ALMA IS THE ONLY COMPANY WHICH HAS THE BUSINESS ORGANISATION COMPARABLE TO THAT OF GENEX DURING THE 80'S

1. FROM A LAW STUDENT TO A PROGRAMMER

I am an IT engineer by profession and I graduated in 1983, when computer engineering was still in its early development. Before IT I had studied law.

I have never had a problem to adjust and change my path if I see that it’s leading me where I would like to go.

During my studies at the Faculty of Law, I realised that I am more inclined to the way of thinking related to mathematics and operations and, therefore, I changed my profession.

In mathematics and programming, it’s either 0 or 1.

Programmers are still in demand, but back then there were few programmers, they were in high demand, respected, and well paid.

2. THE FIRST NETWORK IN TOURISM AT THE RECEPTION DESK OF GENEX HOTELS

I started my career in Genex Kopaonik. There I met Sanče, who worked in marketing. I started working when the hotels were still under construction and when the first PCs arrived.

Our task was to create the first network in tourism at the reception desk of “Konaci” on Kopaonik Mountain.

Energodata Company from Sarajevo made the software, and we were in charge of implementation and customization. The program enabled receptionists to enter data into the database and to book and allocate rooms to guests. The first hotel in Serbia in which the software was implemented was Konaci Sunčani vrhovi, opened for the New Year’s Eve in 1987. The work on the project required living on site, so I rarely visited Belgrade. We worked in one hotel and as soon as it was opened, we would move to another hotel that was under construction. My business engagement ended in 1989, when the last complexes were opened and when the network maintenance did not require full-time work.

Kopaonik, Konaci Sunčani vrhovi, now Angella Residence. Source: http://www.travelmarket.co.rs/zimovanje/srbija/223-kopaonik-konaci-suncani-vrhovi-angella-residence

3. YUGOTOURS AND THE FIRST IT CONGRESS IN SERBIA

In 1989 I started working in Yugotours. Just to explain to younger readers, then Yugotours was the biggest tour operator for the Adriatic Sea, the second in Europe by sale of package tours for the Adriatic Sea, with representative offices in Moscow, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Vienna, Frankfurt, New York ...

Yugotours Brochure. Source:https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/360/0312/01/vintage-yugotours-1991-hoilday_360_7b96ba67cd9a6d365e843979750311ec.jpg

I was the computer centre manager, but I also trained the staff to work on PC computers, in DOS, text processors, I developed programs for different sectors, etc.

One of the tasks was to make the booking software network of all Yugotours sale centres in Europe, just like we did on Kopaonik, but the project was discontinued in 1991, since it was not possible to sell package tours for the Adriatic Sea, except for Montenegro. I stayed in that company until 1993.

As from 1995 I was the manager of Sky Pass travel agency, which specialised in congress tourism. What’s important for this business is the excellent organisation of a large number of people and multi-tasking.

One of the most significant projects was the first IT congress in the country, which was held in 1995 on Brezovica Mountain and attended by professionals from ex-Yugoslav republics and Europe. The congress is still organised on a regular basis.

I left the job in 1996, when my daughter was born, because I no longer wanted to be on the road and absent so often.

My following business engagements included catering companies, catalogue making for Greek salesmen, software development and implementation for Dom Sindikata (Trade Union Hall) and SKC (Student Cultural Centre), managing a shop in Golsvordijeva Street, and assisting in film production.

I took part in the production of films “Munje”(“Thunderbirds” or “Dudes”) and “Kada porastem biću kengur” (“When I grow up, I’ll be a Kangaroo”).

4. SPLENDID HOTEL AND THE VOYAGE OF MY LIFE

My affinity for tourism is a family trait. My family owned Splendid Hotel in Belgrade, and the hotel was nationalised in 1948. The plot and the building of the hotel were returned to my family a few years ago.

Source: https://mreza.rs/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/TV-Mreza-838pr02-1024x576.jpg

Although I worked in tourism, the travel that changed my life was a trip to Uganda, only when I turned 50. For those 3 months I cleared my thoughts, I saw the source of the River Nile, visited Lake Victoria, went on a safari, and assisted my friends. I came back with a fresh perspective.

5. ALMA QUATTRO

In 1996 Sanče called me and said that Alma needed the software for their records of sold (rented) media, billboards, and citylights. There was also an idea to make records of warehouse operations, payment operations, and the telephone book, but the project was never finished; it wasn’t necessary since the network was small.

At that time Alma Quattro had 150 media, while today it has over 4400 media.

The first program of that kind in Alma Quattro was developed many years later.

I have been in Alma Quattro for less than 10 years, and my work in the company began in 2009, when my task was to make a tour of the entire network in Serbia and to enter coordinates of all the media into the digital map. I had a very good cooperation with colleagues, we easily made agreements and carried out the agreed work, so after the completion of the project, which had lasted nine months, I was pleased to continue our cooperation. Afterwards I photographed bus stops as evidence for clients about their campaign installation, measured the distance between the advertising media and schools, polling stations, etc. I currently work as a courier, but I also work on database updates, procurement, media photographing, and other things required for good functioning of the system.

I worked in many companies and on many large-scale and small-scale projects, and I can affirm that Alma Quattro is the only company which has the business organisation comparable to that of Genex during the 80’s.