Sunday, May 20, 2012

John VandenBrook

Microsoft .NET Developer

1871 Cooper Lane

(224) 678-4649

Algonquin, Illinois 60102

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johnv@dls.net

 

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John VandenBrook

JOHN VANDENBROOK

SENIOR .NET LEAD DEVELOPER

1871 Cooper Lane

(224) 678-4649

Algonquin, Illinois 60102

 

http://www.vandenbrook.com

johnv@dls.net

Summary

A highly motivated Microsoft .NET information technology specialist with broad experienced in full life cycle development of mission critical, web-based applications. Resourceful problem solver with proven record of producing quality software solutions based upon business requirements. Dedicated, respectful, and loyal person, eager to assist others in achieving shared goals.

skills

Programming Languages and technologies (Years of Experience)

C# programming experience (8 years) including advanced concepts including OO frameworks, Generics & Collections, Delegates/Events/Anonymous Methods/Lamda expressions, LINQ. VB.NET (4 years). Most recent .NET Frameworks v2.x - v3.5 (8 years), with exposure to .NET 4 and Visual Studio 2010.

ASP.NET development thru v3.5 including ASPX/ASCX/Code-behind/Caching/State Management (8+ years), Web Service development (3+ years)

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (16 years), Design & Created relational database systems, stored procedure & trigger programming (16 years), T-SQL queries for Views & Functions, BCP data import/export

Visual Studio Team Foundation (TFS) and Visual Source Safe 2005 (15 years)

JavaScript client-side scripting (10 years) , Ajax , JQuery library, JSON (3 years)

CSS 2.1 and CSS3 styling and dynamic website UI (fluid web page layout, DIV, table-less layout, etc.) (12 years)

Visual Studio 2010 / 2008 / 2005 (10 years beginning with Visual Studio .NET 2002)

Application deployment across multiple environments, issue & defect resolution, advanced debugging techniques, implementation of enhancements maintaining backward compatibility, i.e. COM+ development and Interop. (12+ years)

Mobile site development, CSS3, HTML 5, media queries, viewport for Apple’s iPhone/iPod, Android, Blackberry. Mobile user interface design and layout down to 320x480 dpi. (2 years)

Professional Experience

 

Prescient Solutions/ITW - Glenview, IL January 2012 - March 2012

Senior .NET Consultant

Selected by Prescient Solutions to work as a Senior .NET Consultant for Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Enhanced internal websites using technologies as C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, .NET 4, VS 2010, SQL Server 2008 R2, T-SQL programming, Team Foundation Server, HTML5, CSS3, JS, DBML and LINQ, and Microsoft Reporting using newer Client Report Definition (RDLC) in place of SSRS for BU reporting needs. Worked included all tiers of their websites and web-based technologies.

 

Responsibilities:

Enhanced questionnaire/survey application used by all business units to ensure compliance among business entities:

    Coded enhancements to make the survey/rules engine more flexible using Interfaces, Generics, and LINQ syntax.

    Extended MVC Framework to implement UI developed pages; MVC post-backs using controller classes, and state management, both in memory and persisted to the back-end database.

Created and enhanced reports for survey application

    Created new reports using the newer report definition language (RDL) on client (RDLC) forms in place of SQL Service Reporting Services. This helped with the management of both the report layout itself as well as the report viewer control, which can be integrated within the same web project. Also, gave knowledge sharing presentation on this topic as well as guidelines for converting any existing SSRS reports to RDLC/client reports.

Created website application for price/cost comparisons

    Developed an ASP.NET Functional Spend application for the financial group which allowed cost comparisons of data collected on an annual basis for all business units. Data layout was separated among business classifications across ten sectors that were grouped in four main cost categories.

    This was a sub-web application that had to be integrated within an existing intranet portal and involved implementing role based security.

    Row and Column totals required JavaScript routines to validate data input, calculate totals, set defaults, and provide user friendly feedback for necessary corrections. Events triggered these calculations and data verification and could be submitted when all input was accurately completed.

