Management
The management team at Signify are not just savvy business people, they are also all highly experienced veterans of the web industry.
Elliot Strange – Managing Director
Elliot is a graduate of Waikato University where he received commendations for high marks and achievement from the Dean of Humanities after being a top ten student in Humanities. He is currently undertaking part time post-graduate study at Victoria in Business Administration.
Elliot is a veteran of the web industry having been involved in literally hundreds of website projects of all sizes. Elliot worked as a web developer and consultant through the 1990s. He came to national prominence with the publicity he received from a website he created being judged 3rd in a web design competition run by Microsoft in the USA.
He started his Management career in 1997, as Production Manager for Toolbox Imaging and was involved in a staff buy-out of the company. As Managing Director of Signify, Elliot has led the business operationally from its inception in 2002.
As well as leading Signify operationally, Elliot is actively involved in New Zealand's Promoting Generosity initiative and a member of its Hub. The initiative's vision for New Zealand is "To grow the level of giving in all its forms in all our communities".
Away from the office Elliot spends time with his daughters Grace, Elizabeth and wife Leigh, is an avid movie buff (favourite actor: "the great philosopher" Arnold Schwarzenegger), and tinkers with home automation.
Daniel Bar-Even – Projects Director
Daniel has comprehensive background in information technology. Over the past decade he has been specialising in Internet/intranet development, principally in the development of web sites with dynamic content and database interfaces. Currently he manages Signify’s client services and project management team.
Daniel's background is extensive. He has developed hundreds of Internet and intranet sites for both corporate and public sector organisations. He is intimately familiar with all aspects of their development, including content management, workflow and approval systems, access control and security, search and indexing systems, accessibility issues, and Government requirements.
Daniel's role at Signify is to manage the client services and project management aspects of the company.
When at home Daniel does his best to avoid housework and competes with his kids (Stellar-Mia, 4; and Cosmos, 6) to come up the worst puns imaginable. His long suffering partner and poet, Helen Heath, helps to keep his life on track. Left to his own devices he would probably spend entire days in the bath reading Elmore Leonard and drinking cheap merlot.
Jonathan Beauchamp – Lead Developer
Jonathan works for Signify as Lead Developer and manages the development team. During his time with Signify Jonathan has written and maintained many web applications for Signify clients including but not exclusive to APN, LINZ, KPMG, Buddle Findlay, SPARC, MORST, and MED.
With a Diploma and Certificate in Electronic and Software Engineering, Jonathan has been working professionally with Information Technology for over 10 years. In this time he has developed many web and software applications, in most of the main web development platforms and languages du jour. Jonathan has a solid understanding of open web standards and in recent years he has developed numerous e-government compliant sites. Another arrow in Jonathan’s quiver is his intimate knowledge of web security issues, specifically with regards to SQL injection, and cross site scripting attacks. As such all sites developed at Signify are built with a focus on security best practices.
Jonathan, as lead Developer at Signify, manages the development team, ensuring current best practises are followed and cultivating a learning environment in his team.
When Jonathan isn't herding cats and chasing a little white ball around a paddock he lives in 'the burbs' with his wife Karla, where they watch far too many Science Fiction DVDs and avoid house work at all costs. Jonathan has been known to while away the hours playing Strategy and Role Playing Games on the PC, as well as relive his glory days as a club DJ by recording sets and selling them off on the interweb.