IEEE-CNSV  Consultants' Network of Silicon Valley   CaliforniaConsultants.org
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Bringing together consultants, clients and interested parties to exchange ideas about electrical, electronic and software engineering. IEEE-CNSV: Consultants' Network of Silicon Valley
CaliforniaConsultants.org
IEEE-CNSV Board of Directors
Laurence W. Nagel    Chair
I am a relatively new member of CNSV, but I'm not exactly a stranger to consultants' networks. I was a member of the CNNNJ (Consultants' Network of Northern New Jersey) from 1999 until I moved back here in 2008, including three years as secretary.

I also am quite active in the IEEE and presently am serving on the technical program committee for the Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC) and am the general chair for the Behavioral Modeling and Simulation conference (BMAS). I feel energized by the many opportunities for electrical engineers here in Silicon Valley, including the large variety of IEEE professional organizations, and I want to participate fully in the experience.

My priorities for CNSV in 2010 include:

  • provide rich technical content at the meetings of our network
  • encourage interaction between CNSV and the many other IEEE organizations here
  • continue to provide opportunities for the professional development of our members
  • work with the board to manage the rapid expansion of our network
  • continue to encourage all of our members to have fun at CNSV meetings
Duane Strong    Vice-Chair
Duane co-authored The Professional Consultant, a White Paper on consultant best practices.

Duane is CNSV Vice-Chair. He was CNSV Treasurer from 2009 until early 2010, and CNSV Vice-Chair in 2008. He is an IEEE Senior Member, and is a consulting software engineer with over 20 years experience in the hardware and software industries.

Duane's company Strong Engineering, LLC specializes in providing solutions and support to the embedded software community for products ranging from high-end embedded Linux systems to small microcontroller-based products. His experience covers a broad range of product development efforts including avionics, telecommunications, medical devices, professional audio, consumer electronics, commercial RTOS products and graphics systems.

Duane has been a member of the IEEE for over ten years, and he holds a Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) certification from the IEEE Computer Society. He has been active in the IEEE as a peer reviewer for IEEE Software magazine and as a participant in IEEE CSDP Program's Test Item Writing Workshop.

View Duane Strong's profile on LinkedIn

Joel Williams    Treasurer
Joel is an IEEE Senior Member, and has been active in IEEE-CNSV for many years:
  • Treasurer: 2005-2006, 2010
  • Vice-Chair: 2009-2010
  • Secretary: 2007-2008

Joel has been a consultant for over 20 years, specializing in communications and embedded systems. He has developed communications systems for clients using a wide range of technologies including Wi-Fi wireless protocols and network switches.

Embedded systems development has focused primarily on embedded Linux systems, and has leveraged Joel's broad experience with other embedded technologies and Unix. He also provides patent review, litigation support, forensic analysis, and expert witness services in patent matters, and holds several patents.

Walt Wallach    Secretary
Walt is currently CNSV Secretary.
Brian A. Berg    Director
Brian's IEEE involvement includes the following:
  • Senior Member
  • Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section Chair (2010)
  • CNSV Director (2008-present)
  • CNSV Chair (2006-2007)
  • CNSV At-Large Director (2004)
  • CNSV Marketing Committee (2004)

He gave talks at CNSV Consultant Business Seminar (CBS) events in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2005 on topics including the effective use of a website for marketing your consulting business. He has been a CNSV member since 1998.

Brian spearheaded a major overhaul of the CNSV website in early 2006 to make it the organization's centerpiece. The website has improved CNSV's visibility in Silicon Valley and beyond.

He has been an independent consultant for over 30 years. He has extensive experience with optical and magnetic storage devices and storage interfaces. His consulting assignments have included:

  • software developer
  • hardware/software integrator
  • project lead
  • industry analyst
  • seminar leader
  • technical marketer
  • technical writer

Brian has served as an Expert Witness in over 50 engagements involving patent, trade secret, copyright, class action and contractual disputes. He has participated in over 50 conferences as speaker, session chair and conference chair.

Besides IEEE, he is a member of ACM, Computer History Museum (Core Member), Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA), IDEMA, Professional and Technical Consultants Association (PATCA; Senior Member), Software Development Forum and The Tech Museum of Innovation.

Brian is on the Conference Advisory Boards of the Flash Memory Summit, Ethernet Technology Summit and Storage Visions, as well as the organizing committees of other computer conferences.

T. Kim Parnell    Director
Dr. Kim Parnell is currently a CNSV Director. He was CNSV Chair in 2008-2009, Vice-Chair in 2006 and a CNSV Director in 2005 and 2007. He is 2010 Vice Chair of the IEEE-SCV (Santa Clara Valley) Section. He is Principal and Founder of PEC, an engineering consulting firm that focuses on providing support for early stage medical device and technology companies.

