Azure Cloud & AI Architect Leader

Robert G Ruffin

Azure Architect Cloud Engineer AI-Driven Solutions Leader

******.******@*******.*** 415-***-**** US Citizen

Remote from Chico, California, any time zone

Professional Summary

Visionary Azure Architect and Engineer with 20+ years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud and AI solutions across finance, healthcare, education, and retail. Expert in architecting enterprise-grade platforms using Microsoft Azure, .NET Core, and modern front-end frameworks. Recognized for pioneering the integration of Generative AI, Azure AI Services, and intelligent automation into software engineering practices. Proven leader in transforming legacy systems into cloud-native, AI-powered SaaS platforms, driving innovation through Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Bicep coding, VNets, Azure Storage, advanced data analytics, and business intelligence. Passionate about enabling teams to adopt AI technologies for accelerated delivery, improved code quality, and business impact.

Core Competencies

Cloud & AI Architecture: Azure IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, IaC w/ Bicep coding, Azure AI Services, VNets, Azure Storage, Generative AI, IDaaS/IAM, Hybrid Integration, Active Directory/Entra, SSO, MFA

AI & Automation: Generative AI (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI), GitHub Copilot, Azure Cognitive Services, Intelligent Automation, AI-powered APIs

DevOps & IaC: Azure DevOps, Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, AKS, CI/CD, PowerShell, Azure CLI, Automated AI model deployment

Data & Analytics: Azure Synapse, Data Factory, Data Lake, Databricks, Power BI, SQL Server, SSIS/SSAS/SSRS, ML model integration

Application Development: .NET Core, ASP.NET Core, MVC, Entity Framework, Angular, TypeScript, RESTful APIs, AI-augmented development

Security & Identity: OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML, Azure AD, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Software Engineering: SaaS Design, Microservices, API Management, Event-Driven Architecture, AI-driven API design

Team Leadership: Upskilling teams in AI, leading AI adoption, mentoring on AI best practices

Professional Experience

Azure Architect – AI

Feb 2014 – Present General Blue Corporation

Application Design and Development using a spectrum of AI Models and Copilots

increasing software development productivity and accuracy in multiples.

Led cloud transformation initiatives leveraging Azure services (Azure Functions, AKS, Cosmos DB, Microsoft Fabric) and integrated Generative AI and GitHub Copilot into SDLC, accelerating delivery and elevating code quality.

Architected and deployed AI-powered microservices using Azure Service Fabric, API Management, and Azure AI Services for scalable, intelligent enterprise applications.

Designed and implemented CI/CD pipelines with automated AI model deployment and monitoring, using Azure DevOps, Git, and private package management (NuGet, NPM).

Built advanced analytics and ML platforms with Azure Synapse, Data Factory, Data Lake, Databricks, and Power BI, enabling predictive insights and intelligent automation.

Migrated legacy SaaS applications to cloud-native, AI-enhanced architectures using managed services, containers, and AI APIs.

Automated infrastructure provisioning and AI resource management with Terraform and PowerShell for consistent, repeatable deployments.

Championed the adoption of AI Copilot tools, mentoring development teams to boost productivity and foster a culture of AI-driven innovation.

Advanced DevOps automation frameworks of CI/CD, CLI and pipelines.

Senior Engineer

Jan 2002 – Feb 2014 EVIS, Inc.

Designed SaaS CRM and time-tracking applications, integrating AI-powered analytics and reporting for enterprise clients.

Developed C#/JSON interfaces for Azure-hosted applications, leveraging AI for data enrichment and process automation.

Implemented BI and ML solutions using SSIS, SSAS, SSRS, and SQL Server for advanced reporting and KPIs.

Deployed global publishing platforms with .NET Core, Cosmos DB, and Azure DevOps, incorporating AI-driven content recommendations.

Configured ServiceNow for ITSM, extracting and analyzing data with AI tools for reporting and asset management.

Used IBM DataStage and AI-based ETL processes across 12 warehouses into Oracle SAP (FICO, MM modules).

Principal / IT Architect / Senior Engineer

Sep 1999 – Jan 2002 International Business Machines (IBM)

Led IT optimization and AI-readiness engagements using IBM’s Issues-Based Thinking methodology and Engagement Manager.

Conducted organizational studies and AI opportunity assessments for Fortune 500 clients.

Applied ITIL and AI best practices to streamline service delivery, infrastructure management, and intelligent automation.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems

University of Tulsa

Technical Skills

Languages: C#, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, PowerShell, SQL

Frameworks: .NET Core, ASP.NET Core, MVC, Angular, React, Redux, Entity Framework

Cloud & DevOps: Azure DevOps, AKS, Docker, Terraform, Chef, Puppet, Ansible

Data Platforms: Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Redis, Synapse, SSIS/SSAS/SSRS

AI Tools: GitHub Copilot, Azure AI Services, OpenAI APIs, Azure Cognitive Services, MLflow

Security: OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML, Azure AD, RBAC

BI & Reporting: Power BI Desktop, Service, Embedded, Gateway, Report Server

Interests

AI-driven software development and modular architecture

Cloud computing innovations and hybrid infrastructure

Data science, machine learning, and intelligent automation

ASP.NET Core, Blazor, EF Core, and integrated APIs

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