Jim Zellmer

US & German Passports // jim at amuz.com


I create, lead, implement and support technology applications that improve human lives.

Vision + execution.

Experience


amuz: 2021 - present

Creating and testing experience as a service for travel, training, MRO, arrival/health, history and literacy applications.

iOS and www apps
iBooks
Contactless
University of Wisconsin undergraduate course
Local Voices
immersive and aerial media
AR
Design for reach
Mainstream phonics
igniteSheets

Lead the brand and UX experience. Managed on and offshore people from concept to product(s).

Virtual Properties, Inc. 1995 - 2020 [sold]
Co-founded one of the first Software as a Service (SAAS) businesses. Products included:

The Online Open House: virtually tour apartments, homes, condos, buildings and medical facilities with just a click.

National photographer automation that grew productivity and reduced costs: client, scheduling, cloud distribution and amplification [Photos, 360 scenes and video].

ReData: Banks and mortgage companies used this paid SAAS service to search land records that included ARM mortgages for refinance opportunities.

360Ads: an early attempt at building a local and regional digital ad network, seeking to replace realtors' traditional print spending.

Property Map Search: Listing & attribute www search; simplified discovery.

iOS & Android apps: Lead design & development of public and enterprise native apps, from 2008.

Sales Training: addressed information gaps and amplified broker recruiting & retention.

Main Street: ERP/CRM for fast growing real estate brokers:

M & A asset for visionary clients: presented to target firms helping acquirer clients close deals & grow business. A 20 year client was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway's HomeServices unit.

Cost reduction: Applied a common set of ERP, CRM and document/transaction services across growing client regions. Real estate data varies substantially over geographies. VP created aggregation and data distribution services.

Client vertical margin growth: expanded CRM services to include mortgage, insurance, home warranty, relocation and title transaction opportunities.

Connections: extensive internal and external CRM rule based touches, including interactive surveys.

A conversation with an early adopter: Dave Sacarny.

Successfully negotiated a number of digital supply chain agreements with US and international vendors of all sizes.

Wins: realized a long term vision with a terrific team. Became a growth engine for visionary clients.

Losses: Residential real estate nexus moved to agents from brokers (likely moving again). Failed to find a large financial institution willing to materially power a nascent FinTech fused mortgage and real estate discovery experience. 360Ads entered the market too early (2003).

Mandli 1993 - 1995 Oregon, WI
Lead growth of GIS data collection product into new national markets: Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and Texas. Discovered and negotiated early HD video relationships with Sony.

Pepsi-Cola International 1991 - 1993 DFW and Louisville
Conceived and implemented a plant production reporting system that reduced turnaround time from 90 days to < a week. Managed supply chain sources and costs. Explored new product challenges within a multinational organization. Introduced Mac slideware.

SGI Beverage: 1989 - 1991 South San Francisco, CA
Managed supply chain and licensed product development with major brands, including Coca Cola Foods, Domecq and Bacardi.

Morning Star Development: 1986 - 1989 Denver, CO
Managed lender, development and sales for this mountain resort developer.

First Wisconsin Bank: 1985 - 1986 Madison, WI
Retail, Commercial and Trust management training program.

Kubota Tractor Sales: 1979 - 1984 for Service Motor Company and Delafield Equipment (while a student). Introduced Kubota compact tractors to Christmas tree farmers, landscapers and agricultural applications.

Lawn mowing, newspaper delivery service, dishwasher and breakfast cook: 1972 - 1979. Learned from entrepreneur parents.

Education and Interests


K-12 academics & governance.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S. Agriculture Economics 1985.

Travel, media, cycling, photography, discovery, books, drone applications.

amuz.com The multi-lingual and privacy friendly iOS & android app for explorers

Competencies


iOS

Part 107 Drone Pilot

Immersive and still photography, video

User experience

Application design, development and testing

Social, blog writing and publishing: schoolinfosystem.org; zmetro.com, amuznews.blogspot.com. RSS/html, email newsletters

Civics

FOIA

Podcasts: amuz and Asymcar

Analytics, tasks and to do's

Training

Contactless experiences: QR, visual inputs

History

Pitch decks

My Verse app

"Gift of gab"

"You ask great questions."

#CSAT Threads


  1. Thursday

  2. Routes

  3. to Schiphol

  4. Anticipation; Postponed

  5. The WayFaring iPad

  6. More Pain, Please

  7. Customer Service experience: Hotwire vs Orbitz

  8. Subaru Service Appointment

  9. Stripe workflow injection

  10. Type 2