Alan Ward

Retired graphics software manager

Fort Collins, Colorado, United States

About

Software Entrepreneur, Technical Manager and Architect with broad experience in 3d graphics development, Linux/Windows development, Linux integration, vendor partnering, & customer analysis. • Led Boulder graphics team at Google doing Android graphics. • With co-partner, took startup team at LunarG from 0 to 20 people in 6 years before sold to Google • . Led 3d Graphics library, 3d driver, X11 driver and development on Linux and Windows. • Customer-focused, results-oriented, hands-on leadership and teamwork. • Idea-person with big picture approach resulting in solid long-term decisions. • Led several projects that helped define future of HP Workstations (Linux/DreamWorks, PC graphics, Snakes graphics…) Specialties: - EXPERTISE: Graphics software, Windows and Linux tools/ test/ Prototyping & Agile lifecycles, Performance tuning - PLATFORMS: Ubuntu, Steambox, Linux (Red Hat, Suse, Ubuntu), Windows, Unix (HPUX) - PROGRAMMING: C/C++, OpenGL, Vulkan, X, QT, shell scripts, Pascal, Basic, Fortran, PA-Risc Assembly - AWARDS: 8 Patents, PSG TCE /Quality Excellence

Experience

  • President and CEO at GEMINI GRAPHICS
    Apr 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 3 mos

  • Semi Retired at Self-employed
    Jan 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 6 mos

  • Engineering Manager leading team of Android graphics software engineers at Google
    Nov 2015 - Jan 2020 · 4 yrs 3 mos

    Responsible for software development of Android graphics API components and other graphics infrastructure.

  • Senior Director of Engineering, Co-founder at LunarG, Inc.
    Nov 2009 - Nov 2015 · 6 yrs 1 mo

    Led software development of closed source and open source graphics drivers, shader compilers and mobile graphics services. Includes OpenGL, OpenGL ES, and Vulkan for desktop and mobile devices and game consoles.

  • Master Technologist - SkyRoom Collaboration/Innovation Team at HP
    Jan 2008 - Jul 2009 · 1 yr 7 mos

    • Software architect exploring early technical feasibility…helped sell concept to Workstations management, Corporate Vice President/staff, DreamWorks CEO, Industry Analysts. • Liaison to HP Labs team (who delivered audio/video pipeline), driving regular technical exchanges, reviews and consulting. Also worked with them to deliver needed features. • Developed features/support Nizza video engine as needed for SkyRoom. • Developed features in SkyRoom such as camera format selection, system performance assessment, pacing of codecs for best performance/quality selection. • Drove camera selection, worked with camera vendor to provide needed features/fixes. • Member of early architecture team that defined the overall architecture of SkyRoom (primary focus on video pipeline)… C++ development team employed Agile/Iterative development model with Scrum, UML and Sequence Diagram techniques.