Robert Kocher Hightower



Director of Information Technology & Consultant, State of NJ Grant (current)
NCADD-NJ (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependance, SAI - Work First Initiative)

Camelot Computers Inc., Founder
www.CamelotComputers.com

The Village of Darkness, Founder
www.TheVillageOfDarkness.com

Fright Times Magazine - Haunted House & Halloween Publication, Owner & Editor (current - on hold)
www.FrightTimes.com

National Haunters Convention & Halloween Show, Owner (2009-2014 - on hold)
www.NationalHauntersConvention.com
www.HalloweenShow.com


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Board of Directors, International Association of Haunted Attractions
(2005-2006)

Honorary Medical Graduate, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (2003 by Dr. Joyce Liporace)

Rutgers University Bachelor of Science Graduate, Industrial and Operations Research Engineering (1995)
- Air Force, College ROTC Training / McGuire AFB Experience (1995, 1996)

Cherry Hill High School West, Cherry Hill, NJ Graduate (1990)
- Air Force, JROTC Training & Mini Boot Camp (1989, 1990)

United States Junior National Chess Championships Champion for Division (1990)


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Robert Kocher grew up primarily, in a loving, single mother household, and learned the value of hard work and a dollar from a very young age. In spite of the financial hardship, Robert found his way to Rutgers University on a partial chess scholarship and ROTC monies. He graduated from Rutgers University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree in Industrial and Operations Research. He was the first student to manage the new computer facility Hill Center Networkfor Rutgers University that was just donated by IBM. This new center was running IBM Dos and the brand new 'Windows 3.0' Operating System by a new company called Microsoft. He performed an internship with Weldotron Corporation in which a time saving facilities layout plan was implemented and utilized on the production floor.

Post college, he worked his way up to vice president of an Electrical Contracting organization in which a profit sharing plan, incentive plan, and anti shrinkage plans were designed and introduced by him. Over a two year period, the workers saw a whopping 50% increase in salary, while the company owners saw increased profit and revenues while experiencing a 40% reduction in loss of material.

It was now the end of 1997, and Robert Kocher decided to form his own company. Thus, was the beginning of Camelot Computers, Inc. For years he specialized in computer hardware and software gaining valuable experience in both building and troubleshooting. As the years past, and the focus of the information technology world changed, so did Robert Kocher. Camelot Computers began to specialize in high end professional websites, and databases.

His skill set grew with design and implementation of complex routers and networks. He also specialized in the design and maintenance of SQL databases and servers. Early works included numerous .ASP front-end databases followed up by later .NET counterparts. Crystal Reports, Microsoft InterDEV and advanced SQL Studio reporting developed into complex online reports in real time.

By 2008, the design and management of numerous large projects were in his portfolio as both a Director and manager of a computer company. In just a few years, over hundreds of thousands of rows of data transactions are flowing through projects designed by Robert Kocher. Database projects include, but are not limited too:

Substance Abuse Initiative, Department of Addiction Services of New Jersey
SARD Development Database, Rutgers University Grant
Electrical Contracting Work Order & Company Database, J.E.M. Electrical Contractors
Driving Under the Influence Initiative (DUII), Department of Health and Human Services
Drug Court Database, Department of Health and Human Services
South Jersey Initiative (SJI), Department of Health and Human Services
American Indian Tribe Database, Tribal Leaders Council of Montana-Wyoming
Families and Schools Together (FAST) Database, City of Philadelphia
Kids N Kin Database, City of Philadelphia

From a Website view of Camelot Computers, they had designed and hosted hundreds of sites. This included a project for a member of the TV Show Nip/Tuck, a leading member of the Sopranos and a website for the former Philadelphia Flyers Captain & Star, Simon' Gagne.

The website division of Camelot Computers Inc continued to grow, and by 2004 had included a large number of clients in the Dark Ride, Halloween, Hayride or Haunted Attraction business. Because of this growing segment, a new company division, The Village of Darkness was formed. The Village of Darkness has evolved into one of the leading Halloween and Website Design companies in the Industry. They are the only company that maintains and hosts both Unix and Windows IIS/SQL servers allowing the fastest flash websites as well as complex programming within the same websites. By 2010, major website were created for Amusement parks such as Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire, or Six Gun City & Waterpark. In 2004, Transworld Show Exhibits chose The Village of Darkness to design a website, as well as host activities for their annual Halloween Professional Tradeshow.

In 2005, Unit 70 was the first Halloween Website to utilize both Unix and Windows advanced features. A complex website with fancy flash and animations, this website also boasted the industries only SQL back-ended system. This system allowed the customers to print a real time catalog online 24 hours a day. In addition, it's "enhanced search engine" allows the user to select Product ID, Name, Category, or even Theme to completely generate the search results based on the desired options of the user. In the beginning of 2008, the latest advances were applied and now users can even print and track their own proposals via a .NET system that also turns those same proposals into invoices. In 2007, The Village of Darkness site, House of Horrors Buffalo was voted the 2nd most scariest website in the entire country by USA Today. At the beginning of 2008, Robert Kocher teamed up with Michael Bruner as a co-partner with the Eastern Haunters Convention. A Halloween and Horror based convention out of Valley Forge, PA. This convention grew into the National Haunters Convention and takes place every Spring "Halfway to Halloween" at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA and later at the Oaks Convention Center in Oaks, PA.. This lasted for six years and was only recently put on hold so that time could be focused on health and family.

He is also the father of two wonderful children, a twin boy and girl, Xevious Hightower and Raven Hightower born on 06/15/2010.

Following his love of Dungeons and Dragons (Original AD&D), as well as his passion for world history, especially medieval history, a surname of Hightower was officially and legally added to his name in 2010 making him Robert Kocher Hightower due to the fact that he had always been told his origins were English, French and Dutch and he had ran into the Hightower surname during research on the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Dungeons and Dragons (1st Edition) continues to be a strong influence in his life and he enjoys the 12th Century Tudor Medieval and Renaissance European Style and theme with both construction and scenic desgin. The kids have enjoyed their annual trips to the local Renaissance Faires.

Robert Kocher Hightower was, and continues to this day to be a huge fan of the 1980's decade, from Music to Movies to Arcade games and still can be caught watching things such as The Goldbergs in his spare time. You can always find him at Retro Conventions or Classic Gaming Shows. Robert Kocher Hightower recently purchased a small brick home (2015) as a result of a financially devastating divorce and has been using his modest construction skills and crazy artistic ideas to turn it into a 12th Century European Tudor Style Cottage/Home for his children's future as part of his legacy.

Robert Kocher Hightower can be contacted via email: Email@RobertKocher.com