OCSN, founded on March 24, 2000, was the brainchild of our founder and a few colleagues in the Information Technology, Communications, Computer Service and related business fields who felt the need for an online support service for independent computer professionals. The experience gained by the management team, working on four continents - the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America – for over twenty years, is global in every sense of the word.

All felt the need to create an alternative network support system providing the services required by the ever-expanding Computer Service professional. Time costs money and customers want quick solutions to their problems. What better than an online "help desk" when you don’t have all the answers? At the same time, OCSN provides the novice with simple answers to a variety of questions involving the hands-on use of all the latest technology, without having to wade through an endless array of media.

Fred started his career as an Electronics Engineer in Holland, where he was born. He handled service and installation projects in Austria, Germany, Russia and South Africa for Measurex Corporation (merged with Honeywell Inc. in 1997).

In 1978, he was responsible for initial start-up operations of Measurex in Brazil, where he expanded operations into Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and Colombia. Fred then moved to Miami, as Service Operations Manager for Central and South America, including Mexico, achieving an outstanding financial, on-time and results track record.

He ended his career with Measurex, as Senior Operations Manager in Latin America, with over 25 years experience in multi-industry manufacturing environments. He has been operating his own consulting company in Miami for the last few years, working for companies with operations throughout Latin America, U.S. and Europe. Fred is perhaps best recognized for his ability to form multi-cultural service teams against some incredible odds.

A graduate of the Engineering School of Bienne, Switzerland, Nicolas started his career at Westinghouse as a draftsman. From there he went on to design engineering in digital and analog systems before moving to Brazil and being hired by Measurex, heading up installation teams and giving maintenance support to the increasing client base.

Nicolas was then hired by Devron-Hercules to handle start up operations in Brazil, responsible for sales of systems and equipment to customers in the paper and pulp industry. After a few years, he returned to Measurex as Sales and Service Support Manager.

In recent years, Nicolas has been working as a consultant to the paper and pulp industry, giving support to international companies with start-up operations in Brazil and Latin America. He also promotes the sale of specialized equipment, including TransPhase Engineering Ltd. His wealth of technical and commercial knowledge gained in these markets, makes him a strong team member in OCSN.

Enrique was born in Chile and graduated as an Electronics Engineer from the University of Concepcion in 1989. He started his career in 1990 as a service engineer at ABB, dealing mainly with Quality Control Systems and Distributed Control Systems services and installations throughout Chile.

In 1993, he joined Measurex Latin America as a service & installation engineer and handled several service and installation operations in Chile, Venezuela, Argentina and Uruguay. In 1994, he was promoted to Service and Project Manager for Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. In 1995, he moved to Argentina and successfully started up service operations for Measurex in Buenos Aires. By 1998, he managed to increase the services business for Measurex in the Southern Cone by more than 450%.

Again, in 1998, Enrique was appointed Project Services Manager for South America for the newly merged Honeywell-Measurex company. He successfully managed installation projects in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay at a joint estimated cost of more than 9 million dollars. During the year 2000, he has set up his own independent operation providing services in the area of Quality Control Systems and Control Systems Optimization in Chile.

Born in London, Theresa started her career as a journalist working on Vanity Fair magazine and later, on the national daily newspaper The Daily Mail. After a few years she set up her own Public Relations company representing clients in the field of the Arts.

In 1977, she moved with her husband and three children to Brazil, where she worked in PR for the Hilton international hotel chain throughout Latin America. In 1984, Theresa returned to working as a freelance journalist in Brazilian television and radio. She spent the last five years of her 22 years in Brazil dividing her time between being a Human Resources consultant and partner of Great Start Services and being an International journalist for the Brazilian financial newspaper Gazeta Mercantil. Theresa now lives and works in San Diego and likes the work she does for OCSN because it keeps her in touch with the world.

Graduated from New York University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and currently working on her Masters degree in Education. Alexis started her career as Operations Branch Manager at Crossland Savings Bank in New York. She was responsible for Customer Relations, branch administration and the retail-banking portfolio.

In 1991, Alexis moved to Germany and was Security and Operations Agent for Trans World Airlines (TWA) in Munich. From 1992 to 1994, she was the owner of the Ludwig Thomas Theater Café, in Munich.

Returning to New York, in 1997, Alexis taught at the Montessori School in Scarsdale, NY, until moving to Pembroke Pines, Florida and joining the OCSN team.

Graduated in Technical Design from the "Escuela Tecnica Industrial Joaquin Avellan" in Maracay, he commenced his Industrial Engineering studies at the "Universidad Nacional Abierta". In 1984, he started working at CAVIM (Compañia Anonima Venezuelana de Industrias Militares) in the Munitions Department, as a Technical Design expert.

In 1988, Julio decided to change the course of his career, entering the Paper and Pulp industry, working for MANPA, Manufacturas de Papel,

in Venezuela, working in the Projects Department and in the Imports Substitution Department.

From 1991 to 1998, Julio rendered services as an independent engineering design consultant to Measurex, providing technical support for projects in Latin America.

Camilo is an attorney at law, from the Universidad Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senhora del Rosario, in Santafe de Bogota D.C., Colombia, where he was born. During his professional career, he has developed his teaching, training and negotiations skills in various scenarios, which include working as a language instructor for Berlitz Language Center; as a trainer for the Multinational Force of Observers – MFO military peace force in Sinai, Egypt, and as a teacher and instructor in various Legal, Business and Negotiation seminars for his own training company – Future in Business. He currently lives in Cali, Colombia and works as an associate for the law firm Baker & McKenzie.

Jan Willem studied landscape design and maintenance and has been a keen radio ham most of his life. Through this interest, he got into computers early on starting with the first generation of Sinclair ZX-81 computers. He progressed through the MSX to the current generation of PC’s. After twenty-five years in the landscaping profession, Jan Willem moved on to IT management. He is an active member and president of the Labor Union in Purmerend.

His passion for computers continues, experimenting with hardware, operating systems and applications. Jan Willem is always to be found working on one of his many computers in his radio shack, using and experimenting with old and new technology. He believes it is an interesting challenge for him to be part of the OCSN team and to be able to help and discover all the possibilities, which the OCSN network has to offer to its members.