Extensive background with more than 15 years of experience in technical management, business operations, strategic realignment due to mergers and acquisitions, vendor management, outsourcing and offshoring.  Analytical and practical process focus, especially with regard to continuing quality improvement programs driven by KPIs and metrics.  Proven track record in matrixed application development, quality assurance, and service delivery. Comfortable in a variety of corporate environments from Fortune 500 enterprise software projects to self-funded technology startups.  Strong coaching and mentoring skills.  Passion for technical excellence and customer satisfaction.  International working experience.  Multilingual in English / German.

Paroxys, San Diego, CA                                                                                                       2011 – Present 

Boutique consulting firm delivering tangible and demonstrable software quality and software process improvement strategies.

Principle Consultant

• Consulted Toyota Motor Sales CIO about offshore testing, metrics driven vendor management, and the establishment of a Testing Center of Excellence. Developed a comprehensive implementation plan and presented to executive management team for approval. Continued involvement on an advisory basis.
• Created a quality management strategy for Alliance Data Systems / Epsilon, focused on software, service, and operational excellence. Managed the software quality and services team. Transitioned current offshore vendor relationship to new nearshore vendor.
• Developed test strategy for an enterprise wide SOA technology refresh project at Costco, including staffing and training plan.

Fico – Fair Isaac Corporation, San Diego, CA                                                                    2007 – 2011

$700M decision management and business intelligence software product company for the financial services and insurance industries.

Director, Software Quality Assurance, Fraud Applications Business Unit

Lead FICO’s Fraud Quality Assurance department, ensuring timely release to market of two industry leading fraud detection products, FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, and FICO Insurance Fraud Manager.

• Managed staff of 6 line managers responsible for 61 employees and contractors in two locations.
• Established global 24/7 test cycle between Bangalore and San Diego utilizing HP Quality Center.
• Introduced RUP and Agile/Scrum based methodologies while delivering market releases on time.
• Provided fine grained KPIs and process improvement measurements to executive management.
• Acted as a key customer liaison for VISA Europe during early Beta installation phase.
• Implemented extensive front- and back-end test automation utilizing Java / SQL / HP QTP. Performance automation was implemented with customer test divers and HP LoadRunner.
• Created company’s high performance AIX test environment in close cooperation with IBM.
• Started FICO’s first dedicated student internship program.

Mitchell International, San Diego, CA                                                                              2004 – 2006

$200M provider of data, software and ecommerce business solutions for the automotive insurance, collision repair, and medical claims industries.

Senior Director, Software Quality Assurance and System Test, Auto Physical Damage Business Unit

Directed Mitchell’s Quality Assurance resources enabling the high quality release of some 60+ projects per year.

• Managed staff of 3 line managers responsible for 70 employees and contractors, multiple test labs, and extensive server environments.
• Flattened the management structure creating operational efficiencies and cost savings.
• Reorganized and streamlined the team structure, allowing for more responsive technical coordination.
• Built a dedicated test automation team, automating previously manually intensive test tasks, achieving significant reductions in time-to-market cycle and yearly ROI in excess of $1M. Implementation was done using Java / C++ / SQL and HP QTP. Performance automation utilizing HP LoadRunner
• Implemented CMMI and Six Sigma process improvement methods and metrics.
• Increased the staff’s technical skill sets through training and staffing.
• Coordinated extensive student internship program across multiple departments.

Self Employed, Mid-Atlantic and Southern California                                                           1999 – 2004

Provided project management, software development process, and software quality assurance services to various companies. Select clients included Toyota, ThomsonReuters, Blackboard, and GE Capital.

Toyota Motor Sales, Torrance, CA                                                                                    2002 – 2004

North American marketing and sales subsidiary of the second largest automobile manufacturer in the world ($170B).

Software Development Process Expert / Quality Assurance Program Manager

On an interim consulting basis, managed the Quality Assurance departments of two major enterprise software projects (industry leading automotive dealer portal, Dealer Daily, and warranty payment system, Raven/CPS) enabling their release to market on time and with predictable quality.

• Restructured the test process in order to meet time-to-market demands.
• Defined and instituted comprehensive Lean-Based software metrics programs.
• Owned various key processes, including PDCA checkpoints, milestones, and Kaizen events.
• Managed the change control process, functional test coverage and requirements traceability.
• Finalized two major releases and coordinated internal go-to-market activities.
• Advised at a strategic level on issues ranging from position qualification profiles, hiring practices, and salary requirements to quality management approaches.

Time to Market Software, Reston, VA                                                                              1999 – 2002

$5M boutique custom software development and test outsourcing company.

Vice President, Consulting Services

Co-Founded, built, and managed all facets of a bootstrapped consulting services firm focusing on custom software development for internet applications.

• Generated $2.6M revenue within the first 12 months.
• Rapidly staffed 31 engineers and integrated them into the company operation.
• Personally responsible for client management and project management of up to 8 concurrent projects.

Cigital (formerly Reliable Software Technologies), Sterling, VA                              1998 – 1999

$14M boutique product and consulting company focusing on software reliability, security, and quality.

Vice President, Professional Services

Refocused and successfully managed the transition of the Software Testing Services organization from low margin government contracting services to highly profitable, “Big 5” style, commercial consulting.

• Quadrupled consulting revenue to $3.8M within the first year.
• Grew the Professional Services organization from 6 to 26 consultants.
• Defined all business operations, including engagement processes, profitability models, staffing criteria, and infrastructure.

Thomson Electronic Information Resources, Herndon, VA                                           1997 – 1998

$50M internally funded technology startup of The Thomson Corporation (now ThomsonReuters), an $8B international specialty publishing holding, chartered with building a centralized web-based content publishing, repurposing, and repackaging framework for 250+ subsidiaries.

Director, Systems Integration And Release Management

Managed the implementation of multiple Java based CORBA / Visigenic applications used for automated testing and monitoring of 24x7 production services (Credit Card / Electronic Commerce, Tax, Fax, News Wire, Oracle Configuration).

• Architected the automation and monitoring approach for company critical 24x7 production services.
• Designed automation architecture to be for both, system testing as well as production monitoring.
• Managed staff of 16 software engineers.
• Reduced manual test efforts and production monitoring by more than 80% (from 16 resources to 2).

KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP, Washington, DC                                                                        1996 – 1997

$5B technology consulting, audit, tax and advisory firm providing clients access to global support, industry insights, and multidisciplinary services.

Director, Software Development, Mortgage and Structured Finance

Managed the development effort to reposition and repackage KPMG’s Servicing Asset Management System (SAMS), a three tiered client/server application.

• Delivered two shrink-wrapped product releases within the first 9 months of project ownership.
• Established development, quality assurance, documentation, and support responsibilities and best practices.
• Built strong interpersonal relationships and credibility with customer CFOs and Controllers.
• Retained 100% of all critical customers.

Director, Software Quality Assurance, ParcPlace-Digitalk, Santa Ana, CA                        1994 – 1996

Manager, Software Quality Assurance, Best Software, Reston, VA                                      1992 – 1994

Lead Software Engineer, Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, CA                     1989 – 1991

Software Systems Engineer, Siemens-Nixdorf Computer AG, Germany                              1985 – 1989

Read Less