Data Self Employed

Craig Lyle Simon, Ph.D. Database Application Specialist

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*****@****.*** - 1024 SE 3 Ave, Apt. 205, Dania, FL 33004 - 954-***-****

Objective

To continue developing database applications for clients at nimble, growing firms who require innovation, initiative,

accuracy, and productive interaction with users.

Noteworthy Skills

Over 25 years of repeated success as a contract programmer creating durable data management solutions that

enable rapid data entry, efficient searching, robust document assembly, complex reports on demand, and integration

with desktop tools. Extensive cross functional experience migrating clients from legacy systems into full fledged

relational database applications. Active skills include:

Microsoft Business Intelligence Design Studio (BIDS): 5+ years ETL via DTS and SSIS. Designed and

managed numerous data imports and conversions using diverse data and file sources with multifaceted SQL

Tasks.

Microsoft SQL, SSMS: 8+ years. Designed systems implementing best practices such as normalization,

foreign keys, indexing, parameterized stored procedures, functions, transactions, surface configuration, and

job scheduling.

Microsoft Visual Studio, C# with DevExpress Suite: 7+ Years. Developed front end portions of database

applications with .Net tools including Winforms, ASP.NET MVC, WPF, and Entity Framework. MS

Office: VBA. Excel, Access and custom C#/MSSQL applications integration.

LAMP Development: 3+ Years MySQL/PHP/Javascript/CSS. Website development, reporting and data

visualization.

Work History

Self employed freelance Database Application Specialist since 1989, a career interspersed with project focused

contract programming, startup development, graduate level education culminating in a Ph.D, and scholarly writing.

Notable programming projects include:

Palm Beach Accountable Care Organization. September 2014 January 2015. Used MSSQL, SSIS, and C#

to consolidate datasets from two distinct affordable care organizations under a single entity. The result

included a well normalized schema and front end application prototype that would meet legal requirements

for privacy notification, identity masking, complex reporting, and ongoing extension. The core of the

project was a system of ETL packages to automate the import of source data provided by the Centers for

Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), along with in house data that had been archived in disparate

formats. I also provided technical support to the firm’s team of database analysts.

Investa Services. January 2013 June 2014 with ongoing consultation. Architected, built, and deployed a

suite of diligence support, data ingestion, and document assembly modules for a major Georgia based Tax

Lien investment firm that was expanding its investment capacity. This augmentation of a large and complex

legacy system required close attention to the constraints of existing data schemas while adding tables and

stored procedures. Created new Winform interfaces to streamline and automate processes that had

previously required hands on attention from senior technical personnel. Vastly simplified document

preparation and task tracking functions considered critical for long term tax lien servicing (MSSQL/.NET).

J.I. Kislak Mortgage, LLC. January 2012 September 2012 with ongoing consultation. Created a highly

innovative diligence support system that enabled major expansion of this firm’s multi fund Tax Lien

investment portfolio. Significant features included automated multifactor grading and follow on drilldown

via dynamic pivot tables built with DevExpress tooling. The project also required ETL migration of the

legacy servicing system from a collection of large spreadsheets into an integrated database application.

Other features included dashboard overviews, audit ready financial reports, and data transfers to enterprise

ledgers (MSSQL/.NET).

Elias B. Rudnikas, P.A. Projects and support since August 1988. Initially created a series of DOS based

desktop database/document assembly automation systems appropriate to different aspects of this multi

faceted law practice. The durability of these systems provided significant deferral of upgrade costs over

many years. Later migration to an application based in MSSQL 2005 and C# included extensive use of SSIS

for ETL while prototyping a new schema that integrated the distinct data applications into one. That

integration made it possible to present an interface appropriate to the users’ current business context while

realizing significant reduction in maintenance costs going forward. Final document assembly leverages

WordPerfect’s merge system in conjunction with its PerfectScript programing language (MSSQL/.NET).

LienBase. May July 2011. Conducted a systematic review of the client’s in house developed, Web

accessible tax lien servicing system. Provided a set of custom data visualizations using parameterized

MySQL stored procedures in conjunction with the Javascript based HighCharts tool. (MySQL/PHP)

CR South January August 2010. Developed a suite of mission critical applications for the Tax Lien

investment arm of Baltimore based Continental Realty, which was seeking to become a significant actor in

the Florida Tax Lien business. The company had recruited a "dream team" of nationally recognized auction

specialists. I was tasked to create a new generation of software that would capture their expertise and give

the firm a significant competitive edge. Custom creations included SSIS packages for conversion/merging of

vendor supplied and geographic data into relational form, rapid creation of C# based Winform apps for

diligence review, strategic modeling, auction support, portfolio servicing, and a new servicing application

that integrated legacy data from spreadsheets. Reviewing users considered the result (briefly marketed

under the brand name LienWise), to be state of the art for that industry. Subsequently provided consulting

and maintenance as needed (MSSQL/.NET).

BankAtlantic 1990 2006. Initially developed a variety of DOS based database and document assembly

systems for Megabank, a firm purchased by BankAtlantic. After assisting with transition of systems I had

developed, I was assigned to create a new multi user, mission critical acquisition and servicing system for

BankAtlantic's Tax Lien department. Responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of converted data

during the three upgrade/migration events that occurred over the course of 15 years. Resulting efficiencies

greatly streamlined user productivity and vastly sped up reporting. The system was recognized as highly

instrumental in enabling the department’s expansion and its leading ROI performance within the enterprise.

Solely responsible for maintaining and enhancing the first two generations of the application. Worked from

June 2003 through May 2005 as functional lead for development of the Sarbanes Oxley compliant third

version, heading a team that included VB.Net developers, a technical writer, and QA testers. Had key

responsibility for creation and change management of the 80+ table data schema as well as configuring and

running ETL operations via DTS for numerous test migrations and the final conversion/transition event

(Paradox/Delphi to MSSQL/.NET).

Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Consultant to the Word Processing IT

Manager, 1989 2004. Projects included enterprise level network software installation and configuration,

user training, and creating custom databases.

Other Projects

Indaba Application Network. Founder, January 2007 present. An entrepreneurial endeavor focused on

creating an interactive crowdsourcing platform that will serve clients needing online town hall systems and

advanced preference polling tools (PHP/JQuery, currently refactoring to MSSQL/WEBAPI).

Lienwatch. December 2012 present. An interactive blog focused on policy issues relevant to the Tax Lien

industry (MSSQL/ASP.NET MVC).

Freestyle Players Association: Phlaud.com March 2013 present. Membership management support system

for an international sports community (MSSQL/ASP.NET MVC).

Formal Education

Ph.D International Studies, 2006.University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

M.A International Studies, 1987. University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

University of California at Santa Cruz.

B.A History, 1980.

Languages

Native English.

Intermediate (and increasingly rusty) Russian.

Publications and Archived Writings

Doctoral Dissertation: “Launching the DNS War: Dot-Com Privatization and the Rise of Global

Internet Governance.” December, 2006. Supervised by Dr. Vendulka Kubalkova.

“Internet Governance Goes Global,” chapter in International Relations in a Constructed World,

Vendulka Kubalkova, Nicholas G. Onuf, and Paul Kowert, eds. New York: M.E. Sharpe 1998.

Master’s Thesis: “Technology Transfer and Soviet American Rivalry: Prospects for the Decline

of Bipolar Hegemony.” May 1987. Supervised by Dr. Duane Kujawa.

Presentations and Conference Papers

February 2014. “Tax Liens in the American Landscape: Comparative Metrics of Tax Lien

Certificate Policy Outcomes” Presented to the National Tax Lien Association (NTLA) Annual

Conference. Miami Beach, FL.

October 2013, “Big Data in the Context of Big History.” Presented to the Institute of General

Semantics at the Language and Symbol Use in the Twenty-First Century Symposium. New York

City.

July 2008. “Deriving Common Interests from Animal Origins: The Generative Constraints of

Global Polity.” Presented to the World International Studies Committee (WISC) at the Global

International Studies Conference. Ljubljana, Slovenia.

August 2006. “Russia’s Great Power Interests.” Smolny Institute of International Relations (in

conjunction with University of Miami’s Master of Arts in International Administration Program).

St. Petersburg, Russia.

November 2005. “Who’s the Boss? A Constructivist Perspective on the Genesis of Power and the

Origin of Rule.” US International Studies Association Southeast. Miami, Florida.

October 2005. “The Internet as a Global Infrastructure.” University of Miami’s Master of Arts in

International Administration (MAIA): International Communication, Religion & Culture. Miami,

Florida.

March 2003. “Internet Governance.” University of Miami’s Master of Arts in International

Administration (MAIA): International Communication. Miami, Florida.

February 2001. “Post-Westphalia Dot Com.” The Miami Group (UM/FIU Colloquium). Miami,

Florida.

February 1988. “Gorbachev’s Perestroika”: What Does it Mean for US-Soviet Trade? University

of Miami, Institute of Soviet and East European Studies. Miami, Florida.

Courses Taught

1990-1991. Miami Dade Community College. Basic courses in DOS and Wordprocessing.

(These were skill-oriented courses for undergraduate and vocational students.)

Summer 1988. Florida International University. Undergraduate Level Strategic Studies: “The

Use of Force in International Relations: Power and the Political Object.” (This was an

undergraduate-level survey course on theories of war and strategic studies, reviewing the work of

classic authors such Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, and Wohlstetter.)

Fellowships and Awards

University of Miami, President’s Return Invitation Grant (August 1996-December 2006).

University of Miami, University Fellow (August 1985-May 1988).

University of Miami, Graduate Assistantship (August 1984-May 1989).

References available on request.

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