Head - Technology & Systems
KEYLIME COVE WATERPARK RESORTS, Gurnee, Illinois, USA.
Total years of experience :28 years, 3 Months
• Re-Design and Install the LAN/WAN infrastructure. Utilized state-of-the-art technologies to provide network connectivity of Server 2008, Micros, Opera, Retail-Pro, Active Directory, Exchange and Workstation PC systems.
• Deliver cost savings through aggressive negotiation of contracts and pricing on budget for hardware/software purchases and consulting services.
• Save on technical consulting fees by negotiating complimentary network design services from vendors.
• Perform the work of FTEs, slashing labour expenses by expanding personal responsibility to include network, and database administration.
• Decrease inventory, application pricing, and licensing expenses by establishing standardization for applications, PC desktops, and networking systems.
• Manage from planning through completion, AD / Exchange Server and network printers implementation project.
• Attain consistent 99% up time by implementing disaster recovery and fault tolerance plans. Institute a highly reliable corporate-wide, centralized backup system.
• Ongoing monitoring and maintenance of Internet/Intranet/Web technology, corporate-wide email, shared calendaring, and online meetings.
• Set up and manage a TCP/IP environment, install a network and implement a data-warehouse/data-centre database.
• Install, support and project manage the retail locations. Provide Tier 2 & 3 end user support for corporate users. Install, configure and troubleshoot secure LANs, WANs and Intranets. Consistently manage numerous simultaneous technical projects for client-related store openings, installs and upgrades.
• Collaborate on numerous management committees including the Systems Application Selection Team, Chair of the Network, Operations, Security Team and Migration Team.
Manage the daily operations of the IT-Engineering department. Maintain the entire facility, including the physical structure, all IT Infrastructure and related equipments including mechanical, electrical, telephony & POS systems. Co-ordinate and supervise all safety-related areas of the facility. Service and maintain all equipments and devices. Ensure the upkeep of guest and client areas and maintain an attractive and tech-savvy facility. Conduct walkthroughs and visually assess the safe and efficient maintenance and daily operation of all facility resources. Adhere to all corporate-required purchasing policies and controls. Follow prescribed safety procedures for personnel and equipment by the company. Manage all rehabilitation, expansion and special projects for efficiency enhancement in the operational performance and author IT Disaster Recovery response plan for the escalation and coordination of events within multi-site environments. Develop Corporate Policy and Standards documents.
Leading a team of 15 resources providing IT Planning & Implementation Strategies including Pre-sales Consultation regarding industry-wide topics, including specific products and capabilities, focusing on Storage and Enterprise Architecture, E-Commerce planning and complex IT solutions, including disaster recovery, server consolidation and back-up solutions. Designing, implementing and managing customer Enterprise Services (ES) environments. Designing and implementing ERP/SAP application processes for client organizations. Implementing Threat Mitigation / Antivirus Concepts and Technologies at the Enterprise Level. Patch Management and Testing of customer environments for clients via approved technologies. Maximizing network performance by monitoring performance; troubleshooting network problems and outages; scheduling upgrades; collaborating with network architects on network optimization. Managing Electronic Messaging and Active Directory for design, implementation, and support of Microsoft Exchange 2000 Servers and migration of mailboxes.
• Oversee company’s information and communication systems reporting to Group Internal Audit Director, including managing 18 direct reports and multiple vendors supporting a multi-platform, multi-location infrastructure.
• Reduced network-related helpdesk calls 85% by restructuring and upgrading company network, including replacing switches, wiring and computers, and integrated NT, Microsoft 2K and SAP environments.
• Improved computer security infrastructure adding intrusion detection and URL filtering, reducing security related help-desk calls by 69%.
• Proposed program to improve customer satisfaction by training more than 50 employees to effectively resolve customer conflicts. Met with supervisors to plan strategy and implementation. Developed program to improve leadership training in 2006. Chosen to deliver strategy to top management and discuss roll-out companywide.
• Designed and implemented company’s web site and Intranet.
• Provided global access to internal applications by installing Citrix XP, Exchange OWA and Checkpoint VPN.
• Linked locations globally via Frame Relay and IP SEC to a central NOC in Rashidiya, Dubai creating the Al-Futtaim Group network.
• Responsible for their e-commerce activities worldwide, marketing, advertising and also providing I.T. solutions.
• Created company policies and procedures governing corporate security, email and Internet usage, access control and incident response.
• Train staff to increase performance and efficiency in support of e-commerce applications serving more than 1, 500 customers. Resulting increase in customer demand led to hiring of 6 support personnel (all paid for out of new revenues). Trained all new employees.
• Improved efficiency and reduced costs of customer service department by implementing ERP solutions.
• Integrated diverse computing environments by assisting in the design of a global WAN system.
• Responsible for the setting up, installation, implementation and functioning of their Information Technology division with latest strategies for the establishment on a project completion basis.
• Promoted to increase customer satisfaction and profitability by educating management on best use of employee development and training programs.
• Hand selected employees from Information Technology department to build Risk Assessment Team charged with analyzing all critical systems, developing reports to document system vulnerabilities and recommending appropriate solutions.
• Reduced labour costs and improved efficiencies by installing management software, creating globally accessible candidate database, and linking corporate offices with multiple remote offices.
• Responsible for their e-commerce activities worldwide, marketing, advertising and I.T. solutions.
• Improved efficiency by training managers to file electronic documents and reduce paperwork.
• Instrumental in developing and implementing web-based Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans (BCP & DRP).
• On a short assignment, mainly responsible for all I.T. business, Internet activities and advertising promotions of the company worldwide. Was also sent to Tanzania - South Africa for business expansions.
• Performed upgrade and conversion to web system modules including hardware infrastructure replacement and conversion. Led team of 8 in this 3 month project.
• Act as the Trainer responsible for providing support to new ventures through mentoring, observation, and feedback.
• Responsible for the functioning of their entire system-network with offices at Bombay & Madras and all new I.T. implementations, including evaluation, purchase, training, service … and providing design & advertising solutions for clients.
• Consult with users and program management, conducting information assessments to determine user needs and to define network solutions to meet user requirements.
• Implemented office automation services and expanded LAN from 10 to 80 clients, including installing Win NT servers, redesigning network infrastructure, replacing/configuring desktop, and providing training on Windows-based applications.
• Responsible for the overall administration, training & production, hence familiar with the production, marketing & sales trends, hardware & software requirement & their implementation for the I.T. industry.
• Responsible for the overall management, training and implementation of new syllabus and training methodology (including software & hardware).
• Responsible for the overall management, training and smooth running of their Santacruz centre (Bombay) also including hardware maintenance, marketing and sales & appointment of new staff.
• Responsible for the overall management marketing and training at both Institute & Corporate levels.
MS with 3.9 GPA out of 4 Summa Cum Laude
Engineering in Computer Technology First Class