1. Richard A. (Rex) Palace
7595 Baymeadows Circle West, Apt #2201
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Phone: (904) 619-5566; Cell: (904) 412-3537
Email Address: rexp_21@yahoo.com
Summary: Over 30 years of solid information technology experience with special concentration in
information systems research and development, design/programming, testing, implementation, project
leadership, project scheduling and problem solving. I am familiar with all aspects of the System
Development Life Cycle (SDLC). I am a strong team player and an excellent communicator with the
ability to work with all levels of management and users. Proven ability to design and implement business
solutions. BS, Industrial Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, IL
Technical Summary:
Platforms: IBM OS/390 z/OS mainframe and multiple microcomputer platform background,
Windows, OS/2, NetWare, Multiple Unix workstations.
Operating Systems: IBM z/OS, TSO/ISPF, JCL/PROCLIB, CICS, VM/SP, OS/2, Novell NetWare,
UNIX (multiple platforms), Microsoft Windows (8, 7, XP, 2000ME, 98, 95,
3.x), NT 4.x/5.x workstation.
MF Packages: z/OS JCL/CAT PROCLIBs expert, Xpeditor (COBOL, HLASM), SERENA ChangeMan,
PDSMAN, EzyEdit, XML, CA Endevor, CA-View, FILEAID, Abend-AID, SDSF,
SCLM, PANVALET/PANEXEC, SYSVIEW, IND$FILE, IBM Debug (CICS), VSAM,
LIBRARIAN.
Languages: IBM Basic Assembler Language (HLASM), COBOL 4.2, COBOL 5.1.1, COBOL/2,
Realia Cobol, SQL, CLIST, REXX (TSO, VM and OS/2), EASYTRIEVE, QUIKJOB, C
Language (multiple platforms), PL/I, Pascal, DIAL.
DBMS: DB2, DB2 AIX, DB2/2, CA-INGRES, IMS/DB and DLI, CA-DB, SQL, and QMF.
PC Packages: MS EXCEL, MS OUTLOOK, MS VISIO, MS WORD, MS PROJECT, WordPerfect,
Lotus Notes, Lotus 123, Internet Explorer and Netscape familiarity, used various PC-
based project scheduling/estimating tools and Email packages, FTP, Citrix, Thin Client,
Net Meeting, etc.
Professional Experience:
Diversified Services Options (DSO), Jacksonville, FL 12/16/2013-10/31/2014 Consultant
Mainframe administrator, performing application programming for both HLASM and COBOL source for
Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) processing for the Novitas development group. Novitas
handles MAC processing for the states including NJ, PA, DE, DC, MD, TX, CO, NM, LA, AR, MS.
Familiar with COBOL version 4.2 development and COBOL version 5.1.1 (recently installed with z/OS
2.1) development and migration. Heavily involved with maintaining large numbers of JCL members
dealing with high volume Medicare Administrative batch and CICS processing including DB2 programs.
Used CA Enedevor for change management. Developed complex JCL procedures to enable COBOL 4.2
development alternative for maintaining older legacy code. Maintained a tight schedule requirement for
batch job support of a daily CICS online environment which had severe Service Level Agreement penalties
for missing the daily schedule and high user visibility for verifying such performance. Heavy use of
VSAM, TSO/ISPF, SDSF, CA-View, PDSMAN, EzyEdit. Used packages with XML to develop MS
EXCEL spreadsheets from mainframe data. Limited use of DB2, which use was discouraged due to
performance constraints.
Lender Processing Services (LPS), Jacksonville, FL 10/1/2012-7/12/2013 Consultant
Application programming and design for mainframe COBOL batch/CICS Mortgage Product Development
(formerly Mortgage Support Processing). Familiar with FM (Functionally Modular) processing for the
complex financial mortgage support processing environment at LPS. LPS handles Mortgage Processing for
many of the largest banking institutions, including Chase and Wells Fargo plus many other banking clients.
Work required skills using Easytrieve, QuickJob, z/OS JCL, Xpeditor COBOL (CICS and batch), used
XML packages to distribute mainframe data to non-mainframe users, FILEAID, IBM Rational
Development Zone (RDZ), Librarian, TSO/ISPF, SDSF, VSAM, Abend-AID.
Allstate Benefits, Jacksonville, FL 10/2010-1/13/2012 Consultant
Mainframe Life 70 programming working on diverse projects. The Life 70 insurance administration
system is a complex mainframe system with both z/OS batch and CICS online components. Over 100,000
2. policies are processed at AB in daily batch job cycle with a critical production online CICS processing
window which must be up and ready regularly and be functionally stable to process daily business needs.
