EXPERIENCE
2SS.Com
(1998 to Present)
Managing
Director for
2ss.Com
a
comprehensive computer services firm focused on helping client firms
identify and implement strategic systems. 2SS.Com
Provides
comprehensive computer support services to a small and carefully
selected group of clients in conjunction with Partner Firms
specializing in training, computer repair, Internet World Wide and Web
page authoring & site hosting.
Consulting
capabilities include:
Managing projects from initial design through implementation.
Sample completed projects include, WWW Pages like original sites for www.cahsah.org,
www.clca.org, and www.water-ed.org,
Widows NT and Novell network installations, custom systems for
membership management, graffiti abatement, fund-manager performance
tracking, among many others.
Developing and implementing user training and support programs.
Preparing systems and telecommunications project proposals.
Conducting Request For Proposal (RFP) and vendor selection processes.
Assisting in MIS organization design including goals, job
descriptions, career plans, hiring and termination assistance.
Developing systems policies, standards and procedures.
Gateway CHRISTIAN LIFE CHURCH
/ Skyline Christian Center
(2002 to 2006)
CONSULTANT/ADMINISTRATOR
Working part time while continuing to offer services through 2SS.Com.
The MIS Department, a division of TSP, Inc. (1991 to 1998)
Managing
Director & President for
The MIS Department a consulting firm that sells productivity,
well-integrated solutions, and a single point of contact focused by a
thorough understanding of each client's business. The firms
comprehensive computer support services include Network design,
installation & support - Systems development - Internet
connectivity & WWW page authoring - Service & support -
Acquisition - Repair & maintenance - and Training. Targeted
client organizations are in industries including associations and
nonprofits, professional services, and franchisors.
Founded
in 1991 by Ron Ellis the firm was sold (majority interest in Oct.
1997 and remaining interest Mar. 1998) to Inland
Business Systems. The firms staff members and carefully
selected partner firms & independent contractors hold
certifications including Microsoft Solution Provider, Microsoft
Certified Professional, Certified NetWare Engineer, and TimeSlips
Certified Consultant
Adjunct
faculty member
at several local colleges and universities.
Syncor International Corp. (1989
to 1991)
DIRECTOR,
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SERVICES
Managed a group of 21 professionals in providing a full range of
computing services to this Los Angeles-based company with 85 operating
locations nationally in the Nuclear Medicine (Radioactive
Pharmaceuticals) and Home Care businesses. Directly
responsible for annual expense budget of $2.5MM with over $3.5MM in
capital expenditures planned for FY 1990-91.
Responsibilities:
Set direction for and managed MIS functions including systems and
programming, client support, data processing and telecommunications.
Services were provided through the following:
Business-oriented programmer/analyst
project groups for nuclear medicine, home care and the home
office, which were established and
staffed for the first time.
A growing Help desk, which handled up to 750 calls a month from
employees and customers. (Almost 50% of calls originated
outside the home office, over 20% were from customers who rated their
support 4.6 on the average using a 5=Excellent scale.)
A formal training program with 10+ courses reached over 250
participants annually. (On the average, participants rated
their training 4.5 on a 5=Excellent scale.)
A computer operations group
responsible for an HP/3000-955 Data Center, LANs and stand-alone PC
support.
A telecommunications function
established for the first time to address company-wide voice and data
networking requirements and opportunities.
Accomplishments:
As
part of my acceptance of the position with Syncor, it was agreed that
I would develop a systems long-range plan while transitioning into the
position of MIS Director. Within three months, the plan was
developed and substantial progress made in creating an organization
capable of implementing it. This led me to establish, for the
first time, a second level of MIS management resulting in the above
structure.
A
sample of projects completed or begun during my tenure includes:
HARDWARE PURCHASE FOR COMPANY-WIDE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE - A successful
Request For Proposal (RFP) process involving over 20 vendors in the
purchase of over 300 operating location and customer computers.
The 10 month process involved selection of a VAR (Value Added
Reseller) for pilot site/conversion, a national roll-out VAR to
convert old technology proprietary Texas Instruments systems requiring
$200k+ in annual maintenance costs to an industry standard, Intel and
UNIX computing solution with 50% less annual maintenance cost. (Project
cost $3.1MM with an estimated 3.5 year payback, and at least 15%
Internal Rate of Return.)
LOCAL AREA NETWORK - Proposal and approval of a LAN to connect
home office microcomputer users in order to exploit a number of
related benefits. (Project cost $75,000 with an estimated
2.5-year payback.)
