Software + PsychOlogy

Peter Mc Ian founded the Softology Development Group™ a privately funded alliance of psychologists, educators, technologists and innovators who together would apply their talents to the goal of using emerging technology to enhance learning. The cutting edge educational and assistive technologies that have come from this alliance are the powerful results of their labors. SoftOlogy™ products adapt the power of the computer to enhance learning at all levels by modifying technology based on an understanding of the psychology of the human learning process. The results in psychological studies both formal and controlled as well as subjective and personal have been impressive. The technological advances made by this group have benefited learners of all ages and levels and has substantially reduced the limitations for those with learning disabilities. The vision of the Softology Development Group™ has drawn talented and individually successful professionals to join forces in creating this well researched and commercially exciting product line under Peter's leadership.

Peter Mc Ian

Chief Executive Officer;
SoftOlogy Development Group™
Creative Director, IdeaWorks™ Division
By the age of 31 Peter was an internationally known record producer of such hit artists as "Men At Work" and "Mr. Mister". However a few years later, he would leave this very successful career in the music business in pursuit of a new enterprise, one that would merge his technological expertise, inventive skills and artistic expertise with his passion for learning. Peter had then as now, a strong belief that a spectacular synergy could be created between the enormous power of the computer and the innate human capacity to process information and learn.

Peter¹s background as a successful producer in the music industry has provided him with the skills necessary to accomplishing the difficult task of turning a good idea into a practical reality. His executive experience includes a position as an A&R Director for Mercury Records and President of his own production company. He has been the producer and recording engineer of such hit recording artists as the Grammy award winning ³Men at Work² and ³Mr. Mister². He has been named on numerous ³Producer of the Year² lists including Billboard and CashBox magazines. His technical expertise is such that he was a finalist in the ³Engineer of the Year² awards in ³Pro Sound News². His creative credentials include a solo recording and song writing career and he has written songs recorded by Barbara Streisand and Pat Benatar among others.

Peter is also an educator and the author of two books ³The Musicians¹s Guide to Home Recording² published by Simon and Schuster and ³Using Your Portable Studio² published by Music Sales Press�. He is a frequent lecturer at UCLA.

Peter Mc Ian and Tom Crosley are the joint creators and intellectual property holders of the patent pending RapidReader™ and TextVision™ software systems.

Tom Crosley

Chief Software Architect
Thomas Crosley has been an independent hardware and software consultant since 1978. His work has been the subject of magazine cover articles and has earned him numerous prestigious assignments. His latest accomplishment is that while under contract to SONY Corporation, he was charged with writing the scheduling software program currently in use internationally controlling the entire television broadcast activity of the DirectTV Satellite system. Some of Tom¹s previous projects (among dozens) have included; animation software for Apple Computer; electronic hotel lock hardware and software for Schlage Lock; a cruise control for Hyundai automobile; and a Pascal compiler for GTE. He has also been a guest lecturer (operating systems) at Stanford University. Tom has a BSEE from Iowa State University and a MSCS from Illinois Institute of Technology. He has been granted six US patents.

Stephen Saltzman Ph.D.

Executive Vice President SoftOlogy Education Division
Dr. Saltzman brings an impressive combination of credentials and experience to SoftOlogy Development Group. He is a first of all, a highly regarded educational psychologist whose doctoral field of study was special education and motivation of under performing children. He is a highly regarded teacher and holds the position of Chairman of the Psychology Department at Valley College in Los Angeles. In that capacity he is charged with the operation and administration of a dynamic academic department. Perhaps equally important is his knowledge and experience as an institutional customer and decision maker responsible for buying decisions that impact the operations of a major sector of students and teachers. As such he has a real world understanding of the market environment for the type of products that SoftOlogy creates. In addition to Steve¹s academic credentials he is also a very successful entrepreneur. He is a licensed real estate broker, owner of Steve Saltzman Realty and an associate of DALM Enterprises Ltd. an investment group specializing in start up businesses. Dr. Saltzman is a very active community leader and has been on the boards of directors for such organizations as Jewish Federation Council of Los Angeles, Jewish Big Brothers, Milken Families Community High School and the Sponylitis Association. Steve received his Ph.D. from UCLA in special education and psychology.

Louis Benson Ph.D.

Co-Director Educational Research
Dr. Benson is a psychologist, educator and author of the book ³Images, Heroes and Self-Perceptions² published by Prentice Hall. He is an expert in the field of educational psychology and cognitive therapies and particularly the work of Dr. Albert Ellis. He is currently Professor of Psychology at Los Angeles Valley College. He is an accomplished and entertaining lecturer and frequently teams with Dr. Gardner for seminars to professionals in a variety of fields.

Michael Gardner Ph.D.

Co-Director Educational Research
Dr. Gardner is a licensed family therapist and an expert in the physiology of behavior and the physical measures of psychological conditions. He researches and teaches this field at California State University Northridge and Los Angeles Valley College where he is a full professor. He is also a lecturer on the subjects of statistics and experimental design, He is the author of a number of monographs and journal articles and was a nominee for the National Award for Distinguished Teaching given by the American Psychological Foundation. Drs.Benson and Gardner have been the principal directors of research activities that form the psychological foundation of the methodologies employed in SoftOlogy Development Group Products

Neil Shaw

Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Neil's extensive study and understanding of the psychology of motivation combined with his humanist approach to increased performance, makes him a much sought after "turn around" specialist for sales forces of major corporation. He is a nationally known motivational speaker and is in great demand because he is an expert at reaching the person that lives in every job and training and motivating the human who interacts with the consumer or client.

The office of EVP Marketing and Sales resides at the highest level of SoftOlogy™ Development Group. In a company such as ours, which is committed to creating products that meet a perceptible, existing need, input from marketing becomes a component of product development. Our goal is to create products that will be desired by the market because we consistently present innovative solutions to existing and chronic need.

Neil is known for innovation. He is an advisor and consultant to a wide range of companies and much sought after for his expertise as a creator of the effective modern sales force. As a result of his own stellar sales career, he has become one of the foremost sales training and peak performance experts in the country. Neil has acquired a wealth of experience in his over 25 year of sales, marketing and management career. At varying times he¹s been called upon to take responsibility for virtually every type of corporate activity. He has been VP of Marketing and Sales, President of Bishop Industries and sits on the boards or is in an ongoing consultancy with many others. He has been involved in the high tech world of CAD, information systems and computer products thus developing an intimate knowledge of the current corporate and retail climates for high tech capacity. In addition to management and sales, Neil is regularly called upon to negotiate national sales agreements with companies such as Comp. USA, Office Max and K-Mart. Neil earned his bachelors degree at UCLA and later received his Juris Doctor¹s Degree from Southwestern University School of Law in California.