RICHARD LEE HARGRAVE, III

2348 S. Evanston Ave. 

Tulsa, OK  74114-3244 

918/743-7815 (Res) & 918/743-4871 (Fax)

E-mail:  telephone.engineer@yahoo.com

 

 

JOB OBJECTIVE

 

I have 30+ years experience in outside plant and inside plant telephone engineering, planning, and forecasting.  I desire to advance my career with a dynamic and growing communications company, by ultimately obtaining a management level position.  I have a very considerable amount of engineering and planning experience, and am thoroughly cross-trained in all aspects of outside plant engineering.  I seek to maximize the company's marketing and business potential by designing the optimum voice, video, and data transmission systems.

 

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

 

B.M.E., Sam Houston State University.  30+ years experience in all aspects of OSP (outside plant) Planning and Engineering:  OSP Engineer, OSP facility assignment and rearrangement, OSP project management, ROW acquisition skills, and expert ICGS (Interactive Computer Graphics) operator, remote terminal placement and cut-over, central office conversions.  Thorough knowledge of the PSTN and POTS.  Excellent knowledge of copper and fiber (SONET) transmission systems, switching, and digital loop carrier systems, in both rural and urban environments.  Excellent interpersonal communication, analytical, and problem solving skills.  Proficient in analyzing statistical forecasting and mathematical trending.  Excellent knowledge of OSP construction practices.  Substantial experience in selling voice, video, and data services.  Planning and budgeting skills required for the creation, fiscal supervision, and management of multi million dollar capital budgets. Substantial negotiating experience with external vendors, required in the purchasing and composition of sophisticated communications equipment.  Excellent and substantial interpersonal contact experience with civil engineering firms and governmental entities.  Leadership ability exhibited within and away from current work assignment:  Church, fraternal, and philanthropic organizations.  Granted Teacher's Certificate by the Texas State Board of Education.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

 

OSP Planner, Resource Recycling Technologies, Tulsa, OK (9/26/13 to Present)

 

Provide planning, high level forecasting, and project management for the identification and removal of obsolete and abandoned IOF (interoffice feeder) copper cables.  Provided identification and quantification analysis, required for the recycling of extracted copper cables from CenturyLink’s network.

 

 

 

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OSP Engineer & Inspector, Kirby Consulting, LLC, Tulsa, OK (4/18/13 to Present)

 

Contract telephone OSP engineering and inspection work for AT&T in Tulsa, OK.  Assisted AT&T's local service managers by auditing new buried service wire installations and surplus cable inventories.

 

OSP Engineer, Mountain LTD, Tulsa, OK (12/21/09 to Present)

 

Contract detail OSP engineering work for TDS Telecom throughout Oklahoma.  Provide engineering designs for all types of OSP construction projects:  FTTP, line extensions, obligatory road moves, defective cable replacements, new subdivisions, and etc.  All engineering work is provided to Mountain LTD and TDS Telecom on an “as needed basis.”

 

OSP Engineer & Inspector, The Kenton Group, Tulsa, OK (3/03/09 to 4/17/13)

 

Contract telephone OSP engineering and inspection work for AT&T in Tulsa, OK.  Assisted AT&T's local service managers by auditing new buried service wire installations and surplus cable inventories.

 

City Planner, Resource Recycling Technologies, Tulsa, OK (9/29/08 to 12/05/08)

 

Provided planning, high level forecasting, and project management for the identification and removal of obsolete and abandoned IOF (inter office feeder) copper cables.  Provided identification and quantification analysis, required for the recycling of extracted copper cables, using Verizon's ICGS.  Work opportunity ceased on 12/05/08, due to RRT's inability to secure a workable contract from Verizon Communications.

 

Loan Officer, FFA Mortgage Corp., Tulsa, OK (2/07 to 9/08)

 

Mortgage loan origination work (independent contractor) within both residential and commercial markets.  Assisted borrowers with all types of credit.  Additional experience acquired with the following items:  New purchase loans; FHA/VA loans; no income/no asset loans; foreclosure; late payments; unpaid charge offs; 1st and 2nd mortgages; refinance loans; investment property; jumbo loans; unpaid tax liens; unpaid collections; finance out of Chapter 13 Bankruptcy; rural developments; community home buyer; commercial loans; self employed/stated income loans; high debt to income ratios; credit clean up; and, credit analysis.

