Experienced Team

The CEO

Ben Bassi, founder and CEO of CommonPlaces, is a seasoned Internet veteran and marketing executive. As one of the first business executives of Lycos, Bassi was responsible for creating many of the first portal traffic agreements in the industry, and licensing the Lycos portal technology to over 35 companies internationally. Bassi also directed Lycos' joint venture with Bertelsmann, publishing over 50 Internet books. Ben Bassi’s Internet experience dates back to the early ‘90s, when as VP of North America for Object Design he directed several projects for IBM and the federal government. His first Internet project was developing a command and control center used by the Armed Services in Desert Storm with SAIC. Object Design became one of the fastest growing companies in the country ranked number one on 1994’s “INC. 500” List.

The Team

Michael Reich

Vice President

How did you get into web development?

I originally began my career selling computer hardware for a very large company, but wanted to get into software development sales. There is just a lot more you can do with software these days. Hardware takes too long to solve a problem. Software development lets you solve complex problems with simple solutions very quickly.

Were you a developer transformed into a sales person?

Actually, I think it might be starting to be the other way around. I’ve been in sales for nearly 15 years. I tend to figure out what the client wants and translate that to our development team. Every client I meet, I like to figure out how their business works, and then try to completely solve their problem, whatever it may be.

Why did you choose CommonPlaces to call home?

CommonPlaces gives you the freedom to want to be successful. The environment here doesn’t push you to make quotas or sales numbers, so that reflects in our client relationships. We understand we might not be for every business, but for the ones that are a right fit, we put everything into making them as successful as possible.
Jim

Marketing Manager

What’s it like working so closely with a web development team?

It’s really fun. You learn a ton. They have their own language that I am starting to get the hang of, but I'm still way off. My Nerf dart accuracy and velocity still needs a lot of work too.

Do marketing and web development relate closely with each other?

They’re closer than you might think actually. A website is your business’s face to the online world. It’s sometimes the first impression people have of your business. If your website doesn’t work properly or looks bad, then that’s a bad first impression and first impressions are everything.

Whats the best part of working at CommonPlaces?

Every one is extremely good at what they do, but also really laid back. It’s like every one is a "Tom Brady". You can tell they’re all really good at what they do, but they give credit to the team instead of themselves. It’s an extremely humbling atmosphere.

Are you really Superman?

Shhhh. Burritos are my Kryptonite.
Georgia

Project Manager

So what do you do at CommonPlaces?

I am the Project Manager. I make sure things run smoothly and people know what they have to get done to meet deadlines. One of the most important things in a web development project are time and cost. You have to make sure you satisfy a client while working within a given time frame while under budget.

A Web Development project seems very hard to manage, is it?

At times it can get pretty hectic, but we have a system in place. It’s really perfect for making every client fully satisfied. Also, all of the engineers have a real passion for what they do. It’s not hard to get them motivated about any project. The company is very much like a family, no one is really above any one.

What’s your alter ego?

I would say I am very much a ninja. The term gets overused sometimes, but I actually have a black belt in martial arts. As a project manager you have to have the ability to do a lot of things behind the scenes to make sure the engineers know their priorities and stay focused. It’s a lot of work, but I love my job and the people I work with.
Bill

Internet Engineer

Were you born with code automatically built into your brain?

No, not necessarily. Like anybody, I had to work at it. Web development wasn’t exactly where I thought I’d end up, but it’s certainly something I found I am really good at.

You must have a real high technology mindset coming from Boston.

Being immersed in Boston and the culture really does drive you to be on the cutting edge of things. That really reflects to our culture at CommonPlaces. We never stick with just one technology. We’re always working with new tools that come out. I would hate it if I always had to stick to working with one thing every day.

Do you believe variety is the spice of life?

That’s why I enjoy working at CommonPlaces. No two days are ever the same. When I walk in every day, its really a completely new journey or problem we have to tackle, so it takes a lot of tools to do that.

Is that why you have a bunch of candy on your desk? Is that for anybody that stops by?

No, that candy is just for me. Elderly person candy is definite weakness of mine.
Dan

Internet Engineer

RAWR!

Were you scared? Tell me honestly.
Eric

Internet Engineer

Why web development?

I wanted to make video games when I was a kid. I found I had an affinity for coding. When Al Gore created the internet, I used my passion for coding to start a career out of it.

Why CommonPlaces?

Being a developer, I always love being challenged. Doing the same thing over and over again tends to get boring. At CommonPlaces, we always have new clients looking to do brand new things, and that’s always exciting for me. I love conquering a new mountain, then moving to the next and doing it again.

Are you a geek or a nerd?

I'd consider myself a geek. Geeks are passionate, and some find enjoyment in making things. In my spare time, I'm using an Arduino board to build an automated cat feeder.

That sounds pretty nerdy.

It is, but I still find time to work on my social skills.
John

Internet Engineer

Have you always wanted to be in web development?

I actually bounced around a few industries before getting my degree in Computer Science. I’ve been an insurance investigator, a ski bum in Colorado, a terrible real estate investor, and I’ve probably delivered more pizzas than Papa John himself.

Do web developers just sit behind a computer all day?

No, not at all. I actually gave up television, and I try to read a lot. On my average night at home I don't even turn the computer on if I can help it. I like to get outdoors and go camping, and I love spending time with my dog Gus (a 135lb Newfoundland). Developers can get stereotyped sometimes, but sometimes we're the complete opposite. As for in the workplace, we have to do a lot of planning and have to attend meetings to make sure things are moving in the right direction and that we are going to meet client expectations. There’s a lot of white boarding, writing, and other tasks involved too.

