Accomplishments
Business:
Conceived, planned, raised capital and established two separate computer supply businesses (for a time competitors) in the Dominican Republic. They functioned as walk-in stores. They sold both to end-users and resellers. In one of them we developed a small sales force and grew up to have 3 Stores in two cities and Associate Distributors in various other towns. One was the first walk-in computer store in the country and one of the most successful. In both, was also responsible for administration, marketing and procurement. Defined business policies, established norms, and created procedures and control forms; and supervised operations: cash flow, sales, inventory and payments. Managed local and international purchasing and product selection; prepared products cost calculations and pricing. Also established and maintained close relationships with suppliers (USA mostly).
Planned and organized (as a partner) a computer store to sell, support and program the OHIO Scientific and other novel microcomputers (in the Dominican Republic). The business was to be part of an international computer business, with already established sites in Miami and Caracas. Was responsible for the business start-up and later to be its manager.
Sales and Marketing:
Did extensive outside sales, mainly on the retail level and created very strong customer relations that provided our business with increased sales. Participated in promotional events, like computer shows, with great success and setting industry trends.
Prepared—with the guide of a marketing firm, a marketing strategy for one of the companies; introducing novel sales and marketing programs.
Promoted the sale and conversion of various non-Wang systems to the Wang line of computers. The efforts succeeded in generating good prospects and at least two solid sales.
Management:
As an IT Manager, I was responsible for new systems and maintenance planning; managing Systems Analysis and Design, Development and Programming, and Operations teams. Created successful Procedures and Documentation Standards and Policies—including Security. Supervised contracted personnel (both programming & data entry) for conversion.
Successfully decentralized Operations and Data Capture department, which included installing Work-Stations in various departments and in some of the Offices distributed through the city. We managed to reduce the invoicing cycle from a permanent 15 to 30 days behind schedule, under heavy overtime and many processing errors, to a regular 2 day, on-time process with little overtime and enhanced data quality.
Conceived and started a PC support unit to assist the company with the increased inflow of PCs. Created the infrastructure, and trained and arranged for training of personnel. Developed standard specifications on hardware and software to be acquire.
Participated in the company introduction to Process Control of the Production and Distribution Facilities--with Remote Sensing, PLCs and AM/FM/GIS. Prepared feasibility studies with cost estimates; analysis of current manual system with preliminary Design Specifications for a new semi-automated system. Part of my responsibilities included performing an extensive survey of the facilities, extracting information from the users, field studies, collecting available documentation and blueprints; and explaining the advantages of the new system to users and management.
Planned, organized and staffed the startup phase of the IT department for a new firm being formed as a joint venture between private Dominican investors and an American firm (City Management Corp., Detroit, MI), to Invoice and Collect payments for the City Hall garbage collection service. Was to function as the IT Manager.
Conversion and Migration Projects: Successfully planned and managed the conversion of all the company applications from an IBM S/3 Model 10, under RPG II, and Key-to-Disk data entry and batch oriented system, to a Wang VS-80 with COBOL and RPG II, with a good portion of interactive data entry and on-line processing, and extensive reporting and querying capability.
Planned and prepared programs and procedures to migrate all SSA BPCS ERP (S/36 on AS/400) flat files to Friedman’s Frontier ERP (V1.1) DB2/400 tables—enhancing data quality and saving considerable consulting and programming fees.
Participated in the setting, data cleansing, massaging and loading on to the VAI System 2000 DB2/400 tables from internal and external sources in text, commas delimited and excel formats. Created programs in RPG and CL and, used tools like; Excel, Ultra Edit, AQT (Advance Query Tool) and FTP.
Performed some data cleansing, conversion and loading (on voter's registration data) from PC based files (Fox and MS-DOS ASCII) to PC Based MS SQL Server tables.
Did extensive data conversion with most of the company data; converting and transferring mainly from the Wang (indexed, consecutive and documents - packed, binary and display type data) to PC based Watcom and MS SQL Server tables. Data structures were revised and data was cleaned.
Assisted in the modification and loading of DB2/400 Frontier data tables to MS-SQL tables for use by COGNOS.
