PROGRAM / PROJECT MANAGER • SCRUM MASTER • BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL
ABOUT ME
The brief introduction of myself
The question I get most often is why DJBURN.com? Easy, it stems from my music days. I just never got rid of the domain name. I still play a little, just not professionally. I pull inspiration from many places which, I believe, still helps me be creative in the business world. This page is indented to be not so stuffy and professional. Just a place I can post some of my talents and hobbies. My interests are varied. Anything from bee keeping to web design. As long as it keep the neurons firing and holds my attention, I am open to learn.
WADE JOHNSON
PROGRAM / PROJECT MANAGER • SCRUM MASTER • BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL
My name is Wade Johnson and I am a 16 year networking professional focusing on core infrastructure, primarily in telecommunications, but really anything that is IP Network based - Layer 0 (physical) through Layer 4 (transport) is my specialty. I do have a little experience in Layer 7 (application).
For the past six years I have been a Project Manager & National Program Manager. I hold PMP and CSM certifications. I have an MBA as well as a Computer Science and Music undergrad degrees. I work on multi-million dollar networks that are customer facing which directly affect the user's experience. My entire career can be summed up in two words: customer-centric. Below you can find my resume, please contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Certified PMP. Been a Project and Program manager for over six years
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PROGRAM MGMT
I take on the longer viewpoint and manage those that manage projects. Ensuring it all lines up with the strategic business needs.
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INTEGRATION
I have integrated products all over the world as an engineer and as a project manager for the past 16 years.
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DATA ANALYSIS
Sorting through mountains of data to get to the numbers needed.
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COMMUNICATION
To pick just one quality that business needs more off, hands down communication.
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SCRUM
Delivering value quickly. I focus on a functional product with each and every sprint.
MY RESUME
Project and Program manager
An advanced and results-oriented Program Manager with MBA, Computer Science degrees and sixteen years of experience in Technical Project/Program Management, Quality, and Process Improvement. I have strong technical background, track records of success in project execution, and the ability to work across various management teams and clients both internal and external.
After a short contract gig at Honda, I went over to Verizon, this time on the business side. Fiber densification to be exact and does help support the wireless world. However a whole different animal. Now, rather than worrying about the stability of the network, it's working with city agencies to get permits pushed through. Much more base infrastructure, without the backbone you have nothing. Many don't think about it, but wireless isn't wireless for long.
Up to this point for 18 years I was in telecom. When given the opportunity to do something different, I accepted with vigor. Different in many aspects and help me expand my PM and Scrummaster skills. I worked in a Hybrid PMO organization (both Agile and Waterfall) and responsible for maintaining engineering schedules, tracking the development, certification, and manufacturing of new product applications. Test all system activities to ensure functionality and compliance with specifications. Supported internal and external systems to sustain projects and production lines. Implemented the launch of new applications for Honda’s air bag recall efforts.
After school, AT&T was good enough to hire me on as an inexperienced PM doing mostly rehomes and rebalances for the NE region. I got to learn more about people management, cross collaboration, and even obtained my PMP. This had set me on a new path of and opened the world of project management. Few years of this and I moved to a National Program Manager role which a gained more depth in a number of products lines and got to see how to a line the business need to the product roadmap(s). As corny as it sounds, I love it. Get to work with some crazy smart people, help build networks, and works with other people and groups. I see how the sausage is made and I am still excited about it.
ZTE brought me on board as they worked on getting a foot hold in the US and North America. Here I took on WiMax, but that product never took off in the US, so they deployed CDMA, which was moving into HSDPA and eventually to an HSPA+. Built out the market in Jacksonville, FL for the bulk majority of my time here. Afterwards the network was sold and ripped. That's business and it got me thinking more about that side of things. At this point still traveling 100%, I decided to take a break, go back to school and learn more of the business side.
Not knowing my ass from my elbow, Nortel hired me to build networks as my first out of college gig. I was a fulltime road-dog, traveling 300+ days a year. This is where I got to cut my teeth and learn the network from the ground up. CDMA, 1xEV-DO, GSM, and UMTS. This time was a boom period for network growth. Excellent experience and had the time of my life. Nortel taught me the everything one would need to know about networking, travel and the value the time home. Mostly US biased networks, but I did try my hand at some international assignments: China, Israel, and Nigeria.
After eight years of 330-plus days on the road, I decided to throw caution to the wind, quit my job and go back to school for my MBA in 2007. I loved being an engineer but was always curious about the business side of things. Though I didn't have a dedicated focus, I was heavy in finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship. Beyond the formal education I feel as if I learned how to talk to people, the art of listening, and being able to collaborate at a whole new level.
You know that dream you have at the end of the semester when you have that feeling that somehow you missed a class for the entire semester? Well, I still have this dream about SMU. They will call someday and start with "Mr. Johnson we made a mistake...."How in the world did they let me into this institution? I thought they'd have higher standards. :) I was way over my head, but I stuck with it and somehow managed to get through it. Admittedly I am not the best student, but computers and music are the true loves of my life which made it just a little easier.
