Hi I'm Doug Lindsay. I work at Blackboard Collaborate on the technical support team (former Wimba & Elluminate). I also have a couple side projects, Websmart.biz a form of IT help desk; and this site, Gettoknow.net, where you can build your own personal brand. Click on the icons below to learn more about me. Create your brand
Entrepreneur, manager of staff, customer care, sales, account management, relationship and team builder with strong technical knowledge and hands on experience. Expert level customer facing skills. People first management style. Innovative thinker and self-described -ideas guy. Avid reader of self help books. I work hard and try to get better every day in all 3 phases of my life; family, work, and fun.
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I admire my parents for taking a big risk and moving from England with a young family of 3 daughters in 1960 for Montreal Canada where I was born. This was followed by two more moves within 5 years into Connecticut and later Massachusetts where I was raised. I consider myself to be an American since I've been educated and immersed in the culture of this country from the tender age of 15 months. My youth was spent playing sports (hockey, baseball), attending public schools, chasing girls, and typical kid stuff. I was fortunate to attend a boarding school in Maine for 3 of my high school years, Kents Hill School, where I had a great academic experience and was on the varsity hockey, soccer, and baseball teams. After graduating from College in 1987, I became a U.S. citizen and married my beautiful wife Ruth. We have 4 terrific children, Kathryn, Sam, Abby, and Mary. Ruth has been, and is a very supportive and understanding partner on my life journey.
I currently work in level 2 technical support for Blackboard Collaborate managing our tier 1 support relationship and supporting the technical use of our online virtual learning software. Prior to Blackboard, I managed the Technical Support Group for Arbor Network's Peakflow product line. I had been running Websmart.biz for 3 1/2 years prior to Arbor and still maintain some minor activity. Websmart.biz offers IT support services to the SOHO market (small office/home office). Prior to forming Websmart.biz, I managed the Client Services group at NaviPath, a CMGI company during the high flying dotcom days and before that for News Internet Services a News Corp web hosting subsidiary in a technical role troubleshooting web publishing issues in a unix and windows environment. I have also been in Sales for MCI Telecommunications where I was involved in the early days of the company and in Product Management for AET Plastic Extrusions where I managed a large national territory and product line. I have also had some fun as a mobile disc jockey working at weddings and private functions as well as a stint working for a wholesale horticultural grower. Visit Websmart.biz and gettoknow.net
I attended 3 Colleges, University of Hartford, University of Maine, and finally Salem State College where I completed my B.S. in Business Administration, graduating in 1987. In 1997 I received training to become a Microsoft Certified System Engineer from Clark University. My High School years were spent at a boarding school, Kents Hill School in Maine where I learned to be independent and began to understand more about myself and my capabilities. I have spent a considerable amount of time reading books on personal growth, branding and trends in our work and private lives to better position myself for success.
I have been involved in coaching youth sports, coaching my kids and others, primarily Little League baseball and soccer. I once coached baseball and soccer with Charlie Moore, host of "The Mad Fisherman" on NESN here in New England. Reading this section has made me realize that I should contribute more time time to these sorts of pursuits.
I am good at blending my ideas and vision for the future into solid opportunities; Websmart.biz and GetToKnow are two examples. I also have the ability to see the potential in people beyond their past and attribute that to good listening skills and good instincts. I relate well to people and have a strong aptitude for technology.
Fresh air, and the activities involved in the great outdoors are what I enjoy most. Bike riding, golf, camping, going to the beach, playing with my kids, watching my kids play sports, gardening, the list goes on. A big fan of the RedSox and Patriots, as well as reading self help books and books on trends all fascinate me. I am also a very curious person and enjoy history of all sorts. The Internet is also something I continue to enjoy and be amazed by.
If you could meet any five people (either alive or from history) and spend the evening with them, who would they be?
Neil Armstrong, because he was the first human to step on the moon and see the earth from a perspective no one before him had.
What do you look for in a person?
Passion, excitement, genuine interest and willingness to listen to others, curiosity, laughter, and potential. Potential is very important because so many people are limited by their past, both in their own mind and by others, when given the chance, they can become who they were meant to be.
What matters most in life to you, and why?
Happiness for myself and others. Helping people find happiness and learn who they are and allowing them to share that with others is why I came up with the idea for GetToKnow.
July 2010
Joined Wimba as Tier 2 Support Specialist, company acquired with competitor Elluminate in August 2010 by Blackboard, name changed to Blackboard Collaborate
April 2011
Transitioned role in Collaborate to manage tier 1 relationship with Student Services (former Presidium acquired by Blackboard)
April 2007
Joined Arbor Networks as Customer Support Manager
March 2007
Transitioned Websmart.biz customers to JH Turiel & Associates, maintained some customers on part-time business.
May 26th 2006
Appearing on "Beverly Business Today" a local television show. The show will be airing 2-3 times per week in the month of June. Link to press release Press release
April 4th 2006
Presenting an e-minute on GetToKnow at the April monthly meeting of the Boston Entrepreur's Network. It is a quick introduction to GetToKnow. For more info on the group visit Boston Enet
Jan 12th 2006 Site pushed to our production server
January 9th 2006 Yee Haw, GetToKnow alpha is here.. launched January 9th 2006 on our staging server..please stay tuned. I am expecting this section to fill up quickly with all kinds of exciting things.
One note about GetToKnow. It would not be possible without the hard work, and sweat equity of Sabin Densmore and Pascal Cushing. They both have done a tremendous job in moving GetToKnow from an idea to a reality and I can't thank them both enough.
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