 

OSP Engineer, RJE Telecom, Ft. Myers, FL (7/06 to 1/31/07)

 

Contract OSP telephone engineering work for AT&T in Tulsa, OK.  Assisted AT&T's engineering and construction staff with the development of Project and field preparation of selected distribution areas for advanced communication services (i.e., video over twisted copper, along with standard voice and advanced data services).

 

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Outside Plant Planning Engineer, Valor Telecom, Broken Arrow, OK (9/00 to 6/06)

Preparation, supervision, and management of both OSP and ISP (inside plant) annual capital budgets for Oklahoma Division of Valor Telecom.  Responsible for the preparation and maintenance of capital budgets in excess of $20 Million.  Company representative to INCOG and all Technical Area Committees, assembled for the purpose of reviewing the planning and design of all future residential, business, and commercial developments.  Worked with vendors in the purchasing and design of advanced communications equipment.  Planned for the most cost efficient solutions for Valor's engineering and construction projects, including Valor's SONET fiber ring system. Provide all planning and forecasting strategy, and budgeting data to meet the future growth needs within the OK Division of Valor Telecom.  Company representative for all large scale road move/utility relocation projects, by designing and budgeting the most cost effective utility relocation solutions.

 

Outside Plant Engineer, Valor Telecom, Broken Arrow, OK (9/99 to 9/00)

Detail preparation of OSP work orders including:  large subdivisions, distribution and feeder relief projects, cost and budget analysis for defective OSP cable replacement projects, and cellular tower installations.  Trained, instructed, and directed new employees in vital computer graphic and OSP Engineering job responsibilities.  Assisted other management employees in the creation of Valor's capital operating budget.  Provided most cost efficient engineering designs for Valor's construction projects.  Negotiated and acquired ROW from land owners involving existing facilities initially placed without proper legal documents.  Company representative to INCOG and all Technical Area Committees, assembled for the purpose of reviewing the planning and design of all future residential, business, and commercial developments.  Advised TAC members of Valor Telecom's requirements for all future OSP construction projects.  Inspected and analyzed legal referrals concerning the requirement and legality of existing OSP facilities.  Served as Valor's point of contact with various professional and civil engineering entities, requiring specific information about existing and future telephone facilities.

 

Outside Plant Engineer, GTE, Plano, TX (9/95 to 9/99)

Detail preparation of all types of OSP work orders, including:  large subdivisions, distribution and feeder relief projects, cost and budget analysis for defective OSP cable replacement projects, manhole and conduit systems, fiber routes and Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) distribution and design.  Extensive use of WPG/ICGS/IDDS to engineer work orders and maintain the integrity of graphic and data base records (SQL entries and manipulations).  Extensive loop analysis experience of cable routes for ISDN, ADSL, T-1, and other special circuits.  Provided technical assistance to transmission engineers for the designing of special circuits.  Maintained Conduit Occupancy Records involving foreign telco's placement of cable within GTE's Manhole and conduit systems.  Trained and directed other employees in OSP engineering.

 

 

 

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Outside Plant Engineer, GTE, Broken Arrow, OK (5/92 to 9/95)

Detail preparation of all types of OSP work orders, including:  large subdivisions, distribution and feeder relief projects, cost and budget analysis for defective OSP cable replacement projects, manhole and conduit systems, and fiber routes.  Completed transition of hand drawn work prints to Work Print Generation system (WPG).  All work prints now produced from WPG.  Maintained integrity of OSP computer data records.

 

Outside Plant Engineer, GTE, Carrollton & Lewisville, TX (5/91 to 5/92)

Detail preparation of all types of OSP work orders, including:  large subdivisions, distribution and feeder relief projects, cost and budget analysis for defective OSP cable replacement projects, manhole and conduit systems.  Worked with Texas DOT officials for large scaled road moves.  Extensive use of ICGS to build and produce OSP work orders, while maintaining the integrity of these records.

