Roy M. Sparks
Summary
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34+ years of experience in mainframe applications development and
providing consulting services to the life and health sectors of the insurance
industry
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A dedicated professional able to contribute to all phases of a project
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Able to work well at any level: working independently, as a member of a
development team, as a team leader or as an advisor to project management
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Technical knowledge and skills are applicable to most industries
Consulting Services
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System and application conversions
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Applications design, development and implementation
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System upgrades, major enhancements
Career Skills
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Insurance administration systems: CFO,
Life-Comm, PMSC
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Operating systems: IBM/MVS,
DOS VS/E
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Languages: Assembler
Language, COBOL OS/390, COBOL-II,VS/COBOL, CICS (macro & command), JCL
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Mainframe software/utilities: TSO,
ISPF, Xpediter, Intertest, File-Aid, Abend-Aid, Endevor, ChangeMan, Panvalet,
Easytrieve, VSAM, IDCAMS, Rumba, Bluezone
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PC Office/Automation Packages: MS
Project, MS Word, Excel, SPF/PC
Education
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B.A. – Mathematics, University of
Consulting Experience
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United Insurance
Companies, Inc
January,
2001 to Present
Participated in major conversion to combine two
PMSC administration systems (primarily COBOL) into a single system to serve two
operating units. Processing functions for the two operating units within UICI were
combined into a single system. Enhanced the single system to perform functions
according to business rules of each operating unit through use of table-driven
process. Applications enhanced include New Business, Policy Administration, and
Agency/Commissions.
Revised and enhanced application code to handle
business rules for both operating units and converted two agent commission
hierarchy files (VSAM) into single file with new structure.
Since conversion, assignments have been client
requested enhancements to various applications. Enhancements have involved
development of new components (batch and CICS) and modifications to existing
components.
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Aegon
July, 2000 to
January, 2001
Developed major
enhancement to health re-rate processing in PMSC policy administration system.
Increased accuracy of policies re-rated. Reduced re-rate processing time.
Developed Y2K upgrade for combination assembler
language/COBOL claims system
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American General
May, 1998 to July, 2000
Implemented major enhancement to new business
system (NBE) to interface with PC-based GUI front-end for data entry from insurance
application. Added another enhancement to interface with an automated
underwriting system. Automated underwriting system was a package developed by
Lincoln National Risk Management called Lincoln Underwriting Software (LUS).
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Life Investors
April, 1989 to May, 1998
Served as project lead on conversion from Life-Comm
insurance administration system to PMSC insurance administration system. Designed
and implemented conversion programs and processes to migrate major files from
Life-Comm to PMSC.
To meet changing business needs, developed numerous
enhancements for new business system, policy administration system and
agency/commission system. Tasks involved developing both CICS and batch
components.
Designed replacement system for home grown
agency/commission system. Design included new on-line screens, on-line
processing, batch processing, file and record definitions and report formats.
Other Work Experience
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Incepts, Inc
August, 1979 to April, 1989
Incepts initially provided consulting services to
life insurance companies and later developed next generation of integrated
insurance system. New system based on using relational database structure.
As AVP of consulting services, developed new clients
and maintained on-going relationships with current clients. Insured client
satisfaction with personnel and services being performed.
As AVP, working with product development group,
participated in design and development of totally new integrated insurance
administration system known as In-Time. System written in COBOL and based upon
a relational database structure. System targeted to be a replacement option for
Life-Comm.
As Senior Consultant, developed
recommended enhancements and client requested modifications to existing
processes. For one conversion assignment, developed CFO to Life-Comm record-to-record
conversion process for policy master file. Record-to-record method much faster
than traditional approach of reissuing policies through new business which was
method of choice at the time.
Informatics, Inc
January, 1970 to August,
1979
Informatics provided
insurance industry with integrated life insurance administration system package
known as Life-Comm. Life-Comm comprised primarily assembler language based
system consisting of both on-line (CICS) and batch processes.
Initially assigned to
CFO Support Team. Designed and developed agent commission application (assembler
language) to support CFO policy administration system. Installed or supported
installation of system at several life companies.
Participated as a member
of the team that originally designed, developed and implemented Life-Comm. Developed
post-implementation modifications to existing processes to meet specific
requirements unique to each client company.
After initial development of Life-Comm, served as
manager of development group for second development phase during which support
for flexible premium fixed and variable annuities was added along with other minor
enhancements.
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IBM Federal Systems
Division –
July, 1967 to January, 1970
Assigned as a mission control specialist supporting
manned Apollo missions through Apollo 12. Specialty was supporting retrofire
events.
Initially assigned to team testing and modeling various
command module retrofire events.
References and additional information will be furnished upon request.