Configured Web Servers to host new website application

    Setup three main environments, development, quality assurance, and production. Included working with infrastructure team for server resources, design and implementation of new database and setting up IIS7 websites.

    Held weekly user group meetings and gave presentations/demos of the website application.

 

Nightingale-Conant - Niles, IL September 2010 - DECEMBER 2011

Senior .NET Developer

Selected by Nightingale-Conant, a publisher of personal and business development programs, as their Senior .NET Developer to maintain and enhance their eCommerce websites. Technologies used in this position include C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, .NET 3.5, VS 2008, SQL Server 2005 T-SQL programming, VSS, CSS3, JS, webservices to manage data among disparate systems, mobile website development, and related technologies.

 

Responsibilities:

Extended shopping cart functionality coding Master/ASPX/ASCX pages, .NET private assemblies, stored procedures, and enhancements to the SQL database including:

    Code enhancements to implement a 3-pay installment payment option

    Code enhancements to the promotion rules engine including $1 Offer inclusion/exclusion rules for carts with digital and physical content, maximum order amounts based on product-promotion information, free item add-ons, and others.

    Code enhancements to streamline the checkout process including ability to support multiple bill to/ship to addresses, support for multiple credit cards and tightening of security, general layout and message enhancements, option for company to use high or low authorization of cart amount to charge against credit cards

    Created mobile shopping cart support for both new and older handheld devices down to 320px screen width with advanced support for fixed width pages, auto-resize of portrait to landscape on device rotation, support for mobile devices which use media queries and older handhelds which do not.

Implemented a structured and streamlined change management and deployment process reducing issues and time required to build and deploy changes. Associated deployments with bug fix and enhancement support tickets. Isolated compiled code and pages from static content and assets to avoid collision of work by developers and graphic designers.

Created a digital download website used to stream PDF and MP3 content to users from encrypted site links.

Maintained overall website processing quality thru proactive monitoring of website/database server loads, verification of automated order processing, and review of various logs.

Supported marketing initiatives including promotion data setup, obtaining leads using Lyris mass mailing with data obtained from various resources, and supported the Affiliate program by verifying and managing sales to ensure proper payouts prior to checks being issued.

 

COSCO - Harwood Heights, IL March 2010 - September 2010

Senior ASP.NET Contractor

Selected by a company which produces advertisement print material using an online customization program. Application development in C #, ASP.NET, .NET 3.5, VS 2008, SQL 2008, TFS source control, JS, JQuery, and related technologies.

 

Responsibilities:

Responsible for enhancements, issue resolution, scheduling and deployment to the development, staging, and production environments.

Worked with off-shore resource in China and assisted with code sourcing, communication of tasks, and integration of changes I made for new sub-system as well as current online application.

Refactored Business façade classes and methods to conform to OOP standards, enhancing code reuse, readability, maintenance, and performance.

Enhancements to and creation of web pages and controls using master pages, CSS, DIV tags for page layout, and graphics provided by the design team. Use of JavaScript, JQuery, cookies, viewstate for a richer UI experience as well as validation listeners to limit post-backs (round trips to server) and invalid user input. Using C# in the .NET 3.5 framework developed the code-behind classed on master, aspx, and user controls. Wired up these classes to the middle tier business logic components.

Development and enhancement of stored procedures and maintaining schema and data changes across the three environments using SQL statements as well as RedGate Schema and Data Compare.

 

Whittmanhart - Chicago, IL January 2010 - March 2010

ASP.NET sub-contractor thru Instant Technology & Whittmanhart

Selected by Whittmanhart as an ASP.NET developer to implement an eCommerce solution for an AT&T initiative.

 

Responsibilities:

Developed the primary interfacings for AT&T’s checkout process by creating the necessary Web Service proxy clients and server-side classes used to consume such services. Development involved creating all classes in C# to create customers, shopping cart, tax calculations, product totals, and customer billing. Implemented security for transmission of data over disparate systems, created the messaging for user and system message handling, created the business tier to validate all user input and other required business rules, and developed the necessary routines in the ASP.NET webform code-behind files to retrieve and provide data for the presentation interface.

