Joel Shore combines his experience in retail, banking, data processing, programming, and systems analysis with his award-winning industry insight to develop custom editorial content of impeccable quality.

Joel is editor-in-chief of Reference Guide Inc., a professional services firm that develops high-quality custom editorial content for technology companies, publications, retail chains, and other media outlets. He is also a popular speaker at industry events, vendor sales meetings, trade shows, and seminars.

Prior to founding Reference Guide, Joel was editor-in-chief of ITworld.com, the IDG Web site for IT executives. But he is best known as the founder and longtime award-winning director of the Computer Reseller News Test Center. And yes, it was Joel Shore who first had the guts to publish a review calling Microsoft's Office 95, "a hoax." Two years later, he pronounced Office 97 "a triumph."

Joel has published hundreds of product reviews, penned an influential opinion column, and is the author of more than a dozen books on personal computing. He has been a guest on television and radio shows, has hosted Internet Webcasts, and is in demand as an entertaining speaker, known for his in-your-face, contrarian opinions. His on-stage antics at Comdex, PC Expo, and other trade shows are the stuff of legend.

Joel also served as senior systems analyst at a major Northeastern bank, as director of point-of-sale systems for two national retail chains, as a programmer/analyst, and as a retail merchandise planner. He holds multiple degrees from the University of Connecticut.