I'm actually in my fifth (or is it sixth?) career. I spent four years in the U.S. Navy during the 70s, most of which was on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier as a Crash & Salvage firefighter ("Red Shirt") and an aircraft director ("Yellow Shirt").
After my honorable discharge, I became a firefighter with the City of Gainesville, Florida while attending the local community college, full-time.
By education and training, I have a couple of degrees in electronics engineering (BSEE '82, ME '89) from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and spent five years designing and developing microprocessor-based computer systems in the 80s.
I then turned to consulting, working with lawyers all over the country as an independent legal technology consultant (Adkins Consulting Group, LLC).
I had an opportunity to create the Legal Technology Institute at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where I continued to provide technology consulting to the legal profession. I was also the law school IT director for a few years as well as an adjunct professor, teaching Law Practice Management to 2Ls and 3Ls. I left UFLaw in June 2010 with a main goal of "slowing down." I privatized the Legal Technology Institute and continued to consult with lawyers around the country.
Just when I thought I was "slowing down," a previous consulting client called, asking if I would come work with him as the Chief Information Officer for a large law firm. We moved to West Virginia for four years and I was able to help the firm grow from 220 attorneys and 10 offices to 350 attorneys and 15 offices in six states. We loved our time in West Virginia; though, being a lifelong "Gator," it was a little hard to get used to saying, "Go 'Eers." After four years, we needed to move back to Florida for family reasons.
Just when I thought I was "slowing down" (again), a previous employer called, asking if I would be interested in helping with a software startup company. I spent a couple of years working with a great group of folks.
I hope I'm slowing down.
But then, I now have the "writing bug."
Oh yeah... I also started a blog, "A Veteran's Journey." I blog about my time in the Navy, both in Guam and aboard USS Kitty Hawk; I blog about my dad's time during WWII in the ETO; I blog about my time as a city firefighter; I blog about being an engineer; and, every now and then, I'll sprinkle in a life-changing tidbit.