 

Outside Plant Engineer, GTE, Broken Arrow, OK (5/90 to 5/91)

Extensive ICGS computer work for OSP engineering work order production.  Loaded ICGS to bring exchanges on-line with the system.  Worked on-line engineering projects for entire work group.  Directed, trained, and assisted other ICGS operators/engineers to bring numerous Oklahoma exchanges on-line. Rebuilt critical data and graphic items to conform with existing OSP inventory.  Detail preparation of all types of OSP work orders, including:  subdivisions, distribution and feeder relief projects, cost and budget analysis for defective OSP cable replacement projects, manhole and conduit systems, and fiber projects.  Converted over 40 wire centers from CPR (paper records) to ICGS.

 

Outside Plant Engineer, GTE, Willis, TX (10/78 to 5/90)

Detail engineering of all types of OSP construction, evaluate solutions to all OSP problems and determine the most economical course of action.  Engaged all aspects of customer field verification, assignment, and cut-over procedures.  ROW engineering and Acquisition, title search of deed records, and field verification required to write and obtain GTE easements.  Fluent computer graphics skills (also SQL data base abilities), converted three GTE exchanges from CPR (paper records) to Interactive Computer Graphics, ran comparisons between paper and electronic graphic records, and updated discrepancies.

 

Construction Line Worker, GTE, Willis, TX (10/77 to 10/78)

 

Performed all aerial line construction work, including the placement, maintenance, and removal of all aerial cables, wires, terminals, poles, anchors, down-guys, and other related OSP facilities. 

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Attended all related GTE training classes, including OSP construction practices, basic cable splicing, pole climbing, telephone installation, and other related courses.  Performed the placement and splicing of aerial terminal closures and some telephone premise installations.

 

EDUCATION

 

Willis High School, Willis, TX.  Graduated 5/25/73

Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.  BME granted 8/13/77

Numerous GTE company training schools attended between 1977 and 1986

Completed 45 hours class room instruction for OK Real Estate License (7/11/06)

 

REFERENCES

 

1.  Robert Wheeler; The Wheeler Agency; 5216 E. 69th Pl S.; Tulsa, OK 74136-3407; Tel. 918/747-0008 (Bus); E-mail: rob.wheeler@cox.net

2.  Michael J. Norman, Regional Planning Mgr; Resource Recycling Technologies NA; 620 Huntington Dr; Highlands Ranch, CA 80126; Tel 303.345-5103 (Cel); E-mail: mnorman@rrtna.com

3.  John D. Miller, Jr.; 16282 E. 82nd St N; Owasso, OK 74055; Tel. 918/272-6186 (Res)

4.  Raymond H. Fisher; 6901 S. 241st East Ave; Broken Arrow, OK 74014-7604; Tel. 918/357-3456 (Res)

 

AVAILIBILITY DATE:  Immediately – within one week of notification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT – SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

 

 

1.  Skill in analyzing and monitoring financial and management policies and practices.

 

While serving as the Outside Plant Planning Engineer for Valor Telecom (now Windstream Communications), I created and managed capital budgets in excess of $20 Million.  This activity included all capital expenditures for both outside plant and inside plant (i.e., central office equipment and remote terminal locations) telephone engineering and construction activities within Oklahoma.  I administered Valor’s capital budgets to effectively meet all future service demands and activities of the company.  During each budget year, the company often reduced my capital budget, requiring the removal and deferral of certain capital construction items.  In order to accommodate the reduction or modification of the capital budget, I utilized advanced planning and forecasting tactics, to accomplish the necessary changes.  I have excellent knowledge of both copper and fiber transmission systems, switching, and digital loop carrier (i.e., remote terminals), in both rural and urban environments.  I am also very proficient in analyzing statistical forecasting and mathematical trending.  With my in-depth and extensive knowledge of the telecommunications engineering and construction business, I made the necessary budgetary adjustments, when requested.  Consequently, I was always able to maintain my capital budgets within company guidelines.

 

During my employment as a detail Outside Plant Engineer with GTE (now Verizon), I was responsible for the conversion of paper continuing property records to electronic graphic records for 3 telco wire centers.  I worked with a very advanced graphics system (ICGS - Interactive Computer Graphics System) to accomplish this goal; however, this process was slow, since my corrections and modifications were limited only to a somewhat cumbersome graphic modification process.  I sought permission for direct data base access (SQL), to expedite this process, and it was granted.  As a result, I was able to quickly and efficiently complete these conversions.  In the following years, this vital work skill enabled me to design my own OSP (outside plant) work orders and projects, without the assistance of an ICGS operator.  Furthermore, I corrected and updated the land base, data, and OSP (outside plant) material inventory records on every graphics map accessed during my normal engineering duties, thereby enhancing the accuracy and integrity of these records on an “on going” basis.

