Andy Gural is an experienced, versatile writer with experience in enterprise software technical writing, technical marketing and journalism. He is a past president of the Montreal Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication. Andy is also a member of STC-UK.
Andy Gural
Résumé
Experience
2008-2010 | MEI
Senior Technical Writer
MEI develops and deploys financial software for manufacturers and brokers in the consumer package goods industry
for the UK, the United States and Canada.
- Authoring and co-authoring manuals and training materials for upcoming, current and legacy products. The objective of all his work is to improve customer education and fault tolerance. This has resulted in improved customer satisfaction, reduced technical support costs, and shorter sales cycles.
- Creating technical and general marketing sales materials, including writing, storyboarding and producing sales videos.
- Writing executive level briefing documents and presentations, turning strategic concepts into written content.
- Graphic design and illustration.
- Developed a documentation roadmap that resulted in the creation of a Community Space that has eliminated multiple content silos for technical, sales and product information. The impact of this has been to improve customer satisfaction, and eliminate multiple overlapping services.
2006-2008 | Mecanica Solutions
Senior Technical Writer
Mecanica Solutions provides engineering services and product life cycle management software to automotive and aviation manufacturers, and Formula 1 racing in Europe and North America.
- Working closely with developers, wrote installation guides and training manuals for product life cycle management products including document management, project/program management, aviation harness circuit intelligence, as well as volume, mass and centre of gravity CATIA analysis software. These documents proved vital in smooth, cost effective deployment and reduced training costs.
- Developing and executing marketing strategies
- Design duties included photography, illustration and lay-out.
- Developed brand strategy and creative direction for marketing materials such as sales collateral and corporate web sites (information architecture, iconography, design and content).
- Co-authored research and development reports for securing tax credits.
- Edited corporate blogs, CEO briefing documents, proposals and multimedia presentations.
- Search Engine optimization and web server log analysis.
- Made purchase recommendations for research materials and state-of-the-art software, improving business processes.
2001-09 | Freelance Creative Services
Writer, Editor and Designer
Created a wide range of exciting and interesting material for clients in diverse industries including:
- CREM: Created brand strategy and marketing materials for an industrial electronics recycling service.
- Group VST: Wrote web-based case studies for a firm specializing in internet-based video surveillance.
- Corfit: Copy editor for a series of fitness text books.
- Myxt: Business plan research for a clinical equipment manufacturing start-up.
- WedEase: Press releases for a wedding industry portal.
- Montréal Media: Wrote engaging promotional copy for high technology clients.
2003-06 | NetCleanse / Beginfinite
Technical Writer and Creative Director
Beginfinite is a developer of anti-spam and anti-virus software for Novell, and increasingly, for RIM and other messaging products.
- Interviewed content experts for case studies, white papers and technical training materials that improved sales and raised our firm’s profile in the Novell electronic security community.
- Documented six network security products, creating dynamic, effective manuals, installation guides and Wikis that cut technical support costs, boosted customer satisfaction and increased profitability.
- Developed and implemented marketing strategy and creative lead for the NetCleanse division.
- Design duties included photography and illustration.
2003-06 | IC Axon
Developer of multimedia courseware for international medical sales forces, physicians, pharmaceutical firms, and insurance companies throughout Europe and the Americas.
- Scripted, edited and storyboarded innovative and engaging distance learning courses that improved training and cut expenses.
- Created new, better organized on-line medical ethics instructional templates for physicians for an accredited on line continuing medical education distance learning system.
- Wrote and published daily web reports detailing and explaining changes in medical science, public policy, technology, industry and politics. These reports improved productivity, decision-making, and sped-up adoption of IC Axon products by physicians, educators and decision-makers. Performed extensive competitive intelligence and contributed analyses and policy recommendations to company business plans.
- Wrote copy for on-line instructional medical games and helped develop the CME system mypatient.com.
- Managed a productive and diverse writing team.
- Researched, wrote and presented seminars.
- Managed and kept up-to-date corporate web sites.
- Wrote promotional copy and developed marketing collateral.
- Analyzed server logs for pharmaceutical product web site traffic.
- Made purchase recommendations for research materials and state-of-the-art software.
1994-1998 Reporter-Photographer
Journalist at regional newspapers in Ottawa Valley, northern Ontario and Montréal
- News and feature writing
- Photography and darkroom
- Camera-ready page lay-out
- Deadline driven
Skills
Software
- Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, GoLive
- MS Office
- Robohelp
- Web: DreamWeaver, BBEdit
- Other: QuarkXPress, Typestyler, web log analysis software (ie FunnelWeb), NLM anti-spam and anti-virus software, FrameMaker
Education
Andy attended Concordia University
- BA: Philosophy/Journalism (Double Major with emphasis on medical ethics and the history of science.)
- DEC: Vanier College (Creative Arts)
Awards
- FICPA 2008 - Originality Award for NetCleanse's trade show booth design at their annual convention
- BBC Radio Scotland 2006 Advent Calendar - One of Andy's photographs was selected for their calendar
- Prix D'Excellence - 1995 -IC Axon corporate award for the design of its medical education system, MyPatient.Com
Other
Interests and Projects
- Elected 2007-2008 President of the Montreal Chapter of the Society of Technical Communication after serving on the board since 2003.
- Member of STC-UK
- Photography
- History of science and technology, nineteenth century history, military history, politics and current affairs
- Volunteering: McGill University Health Centre D-Day Assault Against Breast Cancer
- The Cold War and British Television: The Life and Mysterious Death of Ian Mackintosh (in progress)
- Interplanetary travel
