Ron Schnell

{{short description|American chief technology officer}} {{distinguish|Ronnie Schell}} {{Infobox person | name = Ron Schnell | image = Ron Schnell in New York 2011-08-10.jpg | caption = Ron Schnell in 2011 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|11|10}} | birth_place = New York City | other_names = Ronnie Schnell, Ronald Steven Schnell | known_for = speaking at NYU (age 14), co-founder of Mail Call, CTO of Paul'16 | alma_mater = Syracuse University | website = {{URL|http://www.driver-aces.com/ronnie.html}} }}

'''Ronald Steven Schnell''' (born November 10, 1966) is an American computer programmer in Weston, Florida. He was co-founder of Mail Call in 1997 and the chief technology officer of Rand Paul's 2016 presidential campaign.<ref name=20150629recode /><ref name=20150515politico />

== Life and work == Schnell began programming in 1975 (age nine), on the IBM 360 mainframe.<ref name=nyp81 /><ref name=upi81 /><ref name=wpix81 /><ref name=rockland81 /> In 1981, he tested and spoke about SETL (for VAX minicomputers) at NYU's Courant Institute.<ref name=nyp81 /><ref name=upi81 /><ref name=wpix81 /> In 1982, Schnell wrote a chat program for Telenet called NET-TALK, while at the Maryland timesharing company Dialcom; this led to helping test the BBC Micro.<ref name=acorn82 /> Schnell wrote<ref name=cultofmac13 /><ref name="emacs24.5" /> the text adventure game DUNNET in 1983 for MacLisp{{efn|name=aboutselfDunnet}} and 1992 for Emacs Lisp.{{efn|name=usenet92}} After high school, Schnell attended Syracuse University from 1984 through 1986,{{efn|name=aboutselfCollege}} and was a DJ on WJPZ-FM

Between late 1986 and throughout the 1990s, Schnell was a Unix kernel consultant.{{efn|name=aboutselfUnix}} He moved to the west coast, and founded his first startup in 1990, Secure Online Systems.<ref name=latimes91 /> He co-founded Mail Call in 1997 in Florida; the product used IVR and back-end text-to-speech (subscribers could call a toll-free number, and check their email via the telephone—Mail Call was before the invention of the smartphone).<ref name=fortune98 /><ref name=familyCircle98 /><ref name=workingWoman99 /> From 2002 to 2005, Schnell was a divisional vice president at Equifax.<ref name=infoWeek04 />{{efn|name=ftc04}} Schnell was general manager of The Technical Committee in Seattle, a court-mandated computer-software-nonprofit that monitored Microsoft's compliance with a federal court ruling.<ref name=wired11 />{{efn|name=doj11}}

Starting in 2013, Schnell became an adjunct professor of Computer Security{{efn|name=uscg14}} at Nova Southeastern University.<ref name=nova15 /> In 2015, Schnell also became CTO of the Rand Paul presidential campaign; he hosted a hackathon in San Francisco during July 2015.<ref name=20150629recode /> Schnell designed the app{{efn | Released in September 2015; works on most iOS v8+ and also Android v2.3.3+ smartphones.}} for Paul'16 (featuring a hidden game, vote feedback, donations, and virtual-selfies).<ref name=20150902nyt /><ref name=20150902verge />

==Personal life== Schnell was married in 1994, and has two children. Schnell's home automation system, which he helped specify, was profiled in 1998.<ref name=electronicHouse98 /> Schnell plays Segway polo, and in 2007 co-founded the Polo Bears team.<ref name=motherJones13 />

==References== <references>

<ref name=nova15>{{cite web |url=http://cec.nova.edu/faculty/adjlist.html |access-date=29 August 2015 |title=College of Engineering and Computing / About Us |archive-date=11 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711110636/http://cec.nova.edu/faculty/adjlist.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=nyp81>{{cite news |title=The Whiz! |author=Linda Stevens |newspaper=New York Post |date=July 21, 1981 |quote=...14-year-old Ronnie Schnell...is one of NYU's youngest undergrads this summer. He's helping to test a new computer language called "Pseudo-Parallel SETL." ... He started at 9. }}</ref> <ref name=upi81>{{cite news |title=A computer genius at 14 |author=Lee Comegys, United Press International |page=E-10 |url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/11/01/14-year-old-is-computer-whiz/3943373438800 |publisher=E.W. Scripps Company |date=October 18, 1981 |access-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204934/http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/11/01/14-year-old-is-computer-whiz/3943373438800 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=wpix81>{{cite episode |title=Evening news |first=Robert |last=Miller |series=Independent Network News (US) |season=2 |number= |network=Tribune Company |station=WPIX |location=New York, New York |date=1981 |url= |access-date= |quote=...Rockland Community College... }}</ref> <ref name=rockland81>{{citation |title=Hilcrest Boy your average next door computer genius |date=23 August 1981 |newspaper=Rockland County Journal News }}</ref>