Worked with third-party consultants to facilitate the communication processes used within the Web Services. Provided guidance on check-out and order processing workflows to resolve existing gaps in the overall shopping cart implementation.

Worked closely with team members for guidance on application setup and standards, and to provide insight on architecture and coding processes.

Used Object Oriented Programming techniques and best practices, used more advanced C# techniques including Generics, Delegates, and LINQ.

Used .NET 3.5, C#, SQL 2008, Tortoise SVN for source code versioning, and related technologies.

Implemented Roles based security for Regal Entertainment’s website as well as created custom content management editor to assist the client with creating custom web pages.

 

Crate & Barrel - Northbrook, Illinois October 2009 - January 2010

Senior ASP.NET Contractor

Selected by Crate&Barrel as an application developer to implement enhancements, resolve issues, and make seasonal code changes for their four primary websites. Involved in coding all major tiers of these applications from the presentation tier to data access routine and SQL development.

 

Responsibilities:

Implemented single page checkout process for the Land Of Nod website using advanced client-side scripting techniques, HTTP Handlers, and C# component development. This streamlined the checkout process by removing the multiple page checkout workflow with a single page supported by AJAX, JavaScript, and JQuery to handle the presentation of the UI and contextual posting of data to the server

Enhanced existing search functionality by tweaking component logic that produced more accurate results of product information.

Assisted with performance enhancements of website rendering tailored for the type and version of a client's browser. Changes included the separation of IE6 and IE7+ styles, scripts, and runtime determination of which client resources to use in rendering pages. Grouped and re-ordered stylesheets and JS files for optimal page rendering. Insured all resources were properly cached and that expiration times were used as necessary. Removed unnecessary htc files for IE6 in place of proper CSS and reduced the overall size of a given pages downloads and client to server and back to client communications. In some cases performance enhancements up to 70% were realized as measured in Fiddler.

Various enhancements made to sites during the holiday season including content changes, logic changes based upon date/time, along with bug and break/fixed. Established good working relationships with development team and QA test team members facilitating productivity, communications, and meeting user expectations. Created reporting tool to query the Issue Tracking system for gathering relevant information for reporting time, estimating time to resolve open issues, and progress made on those approved for rollout.

 

North American medical management - Hillside, Illinois January 2009 - October 2009

Senior ASP.NET Contractor

Designed, architected, and developed Intranet and Internet applications in ASP.NET using C# (.NET v3.5) , Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008, IIS7 and related technologies. A summary of my accomplishments and responsibilities are noted below:

 

Responsibilities:

Implemented a n-tier application architecture to serve as the framework for .NET and existing legacy applications. Specifically, the functionality was grouped into the interface layer, the interface control layer, the business layer (BLL), the data access layer, and the data storage layer.

Developed and deployed three ASP.NET Internet facing websites using the framework noted above in C# using Visual Studio 2008 and .NET v3.5.

Configured Windows 2003 and 2008 network servers, IIS 7, SQL Server 2008, SharePoint Services (WSS), Visual Source Safe (VSS), and Visual Studio 2008 used to develop and support these applications.

Implemented a structured approach for full life-cycle build/deployment processes across three specific environments; development, quality assurance, and production.

Created the project plans to define delivery schedules, setting user expectations, establishing user testing and infrastructure resources, and dates for the rollout of the deliverables among the build/deploy environments.

Created all documentation including the network typology, SQL Server Schematics (ERD) setting up development workstations, setup and use of version control, standards, and the deployment process.

Implemented SEO techniques via sitemaps, meta-tags, friendly URL naming, robots, and other best practices.

 

Océ North America - Chicago, Illinois July 2007 -December 2008

Team Lead/.NET Developer

Directed and supervised the initial implementation of an ASP.NET web-based sales configuration application for our France operating center. Established the application’s build and deploy standards, facilitated communication between the technical team and business analysts, developed and implemented new application features, enhancements, and break/fix solutions. Established strong working relationships with each member of my team, taking the initiative to see that a healthy and professional environment conducive to creative individual thinking for the benefit of the team was encouraged.