 

During my employment as the OSP Planning Engineer for Valor Telecom, I influenced the selection of the correct choice of expensive remote terminal equipment for future installations.  The company’s practice dictated the use of a particular remote terminal technology for new growth projects.  Realizing that this selection would not “interface,” and function correctly with the company’s many GTD-5 central office switches, I informed upper management of this potential problem and prepared alternative solutions.  I summarized the anticipated problems associated with the company’s current policy and provided functional data to justify my analysis.  I provided the correct equipment solution for this problem and the company changed its selection of remote terminal equipment.  The company’s initial selection of remote terminal technology required very substantial expenditures of capital and I was able to save the company millions of potential dollars lost, due to improper equipment selection, deployment, and future maintenance expenses.

SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT – SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

 

 

2.  Skill in analyzing and monitoring telecommunication engineering designs, construction plans, activities, policies, and practices.

 

As the OSP Planning Engineer for Valor Telecom, I constantly looked for the newest and most innovative technology for the deployment of the company’s new remote terminals.  I analyzed and designated the correct selection of RTs (remote terminals), to achieve the best combination of technical performance and price.  At this time, the company was not correctly positioned for future business challenges from its competitors, due to the recent deregulation of the local telephone industry.  I researched and formulated a solution to the anticipated competition.  Because of the intense competition from CLECs (competitive local exchange carriers), I persuaded upper management for equipment changes, necessary for the company to market and provision advance data and video services.  I was successful in directing the company in the selection of a new RT technology, which allowed for the distribution of fiber, directly from the RT to the customer (FTTP – Fiber to the Premise).  This technology change enabled the company to boost its xDSL (broadband) data speeds from 1.5 Mbps to 20 Mbps.

 

During my employment with Valor Telecom as OSP Planning Engineer, the question of copper cable versus fiber cable for “Greenfield” applications (i.e., areas without any existing OSP cable) became extremely important.  The company’s engineering design policy for new subdivisions dictated the placement of copper cable and resisted the placement for fiber cable for FTTP (Fiber to the Premise), based upon the excessive cost of the required fiber terminal placement at each subscriber location.  I began a systematic evaluation and analysis of the costs of fiber construction versus traditional copper construction, through my extensive contact of vendors.  Eventually, the company recognized the advantage of fiber engineering, and began FTTP construction projects within new subdivisions.  The implementation of this strategy enabled the company to effectively compete against the CLECs and increase its revenues.

 

During my employment with Valor Telecom, the company witnessed the emergence of direct competition for dial tone service from the local cable television provider.  Because of the opening of the local telephone markets, per the Telecommunications Act of 1996, it was imperative that the company position itself correctly against future competitive challenges from any CLEC.  The necessity of provisioning voice, video, and data became imperative to the future competitive success of the company; however, its existing central offices and RTs were not properly prepared for this future competitive challenge.  The company initially decided to equip its existing RTs with stinger MRTs (micro remote terminals – sometimes called “pizza boxes”).  This selection often encompassed the commingling of technology from different vendors for the same RT, resulting in poor performance (especially during the hot summer months, due to heat dissipation problems).  Since this was the business tactic deployed by the company from its inception (Valor Telecom bought some 525,000 access lines from GTE on 7/01/00), its management was inflexible and without a solution.  I recommended a “remote terminal card solution” for the RTs with service problems.  The implementation of this equipment change drastically improved the company’s xDSL performance and saved expense dollars, while improving customer satisfaction.

SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT – SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

 

 

3.  Skill in interpersonal communications (i.e., provide advice, answer inquiries, and           promote telecommunications programs).