Projects included work in JCL/Proclib, COBOL, Easytrieve and HLASM in both z/OS batch and CICS
environments. Used Allstate XML proprietary packages to develop MS EXCEL spreadsheets for offsite
transmission to remote users. Also, created shared documentation of mainframe in-house developed tools
and procedures for developer use. Allstate Benefits was formerly known as Allstate Workplace Division
and originally American Heritage Life prior to acquisition by Allstate.
Lincoln Financial Group, Greensboro, NC 9/2006-12/15/2009 Consultant
Mainframe LIFE COMM programming working on multiple projects. The LIFE COMM insurance
administration system is a complex mainframe system with both z/OS batch and CICS online components.
It processes over 200,000 of policies batch daily and may more online transactions. Worked closely with
business units such as Customer Service, Compliance and Actuarial to perform complex system
maintenance and reporting tasks.
ABN AMRO/LaSalle Bank, Chicago, IL 5/2006-8/31/2006 Consultant
Mainframe consultant subcontracting through DBNet Systems, Inc. for primary contractor Infosys to assist
in the knowledge transfer, support and offshore migration of both support and enhancements for a major
IBM 3890 SuperMICR check processing system used by the bank. This project had an expected duration
through 9/1/2006. This is a system of critical importance to the bank, developed in HLASM, using CICS
and DCS and a unique proprietary stacker select interface with many EASYTRIEVE components
developed for reporting and data extraction. Extensive use of Serena Change Man.
Jefferson Pilot Financial, Greensboro, NC 6/2005-3/2006 Consultant
Mainframe LIFE COMM insurance administration system programming project at Jefferson Pilot
Financial Corp. (recently acquired by Lincoln National Corp.) I developed a mainframe Customer
Service Business Solutions Team LIFE COMM policy maintenance cycle test system with both batch and
online CICS components. It emphasizes automatic JOB scheduling and MVS job stream initiation. It also
has its own regularly scheduled CICS test region. Also tested and debugged the CSC LCS project
(renamed to Impact) which interfaces LIFE COMM to the CSC Performance Plus system. Developed in
z/OS COBOL, HL Assembler (HLASM), EASYTRIEVE, REXX (TSO/ISPF), and extensive MVS JCL
libraries and automatic next JOB initiation using the MVS internal reader. Also performed LIFE COMM
policy maintenance services system maintenance tasks with business analyst and end user involvement and
signoff with corresponding movement into production. Extensively used Xpeditor (COBOL and HLASM),
Serena Change Man and FILEAID services.
Office Max, Itasca, IL 1/2005-3/2005 Consultant
Mainframe decommissioning project at Office Max (formerly Boise Cascade Office Products) contracting
through ProAlliance Corporation. I was assigned to both debug/fix programs and then develop business
rules documentation from a CICS COBOL II TELON mainframe environment with both IMS and DB2
databases with EASYTRIEVE procedures and multiple platform interfaces with AS/400 systems. These
systems were migrating to a proposed SAP implementation. Extracted and documented the business rules
using MS/Word documents, MS/Visio flow diagrams, and MS/Excel spreadsheets. Tested, Xpeditor
debugged/fixed and documented 10 CICS accounting applications programs. Also, debugged/fixed and
documented 5 batch mainframe accounting related programs which were imbedded in complex JCL job
streams that interfaced People Soft input files with mainframe processes and outputs to be processed by
AS/400 systems. Extensively used TELON, XPEDITER (COBOL),Abend-AID and FILEAID services.
BP (British Petroleum), Lisle & Warrenville, IL 7/2004-12/2004 Consultant
Project manager consultant for UNIX Consolidation project for BP (British Petroleum) contracting through
Corporate Data Technologies, Inc. A short (11-12/2004) management feasibility study project at BP
Warrenville to determine information needs for the consolidation of UNIX machines located in their Tulsa
data center. Earlier, for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) subcontracting
through Corporate Data Technologies, Inc., served in a project coordinator consultant role for the BP
(British Petroleum) Program One Release 4 (R4) SAP project team at BP Lisle. First, coordinated the
Legacy Retirement project to decommission and archive 52 legacy applications. Then, as pricing team
project coordinator for the BP Program One R4 SAP cutover team, successfully coordinated both onshore
(local Lisle/Naperville area plus west coast) and offshore resources (India) to a highly complex Microsoft
Project plan culminating in a successful project Go Live cutover weekend (9/30/04 through 10/5/04). This
success involved day-to-day use (with occasional long duration days and weekends) of MS Project, MS
3. Excel, MS Word, and heavy dependence on MS Outlook for international email communication along with
considerable Net Meeting and international voice communications.
The Bradford Group, Niles, IL 3/2004-6/2004 Consultant
Detailed test plan design and development for PowerBuilder client-server applications and some JAVA
based applications to support their conversion from an Oracle database server platform to an IBM DB2
AIX database server platform for The Bradford Group in Niles, IL contracting through Henry Michaels
& Associates. There were 13 complex and varied Power Builder applications and 2 very complex JAVA
based applications, with the only common thread being the lack of relevant business analytical
documentation for every application. Developed test plan strategy and detailed test cases using Excel
spreadsheets and MS/Visio flow diagrams in an NT 4.0 operating environment.
