GERSHON PICK
Tel/Fax: 1-416-226-2358 http://www.gershonpick.ca gershonpick@rogers.com
OBJECTIVE
Working as a Technical Writer/Communicator or Documentation Analyst or Documentation Specialist, Policy Writer, Information Architect, Editor or Trainer. Specialist in area of Information Technology. Specifications, Documentations, User-Manuals and Proposals were written throughout I.T. career.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
• Honours Technical Writing Certificate from Humber College
• Total of five years of experience in Technical Writing within I.T. roles
• Experience in Editing, Proof-Reading and Technical Writing as sole functions within I.T.
roles
• Strong attention to detail, which was demonstrated by gathering low-level user and
software development requirements through communication with and interviewing S.M.E.’s
at financial and software corporations
• Strong SDLC, I.T. process, analysis and problem solving experience
• Written several detailed specifications, documentation, user-guides, reports and
proposals, and converted original documents, which enabled lucid systems development,
maintenance and user-friendliness
• Extensive experience in the insurance, banking and mutual fund sectors
• Facilitated and trained individuals and small groups in I.T. problem-solving and knowledge
acquisition
• Experienced at taking meeting minutes
• Adaptable and team oriented project developer and communicator.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS
• Wrote detailed design specification for legacy modernization of health-claims
system to enable systems’ developers to code system enhancements and increase
efficiency
• Assessed system development requirements for legacy system that comply with federal
privacy laws that removed legal liability from bank
• Specified functions in UNIX Shell and network-database, Progress for scheduled runs of
mutual funds systems which enable systems’ developers to code those functions.
SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION AND INSTRUCTION USAGE
• Won client testimonial for documented databases to be encrypted, in compliance with
California Privacy Act that removed legal liability from client
• Documented Claims–Assured component that increased insurer’s revenue to enable
flexible systems changes
• Documented customized mutual funds accounting system that enables easy maintenance
• Documented technical support issues on third-party software tools and system converted
programs.
WRITING PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• Proposal won approval from management for necessary systems conversion, which
resulted in increased productivity
• Proposal won approval from management for cancellation of systems merger which won
systems resources
• Wrote proposal which convinced management about financial necessity of system
conversion.
TRAINING AND COACHING
• Coached business analysts to interpret programming code to increase skills and
productivity
• Taught in-house systems development fundamentals to increase productivity of newly
hired developers
• Coached and mentored new programmers in troubleshooting and system architecture, on
a one-to-one basis, which increased productivity.
SKILLS
STYLE GUIDES:
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
LANGUAGES & SCRIPTS:
HTML, CSS, Java, JavaScript, PROGRESS, UNIX-Shell, SAS and REXX
OPERATING SYSTEMS:
UNIX: Sun 5.6 & H.P.Ver.11.0 & AIX, z/os, MVS (Mainframe) and MS-Windows-XX.
SOFTWARE AND TOOLS:
Visio, MS-Office Suite, and Adobe-Framemaker 8, -Photoshop and -Acrobat
EXPERIENCE
GEORGIAN COLLEGE, BARRIE
PART-TIME COBOL INSTRUCTOR
2011
THE TORONTO SEMINARY
CONTRACT ASSISTANT TO PRINCIPAL
2010 - PRESENT Writing administrative letters on behalf of the Principal. Resource upon request.
EMARKETING TECHNOLOGIES INC.
CONTRACT TECHNICAL EDITOR/WRITER 2009 Edited and rewrote existing e-marketing and software documentation for intended audiences.
UNISOURCE
CONTRACT COBOL DEVELOPER
2009
• Converted Macro-Level CICS Assembler program code to Command-Level CICS COBOL
program code
• Technical Support of Assembler interfaces and TRAC debugging package
• Documented technical issues on third-party software and converted Command-Level CICS
COBOL programs.
ACCENTURE INC.
I.T. / MAINFRAME CONSULTANT
2006 - 2007
• Translated COBOL code into business rules for componentization of health claims
system, which was recoded and retested
• Specified legacy modernization of health-claims system to increase efficiency
• Taught in-house Systems Development Fundamentals course and coached business
analysts to interpret programming code.
INTRIA ITEMS INC.
CONTRACT DEVELOPER
2005 - 2006
Remodelled internally written system components for Cheque Processing Control System, using COBOL, JCL and Assembler, to eliminate costs of using redundant third-party written software.
