Daniel R. Kuches                                         

 

Daniel R. Kuches, PMP

 

Project and Program Operations Management

              Providing Project and Program Management for Employers and Client Companies, including:                             Los Angeles Unified School District, Caltrain, County of Ventura, Port of Los Angeles, AT&T, Verizon, Motorola

Experienced and diversified Certified Project Management Professional (PMI) with 14+ years of continuous project & program operations management expertise.  Consistent success in achieving quality, cost, and time-constraint goals in: IT-Network (LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi) Design, Configuration & Implementation and Telecom/Broadband/RF Wireless/WAN/OSP Design and Construction.  I have experience managing multiple projects while maintaining accurate controls.  I am proficient in writing, compiling and updating project plans, including charter development, SOWs, risk identification/impact registers, and dashboard reports. I am an effective multi-tasker, problem solver and communicator who performs well with strict deadlines and budgets.  Contract negotiations, development and monitoring have been essential to the successful completion of my projects, especially in recent years. I’m highly technical with an ability to grasp nuances within new technologies that allow me to act swift and efficiently during all phases of projects and programs.

 

Core Competencies

·          Project & Program Management (PMI Best Practices)	·          LAN / Wi-Fi/Wireless / Telecom / RF – Design & Implementation
·          E-Rate / Schools / Public Works – Construction, Projects & Programs	·          Highly Organized / Excellent Written & Verbal Communication Skills
·          HR Management, Prevailing Wage & Team Leadership	·          Proficient in MS Project / Visio / Excel / Word / PowerPoint
·          Planning / Scheduling / Risk / Quality Control & Assurance	·          Conflict Resolution – Labor / Management / Contractors
·          Bidding / Estimating / Proposals / Contracts / Construction	·          Financial Tracking / SOX / Budgeting & Cost Controls

                                         

Professional Experience

 

AAA SOLAR ELECTRIC, INC., ANAHEIM, CA

Project Manager / Engineering Manager (2013 – PRESENT)

Engineering Manager for AAA Solar Electric on the LAUSD Bond Package: LAN-Wi-Fi Modernization project. Build Telecom design team, review & approve design standards, write RFC’s, attend weekly senior management meetings with customer and meet strict engineering deadlines.  Authored Quality Assurance Plan for AAA Solar Electric and establish metrics to monitor the QA plan.  Project estimated total at $9M.

Project Manager for AAA Solar Electric on the 2013 – LAUSD E-Rate Year 16 project: LAN-Wi-Fi Network Upgrade.   Initiate, Plan, Execute, and Monitor / Control the LAN-Wireless-TSE modernization of 77 schools within Los Angeles Unified School District.  I am responsible for writing the entire project plan to include but not limited to schedule, HR, communication, procurement and risk.  Project estimated total at $21M.

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·          Sales Growth – Build customer relations with Boards, PMO’s and Executives. Streamline the monitor/control process and implement new QA Plan. New QA Plan implementation resulting in approved designs turning around faster, allowing construction to begin sooner, thus increasing cash flow. 

·          Budgeting – Identified operational cost overages within the engineering and CAD process.  Created documentation that included an Excel workbook and Visio Flowchart that streamlined the process.  Implemented new process with engineering & CAD while securing operational buy-in with stakeholders.  KPI’s have shown this updated process has increased network design productivity and saved thousands in operational costs.   

·          Scheduling – Manage project schedule by utilizing work-breakdown structure templates and MS Project Gantt charts in MS Project 2010.  Implementing application for Android phones/tablets that allow the Project Scheduler and Project Coordinator access to the main MS Project Baseline Schedule.  This access is proving invaluable to accuracy in the field and at meetings regarding the baseline schedule.