On multiple projects converted, massaged, cleansed and loaded various sources of data—including Text, Excel and Comma Delimited to various Databases, including; MS SQL, Sybase SQL and DB2/400. In many cases, designed, created, modified and managed the Schemas.
Systems Analysis and Design:
Prepared system-wide re-engineering proposal of parts of an auto insurance system; designed to increase data quality, reduce disk space usage, and minimize maintenance and processing efforts. Also resulting in shorter processing times. The effort was directed to utilizing normalization rules, the extensive use of parameter and data driven processing.
Designed a Business Process Improvements and Documentation System for manual and computer assisted gathering and analysis of Processes, Data Structures and Business Rules. This consisted of Forms and Written Procedures to survey and document current systems and applications (BPCS, Excel, manual, etc) and its operation and, map them to a SAP system to be acquired. This was to be used as a base for the migration, potentially saving hundreds of hours.
Prepared (incomplete) Output Management System proposal to replace legacy type documents (green bar reports) with Laser Printer Forms; including storage options and enhanced distribution (Document Management), enhancing company image.
Prepared nationwide Phone System replacement cost analysis to migrate to IP telephony--designed to save some 10% of phone communications costs and deliver enhanced features. Compiled and analyzed current costs, evaluated various options and its cost benefits.
Development:
Developed various HTML based websites, based initially on FrontPage and/or Dreamweaver.
Consolidated various barcode shipping label programs with a new integrated program that facilitated the introduction of new labels in a parameter based procedure. Developed for a VAI 2000 system using Markmagic from Cybra.
Created FTP based procedures in CL to download 850 EDI transactions from VAN servers. Used both IFS and standard AS/400 objects and libraries, and Inovis APIs. Created programs and procedures in RPG 400 and CL to generate EDI transaction 753, according to customer specifications.
Initiated GIS based maps with VAI DB2/400 database integration. Created new programs and modules and modified existing programs to support better data entry and population of new fields and tables in support of geographic data. Integrated third party Zip Code geocoded, latitude and longitude based data for used with Maptitude GIS software.
Performed maintenance of Unisys A-Series, On-Line and Batch Cobol 68 & 74 programs for Auto Insurance Systems. Use of Cande, DMS-II and some WFL.
Created a reporting subsystem in COBOL allowing great flexibility that produced immediate results and saved substantial processing time (time cut in more that 50%). It was a summary based system, allowing the generation of multiple reports based on parameters.
Developed, under the project leader’s direction, a substitute Order Entry system that allowed fast and efficient order taking--while interfacing with the VAI system.
Help prepared, with Infomaker--a 4GL tool, company’s products pricelist and the main products Catalog, bringing great saving in its production—directly accessing VAI 2000 tables and newly created views to facilitate its generation.
Was preparing a comprehensive Windows based reporting facility with enhanced reports that increased productivity. Was created with Infomaker, and accessed AS/400 DB2/400 VAI 2000 tables and new created views.
Created a reporting system--with enhanced quality and presentation, accessing Frontier AS/400 tables, and new tables and views, using Infomaker (by Sybase). It consisted of windows based reports for management and users.
Special Projects:
Menu System.A generalized Menu System that provides extensive features, security and flexibility – not previously available for Frontier. It replaces the existing provided menus, enhancing and standardizing the process significantly, simplifying use and training. It eliminates the need for the hundreds of object currently used for menus, and it’s adaptable to other systems.
Sales Orders Reporting.Generates a series of Sales Orders based reports for Frontier, allowing the selection, filtering, ordering and totaling of data in a variety of ways--equivalent to more than one hundred different Reports. Permits a range of summary options from very basic summary to very detailed reports--satisfying a variety of information needs, from operational to executive level.
Purchase Orders Reporting. Generates a series of Purchase Orders based reports for Frontier, allowing the selection, filtering, ordering and totaling of data in a variety of ways--equivalent to more than two dozen different Reports. Permits a range of summary options from very basic summary to very detailed reports- satisfying multiple information needs, from operational to executive level.
