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Exercise your right to
vote in the UKOUG Director elections
The candidates >>
Vote now>> (voting closed on 28th February. results will be announced on
7th March)
As UKOUG is a membership
organisation, all main contacts are entitled to shape the board, and the
future of UKOUG.
It is vital that you do
vote. By doing so, you are being part of the process of ensuring that UKOUG
represents your needs to Oracle and that the products and services are the ones
you require.
What do the Directors do?
The Board of Directors are
legally responsible for the correct running of UKOUG. As representatives of the
membership, they define the strategy for UKOUG and are responsible for the
performance and operation of the services that fulfil the needs of
you, our members. We strive to attract a balanced board with a mixture of
skills and disciplines. There are 12 Directors and each is
elected to serve a 2-year term. This year 6 places are up for election.
When considering your vote,
please do consider who will best be able to discharge these responsibilities.
Knowledge of the Oracle community is equally as important as is the ability to
direct and manage a complex organisation which supports the many varied needs of
the Oracle community and engages with a significant number of stakeholders.
Why are the elections important?
Your choice of Directors will
shape the future of the User Group, how it represents your communities and how
the UKOUG successfully engages with the Oracle Corporation, the
Oracle community world wide and to the Oracle eco-system in the UK.
Each membership has a vote,
and as the main contact for your organisation’s membership you can vote for
each of the nominees, but if you have a colleague who is better placed to make
that judgment, perhaps an active SIG member, then please ask them for their
recommendation or pass them the vote.
By voting you are…
- expressing
your opinion as to the fitness of the elected leaders and their policies
- ensuring
that the people in charge reflect your views and champion the issues that
are important to you
- helping
to shape what UKOUG does and how it does it
- having
a say in who steers your user group
By not voting you are…
- abdicating
your right to influence
- allowing
the will of others, whose opinions maybe contrary to your own, to prevail
- accepting
that the future of the UKOUG is what it is without you being a part of
that
Please use your vote
UKOUG needs a board that
speaks for the whole membership and not just a small part of it. We want to
know that we have a real mandate for what we do and that requires a good voting
turnout.
Please do think about
what you need from the Board. UKOUG is a company in its own right that needs
skills to direct it. Additionally, it needs to understand the whole Oracle
community and ensure that all parties are fairly represented and
how the constitution of the board makes that possible. Think about what skills
the
candidates would bring to the board and what their contribution will be. Please balance
past success with future energy and vote for the right people to
represent you.
To view the existing board >>
Voting is open until 28th February 2011.
The
Candidates
Below
is a list of the 8 candidates who have put themselves forward for the 6 positions
available on the UKOUG Board. Please consider each candidate carefully. To read more about each candidate just click on their
name.
* signifies incumbent director
seeking re-election
Candidate: Lisa
Dobson
IS
Specialist / Oracle DBA
Experience using
Oracle products:
Oracle databases from v7.3.4 to 11g.Oracle BI Suite of products including OBIEE,
BI Publisher, Warehouse Builder& Discoverer
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
I have been involved with the
UKOUG since 2004 as a speaker and volunteer. I have held the position of
Co-Chair of the Oracle on Windows SIG, instigator of Northern Server Technology
days and Back to Basics special events. I was also behind the setting up of the
UKOUG Inspiring Presentation Awards which were awarded to speakers for the first
time in 2010. I have been a UKOUG Director since 2008 and have recently become
an Oracle ACE.
I am a :
End User
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology, Beginners,
North of England user community.
Board skills:
My two years on the Board, in
addition to many years of serving the Community as a volunteer combined with my
ongoing technical focus has given me the ability to see and understand Oracle
from all angles, from end user through DBA/developer to managerial and executive
level.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
I’d like to continue to encourage
community content in the North of England and I’d also like to extend my work
with the beginner’s community to see UKOUG working more closely with Higher
Education.
Manifesto:
I
have been actively involved with the UK Oracle User Group for many years, most
recently as a Director since 2008 but initially as a member of the community,
before becoming a Volunteer in 2005. Since joining the Board I have worked hard
to deliver on the ideas in my original manifesto in addition to bringing fresh
ideas to the table.
Most recently I introduced the UKOUG
Inspiring Presentation Awards, awards that were given to well deserving speakers
at our Technology and E-Business Suite Conference in December. We all know that
the event would not be what it is without our high-calibre and popular speakers,
I felt it was time we were able to formally acknowledge that.
