Candidates About

 

Harold Hodgson       

                          

SUMMARY   

 

Experienced IT Professional, Strategist and Solutions Leader.

A Solution Architect fully involved in Business Functionality, Application, Data, Integration, and System Architectures, as well as the Build and Deploy process, and overall client management.

ECommerce Architect, Systems Integrator using best of breed technologies of SAP’ Hybris and ATG (Oracle Commerce). Hands-on experience designing platform solutions and applications.

Solutions/Enterprise Architect experienced in leading distributed teams of local and remote engineers.

Experienced at building client relationships and confidence, interacting with Client Product Sponsors (VP/ SVP) and Client Technology leaders CIO/SVP).

Experienced at leading large-scaled system design and implementation efforts.

Write System Architectural documents and System Design Specifications.

Architect that leads and mentors a technical team, while leading projects and being the client SME.
Experienced in multiple platform development methodologies across various industries and channels. Including applications for Content, Media, Publishing, Retail, E-Commerce, Product Distributors, Financial Services, and Banking.

Experienced in building new eCommerce sites as well as migrating existing sites to Hybris Commerce, and Oracle ATG Commerce.
Experience working with commerce features such as products, catalogs, search, promotions, profiles, shopping cart and checkout.

Experience utilizing Personalization, Scenario, Targeters, Customer segmentation and Multi-site technologies.

Experienced with SaaS, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), and Object Oriented Analysis and Design/Development (OOA/OOD).
Experienced with Integration of Third Party Applications (examples: Content Management Systems, MDM Systems, OMS Systems, ERP Systems, Search Engines, Web Services, Tax Processors, Payment Processors, Fulfillment services, Ad Engines).

Experienced with providing technical code review. Experienced with Agile and waterfall methodologies.

Experienced and comfortable with liaising with business customers/clients. Excellent communication and soft skills.

 

EDUCATION

Sun Certified Java Programmer. Hybris Certified Core Developer.

Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY

     B.S., Business Management & Finance  -  minor: Philosophy

Pace University, N.Y., NY

     UNIX, C/C++, Java Certificate Program ( Intensive 480 Bootcamp program) - covering programming, administration and shell scripting

 

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Software: Hybris Commerce suite, Weblogic , IBM Websphere, JBoss, Tomcat, Apache, Iplanet , SunOne, Oracle Web Commerce, ATG Dynamo, ATG Blueprint 1.0,ATG 9.1, ATG Search 9.1, ATG 9.4, ATG 10.0, IBM MQ, Tibco, Toad, Eclipse, MyEclipse, JEdit, Editplus, Ultra Edit, VI, Textpad.

Source Code Management: Serena Changeman, Merant PVCS , CVS, Tortoise SVN, Git, Subversion, Git, Stash, Bitbucket.

Languages/Frameworks:  JAVA, JEE( Servlet’s, JSP’S, JDBC, JMS, EJB’s), ATG, Struts, Spring, Hibernate, Ibatis,Web Services( REST, SOAP ), PL/SQL , Stored Procedures, Unix,  JavaScript, HTML, XML, XSLT, CSS , XSL, AJAX, JSON.

Hardware: Linux, Sun Solaris, Sun One,HP-UX, Windows

Databases: DB2, Oracle 8i, 9i, 10g, 11g, MySQL, Sybase, MS SQL Server 2012, Mongo, Microsoft Access

Tools: Various project tools for tracking and reporting, i.e. JIRA, Trac, Confluence, UML, Visio, LucidChart.

 

BUSINESS SKILLS: Experienced E-Commerce and Middleware Architect on multi-site, multi-channel platforms. A professional skilled at bridging the gap between engineers and business clients. A leader who manages and mentors resources to potential, while driving quality deliverables for clients. Outstanding communicating skills utilized to supply business clients with a sense of comfort and satisfaction concerning the provided technological solutions. Experienced at explaining/demonstrating newly developed software to business end users. Diversified background spanning various industries including Retail, Publishing, Media and Financial/Brokerage (with experience in Securities Operations/Controllers/Credit Risk divisions utilizing various skills such as processing, analysis, reporting).

