Mainframe Application Software Developer
Resume:
Gary E. Duck
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 E-mail: *******@*****.***
Skills Summary
I have worked in an application software house, insurance companies, a state agency, and at IBM. This experience has shown me best practices (and some bad ones) along with structured programming techniques. Development work has been done in both the traditional Waterfall SDLC as well as using an Agile methodology. I have worked extensively in COBOL although my primary language has been HLASM which gives me great insight into COBOL generated code. I have worked with VSAM, DB2, and a little with IMS. Most of my work has been in MVS environments but I have worked with VM/CMS and VSE. I have poked around the edges of the operating system and am comfortable working with system internals as needed.
TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT
HARDWARE: IBM z-Series Architecture Mainframes, JCL (MVS & VSE)
SOFTWARE: Operating Systems/Languages
z/OS, VSE/ESA, VM/CMS, COBOL, HLASM, SQL, CLIST, REXX, Edit Macros, JCL (MVS & ESA)
SOFTWARE: Vendor Products
IBM utilities, Panvalet, ENDEAVOR, ChangeMan, ZEKE, TSO/E, ISPF/PDF, ICCF, CICS (command level), Xpediter, File-Aid, STROBE, AbendAid, DB2, IMS DB/DC, MS Office
EMPLOYMENT
IBM, Inc. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina June, 2021 to May, 2025
Sr Programmer/Analyst
Special Project: Provided COBOL source with partner providing Java code to feed into the AI process to create the COBOL to Java assistant.
Worked with an Agile development team on the APM Connect product
Working on the HLASM maintenance team
A VSE only problem was causing an abend. Found the cause, coded, tested, and delivered the fix.
Assurant Ins. (Through Apex Systems) Miami, Florida June, 2019 to April,2021
Apex Systems Contractor, Mainframe Programmer
Converted four CICS assembler programs into CICS COBOL for easier future maintenance
Maintain general infrastructure COBOL and assembler CICS programs and make requested modifications.
Reduce batch abends using a SPIE program converted to run in 31-bit mode plus JCL updates
Reduce CICS overhead by bypassing abend/dump logic in COBOL general dump program for known, identified error conditions
National Western Life Ins. Co., Austin, Texas January, 2016 to June, 2019
Independent Contractor, Mainframe Programmer
Research and correct production issues reported by business users in Life/70 assembler admin system. Used my dump reading skills and Abend-Aid among other tools to resolve these issues.
Analyze and document logic of COBOL and assembler programs for conversion team
Add new products with New Business programming changes and policy print changes.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Austin, Texas January, 2014 to Dec, 2015
Programmer V
Wrote COBOL programs to do data correction in an IMS database using file input.
Corrected errors in COBOL/IMS programs.
Systems Source, Inc., Dallas, Texas Sept, 2012 to Oct, 2013
Life/70 Programmer Analyst (Contractor to Sammons Group)
Wrote programs to synchronize agent info in segmented record KSDS VSAM master file with data from an outside vendor database.
Wrote additional programs to verify and validate the data correction transactions being generated.
Wrote programs to extract desired data from KSDS VSAM master file, transform it to an SQL friendly format, and pass the data to a “wrapper” program for sending via MQ to a database load routine.
Created JCL to execute all the above newly written programs.
National Western Life, Austin, Texas March, 2008 to Sept, 2012
Senior Systems Analyst
Perform routine maintenance of assembler insurance administration system on VSE/ESA. This included resolving dumps and program errors.
Increased available products by implementing program modifications per specifications from the actuaries.
Conseco, Carmel, Indiana Oct, 1997 to Mar, 2008
Senior Application Developer
Wrote binary tree report program to count usage of elements and created JCL to run it.
Coordinated batch and CICS application maintenance with onshore and offshore staff
Kept money coming in by making necessary program updates (twice) to support changes to the lockbox vendor being used. This required changing the application program interface for the changed incoming file format coming from the bank.
Saved employee time and recovered money from agents by following business rules to create an extract program for getting information from a KSDS VSAM file and transform it into the database load format. This program replaced a process that previously took a full day to perform manually and was subject to human errors.
American National Insurance Company, Galveston, Texas Sept, 1991 to Oct, 1997
Senior Programmer Analyst, Life/70
Converted data from an acquired company using a different COBOL administration system to the format needed at this company. This involved writing COBOL programs using a VSAM alternate index I created. I also built the execution JCL.
Cut costs by eliminating programmer involvement in interest rate updates by writing programs that allow business users to update the DB2 interest rate tables.
Enhanced and maintained IMS/DC batch and online programs.
Fixed a problem with an ever-growing master record by moving a routinely added segment out of the master record and into a DB2 database. Designed and coded an interface program to access the DB2 database in order to minimize changes to other application programs. Modified the application programs to call the interface program to access the data they required.
The Continuum Company, Austin, Texas Sept, 1978 to Aug, 1991
Senior Programmer
Did analysis, design, coding, and unit testing of new Life/70 features.
Significantly increased SDLC productivity by writing a mainframe “IDE.” This was done in VM/CMS using EXEC2, REXX, assembler programs, Panvalet/CMS, MVS JCL, and edit macros. In MVS, I coded Panvalet exits to support the updating of control information in Panvalet libraries. I also wrote multiple COBOL programs and execution JCL to build supporting files.
Worked on the project to convert the company’s ISAM based file access to VSAM
Significantly reduced real I/O in an application by conceiving/designing/coding an in-memory copybook “caching” program in assembler using Panvalet APIs.
Visited customer sites to help with problems they were experiencing. I was able to find and correct their problems.
EDUCATION
University of Texas, Austin, Texas
Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film; Dean’s List, 3.03/4.0 overall GPA
Business: Graduate Business School
Computer Science: Course work to improve computer science knowledge and skills
At Work Training
Themis Inc: DB2 UDB z/OS & OS/390 SQL and Application Programming
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Fellow, Life Management Institute of the Life Office Management Association - September, 1980
ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management – February, 2014
E-mail: *******@*****.***
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