The Northern Server Technology Day events that I started in 2005 have continued
to thrive and the community is now recognised as one of our many Special
Interest Groups. We are now looking to broaden the available content and number
of meetings in the North of England.
I would also like to see the ‘Back to
Basics’ events grow and would like the concept to extend to the UKOUG working
more closely with the Higher Education sector, both as Oracle Technology users
and also as providers of future members of the Oracle community. My role at
Durham University means I am well placed to know firsthand the issues and
projects we face as end users.
Being a Director though is about more
than representing the areas of the community that we are passionate about. The
Directors have to work together for the greater good of the community as a whole
and for the UKOUG as a business.
We have been through some difficult and changing times over the last few years
and throughout that we have had to ensure that we continue to deliver the needs
of the community, whilst keeping the UKOUG financially viable.
I played an active role during our
recent Strategic review, leading work on analysing our products and services and
I have been working on improving internal systems and processes, recently
picking up the lead on reviewing our Communications and Social Media strategy. I
am also the Board Sponsor for the Hyperion Community and the Exadata special
event.
I hope that I can count on your vote to
keep me on the Board of Directors as I will, as always, bring boundless energy
and enthusiasm to ensuring that the UKOUG continues to work to meet the needs of
its members. We need to continue to grow and, being mindful of the changes in
our communities, evaluate how we can provide you with the best possible service,
whatever your skill level or location, and regardless of what has traditionally
been done in the past.
Top ↑
Candidate:
Carl Dudley
University of Wolverhampton
Experience using
Oracle products:
Oracle Database 11g, Oracle Enterprise Manager 11g, SQl Developer, SQL Developer
Data Modeler 3.0, Oracle Application Server 11g, Oracle Warehouse Builder.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
Director of UKOUG, UKOUG SIG Chair,
Director of the European Oracle User Group, Member of International
Oracle User Council. Regular presenter (over 100 presentations) at user
group and Oracle events.
I am a :
End User
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology
IT Management
Board skills:
Experience in managing user groups
of different shapes and sizes. Knowledge of user community. Ability to instigate
new activities and carry them through. An inclusive view of user groups as one
voice to Oracle.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
Introduction of an increased
number of special events focussing on key areas. Closer involvement with other
professional bodies e.g. British Computer Society.
Manifesto:
I have worked with Oracle
since 1986 and been active in the Oracle community in the UK for a number of
years as both SIG Chair and Director of the UKOUG. Whilst in these posts I have
instigated a number of new initiatives and special events for user group
members. I have represented both UKOUG and EOUG interests as a member of the
International Oracle Users council and believe I have a good track record of
user group activity having the time and commitment to make a full contribution.
Working
principally as a DBA, I am also involved in IT management, development, training
and course design. To that extent, I am well positioned to represent the
technical sector of the Oracle community. However, as I have significant user
group experience, I feel I have a good perspective on the Oracle market place
and remain fully conversant with the needs and aspirations of other sectors
including the applications area and the new communities arising from the recent
Oracle acquisitions.
The
opportunity to continue to increase the UKOUG’s success in providing quality
services to its members is very attractive. The UKOUG SIGs are a prime example
of servicing the needs of Oracle users. I aim to help expand the SIG activity
into new areas of expertise while maintaining the present very valuable
portfolio.
I am
committed to help Oracle customers get the best out of Oracle products and
Oracle Corporation itself. I believe it is important that Oracle users have an
effective and strong voice into Oracle, and that they are able to share
knowledge and experience with each other. Going forward I would like to see the
UKOUG enhance its offering for all groups of the Oracle community. I am
particularly keen to establish a program of special events on ‘hot’ topics
across a range of areas. (Security is perhaps an example of such topics). I
would also like to address the UKOUG’s provision for new entrants to the
Oracle/IT industry and support an increased emphasis on providing educational
value across the entire user group offering.
In
November 2002 I received the award of ‘DBA of the Year – 2002’ from Oracle
Corporation in recognition of my services to the Oracle user community and user
group organisations. Oracle ACE Director status was achieved in 2009.
I have
been extremely fortunate to be involved with the UKOUG and to help it grow into
its current position as one of the largest and most active user groups in the
world. I would very much like to help this continue.