Kim specializes in the mechanical engineering design and behavior of biomedical devices, shape memory metals, bioabsorbable polymers, MEMs, electronic and miniature components. He consults actively in these areas, as well as in failure analysis and reliability. He is also an expert on Heavy Truck Crashworthiness, automotive collisions, pipeline failures and related issues. He serves as a testifying expert witness in medical device patent litigation and on heavy truck crashworthiness.

Kim was a Visiting Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stanford University, and is a coach and mentor for the innovative Stanford Biodesign program. He is a member of the Board of Directors for NanoBioConvergence and CSIX Connect. He worked previously for Rubicor Medical, Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, SST Systems, ATT Bell Laboratories, Stanford University and General Motors. He holds Ph.D. and MSME degrees from Stanford University in Mechanical Engineering, a BES from Georgia Tech, and is a registered Professional Mechanical Engineer. Kim is an IEEE Senior Member, and a Member of ASME and ASM.

View Kim Parnell's profile on LinkedIn

John Gale    At-Large Director

John co-authored The Professional Consultant, a White Paper on consultant best practices.

John sees CNSV as a robust source of support, learning, and deal flow for engineering centric consultants.

He has fostered or supported creation of the following CNSV activities; the Online Ad Committee, Membership Committee, our SIGs, the Consulting Infrastructure Committee, and the Consulting Practices Program.

John encourages all CNSV members to get involved in these or other CNSV activities. If you wish to create a new activity, please describe your ideas and how they will add value to CNSV members to a CNSV Board Member.

Michael Patten    At-Large Director
Michael has been a CNSV At-Large Director since 2009. He has broad experience in Semiconductor Equipment and other manufacturing industries. He has developed systems and software for automating manufacturing and test equipment at many levels, from embedded microcontrollers up to top-level factory control systems.

Focusing primarily on semiconductor capital equipment, Michael has automated systems for RTP, CVD, Etch, Track and Cleaning processes. He is experienced with the Semi protocols and has developed systems and software for full factory automation and has written Secsim scripts for host testing of equipment.

Michael has led the development of a number of sophisticated products in both established company and startup environments. He has also traveled to customer sites all over the world to work with his client's customers to fully integrate client products into customer factories.

Michael is experienced with programming languages including C, C++ Visual Basic and assembly language. He has developed software under Windows, Solaris, VxWorks, Linux, and other operating systems. He has also worked with motion controllers and PLCs.

Jeff Safire    At-Large Director
Jeff has been a CNSV At-Large Director since 2009, and was CNSV Treasurer in 2007-2008. He brings recent experience in Web programming to the Board, working on improvements for the CNSV website.

Jeff has 28 years of industry experience, 16 of those as an independent software and firmware consultant in the storage industry. Jeff's business, Shadow Cliffs Engineering now focuses primarily on expert witness consulting, providing forensic analysis in patent litigation and intellectual property matters.

Peter C. Salmon    At-Large Director
Peter is currently a CNSV At-Large Director. He has founded and championed the formation of special interest groups (SIGs) at CNSV. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property SIG, and Co-Chair of the Membership Committee.

Doing business as Peter C. Salmon, LLC, he is an experienced system designer for both commercial and military systems. Peter is the inventor of over 30 patents, which he licenses and sells. His specialties include:

  • expert consulting
  • semiconductor packaging
  • prototype development
  • electrostatic machines
  • terahertz systems
Art Rahman    Lifetime Member
Art was one of the founders of CNSV in 1993. He ran the organization until 1995, at which time the Bylaws were established, dues were set and an officers' election was held for the formal IEEE organization. Art has held the following Board positions:
  • Chair: 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004
  • Director: 1998, 1999
  • At-Large Director: 2005

Art is currently retired.

Bobbie Cronquist    Emeritus Member
Consultant
Bobbie was one of the founders of CNSV in 1993. She received guidance about the creation of a new section from the Southern California IEEE consultant sections in 1994 when she attended a Consultants' Business Seminar in Anaheim, CA. With nine years on the Board, Bobbie has the distinction of having the longest term of service as a CNSV officer. She has held the following Board positions:
  • Secretary: 1997
  • Treasurer: 1998
  • Chair: 1999
  • Director: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
  • At-Large Director: 2004

Bobbie is currently retired.

William F. Rousseau    Emeritus Member
Consultant
Dr. Rousseau was one of the founders of CNSV in 1993, and was the first to promote the idea of a website. He built a prototype on a borrowed laptop to show at a meeting. After getting approval, he designed and maintained the original site from 1996 until early 2006.

Bill is currently retired.

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