 

SDLC Experience: Involved in full system Development Life Cycle process.

Agile Methodologies: Scrum, TDD, Kanban, Daily Standups.

 

EXPERIENCE 

Gorilla Group ICF, Chicago, Illinois (New York,  NY)

Nov. 2015 – Jul. 2016

Sr. Enterprise Architect -  

As the Enterprise Architect designing the solution and integration strategy. Partnering with the client team to design a Hybris Solution that integrated seamlessly with the SAP enterprise systems. The legacy middleware consisted of a homegrown Java solution, an SAP Netweaver MDM solution, along with SAP ERP system (SAP ECC 6.0) as well as various external third party systems for various payment, and tax services. Responsible for the complete Technical solution, it involved both software and hardware design. The Hybris Commerce Suite solution provided the new client facing front end, and the SAP systems as the enterprise source data. Leading the Gorilla team in the defining and delivering of the solution. Collaborated with the internal teams to direct the requirements both technical and functional. Serve as the major partner for the client in deciding the strategy and solution. Provide estimates for work and direct team resource planning requirements. As System Integrator for the client, drive all conversations concerning services and API changes. Accompany the sales team on presales engagements. Partnered with the client Ecommerce Director and Technology Manager to drive solutions for improving backend SAP processes the site relied on, including infrastructure and software systems design.

The Stack consisted of the Hybris Multi Chanel commerce suite. A Spring based Java JEE framework, and utilized Nginx for managing the web layer, MS SQL Server DB. In addition SAP MDM to migrate Rich Content back end data and SAP ECC for serving all golden record data for customers, pricing, inventory, orders/quotes, account history and other content. It was heavily Vertex Tax systems, Paymetric Payment services, as well as Google Geo services.

 Projects included:

·    Building and Designing a large B2B client solution Integrating SAP Hybris 5.7 with various SAP back end systems as well as various third party external services.

·    Defined and designed Enterprise Architecture landscape for supporting ecommerce driven business functionality.

·    Created Enterprise Solutions Architecture design and functional Solutions Architecture across the ecommerce implementation.

·    Defined overall Framework architecture and Infrastructure to support the integration.

·    Initial design for a B2C ecommerce solution using Hybris 6.0 suite. Migrating from an existing homegrown solution, while Integrating with a Microsoft Navision backend.

 

 

ICF International, New York,  NY

Sept. 2013 – Apr. 2015

Solution Architect – Hybris Ecommerce  

Hybris Solution Architect, SME driving solutions and technology strategy for the client. Utilized an agile methodology to manage a distributed team that provided support and bug fixes as well as feature enhancements on the site. Principal contributor to performance improvements needed/desired covering infrastructure and performance changes to improve the site. As System Integrator for client drive all conversations concerning service and API changes. Participate in decisions concerning infrastructure or software changes with the hosting company on behalf of the client. Created SOWs for each major product release. Performed detailed code review for new releases to ensure conformity with Hybris best practice and quality standards. Managed an offshore team to deliver enhancements and bug fixes. Ensured QA covered needed test cases and scenarios. Overall SME for client, both in live triage as well as vendor partners point of contact.

Assisted senior sales team members (VP, /SVP) in presenting SOWs for new clients looking to convert to Hybris. Partnered with client Ecommerce Director to drive solutions for improving the site.

The Stack consisted of the Hybris Multi Chanel commerce suite. A Spring based Java JEE framework, and utilized Apache Web layer, Oracle DB, Velocity templates, JQuery, ZK, CSS, and other standard technologies. It was heavily integrated with the SLX POS system, as well as Cybersource, Moneris, Google and Canada Post for shipping.

 Projects included:

·    Conversion of client from iCongo to Hybris, while integrating to Sales Logic POS systems.

·    Defined overall Framework architecture and Infrastructure to support the platform.

·    On Hybris 4.7 led design of custom Fulfillment module.