Top ↑
Candidate: Jeremy
Duggen
JemKa Consulting Limited
Experience using
Oracle products:
Oracle rdbms -
v4 to 11g (since 1986); Developer (Forms, Reports) - v2.0 to 11g; SDD, CASE,
Designer - all versions; Application Express (APEX) - HTMLDB to v3.c; JDeveloper
/ ADF - 11g; SQL Developer - v2.x.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
I have chaired the UKOUG's
Development SIG for the past 14 years. This SIG has evolved from the
CASE SIG, in to the Designer SIG, then the Modelling, Analysis and
Design SIG and, in 2009, to the Development SIG. I have also volunteered
for many other UKOUG activities, including chairing sessions at
Conferences, and judging papers and setting the agenda for the
development streams at Conferences.
I am a :
End User
Consultant
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology
Board skills:
I have a strong understanding of,
and passion for, the UKOUG after 16+ years as a member and 14 years as a
volunteer (chair of the Development SIG, conference session chairing, conference
agenda setting). I will bring this passion, experience and understanding to my
role, along with commitment, enthusiasm, energy, dedication, innovation and
fresh ideas for the UKOUG Board. I can afford the time to perform the role
actively and diligently as I recently started working as an independent
consultant. I have strong communication skills and am highly skilled at
motivating and mentoring staff. I have a long standing strong working
relationship with the UKOUG's staff. I have held three directorships previously
so I understand the responsibilities the position brings.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
Organise, manage, monitor,
facilitate a Contact the UKOUG facility (web and social networking)
specifically for seeking out, engaging with and tapping in to the wealth
of ideas and criticisms within the UKOUG's membership, about the UKOUG
itself. So as to understand what grass roots UKOUG members want from
their UKOUG. I will ensure this comprises an effective, responsive
process to review, answer or progress every comment, idea or criticism
promptly, carefully and personally.
Manifesto:
I have
been a member of the UKOUG since the early 1990s, and a Development SIG Chair
since the late 1990s. My professional background is 25 years of broad Oracle
development experience, working for a wide range of end user organisations and
software vendors, including Oracle UK in the 1980s. In recent years, I have
performed managerial and multi faceted roles but I am still getting my hands
dirty with Oracle technology on a daily basis. As a daily ‘end user’ of Oracle
technology, I continue to experience the joys, successes, issues and
frustrations with using Oracle products and services, and hence regularly call
upon, and contribute to, the UKOUG community in the course of using Oracle’s
products.
After 15
years of volunteering, I believe I would be a valuable addition to the UKOUG
Board. I will focus on steering and supporting the evolution and development of
UKOUG’s products and services to meet the needs of the rapidly growing and
changing Oracle community in the UK, as Oracle and I.T. evolve ever more
rapidly, and economic and business challenges increase.
My mission is
to ensure that the UKOUG continues to be the “must join” organisation for Oracle
professionals in the UK, and to be totally relevant and useful to that Oracle
community, through innovative and evolving products and services. I believe in
the immense benefit to the UK Oracle community of the UKOUG continuing to be
the voice of the UK Oracle community which Oracle listen to and respond to.
I will
specifically seek out, engage with and tap in to the wealth of fresh ideas (and
criticisms and concerns) within the UKOUG’s membership, to understand what grass
roots UKOUG members want from their UKOUG, with a promise to review and answer /
progress every comment, idea or criticism.
I also wish
to support, encourage, grow and mentor the small but excellent team of UKOUG
staff.
I have a
passionate desire to see the UKOUG continue to grow and flourish, and to provide
ever greater value to its members. I relish the challenge of directing a
membership-based, not-for-profit organisation such as the UKOUG. I have the
experience of three previous, small company directorships. As I recently became
an independent consultant, I can afford the time required to perform this role
effectively. I hope you will give me this opportunity.
Top ↑
Candidate: Christian
Fronteras
Experience using
Oracle products:
17 Years JDE experience (10 years as a direct JDE employee in UK, Singapore and
Hong Kong) World, Xe, 8.10, 8.11 ERP 9 experience across a wide range of users.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
Numerous presentations at the
UKOUG events which have always been well received (if sometimes not well
attended).
I am a :
Trainer
Consultant
IT Management
Community
representation:
JD Edwards
Fusion
IT Management
Board skills:
Deep and wide knowledge of the JD
Edwards product lines. Understanding the life cycle of JDE products and the
importance of 'continual' selling of the JDE solution to the user community.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
The UKOUG performs a valuable role
as a trusted advisor to users of Oracle products but with the JDE
technology life being as wide as WorldSoftware through ERP 9, the
majority of the customers feel a little left behind. I would like to see
more focus on 'working with what you use'. Futures are important but
only in context to where you are coming from.
