RICHARD PARKEN

Olmsted Twp, OH 44138

(440) 341-0864       RichResume@yahoo.com

 

Objective: To become a valuable new member of a team, taking on challenges in software development and support.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

·               Web Development

·               Structured & object-oriented programming techniques (OOP)

·               Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

·               Systems analysis using Essential Model

·               Relational database design techniques

·               Database performance tuning: normalization, query optimization and indexing

 

EDUCATIONCollege of Business at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, September 1992 to December 1999

Major: Computer and Information Systems

 

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

C#, .NET, ASP.NET, HTML, SQL, Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008/2012, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Data Transformation Services (DTS), SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), Oracle 11G, PL/SQL Developer, Toad, Team Foundation Server (TFS), Visual Source Safe (VSS), Mercurial, StarTeam, Rational Team Concert, Seapine, Beyond Compare, MS Visio, Red Gate SQL Tools, ReSharper, PowerShell, MS Excel, Word, Outlook & Access/VBA, Remedy, Quality Center, Test Track Pro

 

EXPERIENCE

May 2014 toEducation Alternatives (contract through KForce), Cleveland, OH

October 2014Sr. Programmer Analyst

·               Converted Access application front end to ASP.NET 4 and C#:

·   Redesigned Access forms used by facilitators to track time and progress of clients in partial hospitalization programs.  Converted Access forms into streamlined set of menus and Web Forms.  Eliminated most pop-up forms for an improved user experience.  Proposed and implemented approved enhancements to the user interface to automate more of the data entry process using relationships in the database – for example several drop-downs were either pre-populated or filtered based on the location assignment of the current user.  Detected and eliminated production bugs during the conversion process.  Improved the data entry validation process.  Created more descriptive error messages making it easier for users to determine the correct course of action.  For example they would know whether to correct their own mistakes or whether to contact an administrator or super-user for missing/outdated system data.

·               Redesigned, consolidated, and simplified structure of SQL Server 2005 database schema.

·   Implemented identity columns as primary and foreign keys to simplify relationships and query JOINs between tables.  Converted complex Access queries, sub queries and data sources to Stored Procedure, Functions and C# business objects for a robust, flexible data access layer utilizing ADO.NET.  Created jobs to transfer data from old database to new database.  Created error log table to capture job errors and run time errors triggered by end users – made RDLC reports available to admins for job monitoring, error tracking and diagnostics.  Created views to mimic old structure for backwards compatibility with SSRS reports (for locations that haven’t migrated to the new system yet).

 

September 2010 toKaiser Permanente (contract-to-hire through Apex Systems Inc.), Brooklyn Heights, OH

April 2014Sr. Programmer Analyst

·               Completed conversion of 4 critical VB6 applications to C#/.NET 3.5 on schedule:

·   Converted application to transfer group and contract data from Oracle database to DB2 database. Increased reliability by improving application logic – the job can now resume where it left off during previous uploads interrupted by connectivity issues.

·   Converted application to transfer benefit data from Oracle database to IBM mainframe system using 3270 emulation. Used base class for common screen operations and factory method to instantiate objects for multiple mainframe screens – this allowed us to avoid creating redundant code while allowing for operations unique to each screen. C# application operates 3 times faster than the VB6 version it replaced.

·   Converted application to read data from DB2 database and export it to text files for import into Oracle – data was used for auditing upload of benefit, group and contract data to DB2/IBM mainframe.

·   Converted application to parse data files exported from Epic Health Connect and convert them to CSV format compatible with our proprietary benefits system – data was used for auditing upload of group and benefit data from Oracle database to Epic Health Connect.

·               Refactored common job functions from .bat files into a reusable PowerShell 2.0 module library.

·   Converted large batch jobs from .bat script to PowerShell script to utilize new library and report steps, errors and job status to a data table for a new electronic job monitoring dashboard. Separated logic from settings using .ini files and parameterized Sqlplus files so that identical scripts can be reused across multiple regions eliminating redundancy.

