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K. Shawn Richardson, ALMI

ONLINE RESUME

Sioux Falls, SD 57108
USA


mail@shawnrichardson.com
http://www.shawnrichardson.com


SFG Life IT Culture Committee Member (2019-current)

SFG IT SuperStar Committee Member (2022-current)

SFG Culture Counsel (2023-2024)

Summary

Senior IT Programmer/Analyst and Management professional with over twenty-five years of COBOL experience and a proven track record in large systems, including CyberLife's Enterprise system (with CICS, GUI, XML and web-enabled interfaces) and Vantage One along with aspects of Life/70 and LifeComm. Specialize in complex custom modifications within these Enterprise systems for various lines of business (including UL, VUL and Indexed Annuities) as requested by major life insurance companies to fit their business needs.

Experience includes entire development life cycle of gathering/reviewing requirements, preparing functional specification documents, coding, system and regression testing, implementation, maintenance and support. Background experience also includes workmen's compensation products and applications with added knowledge of e-commerce and web development. Strengths include meeting project milestones, dealing with adversity, developing team competencies and mentoring junior staff by using developed interpersonal and communication skills. Hands on experience with:


Skills

Mainframe (IBM 30xx, 370/360): COBOL/II/LE, NetExpress/MicroFocus COBOL, Assembler, DB2 (SQL/SPUFI), MVS/JCL, VSAM, CICS, DYL280, Easytrieve (Tools: TSO/ISPF/SDSF, Xpediter, SmartTest, File-Aid, Abend-Aid, DumpMaster, ChangeMan, Endevor, IBM Debug, IBM File Manager)

Midrange (AS/400 UNIX): C/++, SED, AWK, Unify DB, ACCEL

PC (Windows): MicroFocus COBOL, HTML, Perl, MS Access, VB, Pascal, DBase III/IV, Quickbooks, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite

Experience

Sammons Financial Group (Member Companies), Sioux Falls, South Dakota

2012 - Current


Midland National Life / North American Company - Lead Systems Analyst:

Development and initiation of new software program applications and modifications for CyberLife and Life/70 within IT Implementation department. Acted as Technical Lead for Production Support organizing and assigning IT tickets related to various Life systems overseeing offshore resources and supervising implementations. Worked as an System Matter Expert in the Administration Front-End application, Edify, an IVR software package working as an RPA to access various mainframe systems and translating into an ASP front-end user interface and have developed technical solutions and designs for xPression correspondence within Billing, Statements and Life Administration.


The iVantage Group, Lansing, MI

2010 - 2011


Jackson National Life - CyberLife Contractor:

Under the iVantage Group, worked on-site at Jackson's home office located in Lansing, Michigan for the Systems & Programming Policy Administration department. Furnished contract services for a major system conversion of a half-million policies of Jackson's Fixed Index Annuity product line, valued over $18 billion, to be administered on CyberLife (release 0701) originally processed on the VantageOne system. Modifications were also required for continued new policy issues on CyberLife and included expanding policy VSAM data segments, creating auto renewal and end-of-option correspondence and pulling agent data interfacing with Performance Plus, creating conversion policy value increase notification letters, pulling interest rate and cap rates using DB2 and embedded SQL for online and batch maintenance of fixed and indexed money funds, instituting default and special request maturity validations by state, processing premium credits on new issues and early withdrawals and added policy statement and actuarial extracts for parallel and balance processing on a third-party subsystem. Full duties required design, implementation, regression testing and production migration support.


S&R Favors, Sioux Falls, SD

2006 - 2018


Web Developer/Owner:

Family-operated home-based online store offering personalized candy and party favors. Designed and implemented website functionality written in Perl that includes dynamic HTML store-front, shopping cart, credit card processing, back-office order management, inventory control. Edited images, created publication layouts and Web graphic designs using Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher.


Computer Sciences Corporation (now DXC Technologies), Englewood, CO

1997 - 2009


Sr. Programmer/Analyst:

Provided technical solutions for CSC's Financial Services Group (formerly Cybertek) clients primarily utilizing the CyberLife insurance application as well as Wealth Management Accelerator (formerly Vantage One). Both applications are written in COBOL and Assembler accessing data from DB2 databases and VSAM files. Major projects have included technical analysis and tailored modifications for advanced life insurance products and annuities, conversions, routines and reports specific for CSC clients such as New York Life, Pacific Life, Allstate's Lincoln Benefit Life, Swiss Re, Nationwide, Travelers, ING, Allianz, and Sun Life. Major custom CyberLife enhancements within new business, administration, billing, distribution, reporting and correspondence have included the following: implementing bonus interest rate processing, tracking agent persistency and sales, adding death benefit options, forecasting of policy values, generating and modifying policy and annual statements, modifying electronic bank transfers, actuarial calculations and calling/expanding external processing with systems such as VP/MS, Performance Plus, DataExchange (for web-enabled GUI modifications) or other third-party software. Conversions have included existing client products for Term, UL, VUL and Indexed Annuity policies as well as CyberLife release upgrades and cherry-picked enhancements from previous CSC/Cybertek releases. Vantage One modifications have included policy pages and confirms and VUL policy system conversions. Wrote technical modification documents for numerous projects that would include business specifications, system analysis, program and data changes, pseudo code and test plans for implementation. Also involved in the development of CSC's internal conversion data warehousing tools.

