Kris Tuttle
(the long version...)
1979-1981 Developed technology for early microcomputers. Work included the design, construction and programming for all these systems in assembly language, an EPROM burner and occasionally a soldering iron. Early operating systems like CP/M started to make these systems easier to build. Labored over TRS-80, PTCO, Apple, Exide, Pascal Engine, Prodigy, Seattle Micro, IMSAI, Cromemco, Osborne and a host of other brands of the day.
1981-1984 Worked for John McDermott at CMU developing artificially intelligent systems after a bizarre job interview. Projects included automated decision making for aircraft carrier commanders for the U.S. Navy. Most systems were built with OPS, an early production system language for AI computing. Some novel new capabilities were developed in conjunction with others including Charles Forgy. These ranged from allowing systems to behave with a "sense of urgency" that suits many human-derived applications to concepts of "wear" for mimicking important aspects of physical systems. For these familiar with CMU computer science at the time I had an "X1 key" and worked in Alan Newell's office.
1984-1990 Moved into the corporate world at IBM. Worked through research on AI/Expert Systems to market analysis and development. Culminating in the official launch of the IBM Knowledge Based Systems division which in a few short years achieved $1B in annual revenues. Worked through all phases of the process including research, competitive analysis, developing and implementing market support programs and even individual customer sales and support.
1990-1993 Actively sold a diverse IBM technology portfolio to a range of financial services companies. Focus was on software, services and networking. Efforts resulted in one of the largest and most embarrassing displacements of DEC equipment by IBM in their history. Selling skills included getting major customers to purchase IBM RS/6000 UNIX systems, enterprise-wide Token Ring networks and even OfficeVision in all of its' "SAA" splendor. Anyone familiar with these technology "solutions" will recognize the strength of the IBM selling and marketing machine.
1993-1995 After actively trading options of technology stocks and completing an MBA at night it was time to venture onto Wall Street. Institutional Sales made the most sense to an outsider since I was selling at IBM. After being hired as a "junior" moved rapidly to become a Vice President selling a variety of equity product to US institutional investors in NY, Denver and Chicago. While a great experience it became clear that research and technology were the place for me and a SoundView Technology Group was the East Coast version of Robertson Stephens and Hambrecht and Quist.
1995-2001 The Golden Years. To be a senior software, services and internet analyst during this period was to be in the tornado of a major revolution in the industry and the markets. We moved to 32-bit windows, got through the year 2000 problem and discovered the Internet all in a few short years. During this time we covered many companies and published across a wide range of topics. Refer to our list of companies for which we did primary positioning work for a public equity offering.
2001-2004 With great growth and acquisitions comes the need for management. We ran the SoundView research department which reached 70 equity analysts in three geographies before moving to Adams Harnkess to do similar work. In light of the industry dynamics and regulatory changes it became very clear the future for the kind of work we pioneered at SoundView would not be found in the existing universe of companies ostensibly serving this market.
2005-Present Founded Blue Caterpillar. Researched the investment research business itself and discovered many ways that it certainly did not work. At the same time began to establish plans and relationships for the research process, production and distribution of content. In early 2006 launched Research 2.0 to leverage the lightweight business model in the investment research and financial publishing world.