Whats the best part of the CommonPlaces office?

The people, without them it would just be a bunch of walls and a door.
Lemu

Internet Engineer

You're originally from Brazil, are there big differences with design and development?

Yes and no. Working with the internet, you have to have a very global mindset. The internet is really what connects all the cultures together. Everybody uses a lot of the same tools but in different ways.

What made you come to Commonplaces?

I love to travel and see new things. Travelling adds new stories. They enrich your life from being able to experience new cultures. I also get to learn a lot. Being able to think across different cultures really adds a whole different dimension to your work and design.

How do you like New England?

The weather can get pretty rough. Snow is completely overrated. I am used to a little warmer climate. As for the people, every one is smart and well educated. Everyone really welcomes you. It's also a very collaborative atmosphere up here. It's especially true for the team at Commonplaces.
Matt

Internet Engineer

So this is your passion?

Yup, I have a passion for both high tech and old world technology. During the day I build virtual engines that solve problems in the cloud, while my downtime is spent repairing on an old farm house. Working with your hands and mind to solve a problem is always rewarding.

What’s the best part of the team here at CommonPlaces?

It's the pure talent we have here. From my years in the industry, I have not met a team of developers more passionate or dedicated to their craft. We don't bicker or argue over sports teams, or politics like some offices might. Mostly we're talking about the different ways of solving a certain problem. We can get into it, but in the end its great for the finished product, because of the passion behind our views.

What’s something a lot people don’t know about you?

I’m originally from England. I even had an accent in my youth. But it went away over time. People kept asking if I was on vacation... even though I lived here.
Mike

Internet Engineer

How long have you been at CommonPlaces? Seems like you have some history here.

I’ve been here for a number of years. CommonPlaces has always had a great history with web development, I’ve always been very proud of being a part of that.

What makes CommonPlaces different now, than from back then?

I think our team right now really works together seamlessly. We ask for help from each other when we try to figure things out. No one has a say over any one else because we all have a tremendous amount of earned respect from one another.

So do you have a career outside of web development?

I think my wife and I both feel like we each have two full-time jobs, taking care of our four (amazing!) children. But as they say, sleep is overrated. I also broadcast and write about NCAA Division I hockey -- I've helped to start two major sites that cover the sport and in 2011, I received the Joe Concannon Media Award from Hockey East. That was a tremendous honor -- but even that doesn't begin to compare to what it means to be a Dad.

Our Story

Who we are

CommonPlaces e-Solutions is a web development and strategic planning firm that’s been putting businesses and organizations online since 1998.

We’re no strangers to the web, and will take on any new challenge. We provide solutions that fit your needs, budget and timeline, and the guidance to bring you online success.

History

CommonPlaces was originally founded in 1998 to provide hosted, Web-based solutions to over 250 colleges and universities. CommonPlaces developed sites such as SixDegrees.com (creating the technology that became the basis of LinkedIn.com), Teen.com, and MyBytes.com (an early precursor to sites like Facebook).

In 2003, CommonPlaces re-emerged as a premier open source development firm. Today, CommonPlaces has evolved into an organization with experience in successfully delivering solutions to businesses and organizations of all sizes.

Our name

The name “CommonPlaces” stems from the Boston Commons, located near our original office in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Commons’ famous gazebo inspired our original logo, which has since been retired in 2011. The Boston Commons represents a central location for citizens of all backgrounds to meet, and we build such venues on the web: common places for people to gather.

About our logo

Every web project has different challenges and potential roadblocks. The CommonPlaces approach is designed to minimize risk, and our process helps clients navigate the twists and turns in a fluid manner, leading you on the path to online success.

Partners

Acquia

Acquia is a commercial open source software company that provides products, services, and technical support for the Drupal social publishing system. Acquia aims to promote the use of Drupal by contributing to the advancement of the core technology. While also providing offerings that simplify the use and management of Drupal websites. Acquia was founded by Dries Buytaert, the original leader of the Drupal Project, and Jay Batson, founder of PingTel. CommonPlaces works together with Acquia to provide enterprise level Remote Site Admin, Application Maintenance, and Traditional and Cloud Hosting services for our clients.

Volacci

Volacci is a Drupal SEO and Internet marketing company committed to becoming the world leader in Internet marketing solutions. Volacci's Team are experienced and well rounded professionals that come from deep internet marketing backgrounds, as well as website development. Their deep background provides insight and strategy to optimizing any Drupal site search ranking. This helps optimize a marketing strategy in increasing the visibility and conversion rate of users to the site, therefore increasing the overall return on investment for any website development project.

Brightcove

CommonPlaces is an experienced partner and integrator of Brightcove Content Delivery Network service. As the leading video platform, Brightcove has everything you need to succeed with monetizing online video through innovative advertising, TV Everywhere and catch-up TV solutions and new paid media alternatives. CommonPlaces has implemented Drupal-Brightcove solutions for a variety of clients.

Merchant Warehouse

Merchant Warehouse was founded on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase merchant accounts at a reasonable price while being backed by great service. No other company has higher satisfaction or retention rates from its long rich history. Simply put, Merchant Warehouse does not hide any costs in providing your e-Commerce site with a merchant account. CommonPlaces is an Affiliate Partner which is why we can promise that we will be able to provide you with the ideal solution for your specific needs at a reasonable cost.