Resume Details

I have had a varied career in both large and small environments and have omitted some smaller projects to keep this resume to a manageable size.

Recent

Vintages Shop Online E-Commerce Portal (for the LCBO)

2011/2012

• Quality Assurance team lead
• enhanced custom PHP/MySQL web-based application to manage test case preparation and issue tracking

Note: A demonstration version of the above test case management application will be available soon.

Payment Processing Project

2010

• Quality Assurance team lead
• developed and implemented custom PHP/MySQL web-based application to manage test case preparation and issue tracking
• hired and managed 2 testers
• researched automated testing tools. Chose Selenium and supplemented existing C# code base that uses WatiN to use the Selenium framework

• project revived following a change in sponsor (see Payment Processing Project below)
• developed and executed set of .NET-based (C#) tools to identify all references to previous sponsor in the code, database structure and stored procedures, database content, images and stylesheets
• converted administrative front-end code developed using Visual Studio 2005 to Visual Studio 2010
• converted database from MS SQL Server 2005 to MS SQL Server 2008

Recent Microsoft .NET Development

BizTalk Project

2010

• developed a WCF-SQL DB Loader Adapter for the client's BizTalk 2010 implementation using Visual Studio 2010 (C#)
• part of Microsoft's Technology Adoption Program (TAP) program
• team lead showcased this technology to Microsoft in Redmond, Washington
• "a good chance to show our core knowledge (Doug's DB Load Pipeline Component using XSD Schema) thru new BizTalk Framework"
• See Microsoft's case study of this project here

E-Commerce Portal Application

2009

Assisted in the development of a generic e-commerce portal using SQL Server 2005 and .NET/C# under the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 platform. Exceeded the client's expectations by meeting very tight timelines. For an example of the generic portal in action, please see Fielding Wines.

Employee Incentives Application

2009

Researched and prototyped potential technology-related enhancements for a Microsoft .NET, web-based employee incentives application, including:

• expanded use of the ASP.NET Membership database
• investigation of MS SQL for the storage and retrieval of all application graphics
• documentation and testing of system backup and restore procedures

Online Purchase Order Monitoring and Tracking

2009

• technologies used include .NET (C#) and Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• played a development role in this project (SQL stored procedures, c# coding, UI design)

Web-Based Purchasing Portal Rewrite

(for the LCBO)

2008, ongoing support thereafter

• responsible for evaluating a consumer-facing, Java- and Oracle DB-based online purchasing application for conversion to .NET (C#) and Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Conversion incorporated performance and security best practices gained from working with the PCI Level 1-compliant payment system described below (see "Payment Processing Project")
• Uncovered numerous bugs and security flaws in the original system
• Performed a total rewrite in months (original system had been under development for several years, but had not yet been implemented in production)
• Wrote batch processes to synchronize the content of the online application with an Oracle back-end database
• wrote application to convert front-end Oracle database (data and database table definitions) to SQL Server 2005 prior to launching the development process
• System has been in production since the Fall of 2008
• See www.vintagesshoponline.com

Web-based "Web Store" Portal Rewrite

(for the LCBO)

Spring/Summer 2008, resumed Winter 2009

• responsible for evaluating a Java- and SAP DB-based web store application for conversion to .NET (C#) and Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Conversion incorporated performance and security best practices gained from working with the PCI Level 1-compliant payment system described below
• Uncovered numerous bugs and security flaws in the original system
• Original system had been under development for several years, but had not yet progressed to full production status
• work on this project was temporarily deferred when the client decided that a second, similar consumer-facing system should take priority
• wrote SAP DB-to-SQL Server 2005 database conversion application (data and database table definitions) to be run just prior to production cutover
• See www.lcbowebstore.com

Payment Processing Project

(for Bell Canada)

Winter 2007

• resumed position as test team lead in the critical stages of this project immediately prior to production deployment (see “Payment Processing Project” - Spring/Summer/Fall 2007 below)
• managed a team of 4 testers
• evaluated, selected and implemented software tool to document test scenarios and test cases
• managed defect logging and tracking
• wrote a number of C#/WatIN-based automated test scripts to quickly test core functionality following each migration to acceptance and production regions

