John W. Scherer helped launch a company that sold PCs to small dealers. He came up with the concept for Video Professor after realizing there was a larger need for teaching computer skills than there was for selling computers. At that time, he began charting a new course for his career.
Video Professor, Inc. is founded. John W. Scherer produced his first educational videotape, Introduction to DOS, and coined his unique "What-You-See-Is-What-You-Do" teaching method. His videotapes were sold at trade shows and in retail stores.
John W. Scherer films his first infomercial, which in turn increased product sales significantly.
Video Professor's tutorial library was increased greatly when John W. Scherer realized the consumer demand for computer education was growing as an overall dependency on computers intensified. John W. Scherer also began offering consumers a free lesson of their choice.
John W. Scherer began producing his tutorials on CD-ROM as well as videotape.
CD-ROM tutorials began to outsell videotapes.
John W. Scherer launched Video Professor Online™, which allowed customers to access the entire tutorial library online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Video Professor's Personal Internet Security is launched.
This product included firewall and virus protection software and was a result of
John W. Scherer's growing concern over the rise of identity theft.
John also introduced his Learn Photoshop® tutorial and won an award for its production.
To aid in the advancement of computer literacy, John W. Scherer made a substantial tutorial
donation to the Peace Corps and Chickasaw Nation. And for our U.S. military personnel serving abroad,
John W. Scherer developed a computer education resource.
John W. Scherer donated $270,000 in Video Professor Online memberships to schools
in Modesto, California so that students in the Modesto area would have free access to
computer tutorials at any time.
Video Professor won an award for its Learn PowerPoint® and Learn the Internet tutorials.
John W. Scherer is approved to offer his product to United States government entities for their training purposes.
Video Professor added a resource library to its web site, which included software tips and tricks
along with helpful articles on a variety of topics such as career development, education, and computers.
Because eBay® has become the world's biggest marketplace and consistently ranks as one of the most frequented web sites on the Internet today, Video Professor introduced a tutorial teaching people to "Learn
eBay®." The lessons teach various skills including placing bids, using PayPal®, creating a seller’s account and setting up an eBay store. Virtually anything can be purchased or sold on eBay, and the Video Professor tutorial arms users with all the necessary skills.
For the past 12 years, Celebrity Fight Night has raised more than $38 million to support the Muhammad Ali Parkinson
Center at Barrow Neurological Institute. John W. Scherer showed his support for this wonderful organization by donating $100,000.
Feeling an obligation to provide young drivers with resources, information and encouragement in order to help them make better
driving decisions while out on the road, John W. Scherer actively supports safe-driving programs such as Alive at 25, including
donating $65,000 to the foundation. Alive at 25 is a program devoted to raising the awareness of teen drivers to the very real
likelihood that they, or someone they know, will be seriously injured or killed in a car crash. For the third consecutive year, Video Professor products
have earned prestigious Aurora Awards. For its work on the Video
Professor “Learn eBay®” tutorial,
the company’s in-house production team won the Platinum Best
of Show award in the Technology/Computer Training category.
In addition, lessons from the “Learn Wireless Networking,” “Learn
the Internet with AOL® Service” and “Learn eBay®” tutorials
earned Gold Awards in the same category.
Video Professor adds new and relevant lesson content including Protect Yourself Online, Digital Devices Made Easy, Online Travel and Online Investing. These lessons help customers to get the maximum value and benefit from their computers.
The company and employees increase their support of our military with donations to the Fisher House Foundation, providing a webcam-equipped laptop to a soldier serving in Iraq and employees sending boxes of requested personal items to soldiers. Video Professor continues its popular offer a free lessons including cost of shipping to members of the military here at home and around the world.
Video Professor and its employees increase their support for on-going charitable programs including the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, Salvation Angel Tree Project and Jefferson County Action Center. Video Professor also donates hundreds of free lessons to non-profit organizations here at home and around the world that include computer literacy as part of their programs.
Video Professor Lessons continue to win more Aurora Awards for innovation and excellence in the design of the lessons millions of customers use every day.
John W. Scherer has successfully penetrated approximately 80% of the computer tutorial market, and his company employs over 300 team members. John's infomercials and other ads reach over 90 million households every month.
Video Professor and Video Professor Online are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Video Professor, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Photoshop is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. PowerPoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All trademarks and registered trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2008 Video Professor Inc. All rights reserved.
Learn about John W. Scherer and his life story:
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