Generalized Reporting System.A generalized reporting system that provides extensive reporting features and flexibility. Allows easy of use, extensive filtering and ordering capability and various processing options. Targeted to Frontier but can easily be adapted (Work in progress).
Inquiry System.A general purpose, customizable, inquiry system with comprehensive information display on master files. Provides both Browsing (One line per record) and Viewing (One record per screen) of data. Offers extensive help, filtering and ordering capability. Based on Frontier but adaptable to other system (Work in progress).
Sales Contracts Management. Created a Sales Contracts Projects Management system based on Frontier project management files. It recorded and tracked current and future projects and, its development and delivery projections month by month.
Orders Inquiry. Created an enhanced, online Order Inquiry program for Frontier, to tract orders though manufacture, showing details of production steps and requirements. It integrated the various other reports and screens into one. It was highly valued in many areas.
Issues Management. Created an Issues Management system to record and follow up on installation issues and improvements. System was integrated to the Frontier ERP.
Service Module. Created a Service Module to record and tract installation issues. System was fully integrated to the Frontier ERP.
Installation Payments. Created an Installation Payments subsystem (linked to Frontier Accounts Payables), to record, tract and control contractor’s installations payments.
Accounts Receivable Inquiry. Created a specialized Accounts Receivable Inquiry and Reporting system--for Frontier, that facilitated and improved receivables aging analysis and improved collections. It substituted a manual process involving various reports, inquiries and excel downloads and manipulation.
Network, Technical and Users Support:
Performed PC based technical support functions. Prepared, upgraded and supported PCs & Servers (Stand-alone and Networked). Installed and troubleshot networks, configured modems and routers, and printers. Provided applications support and troubleshooting; working with various Microsoft Client and Server Operating Systems, and BackOfficeand Office tools suites. Assisted users in the installation, support and use of third party software--both tools and applications.
Performed iSeries/AS400 based technical support—both Ethernet and Twinaxial. Supported AS-400 users under BPCS, VAI 2000 and Frontier ERPs. Troubleshot and supported system operations, processes and devices, and managed users and security configurations. Supported users in the use of the applications.
Conceived, planned, raised capital and established two separate computer supply businesses (for a time competitors) in the Dominican Republic. They functioned as walk-in stores. They sold both to end-users and resellers. In one of them we developed a small sales force and grew up to have 3 Stores in two cities and Associate Distributors in various other towns. One was the first walk-in computer store in the country and one of the most successful. In both, was also responsible for administration, marketing and procurement. Defined business policies, established norms, and created procedures and control forms; and supervised operations: cash flow, sales, inventory and payments. Managed local and international purchasing and product selection; prepared products cost calculations and pricing. Also established and maintained close relationships with suppliers (USA mostly).
Planned and organized (as a partner) a computer store to sell, support and program the OHIO Scientific and other novel microcomputers (in the Dominican Republic). The business was to be part of an international computer business, with already established sites in Miami and Caracas. Was responsible for the business start-up and later to be its manager.
Sales and Marketing:
Did extensive outside sales, mainly on the retail level and created very strong customer relations that provided our business with increased sales. Participated in promotional events, like computer shows, with great success and setting industry trends.
Prepared—with the guide of a marketing firm, a marketing strategy for one of the companies; introducing novel sales and marketing programs.
Promoted the sale and conversion of various non-Wang systems to the Wang line of computers. The efforts succeeded in generating good prospects and at least two solid sales.
Management:
As an IT Manager, I was responsible for new systems and maintenance planning; managing Systems Analysis and Design, Development and Programming, and Operations teams. Created successful Procedures and Documentation Standards and Policies—including Security. Supervised contracted personnel (both programming & data entry) for conversion.
Successfully decentralized Operations and Data Capture department, which included installing Work-Stations in various departments and in some of the Offices distributed through the city. We managed to reduce the invoicing cycle from a permanent 15 to 30 days behind schedule, under heavy overtime and many processing errors, to a regular 2 day, on-time process with little overtime and enhanced data quality.
Conceived and started a PC support unit to assist the company with the increased inflow of PCs. Created the infrastructure, and trained and arranged for training of personnel. Developed standard specifications on hardware and software to be acquire.
