Brian Hoke is Principal of Bentley Hoke Interactive, an internet consulting firm in Syracuse, New York. Since starting the firm in 2000, Brian has worked as a developer, designer, marketer, and evaluator on web and email projects for hundreds for clients.
Current Work
WordPress, PHP & MySQL
From informational architecture to content strategy, design to PHP development, Brian works extensively with this open-source content management system. He develops custom themes, trains clients in its use, and extends WordPress to fit the needs of a given project. Brian’s work with PHP and MySQL outside of WordPress ranges from development of custom content management systems, integration of legacy database systems, and e-commerce system development and integration.
Ruby on Rails Web Application Development
Brian works with the Ruby on Rails framework to develop web applications for a number of clients. His work includes development of intranets, e-commerce systems, online applications, and complex inventory and process tracking systems.
Markup & Design
Brian works with HTML(5)/CSS(3) to render visual designs as standard-compliant, search-engine optimized web pages, often with an emphasis on code that is especially friendly for users employing screen readers and other assistive technologies. In recent years, his work has focused on responsive design – the rendering of web pages appropriately for desktop, tablet, and smartphone devices.
JavaScript/jQuery
Brian’s work with the JavaScript library jQuery includes application development, visual and interaction enhancement of existing sites, and client training. He is the author (as below) of several training jQuery training courses.
Training
Working for the training firm Webucator and other partners, Brian has delivered in-person training courses for staff at the University of Chicago, Yale University, WebMD, Cornell University, SAIC, and other companies and organizations on topics including jQuery, Ruby on Rails, responsive design and development, and CSS.
Marketing & Consulting
Whether as part of his project projects or as a consultant for other clients or agencies, a key facet of Brian’s work is marketing: ensuring code, pages, and sites are optimized for search visibility; working with clients to develop content strategies to achieve business goals; and reviewing analytic data and conducting user testing to evaluate site performance and recommend improvements.
Writing & Speaking
Brian is the author of several technology training courses (in partnership with the training firm Webucator), including courses on responsive design with HTML/CSS/JavaScript, jQuery, and CSS3.
In July 2013, Brian delivered a talk at Wordcamp Montreal, a WordPress conference, on “jQuery and WordPress”.
Previously
Prior to founding Bentley Hoke in 2000, Brian served as Dean of Students, Director of Technology, and Chair of the Computer and Information Science Department at Manlius Pebble Hill School, a PreK-12 independent day school in DeWitt, New York. Previously, Brian taught at Institut auf dem Rosenberg, an international boarding school in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Brian serves as President of the Board of Trustees of Transitional Living Services, Inc., a Central New York nonprofit agency which serves individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, and traumatic brain injuries. He also serves as President of the Syracuse/Onondaga County Youth Board and sits on the Thursday Morning Roundtable Advisory Committee. Previously, Brian sat on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga Historical Association and of Leadership Greater Syracuse, served on the Steering Committee of the Future Fund of Central New York, served as Co-Chair of the Youth Leadership Greater Syracuse program, and chaired the Civic Engagement Task Force of 40 Below.
Brian was named in 2002 as one of Syracuse’s “40 Under 40″ business and community leaders. He holds degrees from Hamilton and Dartmouth colleges.