Meet team OSKAR

OSKAR is built by karting and technology fanatics. Meet some of our key members:

Mike Conte, President

Mike serves as the technical and marketing lead on OSKAR and has worked in the technology field in strategy, technical marketing, and product design roles for more than 15 years, including ten years at Microsoft. While at Microsoft, he played many key strategy roles, including general manager of MSN Marketplaces and Digital Media, group manager for Microsoft Digital TV Strategy, product strategy for Internet Explorer version 4.0 and 5.0, Group Manager Windows 95, and lead designer for Microsoft Excel (versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0) as well as Microsoft Office 95.

Mike is also the founder and CEO of a multi-location corporate entertainment company, Champs Karting.

Prior to Microsoft, Mike was a principle in several New York based start-up companies that focused on technologies for the advertising industry. Mike holds a BS in CIS/Management from NYU.

Mike was a professional racecar driver for over five years, including three in the CART Toyota Atlantic series. He doesn't sleep. 

Jeff Ward, General Manager and Director of Sales

Jeff is the General Manager of team OSKAR, and handles sales, finance, and operations. Jeff has extensive karting center experience as the GM of CHAMPS, a group of three karting centers in the northwest, which also use OSKAR. So he knows what is like to be a customer as well.

Previously, Jeff served as a senior Manager at Gregg's Cycles, National Sales Manager for ATP/Vision Recumbents Inc. and General Manager of The Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind BSC program. He graduated with BA degrees in Political Science and History from The University of Redlands.

Jeff somehow finds time to read 57 different periodicals each month. And play golf. 

Felix Livni, Development Lead

Felix, an accomplished developer, is the principal developer of  OSKAR, including timing and scoring, point-of-sale and credit card verification, email marketing, web registration and reporting, membership management, and security. He works in Java, C++, C#, and C and, is especially proficient with ASP, .NET, SQL, Linux and Windows technologies.

Previously, Felix held system architect roles at Streambox and OKTU and he started his career as a software developer at WRQ. He graduated cum laude with a BS in Mathematics and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Washington.

Felix, a true left-brain/right-brain thinker, recently sold a painting for $1200 and once starred in a Sega TV commercial. He has no idea what he had for breakfast.

Paul Davis, IT Director

Paul, who works on both marketing and technical programs for OSKAR clients, has spent the last 20 years perfecting his knowledge of computer hardware design and network architecture, in addition to working on business and marketing strategy problems for technology companies.

He is the founder of Watermark Technology, a high-tech consulting firm that provides business, marketing and technical strategy development for start-up companies. Paul was the co-founder of hDC, which later became Express Systems. Once hDC/Express systems was acquired by WRQ, Paul became their Express Product Line Manager. Prior to that, he spent six years at Microsoft where he was the company's first and, for two years, its only Windows Evangelist, and program manager for Microsoft Word for the Macintosh. Paul studied computer science at MIT.

Paul has a deep affection for Krispy Kreme donuts that exceeds the normal human capacity to love.

Tim Heikell, Director of Technical Operations

Tim, an experienced technologist, manages OSKAR operations including sales, billing and customer service. Previously, Tim founded his own company providing enhancements for sports cars. Tim loves to hurtle downhill on a mountain bike, even when it has perfectly good brakes.

Steve Peters, Lead Engineer and Support Specialist

Steve, an experienced technical support specialist, is the principal customer support specialist for OSKAR as well as the primary Quality Assurance and Development engineer. Previously, Steve provided developer support services at Borland and Microsoft. He has extensive experience in a wide variety of programming languages and computing technologies. In his spare time, Steve studies amateur game development and enjoys Capoeira.