NATION-WIDE NETWORK - Proposal of a microcomputer-based wide-area
network management system to permit polling for location data,
automated software distribution, electronic mail, and numerous other
benefits. (Project cost $80,000 with an estimated 1.5-year
payback.)
Other RFPs leading to the purchasing of Macintosh computers for use in
the resale of a customer-oriented product and the selection of a
company-wide fourth generation language and relational database.
Other
accomplishments included staff development resulting in six
separations/ terminations and 11 new hires; development and
implementation of programs to tie together analyst work planning,
performance reviews, and job descriptions; and development of
policies, standards and procedures to establish systems to monitor,
measure and insure the quality of MIS-oriented functions.
The
above position involved responsibility for:
An HP/3000 Model 955 Data Center
Growing LANs (At the time with 72 nodes and moving toward Novell),
Unix Multi-user systems in 85 operating locations,
Over 375 PCs in the home office, at customer sites and assigned to
field-based management, and
An IBM-Rolm CBXII used for voice, voice messaging and data switching.
ARCO International Oil & Gas Co. (1986 to 1989)
MANAGER,
INFORMATION SERVICES
Managed a group of 16 direct and 45+ dotted line professionals who
provided a full range of computing services to the Los Angeles
headquarters staff and its subsidiaries world-wide. Direct
responsibility for annual budget of $2.3MM in capital and expense.
Held approval authority for another $5.4MM for subsidiaries and
headquarters departments.
Responsibilities:
Set direction and managed delivery of services to the headquarters
staff including an IBM 4381 Data Center, systems development,
maintenance, data telecommunications and a client support activity.
Service was also provided directly to smaller subsidiaries without
local systems personnel. In major subsidiaries, responsibilities
included selecting, developing and consulting with systems and
telecommunications personnel as well as working with key users and
subsidiary management. Application areas included financial,
operations and technical-scientific.
Accomplishments:
Within six months of joining ARCO International, I prepared a systems
long-range plan which was developed with, reviewed and endorsed by
division management. It established strategies focused on improving
profitability and positioning the division for growth. Other
planning efforts led to annual management-supported project slates and
budget packages calling for expanded international involvement, added
staff and major productivity software. Detailed support plans
were also prepared for major subsidiaries, which were subsequently
endorsed by subsidiary and division management.
A
sample of projects completed during my tenure includes:
MAINFRAME DATA CENTER - Development of a proposal for establishing a
data center in our London subsidiary with a project team of Los
Angeles and London-based personnel. Local and division
management later approved the proposal. (Project cost $7.1MM with
an estimated 2.7-year pay back.)
ACCOUNTING STANDARDIZED WORLDWIDE - Selection, customization and
installation of a microcomputer-based oil and gas-oriented accounting
package that was installed in 7 countries. Its use leveraged an
increasingly knowledgeable and mobile staff, allowed for an effective
centralized support capability, facilitated standard accounting
policies and procedures, and made possible numerous other residual
benefits. (Project Cost $250,000 with an estimated 2-year pay
back.)
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK - Implementation of an international value-added
network for data and messaging. The system lowered the
comparative cost of messaging by 20 to 40 percent and provided a file
transfer capability that was a strategic link in the development of
other automated applications. Upon its completion, the company
had, for the first time in its history, a facility for exchanging data
almost instantly between any of its 12 international locations.
(Project cost $172,000 with an estimated 1.4-year pay back.)
Other accomplishments included staff development resulting in one
termination and several new hires; development and implementation of
policies, standards and procedures; implementation of a formal
user-training program and similar, user-oriented mainframe and
microcomputer interfaces. Prompted by the planned re-location of the
division in January 1989, detailed planning, specification of facility
build-out requirements, and staff replacements and out placements were
conducted.
The above position involved responsibility for an IBM 4381 Data Center
running MVS‑SP connected to ARCO's domestic SNA network.
Major development software included FORTRAN, Cobol, SAS, IFPS, ISPF,
and Stratagem (financial modeling). Computing resources
included a similar data center in Jakarta Indonesia, over 400
IBM-compatible and Apple Macintosh PCs, IBM Token‑Ring local
area network, use of General Electric's international value-added (packet-switched)
network and planning and implementation of an IBM-Rolm VLCBX used for
voice, voice messaging and data switching.
