Who is Chris Benard?
My name is Chris Benard. I am a 36 year old software developer specializing in .Net. I completed a Masters of Business Administration at Louisiana Tech. I finished my last class online (since I moved to Dallas) and graduated with my MBA on March 6, 2010. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. I attended Caddo Magnet High School, where I graduated in 2001. Since then, I’ve worked full time while attending school, leaving little time for interests outside technology. Now that I have a little time available again, I’m involving myself in local user groups and playing around with non-.Net technologies again.
What are Chris Benard’s interests?
I like computers and technology, a lot. I enjoy my work as a professional software developer. I feel fulfilled doing my work, and I feel like I make a difference. I’ve been programming since I was in first grade on my TRS-80. I can’t imagine life without software development.
However, I have other interests. For instance, I’m often asked what I’d do if there weren’t computers. My first response is that someone would just invent computers, but my second is that I would be a chemist. Chemistry interested me a lot during school, especially the mathematical parts, not necessarily the practical labs.
Beside my work, I enjoy hanging out with friends, skydiving, playing on Xbox Live, playing tennis, playing table tennis/ping pong, and anything else that seems fun. I like to listen to NPR rather than music radio, but I love to discover new music through Pandora.
What are Chris Benard’s professional abilities?
Programming:
Programming is my first love. I enjoy taking business requirements and turning them into elegant, efficient computer programs. Web programming is my favorite, both because of keeping the information "in the cloud" and the instant deployment of updates. ASP.NET makes web programming extremely enjoyable and a breeze to code perfect solutions inside tight time frames.
I’ve also had a lot of experience developing Windows Forms programs. My experience, both in ASP.NET and WinForms, is in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. I develop solutions for internal and external reporting and analysis tools for our customers, in addition to fat clients that run at independent pharmacies.
Languages (in order of preference):
- C# (expert)
- Java (beginner)
- PHP (intermediate)
- VB (intermediate)
Operating systems:
I have extensive experience with many operating systems, both on the Microsoft side, and the non-Microsoft side (Mac, *nix). I am very experienced with Windows Server Administration, from workgroups to NT4 domains to 2003 native Active Directory domains.
Certifications:
- MCPD: Windows Applications
- MCPD: Web Applications
- MCPD: Enterprise Application Developer
- MCTS: Windows Applications
- MCTS: Web Applications
- MCTS: Distributed Applications
- MCTS: SQL Server 2005
- A+
- Network+
Where can I find more information about Chris Benard?
This page is rarely updated. By rarely, I mean about once a year, when my age changes. My blog should change pretty frequently, though. You can read my resume, and if you wish to contact me, please click Contact.
For up to date information on my life, please read my blog.