The 1st Class Media team
Staff at 1st Class Media
Mark Lawson, Director + Web Application Specialist
A Graduate of Life Sciences, Mark worked in the Respiratory Medicine Department at Edinburgh University for 10 years before starting 1st Class Media in 2001.
Developing on a passing interest in web design, Mark moved into the field of dynamic, data-driven website development offering the relatively new concept of self-management of client websites, thereby creating an added-value service to new and existing client relationships.
Working in Windows environments has allowed Mark to gain an insight into the wider role that in-house databases can offer clients expanding into intranet and extranet developments using existing management systems to allow clients to extend the usability of existing software and solutions.
Not one to let the world pass him by Mark is now "learning" PHP, mySQL and other new-fangled technologies.
Dawn Lawson, Director + Database Developer
Dawn set up the sister company of 1st Class Secretarial Services in the Summer of 1998 and has developed an enviable portfolio of dictation clients, particularly with the advent of digital sound recordings and audio transcription technologies.
1st Class Secretarial Services now has 3 full time staff members and some 14 associate transcriptionists offering a 24/7 service for clients in a number of business and academic sectors.
Dawn has extensive knowledge of Microsoft Access and has developed database solutions for a variety of clients including: Edinburgh University, Napier University, Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and Macsween of Edinburgh amongst others.
With a keen sense of user-based design, Dawn offers a fresh perspective to database development - that of the end-user. Having been an end user for many years she adopts a position of "well, how would a user want it to work?" which is frequently the reason we are asked to create weird and wonderful applications for an interesting array of clients.
Selina Rae, Administrator
Selina manages the transcription assignments, data submission for clients and provides a copy typing service for the numerous clients who have copy to enter for websites.
With 19 years secretarial experience, predominantly within the legal sector Selina is also the first port of contact for telephone calls and enquiries for both companies.
Andrew Cetnarskyj, Graphic Designer + erstwhile developer
Andy joined 1st Class Media after graduating with a 2:1 in Product Design ("I was robbed") at Napier University. Following a short time running his own company, Gunk Design, Andy decided that he wanted experience dealing with clients and working in a larger team and has added tremendous value to the output of the websites, logos and stationery we offer to clients.
His enthusiasm for learning web development skills has driven him towards a comprehensive working knowledge of PHP and mySQL, hence the additional title of developer (although the term design-oper may be more accurate)
Andy's alter-ego Andy Opel can also be seen every 2nd weekend at Diskokitten, a club night at the ever-popular Berlin venue at the West End of Edinburgh.
Anne Morton, Administrator/Transcriptionist
Anne joined us in 2006 after working part-time for a chartered accountancy practice and used to work at home as a freelance proofreader and copy editor. Now working full-time for 1st Class Anne continues providing a valuable proofreading and editing client projects.
Anne works with Selina offering data submission, digital transcription and copy typing for all our clients (and us!).
Bob Foreman, Application Developer
Bob joined us in March 2008, with a wealth of experience developing PHP applications for clients whilst based within an interior design company in Edinburgh. His experience of XHTML, PHP, Flash and Actionscript will be a positive boon to us and in turn our clients.
John Guthrie, Freelance Application Developer
John graduated from Abertay University with a degree in Website Design & Development and knows everything there is to know about web technologies (much to our relief) and frequently offers snippets "hmm, I have some code which does that".
John has offered a wealth of experience in PHP and ASP development and has recently rebuilt the 1st Class Secretarial Services website to offer an enhanced file manager system for Dawn's clients.
Latest Project
Niblick Golf Design
Internationally renowned Golf Course Designers with designs in Europe, UK and the Middle East.
website link