Leslie “Les” R. Barfield Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who

Prior to his retirement in 2017, Mr. Barfield held diverse roles that showcased his adaptability and versatility across different sectors, providing clients with a range of services.

YARDLEY, PA, June 20, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Leslie “Les” R. Barfield with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Barfield celebrates many years’ experience in his professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. Barfield has established a distinguished career in software engineering, marked by significant contributions and achievements. Prior to his retirement in 2017, he held diverse roles that showcased his adaptability and versatility across different sectors, providing clients with a range of services. Most recently, he worked as a freelance software contractor in the music industry, assisting a pro music web station broadcaster.

Mr. Barfield’s professional trajectory commenced at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), where he initially served as a software engineer from 1979 to 1988. In this capacity, he was part of a team that pioneered internal remote service systems for major digital diagnostic centers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In 1982, he was promoted to senior software engineer and joined the international division in repair system logistics in 1988, introducing barcoding and personally installing and training staff in Sydney, Tokyo and Canada until 1990. Finally, in the period between 1991 and 1994, he worked on the team responsible for developing network management for DEC’s latest workstations.

Such proprietary modern networks were a huge advantage for DEC at that time, as acoustic modems were still prevalent for the general public. Mr. Barfield’s work in this area underscored his ability to innovate and adapt to emerging technologies. Additionally, his customer service engineering within the same corporation further expanded his skill set and allowed him to gain valuable experience in addressing client needs.

Mr. Barfield later reprised his SNMP network management specialty at two other companies. In 1994, he joined 3COM Inc., contributing as a senior software engineer in their token ring division for two years before advancing to the elite 3COM switching division, where he remained from 1996 to 1998. During his time in the switching division, he received recognition for his work on Status Watch for Microsoft Windows. The product was first developed by his friend on a UNIX (now Linux) system and was notably used by major Wall Street firms using 3COM gear. Moreover, the Windows Status Watch was awarded Best Network Management Product of the Year.

Mr. Barfield was directed to make the UNIX version of Status Watch mimic the Windows version using the Bristol MFC porting tool. Major 3COM corporate assets and consultants had failed to achieve this, but Mr. Barfield personally developed a novel bypass, resulting in a successful dual Unix-Windows Status Watch release.

Mr. Barfield’s career continued to flourish as he took on the role of senior software engineer at Mapletree Networks from 1998 to 1999 before joining Springtide Networks as a contractor and then team engineer in network management from 2000 to 2003. His tenure at Springtide was marked by significant achievements. Notable among these was his development of a vital network configuration editor for a large team of pioneer hardware engineers, an effort that culminated in Springtide Networks’ start-up being acquired by Lucent for $1.5 billion in 2000.

In preparation for his career, Mr. Barfield earned a solid educational foundation. He received a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College and a Master of Science in computer science from Columbia University Engineering School in 1979, equipping him with advanced knowledge that propelled his career forward.

Throughout his career, Mr. Barfield has been recognized for his meticulous attention to quality and ability to develop intuitive, fail-free user interfaces. His professional journey has also been influenced by several key figures who played a pivotal role during transitional periods in his career. Reflecting on a very fulfilling career, Mr. Barfield’s contributions have left an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps.

About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, http://www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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