Mark Porter
Porter Web Designs
423-653-3386
Mark Porter, just call him Porter, is the new web developer for CHEO. Porter has just recently started his own web design business after graduating from Chattanooga State Community College this past May with an AS degree in Media Technologies, Web Page Design. The focus of Porter Web Designs is developing highly functional, user-friendly websites and on maximizing website internet exposure. Porter joined CHEO in 2010 after lusting for several years to "get my hands on this website and make it sing".
Q and A:
Where are you from? How long in the Chattanooga area? Originally from the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. In 1977 my parents moved to Chattanooga so Dad could attend Tennessee Temple College and we stayed here. Subtracting 13 years of military service, I’ve lived in Chattanooga for about 20 years.
What brought you to CHEO? I would have to give credit to my sister Teri Kelley. Teri at one time was VP of CHEO. When I first saw CHEO's website I thought in my head, 'Wow, this site would be wonderful to work on!'
Tell us a little about yourself. I spent 13 years in the U.S. Navy as a Aviation Storekeeper (AK2). My last duty station was Key West, Florida. I didn't want to leave Key West! I moved back home to Chattanooga in 2002. In 2008 I had an opportunity to go to college. I'd been tinkering with the Internet and creating websites since the early 90's and remembered seeing something to do with web page design at Chattanooga State. Might as well obtain some sort of degree in it right? So in August of 2008 I enrolled and made use of my GI Bill and just graduated in May of 2010.
So tell me how you got started in your work? I would have to give credit to the U.S.Navy. With all the different types of computers that I was introduced too, I saw the 'power' of what they can do. While stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (I was lucky to get stationed in my 'neck of the woods') I saw the birth of the Internet. I started out by using a 2400 bps dial-up modem and a system of connecting others via computers called BBS's or Bulletin Board Systems. While with a few BBS's, the BBS's themselves started 'linking' to other BBS's in other cities. Then AOL, Compuserve and Prodigy came along. With AOL you were able to create your own 'homepage' and the rest is history. I was hooked.
What do you like to do in your spare time? What do you do for fun? In my spare time I'm either surfing the web or tinkering with website design. Also enjoy watching sports (NFL is almost here!). For fun, I love to shoot pool and I'm on a APA (American Pool Assoc) League team in which my brother is the team captain.
Are you married, have you ever been married, etc? Kids? Pets? I am married. Her name is Kim and October will make 3 years for us. I have a daughter from a previous marriage that lives in Texas. Kim has a tabby cat named 'Peanut' that is the sweetest cat I've ever been around.
What services do you offer? Web design of course. My speciality is taking existing websites with a lot of content and making them user friendly and highly functional. I already knew how to create web pages before going to college but while in college I learned so much more. I can create standard static pages for the client but I rather create dynamic pages using CMS's (Content Management Systems) whereby the client can edit or add to their own website with ease plus be able to 'connect' to the Social Networking sites that are available to draw more traffic to the website. I'm also very good at creating graphics.
What is your most proud accomplishment thus far with your business? Since I just started I can only say that I've created 1 or 2 websites. Before my business started I would have to say it is the Comedy Catch website. I redesigned The Comedy Catch website back in 2003 - 2004 timeframe. The same concept I did for them is what I want to do for CHEO. I want to make CHEO a lot more interactive, make it easier when adding and editing the website.