Computing patterns have remained the same for nearly 25 years. Purchase a new computer with the latest operating system and begin using that computer. In about two years, the operating system needs to be upgraded and, if one is fortunate, the computer can still handle the requirements of the new operating system. Rarely does a machine have the initial computing power to make more than one such upgrade. When it is time for the 2nd operating system upgrade, usually one must purchase a new machine. This has proved to be a fantastically profitable cycle for manufacturers and retailers of computer hardware, but the consumer is burdened with significant costs in order to keep this cycle moving.
4th Prime was created to end this cycyle and to give users the freedom to compute on their terms with any device -- all from the safety and security of best-in-class datacenters
Based in Boca Raton, FL, 4th Prime is helping clients realize their computing goals efficiently, securely, and on-budget.
Benjamin Joella, the President of 4th Prime, is the Chief Executive Officer and presides over the day-to-day operations of the Company. He brings fifteen years of project management, graphic design, web design, and user interface design to 4 th Prime. He also brings significant database design and web application programming experience to the operation and will be instrumental in the design and programming of all user-facing technologies.
Prior to co-founding 4th Prime, Ben served as Associate Director of the Lifelong Learning Society at Florida Atlantic University. While serving in this role, Mr. Joella led his 11-person staff in the overhaul of nearly all technological aspects of the program.
With a focus on efficiency and cost savings, Mr. Joella designed, coded, and implemented a custom webbased data application that continues to drive nearly every technological and operational aspect of the program today. Mr. Joella is especially proud of two organizational benefits of this data application that continue year-after-year. Since implementing his web-based application, the organization has experienced reduced operational expenses of 20 - 30%. The organization has also seen dramatic decreases in processing errors due to the tightly integrated controls within the web-based application.
Much of the success of the system described above is due to the modularity of its components (which allow them to be moved, re-used, and transformed) as well as the capability of the system to handle precise details while maintaining an awareness of the broader structured relationships of all data contained within the application. Mr. Joella solves business and management problems in much the same way. He has the ability to “zoom out” in order to gain the widest possible perspective of a problem (view the modular pieces) and “zoom in” in order to ensure that the details of a solution effectively solve the broader problem.
Trained on the double bass as a classical musician, Mr. Joella continues to perform as time allows and has shared the stage with Andrea Bocelli, Itzhak Perlman, Emanual Ax, Kathleen Battle, Jackie Evancho, and LeAnn Rimes.
Michael Brown, Vice President of Technology and Chief Financial Officer, has been the CEO of a computer software and design company for over 30 years. Prior to that he was a partner in a regional CPA firm, and an auditor with KPMG. Michael has an extensive background in low-level computing, security, databases, and software engineering, and developed back-end technologies, file systems, and operating systems for 4th Prime.
While at KPMG, Mr. Brown specialized in the audits of SEC registered corporations, and was field supervisor for a merger of over 40 oil and gas entities and subsequent public offering. In addition to supervising audits of SEC-registered corporations, Mr. Brown's specialties include mergers and consolidations, internal controls, data security and data integrity, and the oil and gas industry. As a partner in a regional CPA firm, Mr. Brown developed a computer consulting subsidiary, which soon dwarfed the combined audit and tax practices of the firm.
As a CEO, Mr. Brown has lead projects that have included the full System Development for the network, security, and application development for the Executive Office of the President of the United States, the United States Department of State – OES, embassies to the United States from Russia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina, and Fortune 500 companies.
Among the software Mr. Brown has developed are database and web-based applications for both higher education and K-12, hospitals, securities lending, brokerage, oil and gas production tracking, specific identification and multi-process inventory, communications, sporting events, accounting systems, and computer-aided audit techniques. He was on the team that developed one of the earliest remote desktop access applications, where he developed the graphics transmission protocol that made remote desktop access a reality. The activity fund accounting system he developed for educational institutions became the standard for the industry. Of all, Mr. Brown is most proud of the A+ rating his company has maintained for the quality and support of its software and network designs.
Mr. Brown has been a contributor to PC Magazine. He participated in the design of computer industry certification examinations, and is a member of various CPA societies. He has served on the District of Columbia Institute of CPAs Business Information Systems Committee, the Maryland Society of CPAs Local Area Network Committee, and chaired the Maryland Association of CPAs Electronic Data Communications Committee. He has been a speaker at numerous educational industry conferences, and the annual meetings of several corporations.
Mr. Brown has served on the board of several non-profit organizations, and has assisted many others in their formation. He is the official scorer for Florida Atlantic University Baseball, and received an award for his spirit and dedication to the program. He is also an official scorer and the statistician for USA Baseball, and serves as the official scoring consultant for various entities.
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