Participated in the company introduction to Process Control of the Production and Distribution Facilities--with Remote Sensing, PLCs and AM/FM/GIS. Prepared feasibility studies with cost estimates; analysis of current manual system with preliminary Design Specifications for a new semi-automated system. Part of my responsibilities included performing an extensive survey of the facilities, extracting information from the users, field studies, collecting available documentation and blueprints; and explaining the advantages of the new system to users and management.
Planned, organized and staffed the startup phase of the IT department for a new firm being formed as a joint venture between private Dominican investors and an American firm (City Management Corp., Detroit, MI), to Invoice and Collect payments for the City Hall garbage collection service. Was to function as the IT Manager.
Conversion and Migration Projects: Successfully planned and managed the conversion of all the company applications from an IBM S/3 Model 10, under RPG II, and Key-to-Disk data entry and batch oriented system, to a Wang VS-80 with COBOL and RPG II, with a good portion of interactive data entry and on-line processing, and extensive reporting and querying capability.
Planned and prepared programs and procedures to migrate all SSA BPCS ERP (S/36 on AS/400) flat files to Friedman’s Frontier ERP (V1.1) DB2/400 tables—enhancing data quality and saving considerable consulting and programming fees.
Participated in the setting, data cleansing, massaging and loading on to the VAI System 2000 DB2/400 tables from internal and external sources in text, commas delimited and excel formats. Created programs in RPG and CL and, used tools like; Excel, Ultra Edit, AQT (Advance Query Tool) and FTP.
Performed some data cleansing, conversion and loading (on voter's registration data) from PC based files (Fox and MS-DOS ASCII) to PC Based MS SQL Server tables.
Did extensive data conversion with most of the company data; converting and transferring mainly from the Wang (indexed, consecutive and documents - packed, binary and display type data) to PC based Watcom and MS SQL Server tables. Data structures were revised and data was cleaned.
Assisted in the modification and loading of DB2/400 Frontier data tables to MS-SQL tables for use by COGNOS.
On multiple projects converted, massaged, cleansed and loaded various sources of data—including Text, Excel and Comma Delimited to various Databases, including; MS SQL, Sybase SQL and DB2/400. In many cases, designed, created, modified and managed the Schemas.
Systems Analysis and Design:
Prepared system-wide re-engineering proposal of parts of an auto insurance system; designed to increase data quality, reduce disk space usage, and minimize maintenance and processing efforts. Also resulting in shorter processing times. The effort was directed to utilizing normalization rules, the extensive use of parameter and data driven processing.
Designed a Business Process Improvements and Documentation System for manual and computer assisted gathering and analysis of Processes, Data Structures and Business Rules. This consisted of Forms and Written Procedures to survey and document current systems and applications (BPCS, Excel, manual, etc) and its operation and, map them to a SAP system to be acquired. This was to be used as a base for the migration, potentially saving hundreds of hours.
Prepared (incomplete) Output Management System proposal to replace legacy type documents (green bar reports) with Laser Printer Forms; including storage options and enhanced distribution (Document Management), enhancing company image.
Prepared nationwide Phone System replacement cost analysis to migrate to IP telephony--designed to save some 10% of phone communications costs and deliver enhanced features. Compiled and analyzed current costs, evaluated various options and its cost benefits.
Development:
Developed various HTML based websites, based initially on FrontPage and/or Dreamweaver.
Consolidated various barcode shipping label programs with a new integrated program that facilitated the introduction of new labels in a parameter based procedure. Developed for a VAI 2000 system using Markmagic from Cybra.
Created FTP based procedures in CL to download 850 EDI transactions from VAN servers. Used both IFS and standard AS/400 objects and libraries, and Inovis APIs. Created programs and procedures in RPG 400 and CL to generate EDI transaction 753, according to customer specifications.
Initiated GIS based maps with VAI DB2/400 database integration. Created new programs and modules and modified existing programs to support better data entry and population of new fields and tables in support of geographic data. Integrated third party Zip Code geocoded, latitude and longitude based data for used with Maptitude GIS software.