ARCO Transportation Company (1982 TO 1986)
MANAGER,
SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMMING
within the Information Services and Technology Department. Responsible
for a staff of up to 18 professionals in servicing two subsidiary
companies and the headquarters staff.
Responsibilities:
Managed four groups who provided a number of systems-related services
including planning, end‑user and staff training, development of
an information center, maintenance of production systems, new
hardware/software acquisition endorsement, personnel administration in
typical business application areas as well as for pipeline and vessel
management systems.
Accomplishments:
One major contribution involved conception and management of our
largest project ever to integrate a suite of financial management
systems, a $2MM 12 man‑year project. It involved both
purchased and internally developed software and was completed in a
highly political environment generated by numerous changes in project
sponsorship and user project management. Its success was
demonstrated by its continued use for the next 5+ years. Major
component systems included: general ledger, accounts payable,
inventory, project cost, fixed assets, payroll distribution,
purchasing and ad-hoc reporting.
Other accomplishments included staff development involving new hires,
terminations and demotions totaling 13 separate actions in less than
12 months time and a 375% growth in staff; support for moving over
two-thirds of our 600 person client base to a new facility;
development of a virtual staffing approach that significantly involved
end-users in systems development; training and operations management
and initiation of client-supported priorities that facilitated both
the assignment of user-project management, and support for project
funding.
ARCO Marine, Inc. (1981 TO 1982)
SYSTEMS/EVALUATION
CONSULTANT
in a staff position coordinating the information resources for ARCO's
fleet of oil-carrying tank ships.
Accomplishments:
Coordinated and assisted in the management of major development
projects. Evaluated progress in providing I/S services and maintaining
the effectiveness of systems. Insured development of documentation for
applications and established system development.
Initiated one of ARCO's first end user-oriented training programs
focusing on user-oriented HP/3000 and CPM-based microcomputer
capabilities. Responsibility for administering this program
moved with me on my promotion to the above position.
For
both of the above positions, experience involved an HP/3000-48 and an
HP/3000-68 with applications in Cobol, Image and View, as well as
several fourth generation language capabilities, i.e., Powerhouse,
Insight, Rapid/3000. PC experience included Apple, Hewlett Packard and
IBM equipment and peripherals. Production systems and support
also involved the use of three large scale IBM Data Centers and a Rolm
VLCBX for voice, voice messaging and data switching.
Comshare, Inc. (1979‑1981)
CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER
(1980 to 1981) with the Los Angeles branch office managing four
account representatives in servicing over 60 accounts throughout the
Los Angeles - San Diego area.
Accomplishments:
Managed over 25 new systems development projects and resulting
installations. Provided service and support to a client base growing
over 20% annually. Supported new name and account development
marketing efforts and expanded client-training classes from 16 to over
40 classes per quarter.
Contributed to the Los Angeles branch becoming one of only four
"Over Goal" offices among 25 throughout the country in FY
1981.
SENIOR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE
(1979 to 1980) reporting to the Client Services Manager.
Accomplishments:
Designed and installed budgeting and personnel systems; performed
client training; composed documentation and provided general support
for 12 to 15 clients generating up to $25,000 per month in revenue.
Programmer/Analyst level experience with a Xerox Sigma 9 time sharing
system and a number of specialized applications programs and
languages. The primary products involved were two
dictionary-based relational database management capabilities, two
financial modeling languages and a statistical analysis package.
Ralph M. Parsons (1976 TO 1979)
DATA ENGINEER
in a staff position within the corporate Engineering Department.
Accomplishments:
Worked with corporate level department and section mangers to develop
and monitor reports for corporate-wide manpower allocation and
analysis. Developed computer programs to support administrative
reporting needs and general administrative responsibilities that
included developing procedures, conducting training seminars and
record retention.
A unique contribution was conception and bottom-up selling of a simple
system to define, capture and store relevant engineering project data
for use in evaluating and estimating future projects.
Experience with a CDC Cyber 70 time sharing system and its versions of
Basic and Fortran as well as an in‑house Fortran- based report
generator.
Bechtel Power Corporation (1974
to 1976)
ADMINISTRATOR
to groups of up to 80 professional engineers.
Accomplishments:
Designed and implemented systems for correspondence drawing and
action-item control. Reorganized administrative group by reducing
staffing from 8 to 5 personnel. Executed general administrative
responsibilities including procedure development, chairmanship of
weekly staff meetings and management of a .5MM man-hour (approx.
$30MM) budget.