Candidate: Mike
Revitt
Computacenter
Experience using
Oracle products:
21 years Oracle experience RDBMS 5 --> 11g R2 Forms 2.0 --> 9 Run the only
Exadata POC environment outside of Oracle in the UK.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
I spend my life presenting into
Oracle and partners on how to make the best use of Oracle.
I am a :
Consultant
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology
Board skills:
I put the first 10g NFS RAC into
production in the UK I was responsible for the purchase of the first Exadata POC
environment outside of Oracle in the world. I have presented at numerous Oracle
events and have previously presented at the UKOUG.
Manifesto:
My background is predominantly Oracle Application
Solutions focusing on delivering customer requirements through Oracle
technologies and I have been performing this role for over twenty years in
various guises.
I am currently working as the Technology Leader for Database,
Middleware and Applications for the largest independent services provider in
Europe, Computacenter (UK) Ltd, with responsibilities for all Database
middleware and applications propositions that we take to market. I have a team
of over ten consultants working for me and I am currently utilising the
capabilities of eight contractors to augment my team.
My experience covers the full
project life cycle from requirements gathering through to post delivery support
in a number of scenarios from green field development, through product
enhancement and product upgrades. Over the years I have gained considerable
experience in providing highly available solutions by utilising the Oracle
technology stack and I am well versed in producing both new developments and
enhancing legacy systems to extend their capabilities beyond original designs.
I have always worked towards highly
available Oracle systems; Andrew Bond has confirmed to me that I delivered the
first Oracle 10g RAC application into production in the UK. At the moment I am
working on a number of propositions that utilise the Oracle Database Machine,
Oracle Elastic Cloud, Oracle Virtual Machine and IBM Virtual Machine.
I am considered one of the foremost
authorities on the Oracle Database Machine in the UK by Oracle and my peers and
have delivered countless presentations on the subject to Oracle’s sales force
and on behalf of Oracle to their customer base and also to Computacenter’s sales
force and to Computacenter’s customer base. Last year I presented on the subject
at Open World and will shortly be presenting at another Oracle event in Lisbon
at Oracle’s request.
As you would
expect of someone with my experience I have an excellent relationship and
contact base with senior Oracle personal, people like
Dermot O’Kelly
- SVP, EMEA Hardware Sales
David Callagham - SVP, UK, Ireland and
Israel
Andrew Sutherland - SVP, EMEA Middleware Business
Ray Manning
- Vice President OEL and OVM global
Steve Wainwright - Vice President
Fusion Middleware
Owen Hughes - Senior EMEA Director
Middleware
Jackie Downs - Senior Director
Channels for UK
Eduardo Martinez - Senior Director
Automation
David Frasier - Senior Director
Technology Sales Consulting
Chris England - Senior Director
Exadata and Exalogic
David Rajan - Senior Director Core
Technology
Top ↑
Candidate: David
Rowntree
Calor Gas Ltd
Experience using
Oracle products:
JD Edwards Worlds and Enterprise 1
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
Active member of JD Edwards User
Group since 1996. Chaired committee under UKOUG for last three years.
Finance Director on UKOUG Board. Positive input into Corporate Governance
debate.
I am a :
End User
Community
representation:
JD Edwards
Board skills:
Substantial knowledge of the JD
Edwards product set and the whole Community. Qualified Accountant.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
Move the Corporate Governance
issues forward. Strengthen the JD Edwards committee. Help the current
Board with the significant changes that will take place in the coming 12
months.
Candidate: Robert
Stanton
University of Sheffield
Experience using
Oracle products:
Oracle forms 10g ,6i, 3 Oracle reports 10g, 6i, 3 Jdeveloper 11g 10g , 9i ADF
Oracle 10g, 9, 8, 6 PL/SQL JAVA Designer 6i APEX.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
I am a :
End User
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology
Fusion
Board skills:
I am one of a very small number of
people who have considerable commercial development experience of the whole of
the oracle development stack in both PL/SQL and JAVA based products. I have been
designing and writing mission critical business applications with Oracle
development tools for 16 years. I therefore have a deep understanding of
development processes, user expectations and how to deliver new systems with
oracle products.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
Oracle have a great product in
JDeveloper/ ADF but the user community has not taken it up in any significant
way. The number of jobs advertised for ADF in the UK is miniscule. UKOUG need to
do what it can to promote this technology, which is central to Oracle's long
term development strategy, by such means as employing someone who can advise
companies of it's benefits and generally obtaining funds from Oracle to
advertise more widely.
