What Every Engineer Should Know about Excel

Understanding the powerful computational and graphics capabilities of Microsoft Excel is an enormous benefit to engineers and technical professionals in almost any field and at all levels of experience. What Every Engineer Should Know About Excel is a practical guide to unlocking the features and functions of this program, using examples and screenshots to walk readers through the steps to build a strong understanding of the material. This second edition is updated to reflect the latest version of Excel (2016) and expands its scope to include data management, connectivity to external data sources, and integration with "the cloud" for optimal use of the Excel product. It also introduces the ribbon bar navigation prevalent in Microsoft products beginning with the 2007 version of MS Office. Covering a variety of topics in self-contained chapters, this handy guide will also prove useful for professionals in IT, finance, and real estate.

Blake Holman is Chief Information Officer at St. David’s Foundation in Austin, TX. Blake joined the Foundation in 2015 and is responsible for strategic and operational Information Technology (IT) activities, enhancing the Foundation’s ability to be efficient and effective in fulfilling its mission. Prior to St. David’s Foundation, Blake spent 10 years as the Chief Information Officer of Ryan, LLC, the largest independent Tax Consulting Firm in the world. Blake has over 25 years of experience leading Information Technology Strategy, Development and Operations for several public and private companies in the Consulting, Telecommunications and Financial Services industries.

Blake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University, and a Strategic IT Management Certificate from the Scandinavian International Management Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. Blake is currently working on a Master of Science degree in Information Security and Assurance at Western Governor’s University.

In 2011 and 2012, under Blake's leadership, Ryan, LLC was ranked in the InformationWeek 500 listing of the most innovative business technology companies in the United States. In 2011, Ryan was ranked 130th, and in 2012, Ryan's ranking rose to 98th. In both cases, Ryan was the highest ranked corporate tax services firm on the list. In December 2012, Blake was named by Computerworld magazine as one of its 2013 "Premier 100 IT Leaders." The Computerworld Premier 100 IT recognition is an international lifetime award that shines a spotlight on technology.