Carnac Systems, Inc.
Information Technology Solutions
Background
Mr. Hoffman is a database and data warehousing specialist
with 30 years experience in the IT profession, 12 years working with Oracle
databases & tools, and 9 years working with data marts, data warehouses, and
Business Intelligence software. He is a seasoned project leader with experience
in all stages of the project lifecycle. Mr. Hoffman has a proven ability to
deliver systems on time and exceeding customer expectations. He is an
enthusiastic, creative team player with strong organizational, interpersonal,
and problem solving skills.
Employment History
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Carnac Systems, Inc. – Principal Consultant (Jul 1995 - present)
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Tapestry Computing – Team Leader (Feb 1994 - Jun 1995)
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Monsanto Company – Senior Systems Programming Specialist (May 1980
- Jan 1994)
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Hydro-Air Engineering – Programmer (Jun 1976 - Apr 1980)
Experience Summary
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Roles |
Technical Project Leader, Application Developer,
Systems Programmer, Database Designer and
Administrator |
|
Project Management |
Requirements definition, technical specification,
project scope, cost estimation, resource allocation, scheduling, risk
assessment |
|
Requirements Definition |
Business process
analysis, interviewing, documenting business objectives and
requirements, recommending alternative solutions |
|
Technical Skills |
Technical project management: specification, network
architecture, application design, database design, implementation,
deployment, training, problem analysis and resolution, performance
tuning Database application design and development: operational
database (normalized design), data warehouse (dimensional design),
extract/transform/load (ETL) logic, custom user interface (bulk
load/unload, interactive update, query and reporting)
Commercial software integration: Oracle RDMBS, HTTP
Server, Developer Suite; Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS),
FrontPage, Office products
Business Intelligence: Oracle Discoverer and Warehouse
Builder; Business Objects InfoView, Web Intelligence, and
BusinessObjects query/analysis tools |
|
Custom Programming |
Database design: Richard Barker’s CASE*Method methodology,
David C. Hay’s methodology discussed in “Data Model Patterns”, Oracle
Designer (Business Process Modeler, Entity Relationship Diagrammer,
Function Hierarchy Diagrammer, Dataflow Diagrammer, Server Model
Designer, Application Module Designer, Web PL/SQL Generator)
Application development: Oracle Developer
(Forms/Reports/Graphics), PL/SQL, Web PL/SQL, Oracle Application Server
cartridges, Microsoft Visual Studio for Visual C++, Microsoft FrontPage, REXX, PERL, CGI
Business Analysis: Oracle Discoverer and Warehouse
Builder; Business Objects' InfoView, Web Intelligence, Business Objects
query/analysis tools |
|
Operating Systems |
Installation and
configuration of Windows (2003 Server, 2000 Pro/Server, NT 4.0 Server,
XP Pro, etc) and Unix (Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Digital Unix) |
|
Database Analysis |
Oracle Dynamic
Performance (V$) Views, Quest Software SQLab Tuner and SQLab Xpert |
Projects
Monsanto Company, Saint Louis, MO
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2006 - Local AASA Inspection Database: Specifying,
designing, developing and deploying an Oracle-based application that allows the
client’s Environmental Operations organization to manage and query a local copy
of the Inspection Database of the American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance.
Designing and developing a website that provides database refresh and reporting
via custom web queries.
-
2004 - Monitoring Program Information System (MONInfo):
Specified, designed, developed and deployed an Oracle-based application that
allowed the client’s Environmental Sciences and Technology Center to manage data
for mass spectroscopy studies, both LCMS (liquid chromatography) and GCMS (gas
chromatography). Designed and developed a website that provides bulk load
capabilities and reporting via custom web queries.
-
2002 - Corn Disease and Insect System (CDI): Specified,
designed, developed and deployed an Oracle data warehouse to facilitate query
and analysis of the impact of diseases and pests on corn crops for the client’s
Crop Protection organization. Designed and developed a website that provided
access to all functions, including bulk load/unload, interactive editing, and
reporting. Designed and developed a Business Objects query universe that
provided query access through InfoView, Web Intelligence, and BusinessObjects
query/analysis tools. Provided user training.