Responsibilities also included Project Management duties such as preparing RFP documents, monitoring Risk Management, assigning available resources and monitoring critical path & deliverables assisting the primary Project Manager assigned. Headed three-month project for Penn Life to develop customized Agent Persistency Reporting within CyberLife. Filled in as project lead in absence of primary project manager, as needed, including leading status meetings and preparing client reports.


Senior Supervisor (1998 - 2007):

In addition to Sr. Programmer/Analyst duties, carrying out team lead obligations including general administrative management for up to 15 Programmer/Analysts in the CSC Denver office. Oversaw employee project and time allocations, vacation scheduling and career path development. Assured employee project utilization, provided conflict management both within the team and with client relationships, wrote employee evaluations and interviewed potential employees.


Perot Systems (now Dell Services), Denver, CO & Detroit, MI

1996 - 1997


Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield (OHMS) - Systems Engineer (1997):

Administered & maintained online UNIFY database application on an AS/400 platform using Unix OS on-site for Occupational Healthcare Management Services (OHMS), a subsidiary of Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Colorado. Modified logic in C++ and ACCELL 4GL to convert data transmitted from proprietary client and insurance systems. Used command-prompt SQL to maintain database integrity and headed conversion for Y2K preparation.


Chrysler MOPAR - Programmer/Analyst:

Worked on-site in Detroit, Michigan at MOPAR headquarters to develop COBOL and inline DB2 SQL code and CICS maps to be used by automated Voice Response ordering system to ship auto parts and in identifying hazardous materials for special handling. Updated real-time RDBMS inventory adjustments for authorized MOPAR dealers within the United States and Canada.


Life Partners Group (acquired by Conseco Life Insurance) - Programmer/Analyst:

Maintained and developed CK4 & CyberLife application written in COBOL, using CICS, MVS/JCL and embedded DB2 SQL code on-site for the Life Partners Group policy administration department offering Term Life and UL products. Oversaw policy migrations from test to production environments and provided production support and on-call solutions for batch cycles and migrations. Also developed and implemented processing and interface to an Interactive Voice Response system using COBOL code and CICS transactions to update Inforce Policy data.


Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Grand Junction, Colorado

1994 - 1995


Customer Service Manager (1995):

Coordinated and supervised front-end areas of store including all cashiers, service desk, and layaway. Delegated resources for customer flow based on employee schedules, provided security coverage, coordinated cash controls and managed customer relations as needed.


Manager Training/Cashier:

In addition to operating as a cashier, was trained in various aspects of storewide procedures and held positions in cash office, UPC inventory (operating in a UNIX environment), invoicing, directs, claims, and electronics (as a Computer Consultant). Training was for a future management position and for Colorado Mesa University internship program for Business Administration degree.


Public Service Company of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1992 - 1994


Documentation/Programmer:

Maintained technical manuals and documented job scheduling, data flowcharts and overall program architecture for McDonnel Douglas vehicle fleet maintenance PERMAC application written in COBOL. Also implemented modifications to COBOL programs, JCL and CICS screens.


K&D Mobile Home Services, Edgewood, New Mexico

1989 - 1992


Database Administrator/Programmer:

Designed and oversaw an in-house DBase IV application to track customers, vendors, estimates and pricing for repair services. Devised reports for expense and profit tracking.

Education

Masters of Science - Computer Information Systems

  • University of Phoenix, Denver, CO (1997-1999) - GPA: 3.9


Bachelors of Business Administration - Management Information Systems

  • Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO (1994-1995) - GPA: 3.5


Associates of Applied Science - Business Computer Programming Technology

  • Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque, NM (1990-1994) - GPA: 3.7.

  • Graduated Phi Theta Kappa & with Honors


Designation - Associate, Life Management Institute (ALMI)

  • Life Office Management Association (LOMA)


Certification - E-Commerce Foundations

  • MYND Technologies (CSC)

Activities

Colorado Mesa University Alumni (current)

Phi Theta Kappa (1993-94, current alumni); elected Recording Secretary (2/94)

CNM (SAT-VI) Student Government, Senator (1993-94)

Youth Leadership Club (1987-91); elected President (1989-90)


Awards

National Dean's List (1993-94, 1994-95)

Vice President Honor Roll (12/91, 4/92, 4/93, 8/93, 12/93, 4/94, 8/94)

Award of Excellence, Wal-Mart (10/95)


Personal and professional references available upon request

 

 

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