·    Provided continuous Solutions architecture design and lead the development implementation.

·    Integrated various data feeds and Web Services to support back end POS system for customer creation and management.

·    Built a customer loyalty program into the Hybris application, while integrating to POS systems.

·    Implemented ability to utilize promotions on the site from OOTB Hybris functionality.

·    Built Pick Up In Store functionality for the Hybris store application.

·    Migrated platform to Hybris 4.8.9.                                                                                                                              

·    Led various vendor/partner driven integration updates.

 

 

(Execu-sys LTD) Reed Elsevier, New York,  NY

Mar. 2011 – Jun. 2013

Contractor (Technical Lead/ Platform Architect) – Ecommerce As A Solution Platform  

Architect platform solutions for a Service platform based on Oracle’s ATG complete product suite. Utilized an agile methodology to manage a distributed team (onshore and off shore) that provided support for the platform and implemented bug fixes as well as enhancements on the core platform services. Member of the Architectural council charged with reviewing and authorizing ANY platform level enhancements. Participated in vendor services and product evaluations as pertained to enhancements. Principal contributor to performance improvements needed/desired covering infrastructure and performance changes to improve the platform. Guided external development teams and System Integrators/vendors on proper usage of defined/required APIs on the platform. Lead/participate in triage of production issues. Participate in decisions concerning infrastructure or software changes. Was the Service platforms Architect. Performed detailed code review for new projects. The stack consisted of the core platform and implementation of the Java based ATG framework, Apache Web, Oracle DB, Tibco ESB, and numerous other external integrations. The platform served as the service layer for several internal autonomous LOB web applications (with their own technology teams).

 

 Projects included:

·    Architected a solution to multi-thread a Programmatic Import service that loaded Content Administration assets from XML load files. These assets were loaded into the object Repositories and persisted into the back end Oracle 10g DB.

·    Headed up the effort to upgrade the platform from ATG 9.0 to ATG 9.4 while maintaining viable development environments for platform customers to continue multiple project streams.

·    Headed up the effort to create a DR platform in a new Data Center to provide redundancy and production backup capabilities for both the platform and the client applications and integrations.

·    Contributed in the design of overall Framework architecture and the supporting Infrastructure used in the Enterprise ecommerce landscape.

·    Lead the effort to create multiple distinct platform environments to support activities such as System Integration testing, Certification testing, User acceptance testing and SI development capabilities.

·    Lead the platform support team’ development efforts, while collaborating with the company’s autonomous eCommerce businesses and their development teams to define and provide services and system capabilities. Ensured delivery of time critical fixes and enhancements required by business, and coordinated cross-division communication surrounding all platform level core changes.

·    Participated in all project planning initiatives concerning platform services and changes/enhancements to both software and infrastructure. While providing senior management with recommendations for any planned major releases/upgrades.

 

(Signature consultants) Bank Of America, Jersey City,  NJ

Jul. 2010 – Mar. 2011

Contractor (Senior Java Developer) - Credit Risk Technology  

Work in Credit Risk Technology on a Client Documentation system that manages ISDA,BMA,REPO, and Guarantee legal contract information. The Internal Application provides a UI that feeds downstream systems with Counterparty, Collateral, Credit Support Annex / Document contract information. the application captures Rating, Threshold, Governance, Notional, and all other Document related information, that is then used for netting trade positions, influencing Margin determinations based on collateral data and Termination Events settlement guidelines. The multi-tier J2EE application is built on a technology stack that utilizes Struts (Actions and DynaActionForms), Spring(DI, AOP,Transactions), Sybase, Ibatis and JSPs as well as several Javascript technologies deployed on Wepshere app server. Utilized CVS for code management and source control.

 Projects included:

·    Built an application hook to allow for association of financial Products to specific Member Legal Entity branches. Used JSP front end with Javascript validation and functionality, Struts Actions and ActionForms, DTO's and DAO's managed by Spring Beans services and tied to Ibatis back end data mapping used to persist and retrieve data from the back end Sybase database.

