We make a difference in a person's life through education using breakthrough technology.
CompTIA and TestOut have joined forces, accelerating the shared goal of empowering millions of students.
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From our humble beginnings in the 1990s to where we are today, learn what has helped us make a difference for over 30 years.
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Noel Vallejo
CEO
Noel Vallejo is TestOut's visionary architect. In this capacity he leads the Company's strategic initiatives, identifies market opportunities, and drives product direction. Vallejo incorporated TestOut in 1991 with the vision of combining interactive training curriculum with information technology to develop tools that would improve the way people learn and retain information. This experienced-based training (EBT) remains the foundation that all of TestOut's solutions stem from. Prior to founding TestOut, Vallejo worked as a market analyst at Novell Education. His expertise in interpreting market needs have been instrumental in the creation and continued growth of TestOut's technology. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Don Whitnah
President
As President, Don Whitnah is responsible for the effective execution of TestOut's mission and vision. His work is to carry out Noel's vision, ensure the success of TestOut customers, take care of TestOut employees, and grow the business. Prior to joining TestOut, Don graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master's in Instructional Design and created courses in Railroad Operations for Salt Lake Community College and NetWare/AS400 integration for IBM. Joining TestOut in 1997, he helped in the release of their first computer-based training course (NetWare 4.11). Over the next 13 years, he worked on dozens of courses, created hundreds of hands-on lab exercises, wrote thousands of test prep and certification questions, and passed nearly 50 industry certification exams leading to an alphabet soup of IT certifications. After a brief stint leading TestOut Marketing, Don returned to Product Development where he was instrumental in creating TestOut's skill certifications, developing our Microsoft Office course, and assembling a team to create localized versions of our products. He then took on the role of Executive Vice President, evaluating the organization and operation of all TestOut operations.
Ladd Timpson
Vice President & Executive Leadership Board
As a vice president and member of the TestOut Executive Leadership Board, Ladd provides guidance, insights and direction on key sales, marketing, and product initiatives for the company’s growth strategy. He is an accomplished and industry-recognized marketing and channel executive who brings 27 years of experience in leading teams that support revenue growth. Prior to joining the company, he served in numerous product management, product marketing and channel executive positions at Novell, NetIQ, and SUSE. He played a major role in introducing many NetWare products to the market and built the channel, certification, and sustaining marketing activities that led to their worldwide market acceptance. In 2005 and 2006, he was recognized by VARBusiness as one of the Top 75 Channel Executives in the industry, and in 2006, he was featured on the cover of VARBusiness as a top channel trailblazer. Ladd earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from Utah State University.
Ken Sardoni
Vice President, Course Development
Ken Sardoni has enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education and the IT industry. Prior to joining TestOut, he held executive management IT positions at Oracle Corporation and Steton Technology Group. Additionally, he held academic leadership, curriculum development, and faculty appointments at the University of Denver and the University of Phoenix. His role at TestOut is to guide course development teams as they create TestOut's technology training products. He combines his extensive experience in technology and education to create online training products that help students gain valuable technical skills and abilities that they can use to pass industry certification exams and qualify for careers in the IT industry. He earned a master's degree in computer information systems from the University of Denver and a bachelor's degree in computer science from BYU.
Nate Garner
Chief Technology Officer
Nate Garner leads TestOut's IT and Engineering departments. Our engineers create world-class simulation, training and assessment platforms. Nate became a TestOut software engineer in 2001, when TestOut's training products were delivered on compact disc. Nate helped transition TestOut products to DVD delivery and then Internet delivery. Nate led TestOut's engineers through several development language transitions from Delphi to C#, initially using Windows Forms and then WPF. Today, TestOut's technologies are created with HTML5 and TypeScript. Prior to serving as CTO, Nate held the roles VP of Engineering, Director of Engineering, Architect, Lead developer, software engineer. Along the way, Nate returned to school to earn a bachelor's degree in IT from Western Governors University. He now holds several certifications, including A+, Linux+, Project+, Security+, CCNA, CIW Web Design Specialist, CIW JavaScript Specialist, and CIW Database Design Specialist.
Neil Maxwell
Vice President, Software Engineering
Neil Maxwell is in charge of TestOut’s software engineering and quality assurance teams, ensuring the delivery of top-flight educational software to information technology students and industry professionals. Neil has worked at TestOut for more than 20 years, with his entire tenure devoted to perfecting the company’s hands-on online learning products. Neil holds CompTIA’s A+ and Linux+ certifications and received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science from Southern Utah University. Along with Kathy Chen-Wright and Nate Garner, Neil holds U.S. patent US7523127B2, “System and method for a hierarchical database management system for educational training and competency testing simulations.”
Our mission is to make a difference in a person’s life through education using breakthrough technology. TestOut Corporation has helped hundreds of thousands of students gain critical certifications, knowledge, and job skills by providing the most true-to-life IT simulation training ever created. We make it possible for students to enhance their earning potential and we give them self-confidence that leads to lifelong success. This is our cause and why we come to work excited every day.
Our work environment is unique... In a good way! We work hard, we smile harder! We don’t just talk about it; we make sure employees have work/life balance. We adhere to a set of values that we believe lead to lasting happiness and success. We believe employees should thrive, not just survive. Our goal is that every employee goes home with a sense of accomplishment every day.
We hire great people. We expect great things from everyone. You should expect TestOut to take great care of you and your family, and we do!