-
2001 - Field Data Warehouse (FDW): Working with client
organization’s PhD agronomist, specified, designed, developed and deployed an
Oracle data warehouse to replace the Field Data Marts developed earlier (see
below). The team formulated selection criteria and evaluated business
intelligence software from nineteen vendors to determine the feasibility of
using existing commercial tools. Five companies' products (Brio's OnDemand
Server and Insight, Business Objects' InfoView, Web Intelligence and
BusinessObjects, Cognos' PowerPlay and Impromptu, Hummingbird's Enterprise
Information Portal, and Oracle's Warehouse Builder and Discoverer) were
downloaded, installed, and evaluated by building and querying a prototype data
warehouse. Oracle Warehouse Builder was chosen to assist in designing the
warehouse and ETL logic, and Business Objects' InfoView, Web Intelligence and
BusinessObjects were chosen to provide query and analysis capabilities.
Designed and developed ETL logic to populate the warehouse from the operational
database source. Designed and developed a Business Objects query universe for
user queries. Provided user training.
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2001 - Global Seed Product Catalog (GCPC): Specified,
designed, developed and deployed an Oracle operational database cataloging
worldwide intellectual seed property for the client’s Global Product Management
organization. A major goal of the system was to facilitate new product
advancement and implement a standardized scheme for new product nomenclature.
Designed and developed a website that provided access to all functions,
including bulk load/unload, interactive editing, and reporting. Designed and
developed a Business Objects query universe that provided query access through
the InfoView, Web Intelligence, and BusinessObjects query/analysis tools.
Provided user training.
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2000 - Global Chemical Product Catalog (GCPC): Specified,
designed, developed and deployed an Oracle operational database cataloging
worldwide chemical product intellectual property for the client’s Field
Environmental Operations Team. Designed and developed a website that provided
access to all functions, including bulk load/unload, interactive editing, and
reporting. Designed and developed a Business Objects query universe that
provided query access through the InfoView, Web Intelligence, and
BusinessObjects query/analysis tools. Provided user training.
-
2000 - High Throughput Corn Kernel Image Analysis/Processing:
Specified, designed, developed and deployed custom software to automate the
processing of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) images of 3-dimensional arrays of
2500+ corn kernels for the client’s NMR Center. The goal of the project was to
increase throughput of image data processing and analysis, thereby reducing the
time to market for new seed products, and broadening the product pipeline for
high oil content seed lines. The core software component, written in C,
converted the NMR spectrometer’s image data to a vendor-independent format,
grouped and summed 50 MRI images into nine layers corresponding to the layers of
seeds, and then for each layer, performed noise reduction, isolate regions of
interest (via methods employing calculus and edge detection) corresponding to
kernel locations, and quantified each region (where image brightness
corresponded to kernel oil content). Tabular results of the 2500+ kernels were
stored in a flat file for further processing by other software components. The
user interface/visualization component was written in Research Systems, Inc.’s
IDL language for the ENVI visualization, analysis, and presentation package.
The delivered software achieved the desired throughput improvements, and was
patented by the client.
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1999 - Resource Catalog Ordering Systems (RCOS): Specified,
designed, developed and deployed an Oracle database application with custom web
interface for searching and ordering product and technical resource materials
available from a materials warehouse subsidiary for the client’s Market
Development organization.
North American Lighting, Flora, IL
Monsanto Company, Saint Louis, MO
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1997 - Departmental Intranet Website (LYCEUM): Designed and
implemented an intranet web site to provide access to electronic information
resources and deliver custom applications and utility programs to local and
remote users of the client’s Market Development organization.
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1997 - Field Data Marts (FDM): Provided custom web-based ad
hoc query access to data marts containing approximately 30 years of client’s
research data that had been collected and stored in an operational database
system. Six data marts were created for a variety of chemical and seed
technologies. This access allowed the client to investigate research patterns
and trends to help guide strategic and tactical business decisions.
