Factor of 4, LLC embodies an alliance of professionals with decades of consulting, design, and development experience in computer-systems applications ranging from multimedia, visual communication incorporating graphic design and the World Wide Web, to database, networking, and general-purpose software.

The four principal partners of Factor of 4, LLC - Jim Miner, Andy Mickel, Bill Dobbs, and Mark Stanley — serve clientele ranging from Fortune 500 firms, to government and research institutions as well as local small businesses and non-profit organizations. We draw upon the talents of a number of affiliate partners which assist us on various projects in their areas of expertise.

Factor of 4, LLC is a limited liability company chartered by the State of Minnesota in 2000. Factor of 4 is a service mark of Factor of 4, LLC.

Jim Miner has over 25 year's experience in software design and specification dating from the use of structured methodologies in developing reliable software systems both in research and production environments. His work in the last 10 years has focussed on building and developing effective information services and relational databases operating over local- and wide-area networks. Jim's website development projects in the last 8 years have earned him a positive reputation for producing accuracy, reliability and elegant software.

Andy Mickel has over 15 year's experience in internetwork engineering both as a Project Engineer at Apollo Computer (now HP) and as Director of Engineering at Minnesota Regional Network (MRNet, the oldest, largest ISP in the region) where he implemented software systems to facilitate workgroup business flow. He also has 15 year's experience in software engineering, leading software development teams both at Apollo Computer and the University of Minnesota Computer Center. Andy's excellent personal management skills and insightful approach to teamwork serve his advocacy for clear, functional design.

Mark Stanley has more than 25 year's experience in graphic design and video production, and 12 year's experience in interactive multimedia. His award-winning multimedia productions and website designs through his company 4insight, LLC, incorporate the latest in interactive, video and animation technologies with particular detail given to the user interface. Mark lectures on interactive design principles at the University of Minnesota Design Department and is an advocate for the use of interactive media to transform business and education.

Bill Dobbs has more than 20 year's graphics design experience involving promotion of products and services. In the last 8 years through his company Animuse.com, Bill has become an award-winning website designer with extensive digital illustration, photo manipulation and animation development. His clients include Compaq Computer, Gage Marketing, Gatorade, IBM, Intel, the National Hockey League, Public TV's Newton's Apple, the StarTribune Online, and Ziploc.

Systems Engineering & Architecture

Greg Whitley Mott - <greg@WhitleyMott.net>
Red Hat Linux Systems Administration and Open Source software installation and configuration.

Dan Boehkle - Internetworking Consultant d.boehlke.home.comcast.net
WAN and LAN design, router configuration and programming, Internet protocols, structured wiring, network security and firewalls.

Dan McCreary - e-Business Strategy Development www.danmccreary.com
IT strategy management consulting, Web Content Management, Zope and all things markup (XML, XSL and SVG).

Chris Oxenreider - Blue Ox Solutions www.blueoxsolutions.com
Unix Systems Administration, Commercial application installation and maintenance, IT security, Load Runner/web performance testing and Unix systems performance tuning.

Dennis Lienke - The Laurel Nexus www.lienke.org
Unix hardware integration and software installation.

Service Providers

Bil MacLeslie, Eric Snyder & crew at ipHouse www.iphouse.com
Full service local ISP connectivity, excellent multi-homed national backbone provider access, managed hosting and E-mail appliance services.

Chip Pearson - The Foundation, www.fndtn.com
Enterprise Mac Consulting, Mac Bench Repair & Outbound Repair, Mac Apps Education.

Eric Osterberg & staff - Sound Choice Communications www.sccvoip.com
Full-service voice-over-IP and integrated messaging services.

Frank Brandon - PC 911 Inc. www.pc911inc.com
Wintel PC computer systems integration, hardware & software. NT, Millennium, Windows XP Desktop OS.

Content Design

Jim Schmit, Scope the Net, Greater Web Traffic <jschmit@msn.com>
Natural Search Engine Optimization & Search Engine Marketing for websites.

Stephen Sewell - Sewell Communications <stephensewell@earthlink.net>
Language translation services: commercial Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, etc.

David Miner - DLM Consulting <dminer@earthlink.net>
- Writing, editing, search engine indexing.

Marjorie Casey - Word Fountain Ltd. www.wordfountain.com
Professional online copywriting.

Deanna Sylte - Metronet www.metrolibraries.net
Multitype Library Support & Services; Minnesota Web Directory

Steve Peterson - Peoplebright www.peoplebright.com
Classroom, e-Learning and multimedia training for ISO-regulated businesses

Karen Myrom-Steinhilber - Evolearn www.webevolearn.com
Custom training program creation.

Database Design

Les Weber - Weber Engineering & Associates www.webereng.com
Custom programming & scripting, database administration, & UNIX Web Server systems administration for Linux, Solaris, etc.

Matt Newberry - Microsoft Access Database Consulting www.mattnewberry.net
Web database, E-mail and mobile web development, with an emphasis on security, in ASP.NET and PHP.

Richard Rubenstein - Jargon Software www.jargonsoft.com
Wireless & Mobile Applications & Database Development And Deployment for Windows, Palm™ And PocketPC Devices.

Steve Vinge - Skyward Consulting <skywardsig@msn.com>
Microsoft Access Database Consulting

3-D Design

Edwin Beylerian - Beylerian Design www.beylerian-design.com
3-D modelling and 3-D animation: art, design, connections.

John Teisberg, 3D Illustrations www.3dillustrations.com
3D illustrations, cut-aways, animations, etc.

Media Production

André & Carol Bergeron & folks - Babble-On Recording Studios
www.babble-on.com
Award-winning voice-over recording and sound design for radio ads, television commercials, film, video and interactive multimedia.

Bob Lindberg - BobLindberg.com www.boblindberg.com
Music recording, mixing, mastering engineering.

Gary Leatherman - Freelance Multimedia
Digital Video & Sound Editing; Television producer

Kathleen Laughlin, Laughlin & Associates, <laughlink@goldengate.net>
Custom video conversion.

Rick Peterson, CSM Audio and Video, Inc., www.csm-av.com
High-Volume CD-ROM, DVD duplication and packaging.

Scott Sheil - Summit Print Copy & Mailing www.summit1stop.com
On-demand Printing, Digital Imaging, and mailing service.

Tom Hedberg & Staff - Hedberg Maps www.hedbergmaps.com
Custom, print and digital maps, useful, accurate, affordable and attractive

Marketing Communications

Barbara Slater - Slater Solutions <blslater@comcast.net>

Metro Independent Business Alliance www.metroiba.org
A non-profit organization working to support and preserve locally owned, independent businesses in the Twin Cities region.

Pat Kaufman & Scott Lindberg - The Design Company www.thedesigncompany.com
Fulfilling the graphic design and communication needs from all types of printed material to electronic media and website implementation for Twin Cities companies and non-profits.

Pete Hovde - The Possibilities Company www.theposs.com
Unleashing human and organizational potential.

Sheila Todd - Sheila Todd & Associates www.sheilatodd.com
B2C and B2B business and creative “marketing specialists” who direct, develop, design, write, program, photograph, distribute etc. to deliver multimedia communications that drive business results.

Waid Johnson - Paint the Elephant www.painttheelephant.com
Business networking, strategic planning and meeting facilitation.