Consulting Skills and Capabilities
- Information Technology strategy consulting
- Vendor analysis
- Software development project management and methodology
- Implementation management and production support
- Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Project Abstracts
Project: Transactional Website Design, Development and Implementation
Client: Fortress Financial Securities Corporation
Project Synopsis:
Start-up broker/dealer, specializing in self-directed 401k plans, required the design, development, and implementation of a website for retail investor clients and their client's employers offering the 401k plan. Performed the following consulting roles:
- Performed initial functional needs analysis for their website.
- Evaluated brokerage market data providers and financial planning tools vendors.
- Brought in programmers and UI designers to develop the site "look and feel" and integrate selected market data providers and financial planning tools.
- Performed technical design to integrate the web site with the transactional and account management capabilities provided by the clearing vendor. Managed the programming effort to code and test this integration.
- Performed the functional needs analysis and technical design to share data and integrate online functionality provided by the broker/dealer (Fortress Financial), clearing vendor (Fiserv Securities), and 401k plan third-party administrator (Sunguard). Managed the coding and testing effort to complete the integration.
- Analyzed and recommended security, network, and web hosting solutions to support production use of the web site.
Project: Employee Stock Option Plan Processing Automation
Client: WR Hambrecht + Co, Corporate Services Division
Project Synopsis:
Hired by the employee services division of an investment bank to evaluate options to automate Employee Stock Option Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan account management and transaction functionality. Completed the following consulting services:
- Performed a "Current State" analysis and documented the business processes in place to support ESOP administration, account management, and transactions.
- Performed a functional needs analysis documenting business processing automation.
- Completed a technical integration design to implement the above functionality.
- Completed a vendor analysis and "buy vs. build" analysis to implement above functionality into the current WR Hambrecht website.
Project: Website "Single Sign-on" Project
Client: WR Hambrecht + Co, Technology Services
Project Synopsis:
Hired by the IT division of an investment bank to design and manage the development of a single sign-on web security system. Prior to the project, website functionality provided by different application service providers (ASPs) required customers to login using different user Ids and passwords. Performed the following consulting roles:
- Analyzed existing security protocols used by the various ASPs. Designed a security system (database, auditing features, and protocols) that could interface with existing ASP security handlers.
- Developed a system that would allow future ASPs to easily implement and conform to the security system.
- Managed the coding and testing effort and assisted production system administrators migrate to the new system.
Project: Customer Compliance and Marketing Automation
Client: WR Hambrecht + Co, Retail Brokerage Division
Project Synopsis:
Hired by the Retail Brokerage division of an investment bank to complete the database design and applications development for a new system that would integrate with their existing clearing system. The application would allow them to complete quarterly compliance mailings for clients meeting defined compliance parameters (active traders, penny stock traders, etc.). It would also allow them to complete direct mailings and electronic mailings for various market segments of their account base. Completed the following consulting tasks:
- Performed a complete needs analysis
- Performed the database design and high-level technical design
- Managed the coding and testing effort
- Assisted production system administrators to implement the software and database in the production environment
Project: Retail Brokerage Applications Development for South American Markets
Client: Sanchez Computer Associates, Inc.
Project Synopsis:
Hired by a financial services software development company to manage the development of a new brokerage processing system for a broker/dealer specializing in South American and Latin American markets. Performed the following consulting tasks:
- Documented functional requirements from the client broker/dealer for specific transactional interfaces to the Brazilian, Argentinean, and Mexican stock exchanges
- Wrote use cases describing functional and technical processing requirements.
- Assisted Sanchez developers design an order management system and back-office processing system that utilized various components of the Sanchez existing bank processing system. This system also had to meet the functional requirements of the broker/dealer
- Acted as the project manager for all brokerage system development, testing and integration
Project: Portfolio Accounting Applications Service Provider Interface Development
Client: WR Hambrecht + Co, Retail Brokerage Division
Project Synopsis:
Hired by the retail brokerage division of an investment bank to design and build an XML interface to a portfolio accounting application service provider (GainsKeeper). This XML interface transports the daily account position and transaction data necessary for the ASP to maintain tax lot accounting records and tax reporting records for the brokerage accounts. Performed the following consulting tasks:
- Designed the data extraction scripts that run on clearing vendor's processing system
- Managed the programming and testing efforts to convert the extracted data into XML messages conforming to GainsKeeper's proprietary interface standards.
- Assisted production system administrators integrate the extraction scripts and XML generator into production systems
Project: Integrated Underwriting, Policy Issuance, and Claims Management System Development
Client: Elite Underwriting Services, Inc.
Project Synopsis:
Hired by a Managing General Underwriter (MGU) providing front office underwriting, sold case, policy issuance, and claims management services for a stop-loss medical insurance product. This product is marketed to large corporations who self-insure their employee medical plans. The client needed to convert four "stove-piped" applications into one integrated system. Once the project was completed, the client was able to process 50% more policies each year without hiring additional staff.
- Analyzed and documented current systems highlighting data redundancy and duplicate data entry among various departments
- Developed and documented use-cases for all phases of a stop-loss policy life-cycle including underwriting, sold case processing, policy issuance, and claims management
- Led a team of the client's employees in developing a prototype graphical user interface replacing four existing menu-driven "green screen" applications
- Managed the software development team who developed, tested, and implemented the new integrated application
Project: Web-based employee benefits eligibility, enrollment, and human resources management system
Client: The Elite Group, LLC
Project Synopsis:
Hired by a regional employee benefits broker to design, develop and implement a web-based employee benefits and human resources management system that they could sell to there employer clients. The system allows employees to manage their benefits, provides employers with access to employee information and government compliance reporting, and allows the benefits broker to administer the benefits programs.
- Analyzed and documented functional requirements and high-level technical design specifications
- Managed a team of developers to code, test, and implement the web-based application
- Negotiated hosting arrangement with a secure and robust internet hosting facility
- Developed sales strategies and marketing material; trained sales staff on the application