 

DAY WIRELESS SYSTEMS, INC., LOS ANGELES, CA

Project/Program Manager (2011 – 2013)

Directed the daily operations of multiple projects within RF Wireless and IT-LAN Networking environment.  Projects included, but not limited to, $17M LAUSD IP – Radio & Ethernet over MW Upgrade, $6M Los Angeles-Port & Harbor Radio/MW Upgrade, $750K Locomotive Radio and Base/Repeater Upgrade for Caltrain (SAMTRAN) in San Francisco and $500K RoIP implementation for Intuit Corporation in Mountain View, CA.  Conducted team-driven response to RFP’s for private and public sector bids, including E-Rate.  Authored project management plan, once an NTP and PO has been received, including all sub-plans.  Identified risks and created risk register.  Implemented and customized quality assurance and quality control to each project. Conducted weekly senior management and executive meetings with customers, school districts and public governance boards.

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·          Sales Growth – Key participant on the team that wrote the winning Proposal for Radio over IP (RoIP) Enterprise project with Intuit Corporate worldwide project.  Project Manager, pre-sale for Port of LA IP-Radio Upgrade, Motorola partner project.    Led the team that wrote winning proposal and bid for Caltrain project with the County of San Mateo in California Bay Area.  Authored entire project management plan for this RF wireless and Locomotive radio upgrade. 

·          Operations – Managed cross-functional team in a matrix-style environment.  Project schedule completed utilizing MS Project and Excel tracker spreadsheets. Excellent customer relations skills with Boards, PMO’s and Executives. Leader of high level meetings. Interviewed employees for particular roles within different projects and managed them once assigned, including communications and conflict resolution.

·          Budgeting – Managed project cost and revenue utilizing the Earned Value Method.  Submitted monthly reports to Director of Operations of Day Wireless showing cost performance index and project profitability.  Projects under my direction have been completed as scheduled and achieved projected EBITDA. 

·          Scheduling – Managed project scheduling utilizing work-breakdown structure templates and MS Project Gantt charts in MS Project 2010.  Submitted weekly reports to Area Business Manager of Day Wireless, showing scheduling performance index.  Utilized Critical Path Method for scheduling on larger projects and Critical Chain Method on smaller, under-resourced projects.  Developed a structure for the Area Business Manager to increase his net profits through better resource management.

 

 

 

AT&T CONSULTANT, LOS ANGELES, CA

Project Manager (2007 – 2010)

Project Manager with AT&T for Los Angeles Unified School District, E-rate LAN-Wireless Implementation, Year 8 and LAN Refresh, Year 10, both years totaled over $112M. Interacted with LAUSD PMO and AT&T WPMO as project manager of network construction.  I was responsible for scheduling, monitoring and controlling, material BOM and subcontractors.  Ensured quality control and quality assurance in all phases of the project. These phases include TSE, OSP, underground trenching and boring, inspections and permitting, fiber placing/splicing and as-built documentation.  I achieved a Certificate of Appreciation from AT&T Business Solutions for “Playing a major role in the Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Closing of the LAUSD E108 E-Rate Project”. 

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·          Operations – Worked frequently with Network Engineers, RCDD’s, Structural Engineers and Licensed Professional Engineers to resolve issues with different building materials and the placement of large conduit pathways.  Dealt with many challenges to include the placement of GRC and large NEMA boxes on brick that is a challenge due to seismic activity in California. 

·          Budgeting – Maintained budget information on Excel spreadsheet through SharePoint. Managed costs and subcontractors’ expenses at other schools and helped to close program with a strong profit. 

·          Scheduling – Managed project scheduling through SharePoint on MS Project Server. Utilized Critical Path Methodology to keep project profitable despite difficulty in managing numerous projects and schools under contract with many constraints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MASTEC INC., LOS ANGELES, CA

Project Manager (2004 – 2007)

Managed multiple telecom & broadband projects throughout several states in the Midwest, including fiber aerial/underground, make ready, engineering and construction.  Projects also extended to fiber restoration (storm damage) and fiber splicing. I relocated to Los Angeles with my family, to accept the PM of Operations position that included all fiber/copper upgrade projects & maintenance of operations for fiber/copper OSP; which included a large restoration program in SoCal for Time Warner.  All projects were completed in 2007 at 6% net profit. 

