Bruno Grangê is an IBM certified advanced application developer, instructor and system administration specialist on Lotus Notes/Domino. He works for IBM as an application developer, participating on various global delivery projects using Lotus Notes/Domino. Bruno has over eight years of experience, which includes working with several IBM Business Partners in Brazil as Procwork, WJ and Cyberlynxx. Bruno has in-depth experience with Web application development and implementation Web 2.0 using Lotus architecture. He is a coordinator of the AS Brazil Notes/Domino team, a group of developers in IBM Brazil that brainstorms new ways to promote Lotus Notes brand. Bruno also joined the team responsible for bringing up the Best Practices for Building Domino 8 Web Applications wiki brought by IBM developerWorks and RedBooks. Bruno mentors several people in Lotus Notes/Domino Application Developers, and works in a set of volunteering activities, including IBM On Demmand Community. He also maintains a personal Web site with information and tips about Lotus and Web application development at www.grange.com.br. Bruno can be contacted using the contact form.

Here goes a tricky questions and answers play about me. I wish you like it. ;-)

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in a poor neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. There I lived terrific life experiences full of influences, in a scenario where only my will and efforts would make the difference.
My parents had a small electronics repair shop, where I had the chance to learn something about those small circuits watching how those technicians fix the Stereos and VCRs.
With this background, and some old TVs and game consoles, I helped my parents build a small video-game shop - my passion at that time. The idea was amazing, and that became our main family income for a long time of our lives.

Q: Where did you go to college?
A: With my parents' business we could afford paying the college in the early years. With my passion on gaming and electronics, and my Christian background, I had no better option than graduating in Computer Sciences in the Methodist University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Q: How did your career start?
A: My career started when I was only 17, when I had to complete a high school fellowship program in Business Administration on early 99. I was an intern on a regional company called RioLuz, where I had the chance to first meet how a company works.
After that, I worked on the IT department of a B2B company called FMC Technologies. This company manufactured equipment for oil and gas exploration, from tubes to drills. There I met the most important software of my career - the IBM Lotus Notes.
I had to quit that job to dedicate fulltime to my researches in college. But after an exciting academic era, I decided to get back to the marketplace. Then, I worked as an apprentice on a web hosting company for part time, and teached IT courses to low possessed people at college.
On 2002, I had an opportunity at Cyberlynxx, one of the most important IBM business partners in Rio. I worked on a dozen of outsourcing projects on this company, and became a valued certified specialist for Lotus Notes and web application development.
The expertise acquired at this company helped me achieve even better positions on the market place. On 2004 I worked on WJ, another IBM premier business partner in Rio. The experience there was short and deep, since I worked there as a consultant for just a few months, until I had the outstanding opportunity to join IBM as a contractor by Procwork corporation.

Q: When did you join IBM?
A: I joined IBM at July of 2004 as a contractor IT specialist.

Q: When did you join IBM and what was your role there?
A: I joined IBM at July of 2004 as a contractor IT specialist. I was a Lotus Notes and Web application developer coding for the Marketing, University Relations and HR's areas.

Q: What do you like best about your current job?
A: The opportunity of meeting tons of different cultures from the whole globe - this is very rewarding.

Q: What is the biggest challenge in your current job?
A: My company handles business in a fast paced world that changes in every minute. In this scenario, a simple mistake can erase all the glorious history of innovation and competency that this corporation has brought to business.
Thus, I think that promoting flawless time-to-market services is my biggest challenge in this competitive market.

Q: What is your greatest memory of working with IBM?
A: I think that having the opportunity of joining the team in charge of building the new IBM Club website application was one of my IBM's most amazing experiences. During the development of this application, we had enormous difficulties, but the results achieved are uncountable.
This application helped people from the whole company in different locations, together with their families, to interact socially much more easily, building a more human company; - and I believe this result already justify any effort.

Q: What is your current profession and what advice would you give to someone considering a similar career?
A: I would tell the newbies to really feel the power that computer sciences can promote. With the bytes, we can do anything, from finding the cure for cancer or HIV, to distributing hope with one laptop per child.
As an IT specialist, you can change the world using just your fingertips, so, I'd say: dive deep and promote the most radical improvements to your company's business.

Q: Who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?
A: Definitely Jesus Christ and my family. Their words of wisdom taught me how to be a "better" person. With them I've learned how to be more friendly, helpful and generous person; and also, how to handle my conflicts at office with wisdom and care.

Q: What is your favorite pastime?
A: My first days in IBM in the state of São Paulo. I believe that moving to my hometown's neighbor state was as rewarding as doing an international internship. Brazil is a very multicultural country, and the experience of meeting my company's technology center in this state was unforgettable.
Meeting new people and culture's is my love - I wish I have more opportunities like this, and I believe IBM is a good place to achieve this.

Q: What is the most interesting place you have visited?
A: The city of Foz do Iguaçu/PR. I didn't have the chance of meeting lots of places, but that place's nature was definitely outstanding. I wish I had the opportunity of meeting new places, specially USA, Australia or Europe.

Q: What is unique about you?
A: I'm known as very friendly, confident and supporting character. I think my background and cultural aspects; especially the fact of being a typical Carioca (person born on Rio) makes me very unique and special.
I'm unique because I make the difference!