·    Built several data feeds for several downstream systems as part of an ongoing system consolidation project resulting from the Bank of America and Merrill Lynch merger. Constructed numerous stored procedures to generate feed results. Utilized an existing Java framework to extract specific configuration from Sybase tables that is then used to execute SQL and stored procedures and create the resulting files that are eventually FTP'd /SFTP'd  to the downstream system's Unix servers.                                                                      

 

Alliance Time Inc, Brooklyn,  NY

Jun. 2009 – May 2010

ATG Sr. Developer  

Part of a team that implemented the first ATG 9.1 Java platform to launch the Ashford.com site. The site was built on ATG 9.1 using ATG Search 9.1, Commerce, ATG Content Administration(CA), ATG Search Merchandising and integrated with JBoss 4.2.GA and Oracle 10g as the backend database. Utilized SVN subversion for code management and source control.

 

 Projects included:

·    Served as the Build/Release manager supporting the multiple Development environments utilized to construct the platform and all the code used to create site.

·    Served as a development resource on various projects adding functionality to the site. While mentoring junior team members.

·    Part of unit responsible for setup and installation of the platform including ATG Search 9.1, code management in SVN, and overall system architecture.

·    Created a Java application for search integration, to process .txt files of search autocomplete values and generate a .xml file. This application then was integrated into ATG as a Nucleus service allowing for the generated .xml file to then be indexed by the ATG search engine and deployed to the target store server sites from the CA server.  Thereby, being visible in the existing commerce web site.

·    Created a Java application using the USPS AIS product to generate a .sql file from the enclosed disk containing a City-State. .txt file. The application then used the SQL file to insert USPS zip codes into the back end database used by the website commerce store, and a CSV file used by the fulfillment partner.

·    Created an application to generate data feeds for affiliates such as google, CJ and CSE to publish URL links from respective sites.

 

 

AOL   Inc, NY,  NY

Nov. 2008 – Jun. 2009

Back end Developer  

Part of a two man team tasked with updating the current infrastructure to stream line and enhance the process of delivering web content from third party sources, internal publishers and the general public. The changes effected AOL global operations as well as dozens of other digital domains owned by Time Warner.

Projects:

·    Created Java components to support manipulation of XML documents through the use of custom XFORMS as a user interface utilizing XQUERY and XPATH expressions to manipulate stored XML documents that eventually got  persisted to a backend MySQL database.  Utilized Javascript and CSS to provide dynamic functionality for the front end UI html pages. This tool in the form of a web page would then be used to create publishing content embedded in AOL web pages.

·    Built client side widgets to provide management of internal tracking mechanism for content products.

 

 

(Starpoint Solutions ) TeleNext Media

Jul. 2008 – Sept. 2008

Sr ATG and Java Developer     Consultant,

Contract position working for Telenext Media inc,(Peoples’ Choice Awards). Created in-house development environment and worked on several customer "influence" projects. Provided a means for client to manage projects internally and push to a hosted staging environment, thereby reducing billable hours of hosting company for projects and code deployment.

Projects:                                

·    Built a module to allow registered customers to submit questions regarding on going promotions used for tracking customer activity.  Built in ATG using Component JavaBeans to handle processing of input, Utilized JSP form in front-end and created XML item descriptor to perform ORM mapping of component properties to the back-end tables

·    Implemented various Marketing Ad tags throughout the entire site, while refactoring the sites navigation and error messaging.

·    Implemented a photo gallery application that allowed the front end JSP pages to display content from backend. Allowed voting by logged in visitors for specific dynamically generated promotion options. Created back-end repository item mapping to handle multiple table relationships for Object model.