MFXCHANGE HOLDINGS GROUP INC.
APPLICATION DEVELOPER
2002 - 2004
• Won client testimonial for documented data-bases to be encrypted, in compliance with
California Privacy Act
• Analysed, Developed specified and documented Property and Casualty software
• Developed and administered effective strategies to test systems and application software
in upgrade from 390 to z/os.
BANK OF MONTREAL
I.T. SPECIALIST
2000 - 2002
• Developed legacy components, Preferred Customer Handling, MICR Cheque Format
Modification for Symcor integration
• Assessed compliance with Federal Privacy Laws in requirements for development of
legacy system
• Created utilities to collect data for internal market research.
DST CANADA
SYSTEMS ANALYST
1999 - 2000
• Increased PROGRESS program run-time, improving computing productivity by 28%, while
applying application fixes
• Specified, programmed and documented mutual-funds accounting system, functions in
UNIX Shell and PROGRESS for scheduled runs of customized mutual funds systems and
which ensure that no multiple-accounting processes are executed.
GAN INSURANCE
CONTRACT PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
1998 - 1999
• Converted Phoenics insurance components to PROGRESS, under UNIX-SUN5.6, using
EDI interface, COBOL II, CICS, RDBMS, SUPRA, JCL and Easytrieve
• Enhanced PROGRESS applications, which required detailed research of business
requirements.
BELL MOBILITY
SENIOR PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
1998
• Developed Data Warehouse application, Rewards Programs and resolved trouble logs,
using DB2, COBOL II, FOCUS, REXX, JCL, Fileaid and 390-ASSEMBLER
• Eliminated environmental problem causing CSF-A.F.P. abend, thus increasing system
productivity.
COMMERCIAL UNION INSURANCE
CONTRACT SENIOR PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
1996 - 1997
Developed and integrated P.M.S.C. claims-tracking using COBOL, CICS, VSAM, JCL and 390-Assembler, and integrated new online and batch components into P.M.S.C. application package. This involved interpreting business requirements in terms of technical implementation, meeting legal needs and ensuring claims processing integrity.
ANTARES
SENIOR SYSTEMS ANALYST
1995 - 1996
• Cleaned up multi-platform and client-server HURON-OBJECTSTAR enterprise system,
using 390-ASSEMBLER, OOPS concepts and CICS, that increased systems efficiency
by 42%
• Maintained HURON-OBJECTSTAR, acting as Client to Servers, IMS/DB, UNIX-HP9 & -
SUN.
MANU-LIFE FINANCIAL
CONTRACT PROGRAMMER ANALYST 1995
Consolidated annuity and whole-term life insurance information from diverse screens into one screen, for customer quick reference, using COBOL II, CICS, JCL, IDMS, NETRON-CAP, DB2 & SDF, that increased underwriter productivity by 39%.
ALLSTATE INSURANCE
CONTRACT TECHNICAL PROGRAMMER 1994
Customized P.M.S.C. Customer Information System Dialogue Manager using 390-Assembler, CICS, JCL and DB2 in an IBM MVS/ESA environment.
ZURICH GROUP OF INSURANCE COMPANIES
TECHNICAL ANALYST
1990 - 1994
• Re-engineered DB2 network reporting system for computer usage accounting, for which
source code and documentation were missing; enhanced and supported in-house system,
which was used for manipulation, consolidation and on-line reporting of MVS/SMF and
DMS data; debugged systems and developed utilities for 2nd level programming support
• Researched productivity tools and conducted technical presentations. Extensively liaised
with diverse clients.
POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (P.M.S.C.)
SENIOR ANALYST/DEVELOPER
1986 - 1990
• Translated Property and Casualty business requirements into code
• Problem analysis and solution of system crash problems and slow response times and
security breaches
• Coached and mentored new programmers to increase productivity.
EDUCATION
• B.A. with math major, York University
• UNIX/CLIENT SERVER Computer Systems Certificates, Ryerson University
• Institute of Computer Professionals Certification
• Investment Funds Institute of Canada Certification
• Certified Fraud Examiner qualification completed in September, 2010.
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
• C.I.P.S; ISP and ITCP designations
• A.C.F.E.
AWARDS
• Won Technical Writing contest which awards one year free membership of STC
• Recipient of Ontario Volunteer Award.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN AND WRITTEN
• Fluent German
• Fair French.