<ref name=fortune98>{{citation |title=Notable Websites |magazine=Fortune |date=July 1998 }}</ref> <ref name=familyCircle98>{{citation |title=Hello? You've Got E-mail |magazine=Family Circle |date=October 1998 }}</ref> <ref name=workingWoman99>{{citation |magazine=Working Woman |date=February 15, 1999 |title=E-Mail, Phone Home }}</ref>

<ref name=electronicHouse98>{{cite magazine |date=February 1998 |publisher=Kenneth D. Moye, EH Publishing, Inc., Wayland, MA  |magazine=Electronic House |issue=1 |volume=13 |editor=Julie Jacobson |pages=54–57 |author=Julie Jacobson |title=System Spotlight: Super Sundays! |issn=0886-6643 |quote=...sports-centric room of a Florida family... nine-screen video wall... the Schnells decided to design a video wall.... Ron, a software engineer by trade and technical tinkerer in his free time, had his own ideas for the video wall, but he couldn't do it alone. ...six surveillance cameras.... whole-house cable network ... face-to-face [video-conferencing].... With a little tinkering, Ron gave two of the small TVs... any channel at any time [capability via] X-10... commands to various lights and appliances... [via TV] remote, an X-10 keypad, or any touchtone phone. }} </ref>

<ref name=motherJones13>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/media/2013/07/segway-polo-world-cup-everything-you-imagined|title=The Segway Polo World Cup is Everything You Imagined|access-date=2022-05-20|archive-date=2021-08-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811171442/https://www.motherjones.com/media/2013/07/segway-polo-world-cup-everything-you-imagined/|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=acorn82>{{cite magazine |date=October 1982 |pages=20–22 |author=John Coll |author-link=John Coll |publisher=Acorn User |issue=3 |title=The BBC micro dials the world |quote=...Dialcom Gold computers are [P]rime 5000 units and are connected to a worldwide network of similar machines. ...If I want to send a letter to Ronnie Schnell in New York, I type MAIL SEND RONNIE and my system directs the letter to him. ...We use the system for exchanging computer programs. His copy of Defenders was sent over by electronic mail... (More on Ronnie later.) ...Telecom Gold can turn up some surprises. One day I typed the NET-TALK command which enables you to talk to people on the network. ...I asked if he [Ronnnie] did any serious programming or whether he just mucked around and played games on the system. I was put firmly in my place by being told that he had written the international conferencing software we were using! ...I asked how old he was. The reply was 16! It will not surprise you that a short time later Ronnie received a BBC computer system. He has since been invaluable in helping to prove the file transfer software Acorn have developed. ... }}</ref>

