I am currently the National IT Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses as well as Chairman of the Communications Subcommittee of the Executive Board for that organisation, CEO of my own electronics and web development company and co-owner of my own family-run hpliday cottage rental business. My technical specialities include a deep understanding of modern technology and the ability to explain complex technical issues to the layman. I have a clear understanding of much of how technology fits into the business world with an emphasis on smaller organisations.
Federation of Small Businesses
I have held the post of National IT Chairman of the FSB for the past 11 years during which time I have transformed the IT capability of the organisation and have ensured it is now well placed to handle the challenges of the 21st century
Willow Design
Willow Design offers custom website design from concept through implementation as well as custom hardware design. We empower small businesses to compete in the global marketplace with affordable solutions as well as general custom designwork
Hollyberry Cottage
Hollyberry Cottage is a family-owned self-catering holiday rental cottage in Bellingham, in the heart of Northumberland
Quantech
I formed Quantech in 1982 with business partner with whom I spent 19 years developing groundbreaking products in the entertainment and PC speech industries
Head of R&D at Eltech
I joined Eltech Research in Newcastle to develop advertising graphics after providing consultancy for several months
Director France & Co
I held various posts including technical director at family engineering firm J. France & Co using skills including management but also encompassing engineering and accounting
Achievements and Interests
My first article on electronics was printed in Practical Electronics in November 1976. Numerous designs later I moved to writing software beginning with the design of a FORTH language interpreter and cumulating in a comprehensive article entitled "Adven-80" which featured on the front cover of the November 1981 Dr Dobbs magazine and which described one of the earliest adventure creation environments. From there the hobbies of electronics and computing turned into a career and I was responsible for the publication of numerous publications including a series of articles in Practical Computing on the subject of home automation.
My work in developing software-based speech systems for the PC led to more articles in various UK and Canadian computing magazines and I co-developed one of the first multi-tasking operating systems in the coin-op industry. At around that time I was secretary of the Northeast's then largest amateur computing society, the NPCS.
Between a passing interest in politics and my work with the FSB I have met with William Hague, Michael Portillo, Stephen Timms, Patricia Hewitt, Tony Blair, John Redwood and many others in politics.
I taught BTEC Level 2 electronics part time for a year during which time I taught C programming, basic electronics and foundation studies. In recent years I've turned my attention to cms-based website design and to helping small businesses via my role as IT Chairman of the UK's leading business organisation. I have also co-developed a holiday rental property for the second time in the past few years. I spend what little spare time I have, enjoying being married, cinema, the company of friends, writing blogs and travelling as well as continuing to keep up with programming developments. In particular I'm currently developing several projects using single-chip microprocessors utilising the skills I developed in the last years of the 20th century. I maintain a keen interest in cutting-edge science and technology.
Before becoming the National IT Chairman of the FSB I was firstly Vice-Chairman of the Northeast FSB region for 6 years followed by a spell on the National IT Committee where I was encouraged by the IT chairman and others to take on the post I have now held for over a decade.
If you wish to go further back into my history then you might find this address http://www.scargill.net/stuff/early-interests/ of use. If you're reading the printed version of this, the latest update can be found at http://www.scargill.net/cv