Accomplished the development and delivery of an administrative tool used by business unit managers to maintain roles, security groups, workflows, data synchronization, and other related administrative features. Primary challenge involved the requirement that this application be accessible using either the IE desktop browser or the Blackberry mobile device browser. Succeeded in creating a single solution in C#/ASP.NET which dynamically "injected" resources governing both layout and UI functionality

Played key role in the continued evolution of SCI including application developing and implementing enhancements, assisting with the architecture of SCI and re-architecting aspects of the application due to issues, external interfaces, and internal needs. The technologies used include ASP.NET 2.x/3.5, C#, XML/XSLT, JavaScript, CSS, AJAX, ADO.NET, T-SQL, and SQL Server 2005.

Took the initiative to implement a reporting solution which required the dynamic development of a new OLAP database. Developed .NET service to pull XML metadata used to define fields and other characteristics used to define the SCI database schema to dynamically create new OLAP. Created the necessary dataset views used by the clients to create reports.

Worked directly with the infrastructure team providing critical information and testing for a consolidation initiative involving SCI’s servers which were moved to virtual servers.

 

Allstate Insurance - Buffalo Grove, Illinois February 2007 - July 2007

Contractor

Selected by Allstate Insurance to develop an Intranet website to augment testing activities for their flagship policy issuance system.

Developed an ASP.NET website using Visual Studio 2005, ASP.NET 2, SQL Server 2005, MSMQ, Oracle 10g, Microsoft Enterprise Instrumentation Framework (EIF), and LoadRunner.

Automated various tests used by the Quality Assurance team by enabling them to initiate and schedule test runs which would initiate external test applications such as LoadRunner.

Created post-test analysis and summary reports which captured user entry information such as the specific QA test being executed, date and time of execution, individual who initiated the test, and various post analysis data including the test outcome, duration of test, and similar metrics defined by the analyst. The post test reports provided the analyst with the information needed to conclude if a given test pasted or failed.

 

Blackwell Consulting - Chicago, Illinois October 2006 - February 2007

Contractor

Selected by Blackwell Consulting to implement the first release of Kraft Food’s global website initiative.

Team member of three responsible for the development of a global framework for Kraft Foods websites using VB.NET, ASP.NET integration with Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).

Extended an inline HTML text editor using JavaScript, ASP.NET webforms, custom FTP control for managing images, and rolled this into a common control accessible for global use throughout the application.

Developed the Recipe and Registration sub-system which derived their content rendered to the UI from webforms coded for handling recipe content and enabled users to register and submit their own recipe or recommendations in a collaborative environment.

Developed the ASPX/ASCX forms and controls which created dynamic content based off of wireframes or prototype pages delivered by Kraft’s design and graphics team.

Also responsible for the database component development, SQL Server Stored Procedures, and SQL Functions need to add, store, and modify content for a specific webform.

Worked directly with Kraft Food’s project manager and the design team to coordinate the build, deploy, test, and fix cycle of the project during user acceptance testing, meeting dates and developing to the client’s specifications.

 

Computer Science Corporation - Schaumburg, Illinois October 2005 - October 2006

Senior Software Lead/Developer

Selected by a major global property-casualty insurance outsourcing company as a subject matter expert and software architect. Successfully met all goals and deadlines, and became the first team to deliver a solid application using our new off-shore and near-shore resources.

Responsible for getting a major programming initiative back on track after it had fallen several months behind due to a lack of knowledge transfer, architectural support, and a subject matter expert familiar with similar lines of business.

Initially focused on team building with off-shore, near-shore, on-site, and local contractor resources and defined specific areas of responsibilities. Switch hours to work with off-shore resources who were the newest members to the .NET framework used in the Underwriting Workstation (UW) development initiatives.

Provided the off-shore and near-shore members with an overview of Zurich Insurance and risk management, created a new solution with projects isolating our work from other (UW) initiatives, and created and documented a set of standards for coding, VSS source control standards, and standards for submitting change requests for database development such as stored procedures.