Performed maintenance of Unisys A-Series, On-Line and Batch Cobol 68 & 74 programs for Auto Insurance Systems. Use of Cande, DMS-II and some WFL.
Created a reporting subsystem in COBOL allowing great flexibility that produced immediate results and saved substantial processing time (time cut in more that 50%). It was a summary based system, allowing the generation of multiple reports based on parameters.
Developed, under the project leader’s direction, a substitute Order Entry system that allowed fast and efficient order taking--while interfacing with the VAI system.
Help prepared, with Infomaker--a 4GL tool, company’s products pricelist and the main products Catalog, bringing great saving in its production—directly accessing VAI 2000 tables and newly created views to facilitate its generation.
Was preparing a comprehensive Windows based reporting facility with enhanced reports that increased productivity. Was created with Infomaker, and accessed AS/400 DB2/400 VAI 2000 tables and new created views.
Created a reporting system--with enhanced quality and presentation, accessing Frontier AS/400 tables, and new tables and views, using Infomaker (by Sybase). It consisted of windows based reports for management and users.
Special Projects:
Menu System.A generalized Menu System that provides extensive features, security and flexibility – not previously available for Frontier. It replaces the existing provided menus, enhancing and standardizing the process significantly, simplifying use and training. It eliminates the need for the hundreds of object currently used for menus, and it’s adaptable to other systems.
Sales Orders Reporting.Generates a series of Sales Orders based reports for Frontier, allowing the selection, filtering, ordering and totaling of data in a variety of ways--equivalent to more than one hundred different Reports. Permits a range of summary options from very basic summary to very detailed reports--satisfying a variety of information needs, from operational to executive level.
Purchase Orders Reporting. Generates a series of Purchase Orders based reports for Frontier, allowing the selection, filtering, ordering and totaling of data in a variety of ways--equivalent to more than two dozen different Reports. Permits a range of summary options from very basic summary to very detailed reports- satisfying multiple information needs, from operational to executive level.
Generalized Reporting System.A generalized reporting system that provides extensive reporting features and flexibility. Allows easy of use, extensive filtering and ordering capability and various processing options. Targeted to Frontier but can easily be adapted (Work in progress).
Inquiry System.A general purpose, customizable, inquiry system with comprehensive information display on master files. Provides both Browsing (One line per record) and Viewing (One record per screen) of data. Offers extensive help, filtering and ordering capability. Based on Frontier but adaptable to other system (Work in progress).
Sales Contracts Management. Created a Sales Contracts Projects Management system based on Frontier project management files. It recorded and tracked current and future projects and, its development and delivery projections month by month.
Orders Inquiry. Created an enhanced, online Order Inquiry program for Frontier, to tract orders though manufacture, showing details of production steps and requirements. It integrated the various other reports and screens into one. It was highly valued in many areas.
Issues Management. Created an Issues Management system to record and follow up on installation issues and improvements. System was integrated to the Frontier ERP.
Service Module. Created a Service Module to record and tract installation issues. System was fully integrated to the Frontier ERP.
Installation Payments. Created an Installation Payments subsystem (linked to Frontier Accounts Payables), to record, tract and control contractor’s installations payments.
Accounts Receivable Inquiry. Created a specialized Accounts Receivable Inquiry and Reporting system--for Frontier, that facilitated and improved receivables aging analysis and improved collections. It substituted a manual process involving various reports, inquiries and excel downloads and manipulation.
Network, Technical and Users Support:
Performed PC based technical support functions. Prepared, upgraded and supported PCs & Servers (Stand-alone and Networked). Installed and troubleshot networks, configured modems and routers, and printers. Provided applications support and troubleshooting; working with various Microsoft Client and Server Operating Systems, and BackOfficeand Office tools suites. Assisted users in the installation, support and use of third party software--both tools and applications.
Performed iSeries/AS400 based technical support—both Ethernet and Twinaxial. Supported AS-400 users under BPCS, VAI 2000 and Frontier ERPs. Troubleshot and supported system operations, processes and devices, and managed users and security configurations. Supported users in the use of the applications.