About Digitec Interactive and Knowledge Direct

ABOUT

ABOUT DIGITEC INTERACTIVE

Our Story

Digitec Interactive has been a pioneer in digital technology since 1988, when Jack Sherdel opened the Digitec corporate headquarters in Orlando, Florida with a simple idea: to combine creative, professional production with digital technology.

The internet opened up new opportunities for education and training during the 1990s, and the Digitec staff was quick to leverage this new media. When computer-based training was still in its infancy, Digitec was the pioneer in eLearning technologies. In 1999, Jack Sherdel partnered with Jack McGrath – a digital media producer with a strong background in new media marketing and eLearning design and development.

In the early 2000s, Digitec released Knowledge Direct® — an innovative Learning Management System (LMS) that enabled users to easily create, maintain, administer, market, and sell online education. Over the years, we’ve stayed on the leading edge of interactive learning experiences and today, we are nationally recognized for our innovative learning design and development.

Where We’ve Been

When Jack Sherdel started Digitec, we began a long relationship with The Walt Disney Company, specifically Walt Disney World in Orlando. Digitec began by supplying digital technology to the Magic Kingdom for audio and video postproduction. And so, the name “Digital” “Technology” or Digitec came about.

Since then, Digitec Interactive has worked with some of the world’s leading companies and organizations, brining innovation to transform learning and change lives. Here are some of the industry firsts Digitec is responsible for:

  • First mobile learning content creation platform for cell phones and Palm OS devices (Knowledge Direct PDA)
  • First PowerPoint conversion app with game-based integration (Direct-to-Web)
  • First to use Chromadepth 3D in an immersive learning game

Where We’re Going

Transformation is the driving principle behind Digitec’s growth. Today, Digitec is a thriving software development company, best known for the popular learning management system, Knowledge Direct.

But tomorrow is another day, and another chance to transform learning to change lives. That’s why we’ve transformed our award-winning LMS into a learning management platform (LMP). With the new Knowledge Direct Platform, Knowledge Direct gives administrators all the features they’ve come to expect from our robust LMS with new opportunities for social engagement, integrations, customizations, and consistent upgrades and add-ons. As a platform rather than just an LMS, Knowledge Direct will have the ability to adapt to the needs of organizations by adding new features, services, and upgrades so their learning needs will be supported today, tomorrow, and into the future.

How We’re Getting There

At Digitec Interactive, we strive to create truly transformative learning experiences. How are we different? We combine our award-winning technology with an in-house staff of experts in adult learning to provide personalized customer service and technical assistance. We also provide a community forum and checklists to assist with educational content creation to make sure you succeed.

Not ready to create your own content? Digitec’s content developers have the design and adult learning expertise to create continuing education courses that engage learners while meeting all objectives and requirements.

Additionally, the Knowledge Direct platform is one of the only WCAG 2.0 and ADA 508 compliant LMS platforms on the market, bringing transformative learning experiences to EVERYONE, because we believe in life-long learning for every learner, everywhere.

To find out how you can transform learning at your organization, contact us for more information or schedule a demo today.

MEET OUR TEAM

Jack Sherdel

Jack holds a BS Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He has more than 35 years of experience in the media production industry.

 

Jack became Chief Engineer for ODO Studios in NYC seven years before moving to San Juan Puerto Rico. Jack became President and partner of Ochoa Recording Company, Puerto Rico’s largest media production company. Leaving Puerto Rico in 1988, Jack founded Digitec Inc. in Orlando, Florida.

 

Since 1988, Digitec Inc. has produced television commercials, syndicated television programs, and movies. Since 2000, Jack has launched Digitec’s foray into software development, with the development of applications for sales & marketing and eLearning.

Jack McGrath

Jack is President and Creative Director of Digitec Interactive. For the last fifteen years, he has worked exclusively in digital media, specializing in eLearning. He has been an instructional designer, producer and multimedia developer.

 

Jack has won several awards, including the Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning award. Jack is also a nationally-recognized speaker on game-based learning and conducted seminars and workshops all across the nation.

 

He holds a B.A. in English and a Master of Liberal Arts from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He teaches Ancient/Classical and 20th Century Humanities as Distance Learning courses, and has written 24 stage plays, including 15 full productions.

David Womble

David is Vice President and Art Director of Digitec Interactive. Since joining Digitec in 2001, David has been responsible for managing the staff and the artistic vision of Digitec, as well as ensuring a high caliber design for all client projects.

 

Since 1993, David has designed and developed hundreds of web sites, CD-ROMs, DVDs, kiosks and web applications. He has won multiple awards, including an Ardy for his work with Starwood Vacation Ownership and the Society for Technical Communication’s Distinguished Technical Communication Award, at the international level, for his work with Lockheed Martin.

 

An avid photographer and sculptor, David graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. in Graphic Arts.

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Mary Lefaiver

When she joined Digitec in 2014, Mary Lefaiver brought 20 years of experience in the corporate world with her. She has previously worked for multiple Fortune 500 companies in roles ranging from Instructional Designer to Manager of Visual Communications. A contributor to multiple published works related to learning and technology, Mary has also presented at national and international educational conferences. Mary holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University.

Jonathan Fore

Since arriving at Digitec in 2007, Jonathan has been responsible for the Knowledge Direct application offerings, including new development, ongoing maintenance, and client support. Jonathan’s responsibilities also include Digitec’s web hosting and internal IT infrastructure.

 

After serving in the military, Jonathan began a career in the information technology industry. During this time, Jon focused on infrastructure security, becoming an expert for law enforcement agencies and an expert witness in trial proceedings involving computer crimes. He spent a year serving with the National Infrastructure Security Council, a technological branch of Homeland Security.

 

Jonathan is a decorated war veteran, as well as a published photographer and fiction author.