Greg Buckner Email and Phone Number

As Head of Global Product Quality with teams in New York, London, Beijing, and Kiev I’m responsible for product quality of applications and systems across Thomson Reuters News Agency. My teams are responsible for testing head-end satellite systems, metadata and entity extraction systems, news agency webservices, websites, mobile apps, and special media client video play out systems. Part of my daily responsibilities are governance of quality related activities for internal engineering teams, our vendors, partners, and upstream editorial feeds. My teams certify that all software releases are fit for launch and set standards for testing and release readiness, ensure customers receive content and news services with absolute minimal disruption and delay, cultivate sound testing practices among engineering staff and help implement Agile development practices using Scrum and Kaban development methodologies. I manage organic team growth and dynamic resource leveling across all locations as needed. I work closely with product team and project team department heads in making sure that the testing by my teams does aligns and meets quality goals and expected service delivery standards of Thomson Reuters and our customers.

As Director of Quality Assurance I manage 21 Quality Assurance and Test Automation Engineers which are deployed across 14 different Product Development Teams. The QA organization consists of domestic and offshore resources, which I direct to ensure high quality outcome of projects within our Agile Development Methodology. I am responsible for QA strategic planning and implementation in support of company goals of high quality service delivery. My teams engage in web technology testing on the Search, Revenue, SEO, SEM, Internationalization/Localization, Content as well as other product development teams. I position my teams at the beginning of the development cycle so that they are able to add maximum quality impact to the project. I manage my teams with low friction and high collaboration so that QA and Development work together effectively to deliver value. With the offshore team I effectively manage resources to ensure maximum effort, flexibility, cost effectiveness, and value. I work collaboratively with Product Owners and Agile/SCRUM Coaches to ensure sprint iteration as well as long-term quality. Shutterstock is a fast paced media company. During my tenure at Shutterstock the company has almost quadrupled. I have been able to effectively scale my teams effectively within budget while at the same time improving quality.

As Director of Quality Assurance I was brought in for my exemplary ability to institute and manage quality organizations. Responsible for testing and deployment of systems software to a global network of over 1200 Windows and Linux servers in a dynamic change environment. I took ownership of all functions concerning the delivery of quality product to the clients and end-users. Created all QA documentation collateral including standards, test case, planning and status templates. I also trained the entire Engineering Staff on QA and Engineering Policies and Procedures. I designed and implemented testing infrastructure for peer-to-peer anti-piracy infringement scanning network and interdiction systems. I’ve led code and project reviews, I created the Change Control Process and served as the Chairman of the Change Control Board. I worked closely with the Product and Sales organizations ensuring an effective feedback loop back to Engineering and Quality Assurance on issues affecting client expectations on quality. Participated in quarterly review and goal setting. I interfaced with satellite offices and facilitated sharing of best practices on quality issues and also managed offshore project resources ensuring adherence to quality and schedule delivery. Administered defect tracking and source control systems ensuring that our systems workflow appropriately mapped and enforced our defined engineering practices. I made Go/No-Go decisions on all software releases. Some of my daily activities consist of monitoring project progress and product quality, ensuring goals remain on target, gathering metrics and recording deviations to quality, continuous planning of team tasks, working with other teams to improve their quality, review of release readiness, and team building. I managed multiple projects simultaneously including continuous improvement efforts. I led my team with great coaching and hands-on testing side-by-side with them.

As Senior Director of QA I was brought in to create the Quality Assurance and Customer Help Desk functions. I designed all QA and help desk documentation and testing procedures. I created synergistic principles between the two departments. I managed a staff 9 QA Analysts and 3 Help Desk Support Analysts. I always released high quality software releases on schedule and within budget. My main role was to ensure the quality and integrity of custom pharmaceutical portal solutions we engineered for our clients through rigorous testing, safe deployments, and coordinated after care. I made all final Go/No-Go decisions regarding all company software releases. QA and the Helpdesk were also charged with managing all beta launches, verifying all issues reported, coordinating maintenance requests, and tracking the fixes back out to the client. I implemented automated test and deployment regimes and tested software hands-on with my team while training and leading them. After establishing the QA and Helpdesk departments I migrated into the role of Head of Client Implementations. I managed the processes of client implementations ensuring that the consistency of attention to detail required went into each and every client implementation. Trained client end-users and internal staff on applications and knowledge mapping workflow methodologies. My client implementation process was extremely valuable in improving client satisfaction and the efficacy of the sales pipeline process by clearing the decks and knowing the status of each client implementation. As Head of Client Implementations I was also assigned the position of Headed Shared Services where I had direct client-facing responsibilities and managed ongoing service deliverables. In this role I specialized in client care and customer pull-though strategies, I helped close business on client contract proposals and contract renewals in excess of $1M.

As SQA Officer I was responsible for software process improvement projects using CMM framework for compliance, and leading software capabilities to CMM Level 2. The Software Configuration Management and Integration/Librarian functions reported into me. I developed SCM procedures and setup vendor training for engineering staff. I chaired the Software Engineering Process Group (SEPG) which was responsible for the setting the focus and goals of continuous improvement projects for our laboratory .I was and active participant in the creation of the company Product Development Process (PDP) which is Philip Laboratory’s proprietary SDLC methodology for developing and bringing products to market. I led Fagan Inspections for requirements, and Code Peer Review session, and performed audits. Collaborated with other Philips labs and shared best practices, successes and failures. I authored test plans and Use Case Diagrams for Digital Television (DTV) software engine and WebTV development projects. I performed module, integration, system (white/gray/black box) tests, and customer acceptance testing. As Software Project Improvement (SPI) Leader I managed and mentored 28 team members in CMM Level 2 continuous improvement efforts. Worked with hardware as well as software, I assembled and maintained test cages and hardware test configurations when needed.

As Quality Assurance and Certification Manager I was responsible for all systems software testing activities and certification that all Intercept and Card Issuer Processors coming on to the NYCE network complied with industry and regulatory standards, as well as NYCE by-laws for transaction interchange over the network. I also managed the Client Implementations and Database departments. Set up and maintained isolated test environments to perform every type of network transaction possible and to perform settlement activities and produce reports. I worked very closely with the Network Operations Center to help identify or resolve any anomalous events that occur. QA and Certification served as Tier-1 technical support after initial Go-Live of clients coming on to the network. Evaluated software tools and prepared RFPs, Negotiated prices, and made purchase recommendations. Managed my department to $1.1M annual budget.

Supervised 6 analysts coordinating their efforts ensuring timely and successful completion of their projects.Created software test plans, test scripts, and test schedules.Certified vendor products including hardware, software and firmware. Participated in evaluation of new technologies.Held user-training sessions on new and enhanced system applications released from Quality Assurance. Served as a member of the Change Control Board for software changes.Participated in production rollouts and post release activities. Administered defect-tracking system. Prepared reports for Software Development and Management.Made recommendations on hardware and software purchases.Managed vendor relationships.

Installed and tested communications equipment and computer peripherals.Wrote start-up and recovery procedures for the various computer systems.Performed link test with domestic and international packet networks assuring adherence to CCITT recommendations.Certified and installed conditioned communications lines as Field Service Engineer Maintained network routing tables.Monitored the Packet Network.Performed preventive maintenance and repairs on the mainframe computers and computer peripherals.Analyzed statistical reports and made modifications to balance the network.