 

In the planning business for any land line communications company, it is imperative to work with other entities, in order to share future development and construction plans.  While working with Valor Telecom, I represented the company at the various Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings, held in Tulsa, OK and surrounding cities.  At these meetings, preliminary design and construction information was mutually shared between the various utility companies, civil engineers, developers, and government officials.  This activity required great skill and expertise in the planning of future construction projects that would conform to all building codes and regulations, along with the provisioning requirements of the effected utility companies.  I improved this process by building positive business relations with the various TAC members, through the exchange of planning documents on a “one on one” basis.  I built an extensive electronic mail delivery system for the quick exchange of information and to coordinate our planning activities.  This business tactic resulted in the correct and uninterrupted communication with my professional planning contacts.

 

Once a month, the Tulsa, OK area managers of Valor Telecom held a facility meeting, for the purpose of coordinating work efforts and addressing service related problems.  In this meeting, the local service managers would often complain of defective outside plant distribution cables, causing repeat service problems and outages.  Given that many instances required large amounts of capital for correction, I created a spread sheet system for the identification and tracking of these unsatisfactory plant reports.  I accessed and compiled the trouble reports associated with each location and devised a plan for correction, by communicating directly with the service managers.  For justification purposes, I created business plans and subsequently modified the current or future capital budget with a project necessary to correct the various defective outside plant cables.  And with these corrective projects approved and budgeted, they were subsequently built, thereby improving the company’s service record and saving future expense dollars.

 

During my employment with Valor Telecom, the advent of direct competition from the CLECs for dial tone began in Broken Arrow, OK.  As this competition increased, the ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier – Valor Telecom) began to lose some access lines to its competitors.  In light of the access line loss, the company’s focus was directed towards line retention.  From a strategic planning position, a continued loss of access lines would yield smaller yearly capital budgets in the future, thereby jeopardizing my ability to construct adequate annual capital budgets.  In order to fight this potential loss, I actively sold video and advanced data services to the company’s customers.  I was very successful in selling these services, given my constant involvement and exposure to developers, civil engineers, and other professionals.  Consequently, I was able to add to the company’s revenue, while simultaneously performing my daily planning activities.

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT – SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

 

 

4.  Skill in written communications (i.e., prepare reports, provide information, and respond to inquiries).

 

The projects associated with my annual capital budgets required extensive documentation and justification, while serving as the OSP Engineering Planner for Valor Telecom.  Given the company’s inclination to move money from my capital budget to other areas of the company, my project packages were written to tell the facts and propose a course of action.  To accomplish this end, I constantly wrote project narratives to detail all aspects of the proposed project, along with the consequential effects of ignoring it.  To accomplish this, I used all the pertinent, statistical, and service related data in my narratives.  A time line of engineering and construction events was devised in chronological order, for the purpose of organizing the completion of my projects.  As a result, upper management was able to instantly access my written narratives and project descriptions.  My labors yielded a very transparent plan and orderly system of engineering tactics, required to meet the future service demands of the company.

 

In the local (ILEC) telephone business, the replacement and rehabilitation of defective cables is always an issue.  During my employment with Valor Telecom, I would often plan for the replacement and repair of defective outside plant cable facilities.  The company’s policy required a business plan for all such projects in excess of a certain amount.  I assembled and constructed the data necessary to validate such projects, proving that the service revenue associated with the defective cables would justify the capital required for the corrective project.  Furthermore, this data was interwoven into my project narratives for more clarity and explanation.  Consequently, I was very successful and effective in addressing many difficult replacement projects.  Ultimately, the company saved tremendous amounts of expense money, previously expended by the repetitive visitation and labor of its repair work force.

 

As a planner with Valor Telecom, I constructed 5 year plans for individual wire centers throughout the company’s operating jurisdiction.  Each individual plan detailed the estimated capital required per year, to adequately provide the outside plant and inside plant infrastructure, required to provide advanced telecommunication services within a particular wire center.  This assignment was quite challenging, when considering the dramatic innovations of technology, coupled with the intense competition for communication services.  To accomplish this task, I evaluated planning information and data from governmental, business, and private entities.  The use of statistical forecasting and mathematical trending techniques enabled me to project future growth patterns.  Because of the excellent business relationship and communication with my professional contacts, I obtained future planning concepts, so essential for this type of work.  I finally translated this extensive data into visual graphics, by building my plan into the company’s Interactive Computer Graphics System (ICGS), complete with project growth and cable fill rates.  My 5 year plans were transferred to the corporate office and were used to help establish future capital budgets for the company.