Welcome to jlschrad.net

Jon
I grew up (for the most part) in the greater St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Michigan, area, about 20 miles from the Indiana border, on Lake Michigan. This followed hopping around the country, to such varied places as Honolulu, Hawaii, Groton, Connecticut, Three Rivers, Michigan and Zion, Illinois. After college, however, I settled in the western Chicago, Illinois, suburbs, and currently in Bartlett. I still maintain a lot of connections to Michigan, as I still have a large family presence in the state of Michigan, especially in the Kalamazoo area. Also, I have several family members spread throughout the state (including our best friends and their children, who I am being especially derelict in my duties of watching in the photo to the left. :-) )

In 1999, I graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree with a concentration in Computer Systems Engineering. Along with my degree, I also completed minors in Mathematics and Computer Science. Previously, I attended Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Michigan, where I received an Associate in General Studies degree through their pre-engineering program in 1996.

I'm currently employed at TRATON Group in Lisle, Illinois (A western suburb of Chicago), where I work as the Unit Head for Systems Architecture US, responsible for the vehicle network architectures and future vehicle functional architecture concepts. I have also worked at TRATON's US Brand, International Motors, focusing at varying times on electrical hardware, software, and systems development, as well as architectural management for all of International's electrical architectures prior to the restructuring of the group into TRATON.

In the past, I have also worked in information technology, most notably at Southwestern Michigan College where I was a PC Technician and Network Administrative Assistant for five years. I have also taught at the collegiate level, teaching a course in Microcomputer Operating Systems, again at SMC. See my resume for more information.

In my spare time, I enjoy working on the computer by learning about different operating systems, as well as working with new and different applications. I have been known to spend far too much time thinking about work (at least Erin thinks so... :-))

Erin
My wife, Erin, was born in the Chicagoland area, and spent most of her childhood living in Downers Grove.

She also graduated in 1999 from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, concentrating in Comparative Politics and International Relations. We met during the last several weeks of our time at WMU, as our best friends started dating.

She works at Dysphonia International, which is an organization working to, in their words, "improving the lives of people affected by spasmodic dysphonia and related voice conditions through research, education, awareness and support." She works as an Administrative Coordinator, supporting the various activities of the organization as well as supporting the full-time staff and board members.

In her spare time, she enjoys redecorating various rooms throughout our house, as well as spending time volunteering at the West Suburban Humane Society, working to take care of pets that need homes.