Jeff Rick, Chief Technology Officer at Deerwalk Services has spent 15 yrs in the software industry. Starting his job carrer as a programmer, he has worked for several large companies and built several web based applications. Asmita Subedi and Ruby Shrestha sat down with him on 09 March, 2014 for an interview. Q. Since you haven’t got an opportunity to directly interact with the students at DWIT , How would you like to introduce yourself?

• My name is Jeff Rick, I live in the north of Boston with my wife and two kids. Well, in the case of my job at Deerwalk Services , I am a technology engineer. I am responsible for managing all the projects, consulting with managers and handling all the technical aspects. Apart from that, I do consult with the clients and try solving their queries and educate them about our products. Next, I keep looking for new ways of solving problems. I love doing research and finding new ways of technology. Further, applying the research in the real work field, in our customers' business problems, is something I really look forward to doing.  I am currently researching on natural language processing and finding out ways we can use and apply in the clinical notes within our care management application, for example. Third, I am involved in sales management. Sales people sell products. However, time to time, potential clients want to know about how a product is built or how we would build their application. During such times, I explain them about the technology we use, the process we use and simply educate them about how we do things.

Q. How did you get connected with Deerwalk ?

• Well, I had met Mr. Rudra Pandey about 16 years ago. At that period I was in a college called Tufts University in Boston. In order to earn a little extra money and have some industry experience, I was looking for a job outside college. I went for an interview at Client Server Engineering Services Corporation and got a job as a programmer. He and I worked together as  programmers for probably two and a half years there doing many different projects. After graduation, I moved on to other things in my career and he moved on to other things in his career including founding D2 Hawkeye. After about 3 to 4 years, we met for lunch. I had a software company which needed some engineering help. So, I and my partners became clients of Deerwalk for about nine months. Later, my company failed not because of the application we built, but because of the lack of adequate engineers. Rudra then asked me to join Deerwalk as a CTO and since then I have been a part of Deerwalk .

Q. Would you please share us your previous job experiences?

• Before Deerwalk , I worked for Harmonic Systems which did credit card processing for retailers in the USA, Exxon Mobil, WebEx, Internet.com, Cisco Systems Inc., etc. Till now I have worked for 6 to 7 companies.

Q. How do you compare between your work at Nepal and USA?

• In Nepal, Deerwalk is a great place to work. I am enjoying my work here with all these energetic youths and all these facilities. In the USA, as you all know we have a small group. Perhaps the best part of working at Deerwalk is sometimes I tend to forget about the geographical difference. Both places,  the degree of  team-work is such that we just get the things done.

Q. So far, how is your job experience as a CTO at Deerwalk ?

• I feel myself fortunate to work here at Deerwalk . Deerwalk has been developing high quality products using advanced technologies. Apart from that, it even spreads out the unique opportunities for everything. I get satisfaction at the work I do and I feel pride at everything and at every person working at Deerwalk .

Q. Do you think Nepal is developing in technical field at present?

• Yes, it has been developing progressively for the last 3- 4 yrs. The youths and the fresher’s here are energetic and enthusiastic. Sharp and brilliant engineers are the present need for the advancement and even the technical opportunities are growing.

Q. You might have gone through different ups and downs in your life, How do you manage yourself and come out of such situations?

• I see failures or the downs of life with a different perspective; I accept them as my opportunities. After failure, I realize them quickly and learn the way out and try making changes and improvements.

Q. Best accomplishment in your life?

• Talking about my professional accomplishments, I do have many. But the one that makes me feel proud and happy is the WebEx WebOffice application that I built in 2001 which is still in use till date.

Q. Do you prefer coding or managing to code?

• (Smiles) It depends upon the time. At times, I code for killing my satisfaction and feel lots of pleasure but I also feel pleasure at management aspects too.  At present, I am enjoying to manage things and people.

Q. If given the opportunity to work for a large company and a startup company, which would you choose and why?

• I believe that working with larger and smaller companies doesn’t matter but what matters is the energy and excitement in your work. I have worked for both larger and startup companies. And as per my experience, I feel that the energy level and decision making are slow at the larger companies so I would rather prefer startup companies.

Q. Where do you prefer to work, at Boston or Nepal?

• (Smiles) It’s fun to work here in Nepal with all these energetic youths, but if I have to choose, I must say I am missing my family (mostly my wife) so I would choose to be together with them in Boston.

Q. What are your suggestions for the Deerwalkers?

• I would suggest you all to grab the opportunities wherever and whenever possible. No matter what, try finding the solutions out of every problem. Nothing can be accomplished in life without any effort. So, continue learning and push yourself to learn.