Meet the Team

Jesse Kranz brings 30 years of technology experience to AjaxChess.com, along with a B.S. in Computer & Electrical Engineering and an M.B.A. in Finance (magna cum laude). He served as a Captain in the United States Air Force and was deployed as a Combat Communications Officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle.

Chess has been central to Jesse's life since fourth grade. By junior high he was training under one of the nation's most successful scholastic coaches, working with three master-rated coaches, and competing daily. From 8th through 12th grade he ranked among the top 35 scholastic players in the United States, and in eighth grade won both the Minnesota Open and Closed tournaments for players rated under 2000.

In high school, Jesse ran an elementary chess club at his former school and mentored a dyslexic second grader in special education. By having him record his moves after every game, Jesse helped build the focus and discipline that contributed to the student rising to first in math and moving into mainstream English within a year.

"Chess has shaped the way I think and lead. It taught me strategic planning, pattern recognition, emotional control under pressure, and the importance of preparation."

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Richard Cross is the co-founder of Regis Consulting and FiberXL. His career spans software architecture, DevOps, and data science at organizations including Bank of America, HERE Technologies, and Truepill. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Richard first launched Minesweeper.org in 1999.

William Murray is the Chief Technology Officer of AjaxChess.com and co-founder of FiberXL, where he has served as system and database administrator and managed IT operations. Previously a data scientist at Analytic Innovations working on the Discover Card Fee Products account, Bill holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Indiana University and postdoctoral research experience at the ZEUS experiment.