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1996 - Market Development Organization Production Server and
Web Site: Implemented a departmental server and intranet web site for the
client's Market Development organization. Performed technical analysis for
server selection, and after hardware delivery and installation, installed the
operating system (HP-UX) and Oracle software. Designed, developed and deployed
an intranet website as the primary means of distributing technical, product
performance, and commercial information to 500 field sales and technical support
personnel, the majority of whom are at remote locations.
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1995 - Acetochlor Registration Partnership Information System
(ARPInfo): Assume responsibility for completion, maintenance, and
enhancement of an Oracle-based research data system supporting scientific
studies involving hundreds of sites across the United States by the Acetochlor
Registration Partnership. The data system supported sample collection, receipt,
storage, analysis, and reporting. Initial efforts involved helping the
organization meeting it deadlines for government reports. There were two parts
to this effort: adding a report capability, and resolving data quality issues.
This effort culminated in a QA report indicating that the reported results
accurately reflected the raw study data. Subsequent efforts involved
improvements to the system to reduce maintenance overhead, and addition of an
intranet/extranet web site to serve members of the partnership with offices in
the U.S. and Europe.
Novus International, Saint Louis, MO
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1995 - Automated Inventory Management System (AIMS) Interface:
Nearing completion of a multi-year project to automate inventory management of
their product at customer sites nation-wide, the client needed assistance with
its Customer Service interface. Wrote a Functional Specification, designed the
interface, and implemented the application. The application ran on Windows-NT
clients networked with VAX/VMS and Windows-NT file servers and an HP-9000 HP-UX
database server. Upon completion, participated in application deployment and
training of Customer Service personnel. Also provided Oracle Forms and Graphics
mentoring to client IT organization. Subsequently upgraded client applications
to Oracle Developer 2000, converted reports to Oracle Reports, and provide
database administration mentoring.
Bryan Cave Law Firm, Saint Louis, MO
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1994 - Proof-of-Concept Application and Jump-Start Mentoring:
Worked closely with client personnel to implement an application to prove the
feasibility of an Oracle-based client/server decision support solution on their
nation-wide network. Based on the study results, client proceeded with the
Oracle solution. Provided additional mentoring in the areas of database
administration and client/server application development.
Express Scripts,
Saint Louis, MO
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1993 - Enterprise Support System Feasibility Study: Studied
the feasibility of implementing a 50-100 gigabyte ESS with Oracle, using an
HP-750 running HP-UX. Modeled the database, created the tables, developed and
employed specialized bulk data load techniques, formulated test queries, and
developed and employed unique testing methods which varied the amount of data
and the number of simultaneous client queries. Study results were incorporated
into the final Benchmark and Configuration Report.
Monsanto Company, Saint Louis, MO
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1987 - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory Network: As
project leader, established and expanded a Sun workstation-based laboratory
instrumentation network to support scientific research at a major international
agricultural products company. This required extensive applications development,
layered product support, and network and Unix systems administration.
Collaborated with scientists at client, Washington University, and Australia
National University to design, develop, and deliver several complex,
visually-oriented Sun-based applications which applied new analytical techniques
to the manipulation of research data. Listed as co-author on peer-review papers
that achieved general industry recognition.
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1986 - Network Resource Accounting System (RACS): As
project leader for a team of five, specified, designed, implemented and deployed
a fully-automated resource accounting system to meet the requirements of a
Research Computing Consortium. The system collected usage data from a network of
IBM mainframes and Vax/VMS minicomputers, and stored the results in a SQL/DS
relational database running on VM/CMS. The system, implemented in PL/1,
supported standardized report generation, customized reports and graphics for
individual analysis, and ad-hoc queries.
Publications
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Kotyk, J. J., N. G. Hoffman, et al. (1992). "Comparison of Fourier
and Bayesian analysis of NMR signals. I. Well-separated resonances (the
single-frequency case)." Journal of Magnetic Resonance
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Kotyk, J. J., N. G. Hoffman, et al. (1995). "Comparison of Fourier
and Bayesian analysis of NMR signals. II. Examination of truncated free
induction decay NMR data."
Education
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