Claim Submission and Tracking Portal

(for Best Buy Canada)

Fall/Winter 2007

• .NET-based claim submission and tracking application for a large, North American consumer electronics retailer
• Developed using Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2005 (C#) and SQL Server 2005
• Responsible for business analysis, as well as all design, development, and testing under an extremely tight deadline
• Wrote procedures to extract data from both flat files and Excel spreadsheets and load that data into SQL Server
• See portals.qlogitek.com/BestBuyPortal/Login.aspx

Payment Processing Project

(for Bell Canada)

Spring/Summer/Fall 2007

• Large .NET-based payment processing application for a federal government client, but commissioned by a major telecommunications company
• Responsible for co-ordinating all aspects of the internal testing process
• Researched, recommended and implemented test case management and defect tracking software
• Researched, recommended and implemented automated testing software
• currently researching load test tools
• managed a team of testers
• developed internal standards and guidelines for conducting testing
• authored and executed hundreds of test cases

Other Projects

Ontario-Based Credit Union

Fall/Winter 2006

• Gathered business requirements for BizTalk 2006 and .NET “Smart client”-based commercial banking application
• “integrated services desktop” project initiated to capture and centralize institution’s lending management data through automated workflow, using BizTalk to knit together existing, heterogeneous banking applications
• Strategic project, allocated 95%+ of the organization’s IT budget

Mortgage Intelligence/GMAC

Spring/Summer 2006

• Developed and implemented a series of enhancements to the two applications described in “Mortgage Intelligence/GMAC (2005)“ (see below)

Qlogitek, Payment Processing Project

(for Bell Canada)

Winter/Spring, 2006

• Developed multi-threaded Microsoft .NET-based Windows service (written in C#) with a very tight deadline for a 24/7 US-based operation
• Service handles client credit card pre-authorization transactions
• Also coordinated the project: responsibilities included dealing with the telecommunications client company as well as a technology enterprise, and a US-based credit card payment processor

Qlogitek, Proof Of Concept Project

(for Bell Canada)

Winter, 2006

• Produced Microsoft.NET-based working demonstration of sophisticated bilingual payment processing application for presentation to a provincial government on behalf of a national telecommunications company
• Technologies included Visual Studio.NET 2003, SQL Server 2000, and Web Services. Proof of concept was successfully presented shortly after the development period
• Also directed the work of a number of developers to integrate their software into the POC

Mortgage Intelligence/GMAC

2005

• Designed and developed Web-based mortgage insurance applications using Microsoft .NET (Windows services, C#, VS.NET 2003), SQL Server 2000 and Adobe PDF forms technology

New Item Submission Application

(for LCBO)

2004/2005

• Web-based system, developed using Microsoft .NET (C#) and MS SQL Server, interacts with several LCBO systems (tasting, laboratory analysis, mainframe WCSS application), manages LCBO’s supply chain (product calls and submissions tracking)
• Worked with internal business analyst, met with user representatives, documented requirements and co-wrote design document. Responsible for architecting system, programming, leading team of 3 developers, 1 documentation specialist and 1 network engineer, and interacting with LCBO IT staff
• Managed the challenge of directing technical staff who had poor English language skills
• See this site for details.

Click here for information about the Retail Council of Canada’s recognition of this application in the form of an industry award (”Retail Supply Chain Award”, June, 2007).

Update: The above link is now dead, so I've started to hunt for an archived version. Stay tuned.

