Senior Network Engineer (25+ Years)

James A. Hood II

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Network Engineer

Highly successful and accomplished Network Engineer with 25+ years of experience in Enterprise Networks across Financial Institutes, Medical Providers, ISPs and Industrial Services Providers. Extensive troubleshooting, Communication (written and verbal) Focused and Flexible. Former CCNA certification and Team Leader. Not adverse to a career change. Hard-working, strong initiative with great pride in work and knowing how to prioritize. Known for positive attitude and project focus.

Technical Expertise

Hardware: Cisco 7200/3800/3600/2800/2600/1800/1700/1600 and ASR series routers, Cisco GSR 12000, Cisco 2900 series switches, Cisco Secure ACS Juniper-E and M series Routers, Nexus 7k and 9k, Avaya 3750, Cisco Meraki, modems, network cards, Adtran devices, and other networking devices, VPN implementation

Software: Windows Terminal Server, Cisco IOSXE and Cisco IOSXR, MS Office Suite, Remedy, Acterna, PIMS, SecureCRT, Putty, NetBrain, Solarwinds, Cisco ACS, iWAN., Managed Engine, APIC-EM, Cisco ISE, and Meraki Dashboard

Networks/Protocols: LAN/WAN, TCP/IP, VPN, DNS, DHCP, POP3, SMTP, FTP, TELNET, ICMP, RIP, NAT, IGRP, TFTP, VLAN, Ethernet, BGP, OSPF, MPLS

Conflict resolution

Collaboration and teamwork

Client support

Education

Davenport University - Flint, MI 1995

Bachelor of Applied Business Degree

Davenport University - Caro, MI 1991

Associate of Applied Science Degree in Electronics/Computer Repair

Work Experience

Network Tower Lead Semco Energy July 2022 to June 2026

Tata Consultance Services Port Huron, MI

Onsite resource for network upgrades on Cisco 400 series routers and Cisco 3600, 2900, 9200 switches and Meraki 9300 switches as well as Cisco Nexus 9K switches.

Onsite resource for network monitoring and troubleshooting of Cisco 4000 series routers and Cisco 3600, 2900, 9200 switches and Meraki 9300 switches as well as Cisco Nexus 9K switches.

Maintained and monitored/troubleshot Cisco 4300 series routers and Cisco 2900 series switches for remote locations.

Supported the Firewall group in maintaining and upgrading Cisco FP 2110 and Cisco 2210 Firewalls as well as FTD 1010 firewalls on remote sites.

Maintained network using Managed Engine, Cisco ISE, Meraki Dashboard as well as my extensive experience to augment.

Resolved relationship and operational issues following transition to outside service resources.

Trained and managed a continuously revolving offshore team for effective day-to-day network management and operations. Fostering an improved team Culture contributing to a nearly 90% increase in internal business satisfaction Net Promoter Score surveys.

Visited Semco and Altagas remote sites to strengthen relationships with remote management and manage network devices.

Maintained APC, Tripp Lite and Vertiv UPS systems to ensure uninterrupted operation.

Worked with Service providers (ATT, Comcast, Brightspeed, and other local providers) to maintain connectivity to the internet and each site with various protocols from ASE to Ethernet and MPLS.

Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.

Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.

Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

Network Engineer January 2021 to November 2021

Ascension St. Mary’s Saginaw, MI

Served as onsite resource for network upgrades, expansions, and troubleshooting, ensuring seamless service continuity on Avaya 3700 series switches.

Performed network patching, equipment decommissioning, and installations of Avaya 3700 switches, Tripp Lite SmartOnline UPS devices, and Cisco WAPs, enhancing network reliability.

Collaborated with teams at main hospital and satellite locations to maintain and optimize expanded network services.

Designed and implemented network infrastructures to enhance connectivity and operational efficiency.

Monitored and maintained network performance, ensuring optimal uptime and reliability.

Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to troubleshoot and resolve complex network issues.

Network Engineer April 2016 to November 2020

Chemical Bank Midland, MI

Deployed two Cisco Secure ACS for TACACS instances, replacing the outdated system.

Manually created Network Devices and AAA Clients to address incompatibility issues.

Developed internal and external device user databases with varying access levels and implemented a Secondary ACS instance for disaster recovery.

Modified all Cisco 3650 switches and 7200/1700 routers in the network to use the TACACS system.

Worked with Bradford Networks to bring up their network monitoring and security appliance with HA failover.

Deployed iWAN using APIC-EM for WAN connectivity.

Started the conversion over to Cisco ISE from deployed Bradford.

Designed and implemented network infrastructure to support hospital operations and enhance communication efficiency.

Administered network security protocols to safeguard patient data and ensure compliance with regulations.

Conducted regular system audits and performance evaluations to identify opportunities for improvement in network reliability.

Senior Network Engineer March 2012 to March 2016

Teleworx, LLC

Executed customer transitions from outdated Cisco equipment to updated Juniper ERX and MRX equipment.

Formulated procedures and templates for the migration process.

Led design and implementation of scalable network architectures to enhance system performance.

Developed and executed comprehensive network security protocols to safeguard critical data assets.

Mentored junior engineers, fostering skill development and knowledge sharing within the team.

Supervisor, Network Engineer, Technical Trainer and Tier 3 IP Data Support positions November 1998 to November 2011

XO Communications Saginaw, MI

Managed the day-to-day operations of specialized care teams.

Trained OPs desk personnel on TCP/IP, T1 theory, CSU/DSU, and CPE Cisco (1600, 1700 and 1800) routers, improving troubleshooting capabilities.

Resolved escalated issues related to chronic and high-expertise problems, ensuring timely solutions for complex technical challenges.

Performed router group functions consisting of troubleshooting backbone and CPE issues, installation support and pre-configurations.

Led team of 10 to 12 to optimize operational workflows and enhance service delivery.

Developed training programs to improve staff performance and ensure compliance with standards.

Implemented process improvements resulting in increased efficiency across departments.

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