 

New York and Company , New York, NY

Apr. 2007 – Jun. 2008

ATG Developer - Technical Lead

Responsible for retailer's company website development. Lone internal development resource for www.nyandcomany.com. Provide technical

Leadership and guidance for projects and growth of the site launched in Nov 2006. As the lone internal resource provided development support, as well as recommendation as to project requirements. Served as an integral part of the E-Commerce team’s planning committee. Provided subject matter expertise during interactions with our hosting provider ATG. Attended high level meetings with vendors and served as a resource providing technical guidance to the management team including the CIO. Provide guidance and direction for contractor providing UI development.  Performed analysis, design, enhancements and production support of existing system. Create software components to provide additional business functionality. Develop business software to leverage ATG Blueprint 1.0 proprietary application (2006.3 patch5).

 Projects:

·    Created a stand-alone Java application, to extract customer information from an external business partner’s CRM database and create an outgoing transaction XML file used for adding and updating customer activity into an internal CRM system.  Built using JavaBeans to transport incoming file’s data then Java classes responsible for parsing, validating and formatting the data into the XML file format. Deployed on JBoss.

·    Created a stand-alone Java application to extract Product Catalog information from the site’s live Oracle production database. Then used this data to create a feed containing pricing info (sale and regular), media information, product URL, Sku, promotional information and inventory information.  Utilizing different databases for Inventory and Product Catalog information.  Used two separate Singleton connection objects to provide and control access and to the different database Schemas containing “ProductCatalog” and “inventory” repositories. The final file was transported via a FTP in a shell script that ran in a Cronjob on a Unix platform.  

·    Within ATG framework, created a component to store color attributes attached to a product that is browsed, allowing for grouping of Skus with like prices and like inventory states. This in order to control the default price shown for products with multiple variations (Skus).  Created a means of grouping these attributes on JSP front-end for easy display purposes.

·    Within ATG framework enhanced the capability of the site to limit shipping method for orders targeted for different shipping destinations (APO/FPO, PO Box. Etc). This limiting was handled by a configuration file.

·    Within ATG framework enhanced the application to be able to limit the shipping method for different types of products deemed hazardous.

·    Within ATG framework created the ability to prevent certain products from being eligible for certain promotion types. Allowed the business users to configure this restriction.

·    Within the ATG Framework created a form to handle customer email questions and route to appropriate email address in the Customer Service group. Driven by a backend table and displayed in the front end JSP’s dropdown.  

 

 

J.Crew, Inc. , New York, NY

Nov. 2005 – Apr. 2007

Java Web Developer

Responsible for company’s Call Center application. The Call Center application serviced phone orders for the company’s Direct Business Group. The application was based on the J.Crew website with additional security built around. It also provided additional functionality not available to external customers, such as order history lookup and order status. Performed analysis, design, enhancements and production support of existing system. Create software components to provide additional business functionality. Develop business software to leverage ATG Dynamo 7.1 proprietary applications.

 Projects:

·    Part of a team that separated a shared code base (and jar file) for separate applications in order to provide for independent functionality development for different systems. The process involved separating the business code that was unique to the specific applications, and re-writing some jhtml files that handled dynamic switching depending on the hostnames to determine what application should handle http requests.

·    Created a process to change the sequence in which Gift Cards were processed in the ATG framework purchase process and forwarded to the MF Fulfillment service.

·    Changed the process of how coupons were processed and the Tax and Shipping calculation on them within the ATG purchase process affecting cost to the customer.

·    Built a system to allow customer service agents to add monogramming attribute options to be added into a customer’s order. JSP pages captured options that were handled by the Customized ShoppingCartFormHandler to stamp object states into the order object forwarded to the MF fulfillment system.

·    Built a real time credit card authorization system that integrated with three separate running systems. The E-Commerce shopping cart order payment process, the OMS order fulfillment engine and the external Paymentech Authorization service. The Java system interfaced via a hook into E-Commerce payment process while running in a separate thread to manage Singleton access to a full time socket connection with the external vendor. The Shopping Cart object provided properties for stamping order attribute states and storing them into the order object. A backend Order fulfillment application provided a means of re-constituting exceptioned orders(past required process window's allotted time in the commerce site) and capturing updated states(updated the processor to verify order states before processing and adjusting all exception orders) then forwarding the re-stamped order objects to the warehouse Mainframe fulfillment system. 

