Ed Bruce's Technical/Promotional Communication Experience


Summary of Accomplishments

More than 33 years of successful full-time experience in technical and promotional communications (21 years as a writer, 12 years as an editor, 15 years with Digital Equipment Corp.)

Technical Writing – Computer hardware and software user manuals; manufacturing documentation system descriptions; PC board manufacturing specifications, procedures and standards; publication production guidelines; aerospace maintenance and overhaul manuals for hydromechanical, pneumatic and electronic equipment; training publications; work instructions in a development and production environment.

Promotional Writing – Sales and informational brochures; film strips and motion pictures; news releases; fliers and pamphlets; direct mail; newsletters.

Technical and Promotional Editing – Engineering specifications and reports; marketing proposals; technical bulletins; sales catalogs; contractual agreements; technical manuals; trade magazine and journal articles; technical papers and society presentations; sales and training materials; personnel policies and procedures; executive memorandums.

Production Coordination and Supervision – Estimating workhours and cost; scheduling production tasks; initiating and monitoring writing, editing, typesetting, illustrating, printing and distribution; hiring, training and supervision; liaison with vendor publication specialists; documentation plans and progress reporting.

Awards – Award of Excellence in STC 1971 regional and 1972 national competitions; Award of Achievement in STC 1983 regional competition; Award of Excellence in STC 1984 national competition; Award of Excellence in STC 1990 regional competition.

Skills – Windows XP, Word 3000, Paint 5.1, Outlook 2000, Access 2000; HTML 4.0.


Security Clearance: Secret (1976)
Senior Member, Society for Technical Communication (1992)


Technical and Promotional Communication Experience

Total Technical Services Inc. at AnsaldoBreda Inc. – June 2001 to December 2007
TECHNICAL WRITER
In a development and production environment, researched, wrote and illustrated production modifications of three-car trams produced for the MBTA Riverside (green) line. Obtained information from mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic drawings and from interviews with managers, supervisors and production specialists. Created illustrations by scanning parts of drawings and then using an image editor to rearrange and add text to the images. When drawings were not available, included photographs taken with a digital camera.

Ajilon Services Inc. at Manulife Financial Inc. – September 2000 to January 2001
TECHNICAL WRITER
As a member of a high-end IT consulting team: researched and wrote Help Desk queries and responses for Peregrine's Knowlix database system; edited and rewrote IS policy and procedure documents for inclusion in a Lotus Notes document database system; and edited an Information Security Manual, an Assessment, Discovery and Recommendation Report, and an IT Policy and Procedure Improvement Project Plan (final contract) resulting from that report.

Early Retirement – June 1992 to August 2000
Engaged in part-time volunteer activities and part-time jobs outside the field of technical communications.

Digital Equipment Corp. – November 1976 to May 1992
TECHNICAL SENIOR WRITER
Wrote documentation plans, hardware and software system user manuals, word processing hardware user manuals, PC board process specifications, operator procedures and workmanship standards, shop newsletters, and descriptions of manufacturing process documentation systems. Served as documentation project leader. Edited and coordinated production of operating system user manuals. Edited society presentations and vendor inspection plans and qualification procedures. Set up and maintained small technical library, periodically issued index; did research for engineering managers. Assisted in hiring and training contract writers and implementing manufacturing documentation systems.

Mitre Corp. – August 1976 to November 1976
WRITER-EDITOR
Edited and coordinated production of journal articles, conference presentations, and technical reports describing hardware and software R&D programs for data acquisition and communication systems.

Freelance Work – March 1976 to July 1976
WRITER-EDITOR
Edited environmental reports for United Engineers & Constructors Inc. and financial reporting system documents for Software International Inc.

Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. – August 1972 to March 1976
TECHNICAL WRITER
Edited nuclear power-plant safety analysis reports, a construction field manual, and environmental reports. Estimated workhours required, coordinated progress through production groups, and trained and supervised proofreaders and editorial assistants. Prior to layoff, wrote 283 pages for a set of publication guidelines.

Honeywell Information Systems Inc. – September 1969 to August 1972
COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR II
Provided workhour estimates and schedule forecasts, edited hardware and software technical, instructional and promotional documents, did page makeup work, sized illustrations, assembled repro packages, and initiated and monitored work of vendors.

Hamilton Standard Div. of United Aircraft Corp. – May 1966 to August 1969
TECHNICAL WRITER
Wrote aerospace technical manuals for pneumatic, hydromechanical and electronic equipment, designed and wrote brochures, film strips and motion pictures, and edited engineering reports, marketing proposals, journal and trade magazine articles, and technical papers and visual presentations. Provided workhour and cost estimates, rewrote sections of engineering report guidelines, instructed writers in report editing, and supervised their work.

Part-time Work – January 1949 to September 1974
TECHNICAL AND PROMOTIONAL WRITER
Wrote fliers, pamphlets, news releases, newsletters, direct mail, radio and TV spots, and US Air Force student texts, teaching outlines, and ground and flying crew standardization procedures.


Annual Salary History

Company Period From To
AnsaldoBreda Inc. Jun 01 to Dec 07 30/hr 25/hr
Ajilon Services Inc. Sep 00 to Jan 01 30/hr 30/hr
Digital Equipment Corp. Nov 76 to May 92 17,950 51,376
Mitre Corp. Aug 76 to Nov 76 15,960 15,960
United Engineers & Constructors Inc.
and Software International Inc.
Mar 76 to Jul 76 10/hr 10/hr
Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. Aug 72 to Mar 76 13,980 17,940
Honeywell Information Systems Inc. Sep 69 to Aug 72 10,712 12,120
Hamilton Standard Div. of UAC May 66 to Aug 69 6,888 9,744


Professional References

The company name, reference name, job title, and telephone number were correct on the date the applicant left each company.

Company Name Job Title Telephone
AnsaldoBreda Inc. Alan Tuttle Plant Manager 978/840-0629
Ajilon Services Inc. David McDougall IT Consultant 603/893-5956
  Edward Liebig Project Manager 314/481-6902
Digital Equipment Corp. Robert DeCosta Writing Supervisor 978/562-9498
  Evelyn Pyle Pub. Prod. Manager 508/493-6977
  David Baldessari QC Proc. Manager 603/894-2360
Mitre Corp. Nelson Briggs Pub. Manager 617/271-3174
United Engineers & Constructors Inc. Thomas Morton Chief Engineer 617/338-6000
Software International Inc. Anthony Maurno Marketing Director 617/475-5040
Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. Gardner Pope Pub. Supervisor 617/973-8068
Honeywell Information Systems Inc. Joseph Roy Editing Supervisor 617/890-8400
Hamilton Standard Div. of UAC Charles Watrous Pub. Group Leader 203/623-1621


Education

University of Missouri Arts and Science Honor Student, BA in English and Speech; State University of Iowa NDEA Graduate Fellow in Speech and Drama.

US Air Force Airplane and Engine Mechanic, Multiengine Pilot, and Navigator Schools.

Stone & Webster course in Power Plant Systems.

Honeywell courses:

Digital courses:


Other Experience

The following additional resumes can be sent to you by return mail, paper or electronic.

Or you can back up to Ed's home page and access them from there.


Copyright © 2008 by Edward McMaster Bruce. All rights reserved.