Contractor through Dexian. Helped bring a new assembly line into production, on-time and under budget, on a short-term contract as a software engineer working on their Manufacturing Execution System (MES). Developed and tested software for monitoring & controlling a new product assembly line being set up for a new Andersen retractable screen door product (Des Moines division was formerly EMCO Industries.)Gained experience with Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk (FTPC), Process Designer IDE & PNUTS (Java-based scripting language), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SMSS, TIBCO JasperSoft Studio, Atlassian Jira, Microsoft Planner.

Helped stabilize, maintain and enhance BTS’s PrintUtil policy document print/email/fax/archive management workflow web app after major department staff attrition; almost all subject matter experts had left before I started (and all had left shortly after I started.) Myself and another replacement worked with the available documentation and minimal training to keep the lights on, I received a spot bonus for excellent work. Also worked on their CCM Tools and Enterprise Print System web apps. Completely replaced PDF File comparison software server so old it was running Windows Server 2008. Made code changes using Java & SQL. Updated PrintUtil and PDF Compare software to use authenticated SMTP email for improved information security. Made changes to add elements and attributes to XML export files. Experience with IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse IDEs, Git, Postman, Scoop, DbVisualizer, Atlassian Jira, Confluence, BitBucket/Stash, and Bamboo. Participated in switching to Agile workstream project management method. Experiencewith Quadient and xPression document generation servers, Enfocus Switch document workflow management software, STREAMdiff document comparison software. Experience with other tools such as SuperPuTTY, WinSCP, FileZilla, Cmder, Git Bash for Windows,Thycotic, KDiff, etc.

Working for Wells Fargo Image Repository Support as a contractor through Apex System to resolve user and system problems with Wells Fargo’s Image Content Management Platform, a huge document repository containing billions of documents and adding millions of new documents every day, based on IBM’s Filenet. Tools used: SQL, Splunk, AppD, Oracle SQL Developer, Jira, Confluence.

Working as a contractor through Dynamo for Trility Consulting. Trility had a contract with Masonite, a large nationwide architectural door manufacturing company to learn, document and maintain a mission-critical legacy order-entry system after most of the development staff familiar with it had left, while it was being replaced with a cloud-based system. Legacy system was written using VB.Net and Trilogy SalesBuilder Constraint Modeling Language (CML) for AI rules engine for configuring and checking orders. Other tools worked with: Git, Atlassian BitBucket & HipChat, Slack, Microsoft Visual Source Safe & Visual Studio 2005, Windows batch scripting for automation, some research and preliminary work on GUI testing automation for Test Driven Development of changes and bug fixes.

OCIO - Office of the Chief Information Officer -I/3 Bureau (Integrated Information for Iowa)(Formerly DAS-ITE (Department of Administrative Services - Information Technology Enterprise) • Maintained and enhanced the Online Payroll Warrants web site (Java/JSP, WebSphere CE, Web services, Eclipse) used by state employees to view their paycheck stubs. Moved site from WebSphere 5.1 on AIX (Unix) to WebSphere Community Edition (Geronimo) on Windows. Worked with Central Payroll, server, networking and mainframe administrators to bring several system upgrades to completion. Found and fixed several security holes.• Maintained and enhanced the back-end COBOL-based mainframe Web Service for the Online Payroll Warrants system database.• Assisted occasionally with COBOL programming projects on the mainframe-based (z/OS) State Human Resources Information System (HRIS).• Enhanced Income Offset project (Java, Mule ESB, Ruby & Rails), which reclaims thousands of dollars of money owed to the state annually.• Many other programming projects using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications in Excel, Word, and Outlook.• Handled daily and evening processing issues on batch processing cycle of state financial/ERP system (CGI’s AMS Advantage) and AIX and Windows batch jobs. Use of UNIX Bash shell, Windows command prompt and other tools to diagnose and solve problems, examine logs, etc, such as PuTTY, WinSCP, FileZilla.• Co-administrator for maintaining IBM’s Kenexa Brass Ring system, which ran the State of Iowa’s Job Applicant Tracking System. Extensive training on use of Kenexa Brass Ring Workbench. • Implemented switch from IBM Kenexa Brass Ring to the government-oriented NEOGOV job tracking system in 2016 and 2017; co-administrator.• Set up and administered the WebDAM digital asset managment (photos, video, documents) for OCIO for clients such as the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources and Iowa Dept. of Economic Development (Tourism).

(formerly Standard & Poors)• Recreated (under a tight time deadline) a TCP/IP data capture program in Visual Basic 6. It extracted data from the NASDAQ mutual funds ticker data streamed via the Internet and fed it to a HP OpenVMS system for processing. Wrote extensive user and technical documentation and trained users. • Made additional small changes occasionally over the next several years as the NASDAQ data feed record structure changed. • Supported them after Hurricane Sandy took out their data center in Manhattan. Set up NASDAQ data capture program on a new server and fixed problems running it under the newer Windows version due to missing DLLs. • Worked to re-implement the NASDAQ program in Java to comply with their changing corporate standards.

