Kenneth Ballard Email & Phone Number

Kansas City, Missouri Area

Writing software projects in C++ and C#, with some Java thrown in as well. Bash and Powershell scripting as well to automate things where possible. This includes automating creating and updating Docker images on my virtualization server. And writing scripts that I publish online for automating creating Docker environments for several applications.And I've also contributed to several open-source applications and libraries. Including one library used by a previous employer – CxImage – with those contributions made before they hired me.Projects:* Puzzle Pirates Trade Profiteer: helper application for the MMORPG Puzzle Pirates. Initially written in C++ and MFC with a Java component, I later adapted it to C#. Used SQLite for data storage.* KCCI SchoolNet8 Desktop Weather Client: C++ application that pulled and displayed weather data from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet hosted by Iowa State University. (Since shut down in May 2019.)Contributions:* KeePass – Password manager (only 1.x version)* CxImage – Image handling library* zfs-inplace-rebalancing – ZFS pool rebalance script* ChaosModV – mod for Grand Theft Auto V

Kansas City, Kansas, United States

- DMX SwarmTechnologies: Oracle Outside In, Clean Content, Redemption, Microsoft SQL, Oracle SQL, Azure Pipelines and Releases, Powershell, Microsoft Office API, Aspose.NETLanguages: C++ (with STL), C#* Heavily involved with migrating our builds from TFS to Azure, and our deploys from Octopus to Azure* Deploying the software to the cluster "worker" machines relied on a MSSQL database to store config variables. So I reworked that to rely entirely on variables in Azure, putting it in line with... everything else we deployed to the "workers". Also added a step to the Azure Release to dump variables for comparison before using that new function- Epiq DiscoveryTechnologies: Gradle, MySQL, Linux (Ubuntu), Aspose for Java, Apache Tika, Amazon Web Services (AWS), DockerLanguages: Java, Python* Created a Bash script for updating package version numbers in the Gradle definition files, eliminating the need to search the code base* Created a Bash script that automated post-creation steps for an "all-in-one" (AIO) virtual machine - which is a self-contained Epiq Discovery "environment"* Volunteered to be involved with how the AIOs are built so we weren't relying on just one person to investigate if someone's AIO build failed* That also led to me becoming the primary troubleshooter with AIOs, leading to creating and updating the aforementioned post-creation script along with filing tickets or reaching out directly to specific individuals* Adapted two Epiq Discovery components into Docker container images: the web front-end and the Python REST API* Substantially advanced progress on adapting the back-end worker code (Java application) to a Docker container image

Kansas City, Kansas

Development on a clustered application for extracting metadata from disparate files collected as part of "electronic discovery" for a civil or class-action lawsuit.* Upgraded the build process to reduce build times from an average of 75 minutes for our largest solution to consistently under 10 minutes when a clean build is not needed, 30 minutes or less when a clean build is required.* Proposed and implemented changes to the code base to build with Visual C++ 2017 from 2010, taking an incremental approach instead of trying to do everything all-at-once.

Kansas City, Missouri Area

Software Engineer, Physician Documentation Team* Recognized as the leading C++ expert on the team with demonstrated knowledge of C++, Visual C++ and MFC, object-oriented design concepts and concepts on producing cleaner, more stable code* Demonstrated and recognized agility with tasks and projects with the ability to shift gears to a new/immediate priority without losing sight on the other tasks and projects* Demonstrated and measured commitment to software stability and "getting it right the first time", meaning resolutions for existing issues don't result in the introduction of new issues* Considered pluralistically responsible for measured increases in the team-owned component stability, not just fixing issues and taking preventative measures, but demonstrating to the team new ideas so the entire team is producing better code* Recognized as primary reason the team was able to virtually eliminate the backlog of reported defects and issues in Q3 2012* Assisted in the uplift of code owned by my team from Visual C++ 6 to Visual C++ 2010 while further enhancing code on an as-needed basis to implement better functionality in the newer MFC framework* Prepared classroom and video education lectures for transferring knowledge to other associates regarding lessons learned while correcting defects or implementing enhancements.

West Des Moines, Iowa, United States

* Improved upon the typically-employed data recover procedure after discovering a defect in that procedure. Recovery percentages demonstrably improved from typical levels approaching or achieving full recovery and integrity.* Implemented a crash detail reporting feature within MediNotes e following an apparent influx of crash reports, allowing for quicker reporting of stability issues and greater detail than could be achieved through a tech support engagement.* Re-designed and rewrote the existing HL7 support documentation, making it easier to read and understand and overall a significant improvement to the prior documentation, according to feedback obtained from multiple sources.* Primary responsibilities included maintenance and issue correction with the occasional enhancement project, including a document and file management project that withstood an attempted onslaught of simultaneous access by the entire tech support team.* Later responsibilities included collaborations with third-party organizations to determine HL7 support needs and to implement new support where necessary. It is these collaborations that prompted the re-design and rewrite of the HL7 support documentation noted above.* Demonstrated knowledge of Visual C++ and MFC with database access using SQL through ODBC interfaces

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Business Administration, Cmis

Activities and Societies: Student Senate, Peru State Times (student newspaper), Student Tutor through Academic Resource CenterAssisted.

Associate Of Science (A.S.), Computer Programming, 4.0

Activities and Societies: Phi Theta Kappa