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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