Qlogitek, Lebiz Supply Chain Enhancements

2003/2004

• Participated in a program to re-engineer and improve QLogitek’s key business-to-business application suite (based on Microsoft’s BizTalk 2000 server)
• Automated the handling of error conditions that would otherwise have had to be dealt with by clerical staff
• Changes resulted in significant cost savings to QLogitek

Enbridge Gas New Brunswick

2002/2003

• Designed and developed Extranet application to allow third-party gas marketers to enter sales data and administer users belonging to their respective organizations

Toyota Canada

2003

• Enhanced training and education applications in order to improve staff productivity and conform with government privacy requirements

Infonet Project

2003

• Co-led series of business requirements and design sessions with a global communications services provider and transformed the information gathered at those sessions into a working Intranet application
• Application based on ASP and MySQL open source relational database management system

Marasym

2002

• With two other Web developers, designed and developed Web portal application targeted at private investors
• Technologies: Visual Studio/Visual Basic.Net, Microsoft SQL Server

TD Canada Trust

2002/2003

• Reviewed operational workflows of business banking application known as Business Window Commercial Banking System
• Developed successful prototype application demonstrating that Microsoft BizTalk Server could replace custom Windows NT complex and improve application’s efficiency and maintainability

Please also see “Toronto-Dominion Bank ” (1996/1997) below.

Panasonic Canada

1999, 2001

• Developed and programmed Extranet application to allow Panasonic service facilities across the country to order parts, access manuals and catalogues, and receive electronic notifications regarding service bulletins and product literature
• Liaised with end user to define business requirements
• Web application greatly improved quality of service to service centre partners and customers
• Microsoft featured this application on their Web site (case study area)
• See service.panasonic.ca
• Also developed public-facing Servicentre locator and customer support contact pages

Daimler-Chrysler

2000

• Co-developed vehicle information (kiosk) application for Daimler-Chrysler USA
• Completely replaced the previous kiosk application’s architecture, reducing the work effort of the organization’s multimedia area by hundreds of person-hours
• Application used in automobile dealerships throughout the USA for customer self-service, as well as for sales staff training and on laptop computers by mobile sales staff

Canadian Bankers Association

1998/1999

• CBA had applications that were no longer providing adequate level of functionality, accessibility, or performance to its 20 to 30 member financial institutions
• Led series of design sessions with key bank security personnel and proposed Web replacement
• Designed, developed and implemented system, which records and shares critical security data among Canadian member financial institutions (bank robberies, employee defalcations, credit card irregularities, etc.)

Sprint Canada

1997/1998

• analyzed Sprint’s activation reporting work flows and requirements, and recommended alternative
• proposed, designed, developed and deployed automated system to query organization’s AS/400 and store resulting data in local MS Access data repository from which reporting could be effected
• system freed 15 to 20 staff members for redeployment, all of whom were assisting several hours per week in report preparation; system also significantly improved accuracy of reports

Toronto-Dominion Bank

1996/1997

• worked with team of business managers and software development personnel on Business Window Commercial Banking application
• bank’s clients (independent businesses) needed front-end software to access TD mainframe systems (balance reporting, customer-initiated transfers, electronic funds transfer, and wire payments)
• involved from the earliest stages of the project, developed the prototype for the client front-end application in series of JAD sessions with key TD staff
• prepared initial project plan, designed database, developed and implemented key software, including Electronic Funds Transfer subsystem
• post-project, prepared demonstration of system using DemoShield (accessible from bank’s Web site) See also TD Canada Trust (2002/2003)

Baton Broadcasting

1994/1995

• reviewed series of outdated AS/400-based payroll and G/L-oriented legacy applications and replaced these systems with Microsoft technology
• responsible for business requirements gathering, design, project tracking, user interaction, development, testing, implementation (including conversion), documentation, training and support
• new applications provided client with high degree of fault-tolerance, simplified re-run capabilities, and ease-of-use

Other Clients

1990-1994

• Global Television, Ministry of the Solicitor-General and Correctional Services, SONY of Canada, The Hospital for Sick Children, Westinghouse

Earlier Experience

Pre-1990

• Prudential Insurance, The Molson Companies Limited, Xerox Canada, Inc., Hudson’s Bay Company, Workers’ Compensation Board
• Started as a programmer, with increasingly responsible positions. Last position: Senior Systems Analyst

Education

• Honours B.A., Urban Geography, University of Toronto
• 1st Year Engineering, Co-op program, University of Waterloo
• Five-Year Arts and Sciences diploma, Vincent Massey Collegiate Institute, Etobicoke, Ontario (languages (French, German, Spanish), mathematics, physics)

Last updated January 4, 2012 4:34:41 PM