President and Owner, ARIEL SOFTWARE CONSULTANTS
Software solution and product development firm. Build and upgrade systems for clients to reduce operating costs and improve customer service while increasing revenues. Integrate new technologies with legacy systems; conduct extensive testing and training to ensure product is user friendly, functional and bug-free. Communicate with clients to identify specific requirements and resolve issues; monitor feedback to minimize costs and maximize benefits. Develop custom software products to spec.
Key Achievements:
For large hospital organization, spearheaded adoption of new technologies including Microsoft Sharepoint, Nintex Forms and Workflows, and Amrein Web Parts. My two-person team maintained a 10,000 page corporate intranet. Built a variety of SharePoint forms/workflows projects and custom SharePoint applications using C#, JavaScript, and CSS. Identified and resolved key issues resulting from strategic initiatives including migration of Hospitals to EPIC Electronic Health Record software, merger of Resurrection Healthcare and Provena Health, sale of several hospitals. Reengineered a variety of custom applications written in ColdFusion and .NET. Created Physician Emergency Room On-Call Roster custom program. Developed hybrid version of program in PowerApps (front end in cloud, back end on premise). Maintained several other custom programs. Wrote several influential white papers. Responsible for negotiating and renewing several vendor contracts. Analyzed and documented requirements for SharePoint sites taxonomy and governance. Developed Disaster Recovery strategies for SharePoint farm configuration. Involved in the conversion of production and test/failover SharePoint farms from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2013. Performed test migrations to SP 2016 and SP Online. Created proof of concept migration to SharePoint Online. Provided end user site trainings.
For city government, modified city permitting system; performed complete redesign of system in order to overcome design deficiencies and scripting errors, which enabled processing of more permits with fewer resources. Designed, created, and maintained a number of systems written in MS Access.
For large home improvement company, perform technology audit, recommend changes to provide consistency and align with business model, strategy, and goals. Implement VOIP system. Introduce best practices for HelpDesk, QA/QC. Implement MS Sharepoint-based corporate intranet. Plan improvements to network. Manage and select new vendors. Develop and implement plan for new ERP system and conversion of existing system to Sql Server back end.
For Fortune 500 food corporation, participated on VB.NET development team on rapid-turnaround assignment to enhance mission-critical Pipeline Visibility Tracking program which runs on the company’s intranet; tracks the development of all new products.
With a business partner, managed C# development team in the design, development, and testing for Parts to Pull, a shrink-wrapped software product for auto salvage yards to track puller and dismantler jobs through completion, pay commissions, measure productivity. Platform: C#, SQL Server, InstallShield.
For Silicon Valley startup, designed and implemented website, SEO and affiliate marketing strategy.
For estate bond firm, managed design and programming of estate bond database management system. Platform: C#, SQL Server, SQL Server Reporting Services.
For city government, designed normalized and centralized several complaints databases into one database. Platform: MS Access.
Value-Added Reseller of TM1™ Perspectives OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP) Database Engine (Add-On to Excel) for two years.
Redesigned customer service system for major telecommunications company, which eliminated use of expensive service, saving approximately $250K annually.
Managed the design and development of ecommerce web site. Components included Customer Server, Inventory, My Account, Order Management, Shipping, Caching.
Managed the redesign of a supermarket coupon database management system .
Automated report/reimbursement workflow for major bank.
Automated production of annual Department of Insurance report for large insurance company
EAGLE INSURANCE AGENCY (www.theeagleman.com) – Chicago, IL 2002- 1/2006
Director of Operations
Provide leadership in every aspect of running the business including operations, information systems, web site, financial systems, strategic alliances, vendor relations, personnel, marketing and advertising, legal. Review and analyze profitability of products; recommend new lines of business. Collaborate with CTO to develop software solutions; identify specific needs and maintain/enhance software as needed to improve productivity and profits. Participate in recruitment activities; interview, hire, and negotiate salaries and terms of employment. Establish and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders.
Key Achievements:
Designed and managed the development of EMS, complete agency management/premium finance/accounting policy management system, which imports/exports data from/to a third-party rating and quoting system. Platform: MS Access/SQL Server.
Designed and programmed a set of management reports which provide performance and profitability metrics on brokers, lead source, and insurance companies.
Spearheaded turnaround of organization, collaborating with executive management to increase productivity levels, reducing operating and administrative costs and increasing sales.
Managed the design and programming of the web site (www.theeagleman.com) which provides real-time rating and quoting, exports results to agency management system.
STRATEGIC DECISIONS – Chicago, IL 1984-1987 Principal
Market research firm. Market research and strategy consulting. Clients included Ameritech, Motorola, Jenn-Aire, Zenith, Rexham, Computerland.
THE CHICAGO GROUP – Chicago, IL 1982-1984 Senior Associate
Market research firm. Market research and strategy consulting. Sold business on commission. After the Bell Telephone divestiture, brought in the Ameritech account. Other Clients included GTE Automatic, Medical Foundation of Buffalo, El-Op.
A.T. KEARNEY – Chicago, IL 1980-1982 Senior Associate
Management consulting firm. Helped to create an Energy Practice within the Government group. Clients included Department of Energy, White House, EPA. After 1980 election, provided synthetic fuels and alternate energy system feasibility studies for Reagan transition team.
INSTITUTE OF GAS TECHNOLOGY – Chicago, IL 1977-1980 Energy Systems Analyst
R&D institute. Created a technology forecasting methodology for the Department of Energy which combined Delphi and Focus Group interviewing techniques. Forecasted growth scenarios for coal gasification in U.S., predicted impact of each scenario on demand for oil. Performed a Bayesian analysis of repair vs. replacement tradeoffs based upon my statistical analysis of the City of Chicago gas pipeline distribution system correlating breakage and corrosion to composition, centrifugal casting methods, weather, vintage, and vibration. Published articles and delivered papers on fuel cell design and optimization, power generation through rapid-growth tree farms, biomass, wind, ocean, and solar energy technologies.
Education and Credentials
MBA, Finance/Marketing University of Chicago
BSME with High Honors, Thermo-mechanics and Energy Conversion University of Illinois
Graduate-level courses in Advanced Probability and Statistics, Stochastic Processes, Time Series Analysis, and Advanced Calculus
BA, English Literature Yale University
Certifications
Microsoft Silver Partner (ISV/Application Development), Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD).
Technical Proficiencies
Microsoft SharePoint, PowerApps, Flows, Visual Studio, C#, VB, .NET, XML, JavaScript, HTML, Microsoft Office Microsoft Office Online, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Access, Javascript, HTML, SQL Server, Nintex Forms and Workflows, Amrein Web Parts, ColdFusion, FoxPro, OLAP
Professional Associations
Yale Club of Chicago (Alumni Schools Committee Interviewer)
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Alumni Association
Hobbies
Music - 'cello, piano, composing. Skokie Symphony. Website: www.sinfoniettaarts.com.
Tennis - USTA 3.5.
Comments