North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, Chicago, IL
5/2000-12/2003 Sr. Programmer/Analyst
Design and developed IBM OS/390 mainframe BAL, COBOL II and QUIKJOB application programs plus
production JCL implementations supporting New Business (new policy sales) and Agency Services
applications in a CICS environment using LIFECOMM insurance administration system product and
VSAM files. Extensively used XPEDITOR (COBOL and HLASM), PANVALET, DumpMaster, Quick
Reference, DOCUMERGE, SYNCSORT, and CONTROL-M/CONTROL-D software packages, SMPE.
A C Nielsen, Inc., Schaumburg, IL 8/1999-3/2000 Sr. Software Engineer
Application development of IBM OS/390 mainframe DB2 database COBOL II programs for the Product
Reference area in a multi-tiered, network to PC laptop environment using CICS to interface with network
communications protocols. Used IBM QMF, SCLM and XPEDITOR (COBOL) to develop programs and
medium to complex SQL queries applied to a large DB2 database with a complex data model. Extensively
used JCL, SYNCSORT, and Platinum DB2 products. Familiar with DB2 extract methods for multi-tiered
platform data transfer.
Platinum Technology, Inc., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 5/1997-6/1999 Product Developer
Designed and developed the first IBM OS/390 DB2 Platinum Product Installation Verification facility,
resulting in increased customer satisfaction and retention, reducing returns while generating new prospects
and revenue. Database Management (DBM) General Services developer, including BAL development and
support of both TSO/ISPF and batch code with JCL for code commonly used by all Platinum
Mainframe DB2 products. DB2 administrative and internals experience in a RACF/SMPE environment
with DB2 data extracts to multiple platforms, emphasizing use of BAL macros plus TSO CLIST/REXX,
SCLM, XPEDITOR, SDSF, JCL, SMPE, C Language.
Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA) [Formerly Pansophic Systems, Inc., acquired Sept,
1991], Lisle, IL 7/1979-3/1997 Software Developer
* Ported, modified and product tested CA-Ingres Database Management System product code using C
language, SQL and Unix shell scripts to multiple Unix SVR4 platforms, including NCR/AT&T (Intel
Processors), IBM RS 6000 AIX, Data General (Intel), Pyramid. Familiar with Unix commands, C Shell, Vi
editor, PC/X-Ware (Windows 3.11), some Bourne and Korn shell exposure.
* Ported CA-Unicenter Systems Management Software product code from Unix to OS/2 and to NetWare
platforms using C Language, resulting in increased revenues from new platform support. Developed under
OS/2 2.11 and 3.0 SDK and OS/2 LAN Server. Developed NewWare versions using WATCOM C and
Novell NetWare SDK to NetWare 2.xx version and 4.xx version platform using ETHERNET, Token Ring,
IPX/SPX, TCP/IP and NETBIOS. Familiar with IBM C/Set2, IPMD, Visual Age C/C++ Debugger,
NetWare WVIDEO and Soft/ICE debuggers.
* Ported CA-TELON Design Facility mainframe product code to the CA-TELON Programmable Work
Station for OS/2 platform. Converted mainframe COBOL II to IBM Micro-Focus Cobol/2 under OS/2 1.2,
1.3, 2.0, and OS/2 LAN Server, Database Manager (upgraded to DB2/2), PC/370 Assembler macro
processor, KEDIT, OS/2 REXX. Responsibilities included both development and support roles.
* Developed and enhanced the PANVALET product line for MVS TSO/ISPF and VM/CMS, including
maintenance and operating system upgrade enhancements. Designed and developed new features including
product integration with RACF, Top Secret and ACF-2 security products. This involved intricate BAL
coding using structured programming macros and environment management macros (XPROC). Familiar
with VSAM, QSAM, BSAM, BPAM and BDAM access methods and programming techniques. Familiar
4. with OS/390 JCL and with the efficient use of various OS/390 MVS sort products modeled after the IBM
Sort product.
* Designed and developed complex Pascal to BAL access method interfaces for the PAN/Merge product.
Developed and enhanced the VMLIB and PANVALET/VM products under VM/CMS using BAL and
structured programming macros. CICS BAL design/code/test experience with the PANVALET/On-Line
and O-W-L (Online With Library) CICS software products.
National Software Enterprises, Inc. 1/1978-3/1979 Consultant
Villa Park, IL Clients: Crane Co, Illinois Bell Telephone, Loyola University
IBM Corporation 1/1969-12/1977
Kingston, NY Sr. Associate Programmer
Chicago, IL Associate Systems Engineer
Endicott, NY Sr. Associate Programmer/Analyst