With over a quarter-century of software and systems engineering experience, Rex Black is President of Rex Black Consulting Services (www.rbcs-us.com), a leader in software, hardware, and systems testing. For over fifteen years RBCS has delivered services in consulting, outsourcing, and training for software and hardware testing. Employing the industry's most experienced and recognized consultants, RBCS conducts product testing, builds and improves testing groups, and hires testing staff for hundreds of clients worldwide. Ranging from Fortune 20 companies to start-ups, RBCS clients save time and money through improved product development, decreased tech support calls, improved corporate reputation, and more.
As the leader of RBCS, Rex is the most prolific author practicing in the field of software testing today. His popular first book, Managing the Testing Process, has sold over 40,000 copies around the world, including Japanese, Chinese, and Indian releases, and is now in its third edition. His six other books on testing-Advanced Software Testing: Volumes I, II, and III, Critical Testing Processes, Foundations of Software Testing, and Pragmatic Software Testing-have also sold tens of thousands of copies, including Hebrew, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian editions. He has written over thirty articles; presented hundreds of papers, workshops, and seminars; and given about fifty keynote and other speeches at conferences and events around the world. Rex is the immediate past President of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) and a Director of the American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB).
Jim Rommens (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimrommens) is a seasoned, accomplished project manager, having worked at major companies in industries such as telecommunications, energy, medical systems and health care. Beginning his career in PC support and software development, Jim moved to management positions, including those of project manager as well as supporting project managers in various PMOs (project management offices). He has assumed other roles, such as business analyst and tester, making him well-versed in the various roles of the SDLC (software development life cycle).
Jim has a truly eclectic background with many varied interests, including project management, quality management and customer service, teaching and training, writing and editing, and career development and mentoring others.
For most of his adult life, Jim has maintained a strong interest in continuing education and possesses two graduate degrees (MS in Computer Science and MA in Theological Studies), an undergraduate business degree in market research and industrial and organizational psychology, and has achieved further certification and training as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL), Certified Tester Foundation Level – Agile Tester Extension (CTFL – Agile Test Extension), and Test Manager – Advanced Level. Jim’s interests have also extended to quality and efficiency areas with a Lean Sigma Technician certification and public speaking as a Dale Carnegie graduate.
Jim incorporates key learnings and experiences from these various fields in his teaching classes as an adjunct instructor from the graduate level to the associates level for both online and classroom-led courses in the areas of project management, quality, and computer systems.
Jim’s prime motivators in life, extending beyond career and job, follow the acronym APV – the ability to do a job well, the passion to do high-quality work, and the value inherent in his work for others. This work for others transcends the business world into various service and volunteer opportunities, including previously held church roles such as that of deacon; serving at a nursing home through one-on-one visits, playing group games and delivering church sermons; tutoring inner-city students, and packing and delivering meals for the elderly and shut-ins.
Leo van der Aalst holds almost 30 years of IT experience. After having gone through the classic path (from programmer to project manager) Leo has specialized since 1990 in the test field, in which he held positions such as test manager, test consultant and line manager of a test organization.
His knowleEAe and experience in the project- and test management field have been used and developed further during a number of international projects and consultancy trajectories (a.o. in USA, Germany, Denmark, Austria and in the Netherlands).
He was the Development Lead of the ISTQB Foundation and Advanced Agile-Tester Syllabi and professor Software Quality at Fontys University (Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Besides all this Leo is an Agile coach at Sogeti Netherlands and is co-author of the TMap NEXT, TMap NEXT BDTM and TMap NEXT in scrum books.
Finally, Leo is a much sought-after teacher of test training, a regular speaker on national- and international conferences, and he is the author of several articles.
