About Ascent Stage & John Tolva

Ascent Stage is the personal weblog of me, John Tolva. I was born and now currently live in Chicago. I work all over the world and it was my job's far-flung locales that first got me writing here, but in fact Chicago receives at least as much attention.

I work for IBM, mostly on applications of technology to the field of cultural heritage. More information on my specific group is available. This post details a bit more. There's also an embarrassingly flattering piece on my team and I from the Chicago Sun-Times.

In 2006 I was honored as one of 40 Under 40 in the business community by Crain's Chicago Business. Somehow.

In 2007 the small town of Barile, Italy -- birthplace of my great-grandparents -- recognized me as a distinguished "fellow citizen" for my work to promote the region and cultural heritage in general. I don't expect you to believe that, because I barely did. But it really happened.

My background is in English literature and multimedia design, bedfellows less strange than you might think. I'm interested in language, literature, music, design, architecture, urban planning, mass transit, spaceflight, genealogy, all forms of technology, travel and (mostly) my family -- which consists of two sons, a daughter, and alovelywife.

Unless otherwise attributed, the content on this site is by me, John Tolva. There are some restrictions on its use (but not many). Oh and, of course, the musings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions. But you knew that, right?

The epigram at the top of the site comes from The Invention of the Zero by Richard Kenney, one of the most original works of poetry I've ever encountered.

You can reach me via e-mail at or by leaving a comment on this website.

Thanks a lot for reading!