·    Redesigned the site flow and built security around the internal customer service Order Entry System to allow customer service agents to enter customer orders without session information being overwritten, and incorrect customer information being placed in the order. 

·    Built an Attribute Management Tool using STRUTS to allow business customers to create dynamic attributes for Commerce Items that would be displayed on the Web Site’s product selection pages. The application was built using JSP pages to authorize login, display available items from an SAP feed, and captured options that were created by the business customers in the web forms. There were “ActionForms” and Action classes to handle each page and DAOs that handled data access layer interaction utilizing “ValueObjects” for retrieving and persisting via HIBERNATE 3.0 to the Oracle DB.

 

 

Bookspan, Inc. , Garden City, NY

Feb. 2004 – Nov. 2005

Java Web Developer

Performed analysis, design, enhancements and production support of current system. Responsible for an internal reporting application that provided marketing and retail data. Create software components to provide additional business functionality. Provide system administration of underlying reporting technology for internet marketing team. Create a testing environment for production application

In order to provide version management functionality. Provide first line support for web reporting application for a company-wide system consolidation project. Develop business software to leverage ATG Dynamo 5.6.1 proprietary applications. Coordinate with the business team regarding any new service requests.

 Projects:

·    Part of a team that consolidated two existing systems into one. The process involved writing some Java business objects (ATG Servlet-Beans) to allow mainframe users to enroll and place paper catalog product item orders via the company websites.

·    Created a reporting system to track site wide activity of customer sales, enrollment applications and site visits. The system was designed using a Java application as an engine to provide logging, error notification, database connection management, and process invocations based on command line arguments passed in on nightly batch shell scripts. A properties file mapped the different Java programs that implemented the interface that provided business functionality. The data store consisted of Oracle tables copied into a specific user schema for manipulation. The output was Oracle tables linked to an ACCESS client that used queries to generate various reports.

·    Part of a team wrote a real time system to process orders, and historical requests from the websites. The system involved placing JMS messages into an MQ queue as part of the order transaction. The backend Mainframe system retrieved the messages and updated the fulfillment systems’ DB2 database.

·    Part of a team that built a Sales Demand Forecasting system using MVC design pattern STRUTS. The system consisted of two applications, one for current members the other for new members to project enrollments on orders, and for current members’ product orders. The J2EE architecture was created using IBM Websphere and involved near real-time messaging via MQ Series, data persistence via Hibernate 2.0, and EJB for business logic.

·    Implemented a Risk exposure system, to identify exposure quantity and size exhaustion. Built using struts JSP tags as the view, the controller mapped to specific custom actions that accesed business objects which used DAO objects in the data access layer to provide value objects (DTO).  It also used business delegates to provide a service for Stateless session EJBs to access the DAOs.

 

CLERMONT G.C., Brooklyn, NY

Jan. 2003 – Dec. 2003

Technology Strategy Consultant

Performed analysis and design enhancements of in house homegrown system. Evaluate and test new software business products. Make purchase recommendations of new technologies. Installed and configured new software and hardware. Perform system administration and provide technical support. Develop proprietary applications to utilize and leverage existing business technologies.  

 

SMITH BARNEY, New York, NY

May 1986 – Jan. 2002

Applications Developer (1995-2002)

Performed analysis and design on a system level, in addition to writing business “specs” for other programmers. Developed and tested software through Unit Testing, Integration Testing and System Testing. Provided production support, documentation, and research tasks.  Solved technical problems and was applications’ Y2K point person. Provided technical support to business users. Assisted in project planning by identifying project tasks and in estimating project costs. Developed specific written business requests and project proposals. Created full System Development Life Cycle project charters. Coordinated user testing of new software, for system implementation.

 

Private Client Branch Senior Customer Liaison (1993-1994)

 

Senior Quality Assurance/Performance Engineer Analyst (1988-1992)

 

Reconciliation Clerk (1986-1987)

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