While my primary responsibility was programming in support of the corporate information infrastructure, I was actively involved in every aspect of the technology ecosystem. I produced countless reports, wrote innumerable TSQL stored procedures and functions, and cleaned and processed volumes of data. A priority annual project was assisting in the production of a massive center-wide, multi-level Cost Accounting report submitted to the State of Texas. I have in my time here performed beyond my expected duties many times. Networking, telecommunications (including VoIP), Windows Server, Exchange Server, SharePoint and desktop support; wherever and whenever my experience can be beneficial, I am willing and able to assist.

When I started with this company it was a single division. In my time with them, I oversaw technological growth during their expansion to six divisions encompassing major aspects of steel service, steel distribution and the manufacture of telecom and utility structures. The network grew from one Novell Netware server and 16 stations to multiple role-specific NT/2000 servers and over 100 workstations in three geographically dispersed locations. The locations were connected in a centrally managed TCP/IP WAN through ISDN and T1 circuits. Utilizing Visual Basic, HTML, Active Server Pages and Access I created departmental applications ranging from shop-floor material tracking and job scheduling to job time allocations to a web-application connected to back-end data for customer order tracking.My department was responsible as well for telecommunications and telephony. I researched and oversaw the installation of an enterprise telephony and messaging solution that would grow with the company. Circuit selection, feature set and long distance service contract negotiation all passed through Information Services.

Designed and created the corporate information system. This system was responsible for the tracking of automobile broker transactions, new auto loans, value-added products (warranties and credit insurance) and auto refinance loans. Additionally, I processed approximately 100,000 records per week in incoming data that were merged into the direct marketing module that I wrote for this system.A further challenge here was to integrate this diversified company’s resources. The parent company had four locations in and around Houston. It also had two subsidiaries, one of which had three locations of its own. In addition, any number of independent automobile dealers needed to connect for access to the common information store. Before the company ceased operation, the first two phases of this integration were nearing completion: 1. Windows NT servers with Windows clients; 2. Routing local traffic onto the Internet through ISDN, using the Internet as a WAN backbone; 3. Connecting all remote clients through dial-up service providers, providing client/server access through the web browser/web server model.

I joined this company one month after it opened as the sole member of their IS department. My challenge was to network all departments and design a system to integrate sales, customer service, accounts payable / receivable, administration, and marketing with plenty of room for growth. The company experienced rapid growth and by the end of my second year I was mentoring a staff of five through multiple projects. * Created the National Listing Service property tracking and matching system: five million property records and three million property owners all with complete information easily accessible through multiple indexes. Even with large volumes of data being access around the clock this system always delivered rapid response.* Engineered the Property Search Engine component used in the NLS Online. Using this system, the vast repository of available properties could be instantaneously searched on several criteria. The most powerful of these criteria was the keyword search, which allowed a search by individual word across 30,000+ subdivision and county names. Much effort was spent optimizing these components, resulting in searches that completed in less than one second.* Developed RAGE, a library of graphical user interface elements created to address the need for a GUI library that would draw its objects using text or graphics based on client capabilities. * Engineered the NLS Online bulletin board system. A bulletin board system was chosen as the most familiar delivery mechanism because at that time (1994) the World Wide Web was just coming into focus. The NLS Online brought together the Property Search Engine and RAGE in a secure environment and made the power of these tools available to anyone with a modem and simple, free ANSI software.

I started with this company soon after its inception. During my time with them I evolved their software systems, networks and hardware to keep pace with the fantastic growth they were experiencing. * Created a comprehensive timeshare property management system. Millions of records were maintained, with access remaining rapid and robust as the system grew. The system handled commission payroll, property maintenance, exchanges, sales and rentals.* Designed the first computerized timeshare property matching system. This system automatically matched timeshares from the pool of available units to the criteria specified by interested buyers. * Designed and wrote a fully integrated Direct Mail system for an in-house, automated bulk mail facility. This program was written to easily adapt to constantly changing U.S. Post office bulk mail regulations. It handled the entire process, starting with the selecting of leads and continuing through sorting, managing multiple simultaneous print streams and bar-coding of the printed material.

My time with these companies was spent doing outside consulting for various businesses. I designed and supported, both solely and as part of a team, many programs for automating daily business processes. I consider this time in my life largely as a learning experience. I was able to tackle problems of a different nature everyday and improve my trouble-shooting skills and customer relations.