John Baier is Director of Software Architecture, Rockwell Automation.  In this position, Baier leads efforts to integrate Rockwell Automation’s substantial portfolio of software products so that they work better together and provide maximum customer value.   Baier joined Allen-Bradley, now part of Rockwell Automation, in 1986 as a software engineer in the Communications Business where he lead the development of several standards based communications products for integrating factory floor controls. In 1992, Baier was appointed senior project manager working in the windows software group, and was named Software Development Manager in 1994 of the newly formed Rockwell Software subsidiary.  In 1998 he was named Business Unit Manager for the Rockwell Software Communications Business and held several business management positions until becoming Director of Software Architecture in 2004.  Today his responsibilities include leadership in technology partnerships, driving common infrastructure throughout the FactoryTalk integrated production suite, and coordinating company-wide intellectual property management in the area of software technologies.   Current focus areas include driving the FactoryTalk suite products toward Web 2.0 technologies and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to allow customers to achieve business results faster with a lower total cost of ownership. Baier earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, U.S., in 1985.