Standard & Poor's Fund Services was purchased by competitor Morningstar and then the whole Des Moines division of S&P FS was laid off. Development staff stayed on until the layoff date to transition data feeds and clients over to Morningstar's systems.

(formerly Standard & Poor’s Fund Services) • Created new and modified existing programs for data entry, processing and report production using Visual Basic 6, Microsoft Access, VBA, SQL Server 2000, FTP to OpenVMS and SunOS systems, and COM to control other Windows programs to automate file transfer, file production, and user notification.• Created new and maintained existing entry screens, reports, and processing jobs using DEC (later HP) VMS BASIC & DCL on DEC VAX and HP Alpha minicomputers running OpenVMS.• Automated formerly manual data entry from dozens of spreadsheets received via e-mail using VB6, saving hours each day, freeing staff for other products and letting staff handle more company’s data and improve quality of data. Data was compared to competitors and exceeded all in quality, depth and scope. • Automated another manual data entry task that used to take several people two full days monthly; automated system handled the entire task in under a minute, allowing the staff to handle other tasks requiring human insight. • Used VB6 and WinSock TCP/IP API to automate capture of mutual fund data feed from the Nasdaq stock market, resulting in more reliable and accurate delivery of data, saving hours of manual data entry daily. This also allowed for expanding our coverage to include data from many additional mutual funds.• Created software design and technical specs, technical and user documentation for new and existing systems, resulting in better and more reliable software and easing future maintenance and enhancement projects.• Completed revisions to OpenVMS-based systems for Year 2000 Project, averting major problems.• Handled problems with daily and month-end processing on Windows and VMS, automated systems to improve quality.• Given corporate Product Innovation ACE Award for work done on the Underlying Funds Project.• Received Special Achievement Award for work performed on the time-critical SEC After-Tax Returns project.

• Created company web site including several CGI-backed web forms using JavaScript. CGI scripts written in Perl on a Digital Unix system for surveys, signup for seminars, product registration, etc. • Built translated versions of software in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish allowing it to be sold in multiple countries and bundled with scanners & cameras sold worldwide using a single package.• Built software distribution installers, allowing sales via web and online services not just mail and stores.• Created software design specifications for several new products and updates.• Wrote tutorials for product manuals and transformed product manuals into HTML for use on product CDs.• Managed Quality Assurance testing of software products on Macintosh and Windows, freeing up programmers to concentrate on coding and reducing number of bugs in shipping products.• Created and supervised tech support department, freeing up programming staff to concentrate solely on programming.• Developed relational databases in FileMaker Pro to track technical support contacts, bug reports, suggestions, and frequently asked questions, allowing for better software quality, and reducing need for support staff.

• Developed Prairie Group's Web site,, improving customer technical support and improving pre-sales information available to customers.• Responsible for telephone, e-mail and online forum technical support, freeing up other staff to focus on their jobs. Developed FileMaker Pro databases to track technical support contacts, bug reports, suggestions, and frequently asked questions, allowing for better software quality and better support.• Created technical specifications for many product upgrades based on experience with technical support issues and customer feedback, greatly improving product capabilities and reliability.• Coordinated quality assurance testing and external beta testing for new products and upgrades, reducing number of bugs in shipping products and increasing product quality due to feedback from testers.

Software Engineer:• Member of programming teams for award-winning software products QuickMail, QuicKeys, and CalendarMaker for Macintosh and Windows platforms. • Created gateways for QuickMail so it could work with many other electronic mail systems.• Worked with translators and enhanced source code to support proper operation in multiple human languages, enabling software to be translated into Japanese, French, German, Italian, Swedish, and Danish, allowing the software to be sold in 18 countries outside the USA.Director of Technical Support:• Established CE’s technical support department and managed four tech support staff members. Department given several awards by IT professional/user groups and computer trade magazines for support quality.• Wrote user documentation for QuickMail Client, QM Forms e-mail form design, and QM Remote access programs.

Software Engineer - Farm Information Management Services Division:• Developed applications for use by farmers and for information services provided to farmers. • Programmed Digital VAX minicomputers in VMS Pascal & DCL, and MS-DOS compatible personal computers in Microsoft C and Lattice C.Software Engineer – Data Systems Division, Payroll Department:• Programmed payroll applications and reports in COBOL on IBM 3090-compatible mainframe. W-2 printing programs had to allow for employees working in multiple states and/or countries in a single tax year.

• Developed new and modified existing Medical Office Management System software written in Business BASIC to meet customer needs.• Provided hardware and software installation, preventative maintenance, and technical support to customers, including on-site support and phone support.

• Trained customers in programming in BASIC, using TRSDOS and using application software.• Created Computer Sales Quote system in Microsoft BASIC, used by local staff and later by other Radio Shack stores in the district to produce price quotes for computer systems sales.• Wrote promotional "customized shopping list" software using Microsoft BASIC that was used during Christmas holidays in Radio Shack stores around the country to help shoppers find appropriate gifts.