Candidate: Sue Yates
Cognizant
Experience using
Oracle products:
I have used Oracle products since the early 1990s (Oracle CASE), progressing
through all versions of Oracle Case, Designer/2000 to Oracle Designer. The most
recent version I have used is Designer 9i. I have a working knowledge of
JDeveloper but have not yet used the tool in anger. I have worked on numerous
legacy replacement projects for clients using Oracle DMBS and Oracle tools - I
am not an active developer but I do have previous experience as a database
designer.
My involvement with
the Oracle community:
I have been a UKOUG Director since
January 2009 and have been an active participant in board meetings and
subsequent projects initiated by the UKOUG board. I have been the UKOUG
board Sponsor for the Siebel community and conference since February
2010 and as such have also been a member of the Siebel committee. I
chaired the Modelling, Analysis and Design SIG for 8 years, standing
down from that role in July 2007. I have volunteered for many other
UKOUG activities, including chairing sessions at annual/TEBS conference,
judging papers for conference and agenda setting days.
I am a :
Consultant
Community
representation:
Oracle Technology
Siebel
Board skills:
I have been a UKOUG Director since
January 2009. This has been my first experience as a Director of the user group
and, after a sharp learning curve, I have been an active participant in board
activities and have taken the lead where my community knowledge and/or business
skills could be exploited. I have 12+ years experience of SIGs and other UKOUG
activities. I have significant user experience and perspective from my years as
a consultant across many industries. I have strong communication skills and
quickly grasp new and complex issues. I like to look for innovative yet
practical solutions to problems.
Improvements I would
make to UKOUG:
The communities that UKOUG
supports are changing all the time, driven by, among other things,
acquisitions, new media and new ideas. I would work hard to make sure
that UKOUG keeps pace with change and makes the right decisions to
effect change for the right reasons. I would also try to ensure that the
user group remains a cohesive entity (breaking down any perceived
barriers across disciplines) and strive to make sure that the UKOUG is
fully representative of and for all members.
Manifesto:
I first worked with Oracle products in 1990 when I joined
a central Oracle support group at British Airways. I pioneered the use of Oracle
Case and Designer at British Airways and was involved in beta programmes for
Oracle UK. I have continued to champion the use of Oracle Designer and modelling
tools through my career as a business consultant, firstly at CACI Limited, then
at EDS Consulting Services and now with the Customer Solutions Practice at
Cognizant.
I have been an active participant in
UKOUG events since the mid 1990s, spending 8 years as Co-Chair of the Modelling,
Analysis and Design SIG (until Summer 2007) as well as contributing to paper
judging and agenda selection days for conference and chairing sessions at
conference. I was elected as a Director for the first time in January 2009 (Dec
2008 nominations).
I have discovered how different being a
Director really is compared to other volunteer roles at UKOUG. I have taken
responsibility for a variety of activities during my first term, including
working with the Development Tools communities as they reformed/re-branded in
the summer of 2009, taking on the Director Sponsor role with the Siebel
community in February 2010 and looking at new ideas for the UKOUG membership
model. I have found my last two years as a Director to be rewarding, enjoyable
and challenging and am keen to continue my involvement with UKOUG as a Director.
My ‘day job’ as a consultant for
Cognizant remains a hands-on, client facing role, with users of various
modelling and development tools, including the Oracle suite of tools. Combining
this significant user experience with my knowledge of the UKOUG from the
perspective of both member and volunteer gives me a great insight to not only
what the user group can offer but also what members would like and expect.
I strongly believe that membership of a
user group has to be an enjoyable experience - events should be geared to
members needs and should provide inspiration to participate and learn as well as
to network. The UKOUG is a leader of its kind which I believe provides Oracle
users with unparalleled networking, learning and sharing opportunities.
Considered leadership and innovative thought are needed to ensure that the user
group continues to flourish – qualities that I can bring to the board as a
Director.
I enjoy the full support from my
employers at Cognizant for participation in all UKOUG events and board duties
and activities.
I am passionate and enthusiastic about
the UKOUG and always promote the group and events wherever and whenever I can. I
will ensure that, if my nomination is successful, I continue to contribute fully
in all capacities as a Director.
Top ↑
VOTE NOW >>
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