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Rich Blaske
Lead / Senior Web Developer
Professional Background
Rich Blaske is an accomplished application developer with over 25 years of extensive programming experience, making significant contributions to various industries, including software development and travel management. Currently, Rich has taken a pivotal role with the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA), where he actively engages in leveraging technology to foster social good. His noteworthy commitment involves creating customized software that has revolutionized the way the TCA operates in remote regions of Papua New Guinea. Through innovative software solutions, Rich has enabled the delivery of solar-powered lighting to thousands of families across 50 villages, many of whom previously lacked access to basic lighting.
Before Rich joined TCA, the organization's staff depended on traditional data collection methods, which were not only labor-intensive but also time-consuming. Staff members would often have to traverse long distances of up to 30 miles through challenging rainforest terrain to record and relay crucial data back to their main base camp. This arduous task often led to delays of months and, unfortunately, led to inconsistencies and errors in the data collected. Recognizing these challenges, Rich embarked on a mission to streamline the TCA's data management processes by developing a comprehensive software portal named "Mother Nature."
This centralized portal significantly enhances the operational efficiency of TCA, facilitating better data organization and improving overall workflow. Thanks to Rich's expertise, numerous smaller applications have been incorporated into the Mother Nature portal, supporting a diverse range of functionalities while providing a consistent computing environment. His efforts have dramatically reduced the project timeline for the solar lighting initiative by nearly a full year, showcasing not just his technical skills but also his understanding of the TCA's unique customs and daily practices.
Education and Achievements
Rich Blaske’s educational accomplishments form a strong foundation for his professional career. He holds an Associate’s degree in Applied Science in Software Development Technology from ITT-Tech Greenfield Campus and pursued further studies in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Additionally, Rich is a proud alumnus of Lanier Technical College, where he achieved a remarkable GPA of 3.99 in Computer Science. His academic achievements have also garnered attention on national television, where he was celebrated as a successful college graduate, emphasizing the value of hard work and dedication.
Throughout his extensive career, Rich has been instrumental in various capacities. Before joining TCA, he served as the Lead Web Applications Developer at Travel Incorporated, where he oversaw significant projects while enhancing the user experience for clients in the travel management industry for over ten years. Additionally, Rich has held pivotal roles as Lead Developer at sleignnet technologies and Celebagrams, where he was responsible for developing innovative web applications tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization. His early career included impactful experiences as a Junior Web Developer Intern at Byte Studios and a Territory Supervisor at Detail at Retail, enabling him to gain a well-rounded perspective on software development and team management.
Technical Skills and Expertise
Rich has honed a diverse skill set that includes both client-side and server-side programming languages, positioning him as a versatile developer. His expertise encompasses popular languages such as JavaScript (with frameworks like jQuery, React, and Vue), PHP, and ColdFusion, among others. He is adept in various technologies associated with web services, REST APIs, and database management utilizing MySQL and SQL. His proficiency extends to cloud services, particularly AWS, where he is experienced in EC2, S3, RDS, and more.
Rich’s knowledge and experience don’t end there; he is also familiar with advanced concepts like OAuth/JWT, API development, and integration. His command of diverse Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) including Dreamweaver, Eclipse, and Visual Studio Code, alongside graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, showcases his multifaceted capabilities that blend technical development and creative design seamlessly.
Rich is actively engaged in ongoing learning and exploration of emerging technologies such as Node.js and Solidity for Ethereum smart contracts, reflecting his commitment to staying ahead of the curve in the fast-evolving tech landscape.
Notable Achievements
The outcomes of Rich's efforts are impressive and noteworthy. His impact at TCA is particularly evident through the Mother Nature software project, which has not only increased efficiency but has also allowed for greater organizational insights and streamlined operations. Beyond his contributions at TCA, Rich's work in enterprise-level programming within the travel management sector has solidified his reputation as a reliable and innovative technologist.
With his extensive experience in client-side and back-end development, Rich continues to be a significant asset in any project he undertakes. His deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by organizations in remote areas—particularly in terms of data management and technology integration—highlights his dedication not only to development but also to making a positive impact on communities.
Rich Blaske exemplifies what it means to combine technical prowess with a heart for service, making him a cherished member of both his professional circles and the communities he champions through technology.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.