John van Straalen

About John van Straalen

People who have built with me before keep my number.When they move on to new teams and new problems, they call because they trust how I work. For twenty-five years, that pattern has stayed the same. Former teammates, founders, and managers reach out from new companies when it is time to build, rebuild, or scale.I operate through Lodebek Computer Services LLC to provide high-stakes product leadership and systems architecture. I do not just manage a roadmap. I architect the resilient systems that get the product over the line.CORE WINS DELIVERED- SPEED TO MARKET: I cut physical deployment time by 90% at Bigleaf Networks by designing remote provisioning architectures- GLOBAL SCALE: I launched a consumer AI hub for Equilibrium that reached 174 countries on day one- ARCHITECTURAL RESILIENCE: I eliminate cascading failure risks and automate manual bottlenecks to save teams hundreds of hours.The titles change; the work does not. I come in, line up what is real, and ship the best version possible with the resources on hand. I get asked back because I execute. I listen, decide, build, and deliver.Every product I have touched has shipped. That reliability is what people remember.If you have something new to build, call me.If we have not worked together yet, find someone who has and ask why they keep calling me back.READ MY WRITING: linkedin.com/in/john-van-straalen-6b16b65/recent-activity/articlesGRAB 30 MINUTES: calendar.app.google/T5B7zDhdpLtEqhH19

Experience

1. Founder & Principal Consultant

   Lodebek Computer Services Llc

   Mar 2007 — Present · Portland, OR, US

   I founded Lodebek to help teams ship faster, fix what’s broken, and escape slow consulting. I don’t deliver reports. I deliver working systems. Business Systems & Workflow Automation Architect native logic engines using existing Microsoft and Google Workspace infrastructure. Automate manual administrative bottlenecks and data routing, saving operational teams hundreds of hours without requiring new enterprise software budgets. Strategic QA & SDLC ModernizationLed consulting engagements across mobile, SaaS, desktop, and server stacks. Rebuilt quality strategy and delivery velocity for tech clients including Varus (now Schneider Electric) and DealPoint (now part of Clari). Cut cycle time and shipped testable, stable product lines fast. AI-Augmented AutomationDelivered prompt-engineered AI solutions like a multi-platform social bot for Rebel Remarks — built with Google Apps Script and integrated GPT for brand-safe, scheduled posting. Used AI to support testing workflows, prototype tools, and unblock content creation without full-stack teams. Product Stabilization Under Live TrafficTested and stabilized Clari’s deal-flow visualization product, ensuring front-end changes held under live customer workflows. Provided QA coverage and regression validation across fast-moving releases. Customer-Centric QA ExecutionRedesigned QA frameworks to prioritize real-world workflows, not shallow coverage. Mapped customer journeys, triaged failure points, and aligned testing efforts to what actually mattered to end users. Product-Strategy-Aligned ConsultingSpecialized in fast-turnaround advisory for companies under pressure: missed release windows, stalled QA, or product-market fit drift. Integrated business and tech priorities for results measured in reduced backlog, clearer roadmaps, and unblocked teams.

Education

• Sonoma State University

  Bachelors of Science, Computer Science

  1997 — 2001

Skills

• Embedded Software
• Unit Testing
• Java
• Vmware
• Visual Studio
• Software Quality Assurance
• Automation
• Agile Methodologies
• Test Planning
• Linux
• C#
• Software Development
• Scrum
• Black Box Testing
• Visual Basic
• Windows
• White Box Testing
• Unix
• Hardware
• Programming
• Quality Assurance
• Debugging
• Regression Testing
• Test Cases
• Embedded Systems
• Usability Testing
• Test Automation
• Testing