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·          Sales Growth – Increased the amount of production for Time Warner while streamlining the MasTec in-house crews, allowing for higher profit margins.  Took the fledgling operations from operating in the red to a positive cash flow in the first year that I was assigned to the office.

·          Operations – Managed over 60 employees and numerous subcontractors.  Re-organized the management team and mentored them in management operations and human resource development.  I developed the plan and was instrumental in the main office relocation of MasTec’s SOCAL operations to a larger office and warehouse that offered strategic location for the customer’s needs. 

·          Budgeting – Established and maintained with corporate a budget that allowed for aggressive growth but was fiscally responsible to the company.  Achieved DSO of less than 60 days within six (6) months of taking over Los Angeles projects.

 

 

 

WOW Cable (formerly AMERITECH NEW MEDIA), CLEVELAND, OH

Project Manager – Operations (Consultant 1999 – 2004)

Managed service and maintenance department for Wide Open West Cable (formerly Ameritech New Media) in the Northeast Ohio market.  Overall responsibility for job tickets from call center, plant maintenance, construction upgrades and emergency restoration services.  Maintained inventory levels for customer premise equipment, OSP hardware, plant electronics, cable and fiber.  Requisitioned and deployed all test equipment, including but not limited to, fusion splicer’s, TDR’s, OTDR’s, Spectrum analyzers, and all necessary gear and tools for the technicians to complete tickets.  Produced budget for department and reviewed with senior management for approval.  Controlled costs of service and maintenance department through accurate tracking of expenditures and a strong ability to forecast needs accurately.

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·          Acquired and maintained qualified, experienced technicians and line personnel

·          Managed tech (service and maintenance) work schedule, on-call schedule and time reporting

·          Liaison with WOW senior management for budgeting, service call percentages, maintenance outages and procurement

·          Reviewed designs and oversaw make-ready for rebuild projects

·          Assured on-time and on-budget completion of rebuild projects – including construction, splicing, activation and documentation (as-builts) – OSP

·          Resolved customer complaints expediently, resulting in high customer retention

·          Preventative and restoration on-call and overall responsibility

·          Was first on-site at the 2003 major gas explosion in Maple Hts. to assess the damage and restoration  services to OSP plant – this took one week to perform and as the manager, I assembled the team, coordinated access to the central office, staged all the trucks, trailers and gear with emergency services, and  had the plant up and running days before the other broadband company had their system up and running

 

 

 

PRIOR POSITIONS:

 

Field Tech, Headend Tech, Network Tech and Fiber Supervisor – Cleveland, Ohio

·         Fiber Splicer & Technician

·         Field Network Technician

·         Broadband Headend & AML Microwave Technician

·         Aerial and Underground OSP Construction

·         Constructions Supervisor and Coordinator

 

 

 

Education and Certifications

 

·         A.S. in Computer Engineering – Tampa Technical Institute (Tampa, FL)

·         PMP – Project Management Professional Certification (PMI – 1322946)

·         PgMP – Program Management Professional (PMI – Application accepted – In Process)

·         RCDD – Registered Communication Distribution Designer (BICSI – Application in Process)

·         FCC General Radiotelephone License with Radar Endorsement

·         A+ Certification – CompTIA

·         C-7 Low Voltage License (Data/Fire/Telecom/Broadband/Automation) – California

·         CET (ETA) – Certified Electronic Technician

·         Project Management Courses – University of California, Irvine CA

·         Business Management Courses - Cuyahoga Community College, OH

·         TWIC – Transportation Workers Identification Card

·         E-Rate Funding Seminar (2012) - USAC

·         CCTT Certification – Fluke Networks

·         Premise Wiring Technician Certification – AMP/Tyco

·         Lead Awareness Certification

·         Asbestos Awareness Certification

·         First Aid and CPR Certification

 

MEMBERSHIPS

 

 

·         Project Management Institute (PMI)

·         Northeast Ohio Chapter – Project Management Institute (PMI)

·         Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI)