JACK KUREK

Woodbridge, CT ***** 203-***-**** addcnw@r.postjobfree.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackkurek/

CLIENT ADVOCATE: Senior Business Analyst with data analytics, solving critical business issues to increase profits, sales, productivity, customer satisfaction, reduce risk, improve data security

CORE BUSINESS COMPETENCIES

Business Process Analysis, Business Requirements Analysis, Business Systems Analysis End User and I/T liaison, Business Process Improvement, Continuous Improvement One on one and group interviewing for requirements elicitation Data analysis and analytics to understand and quantify: business and data issues, solution benefits Enthusiastic learner for new business applications and business processes Optimistic outlook drives creativity in difficult, uncertain situations Productivity Analysis (stores, warehouse, process), Change Management Problem solution value analysis (Stakeholder Benefit Value Studies) Training – T3, end-user, QA, detailed, high level, application logic Testing (User Acceptance Testing, Regression, Functional) Big Data Analysis, Project Management, Business & I/T Strategy Alignment Experience in knowing when to raise the “red” flag Retail Industry: Mass, Apparel, Specialty, Grocery, Chain Drug, Wholesale, Supply Chain, Fast Food Retail Chain Pharmacy (Rx processing, third party verification and billing, pharmacy ops) Other Industry: Airline, Manufacturing (technology, apparel) Business and Functional Requirements Documentation (BRD, FRD) Investigative documentation, user experience (UX), application usability Use Cases, As-Is, and To-Be Diagramming

Tactical & Long-range Product / Application Planning, I/T Portfolio Analysis, SWOT analysis Promote incremental change and continuous improvement, Frequent incremental delivery Experience with configurable SaaS application software (Space Optimization (SME), Price Optimization (SME))

SDLC (Design, Development, QA, Test, Implementation, Training, Waterfall, Agile) Team player, individual contributor, detail oriented, innovative problem solver TOOLS

SQL (query, inspect, analyze, extract), Excel (vlookup, pivots, charts, histograms), Tableau (data visualizations), Alteryx (decision tree analysis), MS Project, Visio, JIRA (requirements, problem logging), Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Zoom, Confluence and Box (documentation), Salesforce

(logging data issues for client executive awareness) BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

Billing (water utility, pharmacy third party), Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Collections, General Ledger, Inventory Control, Inventory Management, Forecasting, Macro Space Optimization, Store Operations, Payroll, Price Management, Point of Sale, Sales Analysis, Price Management, Warehouse Management, Receiving (distribution center, DSD, store), Shipment Tracking and Control (bar coding and magnetic stripe technologies), Chain Drug Pharmacy automation (Rx processing, pharmacy operations), Integrated Fuel Management (POS) BUSINESS AND DATA ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON THREE KEY VIEWS OF THE BUSINESS: 1) The business process [how the business operates] 2) The functional software [business applications] 3) The data and information [data the business uses to operate and make decisions] PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

REVIONICS

SENIOR DATA SCIENCE ANALYST / BUSINESS ANALYST 6/2012 – 7/2019 Applied retail industry, client, and business analyst expertise in development of analytics for extracting significant facts, analyses and interpretation of “big data” generated by clients Performed Data Validations (sales and pricing) for clients implementing Price Optimization. Utilized client sales and pricing information, analyzed accuracy, identified outlier data in preparation and cleansing of client data for use in Price Optimization SaaS application. SQL data validation queries expanded to include provisions for non-US clients with VAT/GST. Specific Business and Data Analysis responsibilities included: Data validation process, SQL queries for analysis, mining, and data extraction from standardized client [relational] data bases. Validations performed on store level client sales, master prices, average selling price and other performance and parameter data across pricing zones. Extracted data from large relational data bases using SQL query and loaded to Excel for additional analysis (graphs, histograms). Tableau visualizations used to clarify data errors and exceptions, visualized cyclic data patterns, identify data sparsity and voids. Alteryx used for special projects. Business requirements and specifications developed for standardizing the validation process. Master templates created for SQL queries, Excel worksheets, and Word documents. Validation results then summarized into Word/PowerPoint reports. Presentations created for delivery to client pricing specialists and senior management. Data validation status logged to Salesforce for client executive awareness. Results: Faster implementation, fewer data errors, optimized price recommendations, increased sales 1 – 5% and profits .2 – 1.5%.

Revionics completed the purchase of Retail Optimization in June 2012. As an innovative contributor, continued work with Macro and Micro Space Optimization, elicited business requirements from clients, interfaced between clients and development, and deepened involvement with the science, requirements, and development of cloud-based products. RETAIL OPTIMIZATION INC.

SENIOR BUSINESS CONSULTANT / ANALYST 6/2008 – 6/2012 Applied skills and industry experiences at startup company Retail Optimization Inc. ROI was developing an innovative Macro Space Optimization application. The application integrated macro space optimization, space aware assortment planning, and strategic store operational planning to properly size center store category stocking sections. Responsibilities as the SME included interfacing with clients, organizing and conducting project meetings, creation of functional documentation, requirements validation, and project management. Business Analyst responsibilities beyond performing store optimizations included interacting with the developers (on and off shore), developing specific functional business requirements (captured in stories), and extensive testing: functional, regression, logical results, usability, and operational. Defects were reported using Jira, usability documentation recorded in Confluence which was later used to produce user manuals. Optimized over 1000 individual stores for several Tier 1 supermarket clients. Utilized client sales and business strategy parameters in the optimization process. Assisted clients with the implementation of optimization recommendations in tailoring individual stores to local customer shopping behaviors and demographics. Provided SKU rationalization recommendations as a result of the optimization process.