<ref name=20150629recode>{{Cite web|url = http://recode.net/2015/06/29/coding-for-liberty-on-the-ground-at-rand-pauls-presidential-hackathon/|title = Coding for Liberty: On the Ground at Rand Paul's Presidential Hackathon|date = 29 June 2015|access-date = 23 August 2015|archive-date = 29 August 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150829030632/http://recode.net/2015/06/29/coding-for-liberty-on-the-ground-at-rand-pauls-presidential-hackathon/|url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name=20150902nyt>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/09/02/rand-paul-campaign-makes-pixelated-pitch-through-an-app/?_r=0 |title=Rand Paul Campaign Makes Pixelated Pitch, Through an App |author=Nick Corasaniti |newspaper=New York Times |date=September 2, 2015 |quote=...Paul campaign is releasing a smartphone app... Ron Schnell, the chief technology officer of the Paul campaign and architect of the app. |access-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224204617/http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/09/02/rand-paul-campaign-makes-pixelated-pitch-through-an-app/?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> <ref name=20150902verge>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/2/9248495/rand-paul-presidential-app |title=Rand Paul's presidential app is no joke |author=Chris Plante |date=September 2, 2015 |quote=...Paul (R-KY) released an app promoting his bid for the [presidency] ...chief technology officer of Paul's campaign, Ron Schnell... who served as the chief architect of the app... |access-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309003452/https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/2/9248495/rand-paul-presidential-app |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=infoWeek04>{{cite web |url=http://www.informationweek.com/microsoft-signs-on-for-e-mail-program/d/d-id/1024973? |access-date=30 August 2015 |date=May 7, 2004 |title=Microsoft Signs On For E-Mail Program |author=Thomas Claburn |archive-date=20 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720132408/http://www.informationweek.com/microsoft-signs-on-for-e-mail-program/d/d-id/1024973 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=cultofmac13>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cultofmac.com/223455/there-is-a-surreal-cyberpunk-adventure-game-built-into-os-x-that-you-never-knew-about/|title=There is a Surreal Cyberpunk Adventure Game Built into OS X That You Never Knew About|date=15 April 2013|access-date=23 August 2015|archive-date=27 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150727011321/http://www.cultofmac.com/223455/there-is-a-surreal-cyberpunk-adventure-game-built-into-os-x-that-you-never-knew-about/|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="emacs24.5">{{cite book |url=https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/pdf/emacs.pdf |author=Richard Stallman |author-link=Richard Stallman |date=2015 |title=GNU Emacs manual, 17th edition, updated for Emacs 24.5 |isbn=978-0-9831592-5-4 |pages=pdfPage#24 aka printedPage#2, as well as pdfPage#429 aka printedPage#407 |publisher=Free Software Foundation |quote=Acknowledgments. Contributors to GNU Emacs include ...Ronald S. Schnell.... ...<code>M-x dunnet</code> runs an[sic] text-based adventure game. |display-authors=etal |access-date=2022-05-20 |archive-date=2022-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203031139/http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/pdf/emacs.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=wired11>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/11/how-microsoft-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-almost-love-open-source/ |access-date=30 August 2015 |title=How Microsoft Learned to Stop Worrying and (Almost) Love Open Source |author=Cade Metz |magazine=Wired |archive-date=25 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025170156/https://www.wired.com/2011/11/how-microsoft-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-almost-love-open-source/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=latimes91>{{Cite web|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-05-me-1870-story.html|title = Archives|website = Los Angeles Times| date=5 May 1991 |access-date = 2015-10-01|archive-date = 2015-12-04|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151204162350/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-05/local/me-1870_1_phone-bill|url-status = live}}</ref>

<ref name=20150515politico>{{Cite web|url = https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2015/05/jeb-no-more-powerful-influence-on-this-earth-than-the-christian-conscience-in-action-brady-may-miss-6-8-games-bday-dana-p-212543|title = JEB: 'no more powerful ... Influence on this earth than the Christian conscience in action' – BRADY may miss 6-8 games -- B'DAY: Dana P|website = Politico|access-date = 2015-08-30|archive-date = 2015-10-19|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151019025657/http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2015/05/jeb-no-more-powerful-influence-on-this-earth-than-the-christian-conscience-in-action-brady-may-miss-6-8-games-bday-dana-p-212543|url-status = live}}</ref>

</references>

==Notes== {{notelist|refs=

{{efn |name=aboutselfDunnet |http://www.driver-aces.com/ronnie.html#dunnet }}

{{efn |name=usenet92 | {{ cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/dunnet$20$20schnell/gnu.emacs.sources/8IkHKl5O2Xo/UhlGf9Y78UwJ |title=dunnet - text adventure for e-lisp |author=Ron Schnell |publisher=USENET |date=1992-07-28 }} }}

{{efn |name=aboutselfUnix |http://www.driver-aces.com/ronnie.html#unix }}

{{efn |name=ftc04 | {{ cite web |url=https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/public_events/email-authentication-summit/draft_transcript_day1.pdf |access-date=29 August 2015 |title=EMAIL AUTHENTICATION SUMMIT, Federal Trade Commission, November 9, 2004 }} }}

{{efn |name=doj11 | {{ cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/joint-status-report-microsofts-compliance-final-judgments-15 |access-date=25 August 2015 |title=Joint Status Report on Microsoft's Compliance with the Final Judgments |date=25 June 2015 }} }}

{{efn |name=uscg14 | {{ cite web |url=http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a618312.pdf  |author=Ron Schnell |editor=Barbara Chiarizia and Sarah K. Webster |title=Hacking 101: Using social engineering increases security attack effectiveness |work=Coast Guard Journal of Safety & Security at Sea, Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council |publisher=United States Coast Guard |volume=71 |number=4 |year=2014  |pages=25 through 27 |quote=...About the author: Mr. Ron Schnell is an adjunct professor of computer security at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale Florida... }}  }}

{{efn |name=aboutselfCollege |http://www.driver-aces.com/ronnie.html#university }}

}}

==External links== * [http://driver-aces.com/ronnie.html Official page] * [http://cec.nova.edu/faculty/adjlist.html Faculty page] at Nova

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schnell, Ron}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:American chief technology officers Category:Syracuse University alumni Category:Rand Paul