RICHARD J. ROSS, JR. 6400 Wildflower Lane * Brighton, MI 48116 800-706-1637 primary * 810-599-0870 alternate * rick@rick-ross.com Qualifications for Senior-Level Management in Information Technology Visionary, results-driven IT professional equipped with 15+ years of success developing and delivering innovative software solutions, architecting customized applications, and leveraging emerging technologies to solve complex business problems. Personable leader committed to helping others succeed; provides strong training and mentoring, cultivating an environment that encourages creativity, which helps to develop and retain highly motivated employees. Detail-oriented and analytical change agent with proven abilities in aligning technology initiatives with corporate goals by evaluating business requirements and facilitating communication among key stakeholders. Self-motivated entrepreneur with a track record of contributing to successful company start-ups. Published author who offers outstanding interpersonal and presentation skills. Additional areas of expertise include: Business Requirements Analysis Infrastructure Development Strategic Planning Research Software Architecture and Design Internet/Intranet/Web Technology Vendor Relations Recruiting Service Oriented Architecture New Product Launch Process Improvement Team Building KEY CONTRIBUTIONS * Recruited by Atomynet Inc., an international start-up company, to architect a commercial software product for consumers; as the first developer hired, was responsible for all aspects of the product’s architecture, including the GUI front end, server side functionality, databases, and network infrastructure. Directed comprehensive technical decision making and agile program development with two-week iteration cycles. Instituted an automated build process that facilitated build consistency as well as increased developer productivity. Played an instrumental role in the successful launch of the product, which has been available for more than one year. * Consistently delivered software application projects on time and within budget at both Pillar Technology Group LLC and Pillar Technology Group Inc. by effectively managing teams as well as surpassing expectations for performance. * Set up the network infrastructure for Pillar Technology Group Inc., which included cloning training workstations. Designed and implemented an order repair system used company-wide to track the status of repairs, sales commissions, and key customer information. Researched and selected the VoIP telephone system. Generated HTML documents used by the sales force. * Functioned as a team lead to gather requirements between multiple business departments, including sales, marketing, actuarial, and underwriting, and then architected, designed, and implemented a modernized, comprehensive, flexible dental rating system that efficiently and accurately generated proposals in a MS Word document format. * Extended a traditional client/server application to a Pocket PC handheld device through a two-way, encrypted synchronization process, which dramatically differentiated a Fortune 50 business from its competitors. CAREER TRACK ATOMYNET INC., Principal Software Architect & Software Development Manager 2005-Present * Managed the entire SDLC, encompassing requirements gathering, architecture, design, implementation, handoff to QA, deployment, promotion, and software revisions (i.e., providing updates to customers). Implemented (wrote) a majority of the server side code, focusing on making the product scalable to hundreds of thousands of users. Set up, configured, and installed software for beta testing and integration of the application. * Wrote requirement documents and technical specifications for the team to implement, along with unit tests to validate the software. Partnered with upper management to determine the feasibility and timing of key features. Collaborated with hardware vendors and ISPs to select optimal solutions/equipment, and with an outsourcing vendor to accomplish development tasks. Worked with individuals at Wayne State University to verify product security aspects. * Interviewed and evaluated prospective new developers. Supervised and mentored as many as seven developers, three QA professionals, and one graphic designer in the US and Israel, leading the international team to achieve cost-saving objectives. Coordinated daily meetings to maintain staff focus and facilitate communication between team members. Promoted application knowledge by authoring technical papers. * Implemented a bug tracking system for the QA team and identified new technologies to address wide-ranging security issues. PILLAR TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC, Senior Consultant 2002-2005 * Recruited by this software consulting firm, with 200+ employees in the Midwestern US, to analyze, architect, and design software solutions diverse clients, including small companies, not-for-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 corporations. * Evaluated client needs/challenges, holding meetings to determine requirements, and developed effective software solutions involving process automation, operational efficiency improvement, network infrastructure development, continuous integration, and prototype creation. * Automated a time consuming process of generating sales tags for a major cell phone provider. * Improved a call center’s efficiencies by writing the code between an IVR system and existing functionality as well as a ticket management system for tracking interactions with customers. * Designed and implemented the network infrastructure for a development center and improved the build process by implementing a continuous integration environment. * Spoke at the November 2003 Borland Conference, which enabled the company to strengthen its relationship with a key business partner. PILLAR TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC., Senior Consultant 1998-2002 * Played an instrumental role in the launch of this computer consultancy and technical training organization, with 40+ employees in the Midwestern US; participated in initial discussions on strategic planning and development. * Supported companies in resolving their technical challenges. Visited client sites, analyzed problems, and provided technical solutions. * Designed and implemented a workflow system to enable an automotive part company to track the testing and quality of their products, working directly with the customer to define requirements. * Wrote a provider locator service that was used with web, GUI, and IVR client applications. Identified the closest providers by integrating with geocoding software. * Designed and implemented a communication layer between a mainframe and a relational database. CDI INFORMATION SERVICES, Consultant 1997-1998 * Administered the testing, integration, and certification lab at a major automotive company. * Assisted internal teams in testing their software on a separate network. * Designed the lab’s network infrastructure. * Architected and developed a web-based intranet site that helped internal teams to request lab resources. ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES, Technical Specialist 1995-1997 * Functioned as technical team lead to direct the design and implementation of a complex, mission-critical, multi-tiered application for a major natural gas pipeline company. As the initial developer on the team, interviewed potential consultants to assess their technical abilities. * Established object-oriented coding standards and guidelines using the C programming language. Designed and wrote cross-platform libraries. Wrote remote procedure calls (RPC) to implement a three-tier client/server solution. Designed and wrote an OLE automation interface to Microsoft Word. * Addressed and resolved complex technical challenges, operating within the requirements and constraints of the client. EDUCATION Michigan State University, Computer Science Extensive listing of technical skills, conference engagements, and publications is available upon request. KEYWORDS: business/IT vision, strategy, leadership, departmental operations management, organizational restructure, project/performance/budget analysis, project planning/management, systems development/implementation, enterprise-wide solutions, applications analysis, team building, internal and external customer service