trade decisions.
• GiftCertificates.com (CTO, June 1999 to August 2002): Invented the “Bermanator” a robotic credit-card imprinter/ packager, with related software, that allowed GC to secure a $30MM contract to supply 1MM+ customized gift certificates; in 120 days, start to finish.
• BrainTree, Ltd. (President, February 1985 to May 1999): Created MoneyPump, the first Internet-based “try-before-you-buy” client/server e-commerce toolkit. Also developed CitiCentral: an internationally-deployed client/server application that facilitated Citibank’s yearly senior-level compensation management process.

Other Notable Accomplishments

• Studied theatrical lighting design at SUNY Purchase; from 1979 to 1981. After leaving college, I worked—most typically as a Lighting Designer or Technician—on dozens of professional productions and tours.  (Notable Venues: The Public, Playhouse 91, Lincoln Center, Virginia Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Waldorf Hotel, AJT, Circle In The Square, Ogunquit Playhouse, Smithsonian Tours, Central Park Playhouse, The Roundabout, etc.)
• Led the first visual observation of Eris—the largest dwarf planet in our solar system; for a detailed write-up visit http://bit.ly/2003ub313
• Presently writing a book on astronomical tourism (“ScopeSeeing”). In preparation, I have visited 100+ observatories on three continents.

Management Style: I’m an energetic, motivated leader who’s equally comfortable working as a member of the senior management team and rolling up my sleeves to get billable work done.  A development-obsessed enthusiast, I code every single day.