Results: Implementation of recommendations resulted in a 2-5% increase in store’s bottom line performance.

FAST SWITCH, LTD

BUSINESS ANALYST 6/2007 – 6/2008

Specific Business Analyst responsibilities included development of business (BRD) and functional

(FRD) requirements, process flow documentation using Visio for as-is and to-be diagrams, testing requirements, functional validation, and creation of test cases. Client (Valassis) developed a new Ad Targeting System in order to market an optimized combination of newspaper, mail direct, and e- media products.

Created and maintained the Business and Functional Requirements for the optimization and reporting segments of the new ad targeting system

Results: New system improved productivity and scenario turnaround by 10x SCORE – COUNSELORS TO AMERICA’S SMALL BUSINESS 1/2004 – 6/2007 BUSINESS COUNSELOR

Counseled entrepreneurs wanting to start or already operating a small business. Applied retail and Business Analyst expertise helping clients to understand business functions including: startup, financial requirements, inventory management, business expansion, business evaluation, competitiveness in the marketplace (SWOT), customer retention, CRM, and additional topics germane to clients’ unique problems.

KYRUS CORPORATION 1/1999 – 6/2004

BUSINESS ANALYST / PROJECT MANAGER

Developed IT strategies for the integration of fuel systems in both checkout (Point-of-Sale) and back office applications. Business Analyst responsibilities and activities included: studies focused on identification and quantification of store-based business problems and requirements, functional and technical quality assessments of store application technologies, and recommendations for cost- effective IT and process based solutions to business problems. Project managed high visibility pilot installations.

Created and conducted a “Front-end Productivity” study for large warehouse (mass) retailer. Identified critical issues impacting checkout productivity. Recommended technology implementations and operational changes improving cashier productivity and customer service. Results: Implementation produced a 30+% increase in efficiency. IBM – SENIOR POSITIONS PREVIOUS TO 1999

Retail Solutions Manager

Retail Solutions Analyst and Consultant, Retail and Distribution Solutions Certified Consultant – IT Strategy & Planning, IBM Consulting Group Consulting Industry Specialist [Retail Industry, most segments], IBM Store Systems Product Development Business Analyst/Project Manager – Advanced Systems Development Lab Significant Business Analyst/Consulting/Project Management Achievements at IBM: Created functional requirements and managed pilot installation of hardware and software components for Freight Tracking System. Pilot installed and operated successfully at major freight carrier. Project included testing of bar code and magnetic stripe media, hand scanners, printers, weight displays and software.

Results: Successful pilot let to release of multiple products to manufacturing. Directed development and build of an IT Strategy and Plan for a major Canadian airline. Developed innovative methodology allowing the consulting team to focus on key problem areas, identify high value applications, and align IT plan with airline's business strategies, goals, and objectives. Presented to and accepted by C-suite.. Results: Execution of new IT plan resulted in the achievement of sales, profit and customer objectives in subsequent years.

Managed and responsible for the development and installation of a retail pharmacy system (Rx processing) for a large chain pharmacy client (Thrifty Drug Stores). Project included development of BRD (Business Requirements) and FRD (Functional Requirement) documents, UX for pharmacists’ data entry, managing the development, education, and implementation teams. The system included; Third Party Billing, drug interaction checking, and Inventory Management.

Results: Implementation in over 700 stores, system resulted in a 25% increase in pharmacist productivity, a 10% increase in third party prescription profit, significant reductions in pharmacy inventory, and an increase in customer service.

Managed and responsible for the development and installation of a Point of Sale system for a large chain pharmacy client.

This project included managing the development, education, and implementation teams. Rollout to over 700 stores

Results: New POS system resulted in a 15% increase in store bottom-line profits with implementation of price management, price lookup, promotional pricing, and resulting reductions in FTE labor.

Managed and responsible for the selling, development and implementation of a Payroll System

(hourly, Union) for a specialty retailer. Project included requirements, programming, testing, QA, training and implementation.

Results: New system delivered more accurate deductions tracking, improved department operations with reduced overtime, and better employee relationships. Managed and led annual Branch Office sales and resource planning sessions Results: Over a period of three years nearly doubled the revenue achievement EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, University of California, Riverside IBM: SRI (Systems Research Institute) – study focus: Artificial Intelligence, User Experience (UX), Economics

IBM: Technical and management classes

AWARDS & COMMUNITY SERVICE:

IBM – Systems Engineering Symposia and Achievement Forums (recognition for outstanding client service)

IBM – Golden Circle, Club Director (for $25MM sell, development and installation of Pharmacy System)

IBM – Vice President, Regional Manager, Branch Office (recognition for significant software and hardware implementations)

COMMISSIONER – Inland Wetlands Agency

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