·   Mentored and trained junior level programmers new to PowerShell – successfully delegated majority of .bat script conversion to members of production support team who will be supporting the PowerShell jobs in production. The automation of the job monitoring and error detection processes will free up the production support developers to spend the majority of time on problem-solving instead of looking through hundreds of log files to detect errors, resulting in less expenses and better support. Faster response times to production issues will reduce the impact of job failures on upstream/downstream systems and our customers. The PowerShell conversion project is on time, on budget, and scheduled to meet all project requirements.

·               Run daily job status meeting with production support team and business analysts for five regions. Generate high level summary report on activity of over a hundred jobs across five regions. Provide technical advice on issues/enhancements for .NET jobs on which I am a subject matter expert. Participate in code reviews and guide junior level developers to adhere to best practices and standards. Complete .NET/SQL programming, documentation, and unit-testing for coding assignments on time and in compliance of company standards.

 

January 2011 toCohesion (PNC Bank)

August 2011Programmer Analyst

Part Time Telecommute On Weekends

·               Redesigned and replaced preventative maintenance access application – used C# and JavaScript for ASP.NET 4 front end and SQL Server 2008 R2 for backend. Utilized Microsoft Membership API to enforce security and authorization for users and roles. Expedited development using Microsoft Dynamic Data framework for managing low volume reference tables. Generated business object classes and web forms for heavy volume data tables. Implemented reports using Report Definition Language Client-side files (RDLC).

 

May 2010 toUniversal Windows Direct, Oakwood Village, OH

August 2010Programmer Analyst

·               Redesigned and normalized SQL Server 2008 Express database to allow for tracking life cycles of multiple jobs per sale, more detailed job costing, and improved management of customer service calls. Updated reports, views, functions and stored procedures to work with improved schema.

 

February 2010 toBeacon Hill Staffing (Arhaus Furniture), Walton Hills, OH

May 2010Programmer Analyst

·               Eliminated cases of customers receiving merchandise at prices lower than register price due to incorrect price tags. Identified and resolved bugs in stored procedures and ASP pages for printing price tags. Streamlined price change process by automating synchronization of pricing data across multiple data warehouses in SQL Server, eliminating outdated/incorrect data in warehouse used for printing price tags and labels. Worked with development team to replace Access application with new C# application to update special order prices, reducing time required to prepare for large sales and reducing chances of pricing errors.

·               Developed and deployed SSRS reports to run against a 3rd party data warehouse, fulfilling user report requests quickly and effectively. Generated and distributed time-sensitive reports for management by writing and executing ad-hoc queries on-demand.

 

December 2009 toUniversal Windows Direct, Oakwood Village, OH

February 2010Programmer Analyst

·               Developed electronic sales board application in C# 2008 to list sales rep statistics in a user-customizable report grid that refreshes automatically. The application eliminated the need for a dry-erase board used to display sales metrics to sales reps and office managers, automating the process and eliminating the need for maintaining the sales board by hand.

 

March 2009 toPSI Group (National City Bank / PNC Bank), Highland Hills, OH

December 2009Sql Programmer

·               Supported customized reporting system for Sales Performance and Incentives department. Developed, updated, consolidated, optimized and debugged SQL commands used to pull from the SQL Server data warehouse and calculate sales/performance metrics for sophisticated reports. Updated Excel templates and VBA macros per user requests and specifications.

·               Assisted database administrator by completing delegated support assignments. Analyzed, identified and archived old data from largest tables in reporting warehouse database - reduced database size by %50 from 100 GB to 50 GB eliminating performance issues for critical, time-sensitive reports.

·               Developed user-friendly data entry tool in MS Access to allow for optimal entry into data queue. Created process to synchronize SQL Server data warehouse with data in queue. Added several validation routines to enforce business rules and mitigate data entry errors. Updated report template to utilize new data for analysis of customer activity levels. All support requests were documented and fulfilled - the new process met and exceeded the expectations of the department.

