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ABOUT MICHAEL

We are human. We ponder. We innovate. We design. We amaze. We live!

 

Michael graduated from Lenoir City High School, and received his first degree in Computer Science from what is now Pellissippi State Community College. He worked full time for the college and after leaving, worked for several small Digital Equipment Corporation OEMs, and eventually was employed by  Westinghouse Electric on the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project. Michael cracked DEC's VMS operating system SYSUAF password encryption and was offered a choice of several positions within the company. After much deliberation, Michael chose the Digital Equipment Corporation International Support Unit in Atlanta and was offered a position as a Senior Software Engineer. While working for DEC, Michael was recruited to a Government Agency, took a leave of absence from DEC, and spent two years training and working in National Intelligence and Operations.  Michael worked extensively with two government agencies in a collaborative capacity and after covert retirement, returned to work full time at DEC. There he worked on many notable projects including the Solid Rocket Booster, the  MX Missile, Star Wars, and the Allied Strategic Tactical Fighter.

Becoming disenchanted with DEC's direction, Michael accepted a position as the Software Engineering Manager for the U.S. D.O.E., Oak Ridge Operations in-house facilities management contractor. While there, He developed and implemented the United States Department of Energy System Design Methodology (SDM) that addressed the needs of a Software Design Life Cycle (SDLC), lacking within the agency. It was quickly adopted by all of the D.O.E. and the agency's thriteen major contractors. The methodology included rapid prototyping techniques, heretofore, not implemented within the D.O.E..

Michael later accepted the position of Regional Director of Oak Ridge Operations for the entire contract, taking responsibility for Software Development, Computer Operations (classified and unclassified), Classified Document Accountability, Classified and Unclassified  Radio Frequency Management and Voice Communications, Emergency Operations Management Support, Plant Operations, and a host of other functions. One of the products, developed by Michael's team for NOAA, the Hazardous Atmospheric Radiation Model or HARM,  was used in Kuwait to track the fallout of harmful petroleum hazards from the oil well fires from Desert Storm. It was originally designed to track the deliberate or accidental dispersal of radioactive elements into the atmosphere and plot the fallout based on a variety of weather and atmospheric conditions.

Michael's son, Jeremy Michael Letterman was born on June 13, 1991, which added another happy addition to the family.

After leaving Oak Ridge, Michael turned his attention to the small business community and worked for over five years at the National Federation of Independent Business as their Systems and Networks Director. He enjoyed this time tremendously and began to fully comprehend the importance of small business in the United States economy. While working at NFIB, Michael began working on his Masters Degree in Computer Science and in Business. Michael also completed his first degree black belt in Wafo-Ryu. It was a true honor to have the test administered by Sensei Patterson, a student of Master Otsuka, who developed the style.  Sensei Patterson, a former Marine, was charged with the privilege of taking Wado-Ryu from Japan to the United States and was the highest ranking master of the style in the United States until his death.

After leaving NFIB, Michael turned his attention to helping children and was offered a position that would soon become the Vice President of Information Technology for Community Education Partners. CEP helped to further the education and living conditions for children from hard places. It was a five year journey that was extremely gratifying, yet something was missing. Michael had yet to make his own mark on the world. While at CEP, he would finish his Masters Degree in Business and was close to finishing his Masters Degree in Computer Science.  Michael finished his 2nd Degree Black Belt in Ishinryu and Okinawan weapons, with some training in Jeet-Kune-Do, South Afrikan Nguni Stick Fighting, Brazilian Jujitsu and training with the Japanese Katana.

Using advice from one of his cherished friends and mentors at CEP, Michael stepped out on his own with a new startup company. U.S. Datacomm primarily serviced the middle Information Technology Business Tier, with a focus on Healthcare for approximately five years. Michael developed a proprietary firewall technology christened "Trinity", that was later sold to a company in the banking industry for an undisclosed sum of money. Before it's sale, U.S. Datacomm was one of the top 500 Native American owned businesses in America, one of the top 100 emerging Native American owned businesses in America and one of the top 25 minority owned businesses in Nashville (courtesy Nashville Business Journal).

Michael's first wife passed away on June 1, 2009, leaving Michael with a seventeen year old son to finish raising to manhood. In August of 2009, he met his soul mate and the love of his life, Jan Lea. It was a whirlwind, breathtaking courtship. They were married on October 23, 2009 in a small, private courthouse ceremony. Jeremy Michael and Brett Lance were the best men. Shortly after their marriage, Michael would again return to writing as a pastime.

Sins of the Father  and Jack were released in September, 2011; followed by The Prophet, released in June, 2012. Lea was released in November, 2012; followed by TWIN, which was released in June 2013. Michael's more controversial novel is that of The Pandora Project, which was released for publication in November 2013. Blood Moon appeared on book stands in July, 2015. Secrets of the Sea was released in August, 2016 and immediately hit the physical shelves of Barnes and Noble as well as scores of other book stores internationally. Secrets of the Sea now sits with Michael's other books in some of the finest book stores in the world including  the famous Daunt Bookstore on Marlebone Street in London. Sins of the Father won the coveted London Book Fair award and is now published in Australia. MICK was published in June of 2018 and was an instant hit. The Last Templar - The Awakening, the first novel in a new trilogy, was published in February of 2020.

 In July of 2010, Michael and two other long time associates started The APAX Group, Inc., d/b/a CORTAC with an initial thrust to provide paramilitary and guard support services to a pipeline being implemented between El Paso, Texas, and Las Vegas. Michael's education, clandestine and government training, combined with his associates experience as a Nashville Metro Police Officer, made this a perfect business opportunity. The project ended with the death of the founder of the pipeline project and the team turned their attention to the development of high speed gear that helped make body armor safer, cooler, more bearable and reduced the behind armor blunt trauma from ballistic and non-ballistic impact. The CTAV was announced shortly thereafter. The technology model was a huge hit in the global market and was implemented into the Equestrian, Radiology, Military, and Law Enforcement markets.  Israel adopted the product for use on the Gaza Strip in 2013.

 

As a graduate and mentor of the Southern Middle Tennessee Entrepreneur Center, Michael quickly transferred much of that experience to other startup companies across the United States, helping them to produce their business strategy documentation and fine tune their "pitch" to obtain startup funding. This experience helped CORTAC move to acquisition and served Michael well in helping others.  Michael is a recognized champion of small business and entrepreneur efforts of others.

 

Using his "up close and personal" experience with firearms, Michael redesigned several notable models. Using his international relationships he developed a supply chain and manufacturing methodology which allowed another young startup company to produce remarkably accurate and pristine handguns at a price roughly one-third to one-half of comparable competition. Michael remains Chairman of the Board for Freedom Weapons, offering guidance and structure as another team of young entrepreneurs spread their wings in a politically volatile market.

 

Michael serves on the Advisory Board for several non-profit companies including 119Frontline, a 501c3 that provides true PTSD treatment for first responders and soldiers and Hope Rising of Tennessee, that offers assistance Tennessee's less fortunate, to help them tap into Tennessee social services, as well as faith-based counseling. He continues to write and has several more books on the design board.  Yet to come, may be yet another visit to the world of clandestine thrillers. Revenge of the Pandora Project has already begun. However, The Last Templar trilogy consumes much of his spare writing time.

 

Michael became interested in dog training and continues to train Aleah (IHebrew for Ascending unto God, a very strong female name that came from one of his books, TWIN). Aleah is a Belgian Malinois Service Dog trained as K-9. She remains the family's ever vigilant Spirit Wolf.

© 2009 by Michael Letterman

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