Are we a “good fit”?

This was my electronic version of my résumé going back to when I was looking for a job back in Canada. As I reached retirement age I realized that no one valued the experience I had and just thought I would retire soon. Although I am well-passed retirement I don’t know what that means because I still work all day, every day, now on my city portal websites here in Mexico.

 

My objective is to work for a company that rewards performance. A company that strives for excellence in everything they do and one that treats its customers like pure gold, because they are hard to find and even harder to keep. I want to put my varied background and skills to work for a company that knows the value of experience. I am an extremely hard worker, willing to invest the time in making an effective contribution to any company.

Life stories that helped to shape who I am.

Caregiver
When my father passed away suddenly I was the only one who could look after my mother, who was suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Anyone who has not lived through the challenges of caring for someone with this disease cannot comprehend how bad it gets. My life was basically put on hold while I cared for her until she passed away, mercifully, as by then she had no quality of life left.

Renovation in Westbank, BC
After my mother died, and on advice from a number of professionals – my lawyer, my Realtor, my banker and the manager of my mobile home park, I took over a dilapidated mobile that was about to go into foreclosure. For the next two years I worked seven days a week, investing every dime I had into completely gutting the place back to the outside walls and redesigned and rebuilt it into a showpiece that many called the nicest manufactured home they had ever seen. Unfortunately, the day before I was to list the property one of the local First Nation chiefs was quoted in the local press as calling anyone who bought on First Nations’ land “stupid” because there was no long-term tenancy and they would be closing all the parks for development. Overnight the market crashed and you could not give a place away. I lost everything.

Lived in Panama
During my sixteen months in Panama I renovated a large home with three apartments for a client in Kelowna. I also built an information portal website – HelloBoquete.com which was to be the model for other communities throughout the country. Unfortunately I befriended a young Panamanian girl who did some work for me. When she told me her hard luck story that her entire family were being evicted from their home and would be on the streets for two weeks until their “new place” was ready, I opened my heart and home to give them somewhere to stay. Two months later, after they had not paid me a nickel, not even for the food I put in their children’s mouths, I had to get the police to get them out. When they left they stole everything that wasn’t nailed down, even the batteries out of the TV remotes. I was left with nothing and was forced to return to Canada.

Lived in Ecuador

After many months of research I decided to move to Ecuador for many reasons. The spring like climate all year long. The very diverse geographical areas of the country to explore. The lower cost of living, which was critical now that I was on my limited government pensions. At the time the Canadian dollar was trading just above ninety cents so I thought I would be okay. I also thought that there was a good opportunity to create city portal websites to make some extra money. Off I went on a new adventure.

To say that it didn’t go as planned would be a huge understatement. So many things went wrong, not the least of which was the crash of the Canadian dollar. Before I knew it the dollar was trading at less than seventy cents which destroyed my budget. That and getting ripped off by far too many people, including the lady who was handling my application for residency, left me no choice but to return to Canada.

My Education
The school of hard knocks has taught me more about people and life in general. I am challenged when I don’t know something. When I discovered what it would cost to install a computer network, something I knew nothing about at the time, I opened page one of thirteen manuals and got to work. We soon had our network. I graduated from Grade 12 at Streetsville Secondary, like many, with no idea where life would take me. I had the skills and the desire to become an architect, but back then my parents had no money for university, so I joined the TD Bank. In 1969, as part of their program I completed two years of the Business Administration course at York University. In 1975 I completed two years of the RIA program, a program that required very long hours, seven days a week for years. In 1976‑ Production Planning; in  1977‑ Human  Relations; 1978‑ Psychology, all at Sheridan College; In 1981 I took my Real Estate license course, finishing third in the class. In 1989‑ dBase III. I developed courses and taught ACCPAC Plus and Simply Accounting.

My Skill Set:
Proficient in various Microsoft programs – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Expression Web 4, and Publisher. Also proficient in WordPress, SmartDraw and Corel PaintShop Pro
Designed and coded a number of websites, mostly for non profits. Familiar with html basics. Also created a WordPress site – HelloBoquete.com with unique three-level drop down menus and an integrated php forum.

What I do for fun.
Although I work hard, I am as active as I can be, although age has slowed me down. I roller-blade, cross-country ski, downhill ski, water ski, hike, and bike. I love all racquet sports and I love to dance country. I also enjoy playing pool and darts in the winter months.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Customer Service Rep
Stream Global Services
Dealing with billing and technical issues on the Bell Satellite TV account.

Regional Manager
FrequencyWare, Inc
Covering London and area for the Canadian distributor for TattleTale portable wireless alarm systems.

Call Centre Manager
Phoenix International Trade Shows
Ran a call centre here in London, promoting what was a very successful trade show in international property, held in Toronto. Contact Sieg Pedde, President, Phoenix International Expos. 519-615-1776.

Territory Manager
FBC (Farm Business Consultants)
Selling memberships for income tax consulting and Estate Planning.
– sold the largest contract in the history of the territory. – managed the largest territory in Canada.

Communications Consultant
Rogers AT&T
Marketing and selling cellular products, primarily to corporate and public sector accounts.
– dealt primarily with large corporate accounts, government and the Health Region (6,000 cell phones). – introduced GSM phones to Canada.

Account Executive
Shaw Fiberlink
Dealing with fibre-optic and hi-speed cable modem connectivity to major corporations and public sector.
– sold close to $20k per month in data service contracts. – developed $50k per month in potential – negotiated initial contract with local Health Region for major hospital to hospital service..

Business Consultant
Northern Computer
Dealing with hardware, software and networks to small business and major corporations.
– sold close to half a million dollars – closed the largest sale in the company history ($250k) to a local law firm, against thirty-five other competitors.

Owner
ChecMark Associates
Consultant for fourteen years, dealing with hardware, software and networks to small to medium sized firms.
– dealt with over fifty clients, all obtained by referrals. – installed a thirty-five station network for Fellowes Manufacturing. – developed and conducted training seminars in various software.

General Manager
Clearview Industries
Manufacturing and distributing patio doors to dealers and contractors.
increased sales to dealers by 120%. – increased total sales by 40% in under two years – installed a computer network, billing system and manufacturing software. – reorganized a thirty-five thousand square foot warehouse which improved turnaround time – reorganized the manufacturing facility, resulting in reduced labour costs and increased productivity.

Various management positions in the door and window, plastics industry and banking.
– redesigned a manual scheduling system into a visual system for thirty-six injection molding machines. – developed a construction reporting system that was adopted nationally. – administered a company through sales growth from two hundred thousand dollars per annum to six million dollars. -developed a visual planning system to control purchasing and allocation of rolling stock. – completed the bank’s three-year training program in only nine months and was assigned to a branch at only age nineteen. – changed hourly paid installation crews to contract, reducing labour costs from 30% to 8%.

CONTACT INFORMATION

50 Rollins Drive, Unit 205, Belleville, ON K8N  5P8

My cell phone : 343-367-2520

My email Addresses

garycjones@gmail.com
garycjones@garycjones.ca
garycjones@outlook.com

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