 

October 2008 toUniversal Windows Direct, Oakwood Village, OH

March 2009Programmer Analyst

·               Supported and enhanced proprietary application for home improvement business to track life cycle of jobs from lead to sale to completed installation. Software is written in Visual Basic 6, C# Interops and SQL Server Express. Catalogued and fulfilled numerous change requests to support growing business needs. Upgraded database from SQL Server Express 2005 to 2008. Added additional criteria options to report menu, improving report customization features for office managers and business owners, empowering them to make better informed business decisions based on enhanced reporting analysis.

·               Created setup package, deployed application to 18 franchises, and provided training to end users using GoToAssist remote access software from Citrix.

 

October 1997 toAmeriGas Propane / Horizon Propane / Level Propane / BV Technologies, Westlake, OH

October 2008Sr. Programmer Analyst, October 2003 to October 2008

·               Designed and developed coherent set of C#/ASP.NET web pages, reports and stored procedures to manage data for facility, fleet and personnel resources used in the field. This allowed the IT department to delegate administration of logistics data to appropriate end users who depend upon timely data entry.

·               Led development team in efforts to diagnose and optimize database query performance to increase scalability. This allowed more customers to be serviced within a centralized business model instead of the less profitable distributed business model. Prioritized and assigned SQL queries among development team, including myself, to enable existing database servers to handle increasing workloads.

·               Successfully managed project to enhance C# mobile field service application for Windows CE on 250 hand-held computers. Coordinated with operations, network support, developers, user acceptance and quality assurance testers to get software changes thoroughly specified, prioritized, understood, documented, tested and deployed according to SDLC process. Collected functional requirements from operations personnel, managed bug tracking, and generated functional/technical specifications, documentation and test cases.

·               Initiated and coordinated effort to implement error-logging feature in Windows CE application. Resulting feedback was successfully used to troubleshoot and resolve previously elusive issues and greatly improve mobile application reliability.

·               Created SSRS reports used to print service work orders for service technicians – expedited transition to new service scheduling software by customizing format of reports to mirror that of previous hand-written forms and pre-filling them with data from new system.

·               Automated manual production and diagnostic reporting processes enabling managers to quickly identify and target technical and logistical issues in the field, saving tedious research time and eliminating unbilled orders. Worked with users to improve upon report designs in original specifications. Enabled end users to run reports converted from ad-hoc queries using SQL Server Reporting Services, saving DB administrator and developer time.

 

Programmer Analyst, October 1997 to October 2003

·               Prototyped and deployed mobile application and communications software to fleet of 350 service, transport and bulk delivery vehicles to improve productivity. Developed back office applications to process data received from hand-held computers in real-time – sale data was automatically posted to account receivables system, eliminating 90% of manual posting.

·               Automated reports to monitor field personnel, track performance metrics and model financial impact of fluctuations in market price. Leveraged Visual Basic, Access and ASP to develop dynamic, data-driven reports and menus with customizable search criteria.

·               Shared administrative duties including: managing users in Active Directory and Microsoft SQL Server; maintaining windows application servers; deploying proprietary applications to desktops; processing special data-change requests from users on SQL Server, importing data files as needed using Data Transformation Services; generating spreadsheets and reports exported from SQL Server for management on demand.

·               Consolidated six independent pricing applications into single, integrated data-driven pricing system using relational database design techniques and ASP. Designed, tested, documented and implemented new system – conducted training of department managers. New system resulted in: reduced IT maintenance; streamlined management of customer pricing; reduced data entry errors with improved validation; reduced billing issues; and less customer complaints to call center.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Related Coursework taken at College of Business at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH:

·               Computer Programming in C

·               Introduction to File Processing

·               Data Structures

·               Operating System Principles

·               Introduction to Computer Architecture

·               Computer Graphics

·               Systems Analysis and Design

·               Database Concepts

·               Client-Server Computing