Harvey Shuster is now CEO of Proline Technologies, LLC (www.prolinetek.com). This is an IT consulting company. It is a Federal VOSB and a VSBE.
Harvey is well known for being the CPA having operated Peachtree Software. While raising the funds, the VC firms asked that he operate the company. This is the company, which IBM selected as their microcomputer accounting software. The software helped standardize double entry accounting in businesses through the PC and still does today. He operated the company very successfully growing it to be the leading software company in its field. During this period, he needed to combine the talents of many different people to work together. He made sure new products were developed in budget and on time. Worked with programmers closely to review and improve the products. Developed a campaign to expose the need and effectiveness of this new technology. Also spoke in events to expose the benefits of the software.
The company merged with a top public mainframe software company (D&B software). This is where he was in charge of coordinating the work between the two companies as well as the mainframe people and microcomputer ones. They were of two separate sets of thinking as relates to products. Today, Peachtree software is sold by Sage, which is one of the world’s largest business software companies, as Sage 50.
The second company was one of the first large e-Learning companies that open up this new market. He operated the company for 14 years. He had to make sure new products were developed on time for its customers. This required close contact between all the different depts., and people.
It included overseeing the development and personally consulting to the largest clients to grow revenue. He supported these executives so they had access to someone who helps them become successful in many new technology areas in their companies. This included starting the virtual university for Verizon and working with them for 12 years. Also started as well as directly operated the e-Learning division for AT&T (Bell South) for four years. This included supervising a total of 35 employees selected to establish this standard in the company.
Directly consulted to IBM (where the multimedia video was filmed at their studios). Harvey traveled the world with their executives to see customers and understand all aspects of their projects. Other large organizations worked with included the Australian Government in creating their national e-Learning center with IBM, operating a $ 10 Million grant from the US Dept. of Labor for a large school system, the New York Labor Union center, Anheuser-Busch (where it was used at all their 29 plants), Ford Motors, Ga Pacific, Home Depot, McDonald’s and many others. He visited with the top executives of the companies to provide them advice. The consulting made his company very different than the others in this field. He was in charge of product development and many others areas.
The company eventually obtained half of its revenue from support as it took on more projects. Organizations included AT&T, IBM, New York City, New York Labor Unions, Verizon, and many government units. Created and personally supervised effective customer support to solve issues. Worked with large customers to use this new technology to benefit the community. Also personally dealt with solving technical implementation questions. Created not for profit to expose the technology to business and others.
The other companies he operated included a business software developer, which he turned around. It had clients including AFLAC, GM for their electric car, IBM, T-Mobile as well as another multimedia company. He sold it to a gov’t software developer in Washington DC.
His consulting experience includes helping to start the Robert Half IT consulting division to compete against the Big 4 CPA firms and worked with Makita Power tool company. While there, consulted on their software changes for a totally new manufacturing platform in Ga. they needed to create for their largest customer Home Depot. Also performed an extensive accounting review that was required by SEC company. He worked directly for the President of the company in the review of their IT and financial operations. Many of his changes were implemented world-wide.
Harvey started his career at PWC (Coopers). He became an audit senior and then was asked back to the firm after leaving Peachtree Software to become in charge of the Southeast Small computer IT consulting practice they wanted to start. As well as audit work, he was assigned to many large consulting projects. He served on their National Computer Committee to advice on products they sold and on services. He still maintains his CPA license that he earned while there.
Over the years, he has served on committees for the American Institute of CPA’s (AICPA) and was a featured speaker many times at their national conferences. As Board member of the Southeastern Software Association, today he learns and has access to the top technology companies created in these areas. This is one way he keeps up with the technology changes of today and for tomorrow. He is also an author of a book on microcomputer software that a major publisher released.
