Dave Melillo

Growing up I was a creative and artistic person, expressing myself mainly through music. That has lead many people to wonder how I found my way into the binary world of data. I don't blame them for their skepticism, as many people fail to understand that handling data is one of the most creative jobs in modern times. Regardless of industry and subject matter, there are several issues companies face when it comes to data; How do I get it? How do I make sense of it once I get it? and how do I turn it into an actionable message that can permeate the entire organization? The skill set I have developed over my career comes from answering these questions on a daily basis. At a local level that might mean building interfaces and cloud applications to make data entry easier for employees on the front line. At a high level, that might mean developing a data warehouse and visualization strategy that gives C-level executives insight into the organization at a glance. Anyone dealing with data will tell you that they do not have the luxury of being single-threaded. Expertise in several programming languages, technologies and solutions is required in order to be effective. But most importantly, data handlers must have exemplary soft skills. My biggest asset is my ability and willingness to engage different people within in organization, whether it be a clerk, a marketer or a CFO, and turn their opinions and needs into a product they can use to make the business better.