 |
Fred Brack Last updated |
|
|
Summary Fred, retired from IBM, now runs a small Internet-based business from home: Bracksco Wine Nook, featuring VintageView Wine Racks and Personalized Wine Accessories. Visit us on the web at www.bracksco.com. In February 2011, Kathy, along with her Seeing Eye dog Wilda, retired from her job as Director of the Client Assistance Program for the State of NC. Her former Seeing Eye dog Rozen had retired the previous year and now lives with son Dan, who is a pharmaceutical rep in Raleigh for Novo Nordisk. Daughter Michelle is a nurse at Durham Regional hospital. Both Michelle and Dan bought their own first homes early in 2011. In addition to Bracksco, Fred also maintains websites for The Audio Description Project; the Triangle Radio Reading Service; the Triangle Chapter of the American Wine Society, where he is secretary; the Needham High School Class of 1964; and for members of Brown University's WBRU in the 1960s. Fred continues in his role as an audio describer for Arts Access, though he is no longer on the board. We moved into our custom designed new home in 2001. Fred set it up with a home computer network. In 2007, he added a long-awaited Network Music Player (SqueezeBox), which allows him to play all his now-digitized CDs over the whole house audio system, and more recently he added a SlingBox and SlingPlayer, to be able to watch recorded or live TV programs from home wherever he travels via PC or TV, including at our condo on the Intracoastal Waterway in Belhaven, NC.
|
Shortcuts to My Pages and Info
|
|
Online with AOL Instant Messenger as fbrack (by appointment...) |
|
My Facebook networking page (active) |
|
My LinkedIn networking page (occasional access) |
|
My inSide919 networking page (occasional access) |
 |
I worked in software development and human resources for IBM for nearly 31 years, but I retired in 1999. I took time off to whittle away at my home project list and to "smell the roses" before deciding what to do next. From the Fall of 2000 to the end of 2006 I worked part-time from home for IBM Human Resources at RTP to help maintain the Lotus Notes databases I left behind when I retired. When I retired, I was a Senior HR Professional, and my core HR responsibilities were primarily executive and technical resource development. However, during the last three years there I spent over half my time developing applications using Lotus Notes for use by my IBM HR teammates and internal customers, mostly software development managers, a position I held prior to joining HR. |
|
|
In the summer of 2003, I started my own small business as a distributor for a unique line of wine racks called VintageView® (sample pictured left). I named the business BRACKSCO and named the website Bracksco Wine Nook (www.bracksco.com). Since then, I have been adding other unique wine-related products (many personalized), and I help people design wine rooms. Please visit the website and see what's available; some of the items make great gifts! |
 |
I am also a web page designer and webmaster. I have designed and maintained eight websites. |
 |
Kathy and I love wine, and we built a
wine storage room in our new house.
I started Bracksco (www.bracksco.com)
in August 2003, selling wine racks, and I have added other unique
wine-related products since then. I have a monthly wine newsletter
featuring new products, discounts, and features about wine accessories associated with
our Bracksco business (Sample
Bracksco Wine Newsletter). There is a sign-up form at the
link. Other interests include computers, boating, music, photography, amateur radio (I'm N4ECU, though inactive), tandem bike riding with my wife, walking, nature, fine dining, and occasional skydiving (well, I skydived once...). |
My family consists of:
We have lived in Raleigh, North Carolina since 1981. Previously, we lived in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the suburbs of Boston, where Kathy and I grew up (in Melrose and Needham, respectively). In the past, we used to go back to visit Cape Cod every couple of years, and we spent many vacations at Emerald Isle, NC; but now we spend our weekends at our condo in Belhaven. My work in building a high school reunion website and college radio station memories website has renewed some old acquaintances, which I find most delightful. If you know me from "those days," send me an email to say hello!
I am a graduate of Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island; and Kathy is a graduate of Boston College and Emmanuel. I also attended IBM's System Research Institute back in the early 70s.
Fred Brack,
Top
