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fkern

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20 years, 150 days
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Fred has spent 38 years in the software industry, and the last 28 managing sales, marketing and consulting services for software companies and consulting on strategy for companies in North America, Europe and Asia.

For the past 4½ years Fred has led Maplesoft’s efforts in the North American “Professional” market (commercial and government accounts), as well as managing our International business. During that time Maplesoft has transformed itself from a single-product, single-market company to a fast-growing provider of multiple products to a number of target markets. Also during that time, Maplesoft has initiated a multi-year, multi-million dollar partnership and consulting relationship with one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers.

Prior to joining Maplesoft, Fred’s experience included firms such as MathWorks (8 years, V.P. Worldwide Sales), Mathsoft (3 years, Sr. V.P. Worldwide Sales & Services) and Bolt Beranek and Newman (10 years, Sales Director). Fred also was founder and CEO of International Technologies.

His early career was spent in roles such as a system architect and consulting manager with TMI Systems (principal customer was Citibank, developing communications and cryptography systems), and as an engineer at GTE Sylvania (real-time testbed and simulator for underwater communications).

During college and grad school, Fred worked for Brookhaven National Labs (mathematical analysis software for a precursor device to today’s CT Scan), and for Burroughs (system software for early ATMs).

Fred holds a Masters degree from M.I.T., where he specialized in Artificial Intelligence (his wife stresses the “artificial” aspect), and a Bachelors degree from Queens College, City University of New York, where he completed a combined major in Math, Computer Science and Physics.

Fred is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a 2-time winner of the “top student” award from the New York City chapter of the Mathematical Association of America.

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These are Posts that have been published by fkern

China on my Mind...

fkern 36
December 19 2008
1 3

And probably on your mind as well.

When there isn’t a hot news story about an election, a scandal or a disaster, it seems that China is the constant background music we all hear.  China’s incredible growth.  China’s incredible wealth.  China’s growing need for oil that will soon exceed world production capacity.  China as the manufacturer of everything.

I’m sure you’ve heard the same.

India on My Mind...

fkern 36
December 11 2008
0 1

Two things are focusing my attention on India these days.

The first is something that I’m sure I share with most of you – the sad and terrifying news of recent terrorist attacks.  We all hope that these were acts of small groups and will not lead to wider conflict.

The second is that I am very pleased to be resuming a relationship with a very fine organization in India that I have known for 20 years.  Maplesoft recently announced that Cranes Software International will represent us in India.  I expect exciting things in the coming months and years.

Who Needs Math?...

fkern 36
September 17 2008
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Math is boring. Math isn’t useful. You’ll never need to use math again after school. It isn’t necessary to learn math, now that we have cash registers, calculators and computers. Math is just plain boring.

Wrong!
 
Math matters!

Getting Physical...

fkern 36
September 15 2008
0 0

It’s not the fault of my world-famous professors at M.I.T. who gave me a M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering, but it’s a fact – I know less about engineering than most (if not all) of you.

Way back then, “Computer Science” was a fledgling field of study, and in many schools it was an offshoot of either math or engineering.  In my case it was an offshoot of engineering, and ergo my inappropriate degree.

So much for my sordid past.

How Computers Ruined Your Life...

fkern 36
September 09 2008
1 1

Ruined your life?  Well, almost.  But now that you’re intrigued with my wild claim, let me explain.

The science of mathematics has a very long heritage.  The language of mathematics, as we recognize it today, is a bit younger – widely credited to François Viète, who introduced the first systematic algebraic notation in the last half of the 16th Century.

Along the way, over the course of many centuries, the power of mathematics increased steadily, through the contributions of many great men. 

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