Responsible for issue management using an Excel spreadsheet, which I quickly changed over a web based issue management program I hosted on my local machine.

Responsible for code reviews, code support, mentoring, and coding as necessary to meet deadlines.

Responsible for status reports and various architectural documentation required by the CMMi process used by the project manager and the client.

Responsible for the daily builds which occurred in the development/build environment and promoting the changes to the QA Environment.

Responsible for structural changes to the database schema, population of tables with seed or reference information provided by the business teams.

Responsible for escalating and resolving connectivity, bandwidth, and other related issues affecting our near and off-shore teams remoting into Zurich servers.

 

Zurich Insurance - Schaumburg, Illinois October 2000 -October 2005

Senior Software Developer

Joined a major global property-casualty insurance company to lead implementation of web-based applications for the underwriting division. Scope of responsibility included coding innovative programs in C#, Visual Basic 6 COM+, ASP, and ASP.NET; researching and troubleshooting open issues; meeting with business users for requirements gathering; providing project status to senior management; planning rollout of production releases; and ensuring new applications integration system-wide. Extensive SQL Server database design, development, and coding.

Led development and implementation of workers compensation underwriting application Risk Selection and Pricing (RSP) ASP.NET/C# intranet website, establishing development framework and defining user interface standards.

Deployed workers compensation application across Windows-based web farm, eliminating downtime due to memory leaks, lost sessions and connectivity issues.

Managed implementation of RSP .NET application through the full development lifecycle from concept development to production deployment.

Successfully architected, designed and deployed an advanced system utilized for creation, rating and distribution of multi-million dollar policies.

 

Sitebuilder.org - McHenry, Illinois February 2000 - October 2000

Senior Consultant

Chosen by a provider of eBusiness solutions to assume responsibility for development of complex web-based systems. Duties entailed analyzing user requirements, designing specifications for relational databases and software applications, processing legacy data, creating automated e-mail notifications and developing web pages.

Implemented web-based order-entry solution for a packaging distribution company that allowed data exchange between disparate systems and provided order tracking capability.

Instrumental in development of an application for synchronizing a subset of DB2 data with a SQL Server 2000 database.

Developed COM Server allowing for customized error logging to the Windows NT event viewer including custom categories, error levels and descriptions.

 

Information Management Group - Chicago, Illinois January 1999 - February 2000

Technical Consultant

Joined an established information technology services firm to take charge of application development and technical writing. Responsibilities included creating software training materials and class syllabuses, developing lab exercises and sample code, setting up deployment software and defining configuration requirements.

Developed and taught a course on developing distributed applications using COM and Visual Basic, providing training and guidance in complex technical concepts.

 

Hub Group Distribution Services - Arlington Heights, Illinois June 1997 - January 1999

Senior Developer

Brought in to lead the team of eight technology associates in designing and deploying logistics management system. Position involved gathering user requirements, drafting use cases, creating prototypes, conducting product presentations, creating database schemas and stored procedures and training operations coordinators and managers.

Developed Visual Basic 6 applications utilizing excellent knowledge of object-oriented programming, data binding, disconnected recordsets and Win32 APIs.

Managed transactional processing of information using MTS with object contexts and activities.

 

ComED - Oakbrook, Illinois May 1990 - June 1997

System Analyst and Programmer

Recruited by an energy services company to develop complex business applications. Duties encompassed maintaining and developing sales automation software over the wide area network, deploying applications, developing database synchronization routines and gathering end-user input.

Designed innovative application that allowed Bulk Power Operations to communicate with the unit operators over WAN utilizing stored procedures, RDO connectivity and API calls.

Implemented innovative Visual Basic application for analyzing sales associates' skills in MS Office by collecting results of interactive testing.

 

Formal Education

Certifications

Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (C# MCSD .NET) - In Progress (2010)

Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD VB6/COM) 1999

Microsoft Certified Professional + Site Building (MCP + SB) 2001

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE - Awarded Early Achiever) 2001

 

University of Illinois - Champaign, Illinois

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), 1990 May

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