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B. Diane Blackwood

PROFILE: Experienced in successful management of diverse groups of people for twelve years. In-depth understanding of emerging technologies and their practical applications. Developing business intelligence solutions in interaction with multiple computer languages and software applications. Sociology MA geared toward business administration and marketing, minors in Computer Science and Accounting. MBA focused on International Business, IBM certified DBA.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Diane has extensive experience in multiple industries and can lead businesses in the following:

Implementing BI and CPM solutions
Synthesizing data from disparate sources into knowledge
Managing programs and projects
Selecting systems and software
Initiating and sustaining process improvement

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2005 to present - RSM McGladrey Inc, Division of H&R Block
Manager, Specialty Consulting Services

Full cycle project management specializing in Business Intelligence Consolidation and Reporting implementations

Completing projects on time and within budget
Creating transaction to reporting solutions with Analysis Services and SQL 2005, Outlooksoft (SAP BPC), Infor MPC (BPA) relational and Analysis Services, Microsoft BI suite, and SAS FM. Including phase 2 upgrades and customization.
Installing, migrating and ETL programming in either SQL or SAS.
Integrating multiple platforms and software applications including accounting systems for manufacturing, supply chain, retail and non-profit
Incorporating statistical data from CRM and ERP systems
Managing software selection, implementation, upgrades and customizations.
Planning and implementing data warehouses and data mart solutions.
Recognized as a troubleshooter for difficult client engagements
Training both client personnel and consulting staff via media, classroom and one-on-one instruction

1999 to 2005 - Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Chicago, Illinois
Applications Development Specialist
Business Systems Analyst, Integration Specialist and Programmer/Analyst

Realized the Chief Financial Officer’s vision of a Management Dashboard opening with four quadrants leading to detailed information.
Created and maintained accounting and financial analysis programs
Integrated Microsoft applications, Lotus Notes/Domino, intranet applications, SQL Server and iSeries (AS/400).
Led teams in group projects from planning to implementation of business applications
Recognized gaps in processes and designed solutions, then persuaded stakeholders to adopt those solutions.

1998 to 1999 - Kestnbaum, a KnowledgeBase Marketing Company, Chicago, IL (now part of Young and Rubicam)
Executive Assistant
Provided direct support to vice-president. Converted old Wingz, Word Perfect and Frame documents to Excel, Word and Power Point with document management system running on Unix server integrated with PC environment supporting both Word and Word Perfect. Worked with SAS analysis of direct marketing data. Prepared reports, presentations, calendars, and agendas. Processed accounts payable and payroll data.

1997 to 1998 - Power Parts Company, Elk Grove Village, IL (now part of Westinghouse Airbrake)
Presidential Administrative Assistant (Office Manager)
Supported company president. Acted as point of contact for all departments. Oversaw office machinery. Managed administrative staff. prepared reports, presentations, calendars, and agendas. Researched for all departments using internet, books, phone and fax. Taught beginning Word & Excel to employees. Created and maintained Access databases including directory for parent corporation. Facilitated communication through phone, fax and e-mail.

1984 to 1997 - U. S. Postal Service, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Supervisor Distribution Operations (Shift Supervisor)
Supervised staff of 25 to 30 employees. Responsible for staffing, scheduling and training for safety and efficiency. Worked with two union contracts including grievance procedures. Developed reports and coordinated planning with other supervisory staff.

ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS -

Diane has a proven track record for successful implementations of BI and CPM solutions for global companies, coordinating the work efforts of both functional and technical teams, supporting modification specification and design, interface development and data conversion requirements along with change management, user training and application rollout.
Created research designs and drafted proposals and grants. Performed computerized data analysis, focus group interviews, phone interviews and follow-ups. Outlined class requirements, structured lesson plans and quizzes, delivered lectures, and guided small group lab work and essays.
Conducted Corporate and Partnership accounting. Developed a computerized double-entry bookkeeping system for automated accounting before any were commercially available. For one small corporation, filed three years of amended tax returns securing $12,000 in tax refunds.
Set up partnership accounting system for a cleaning service business with 200 employees and branch offices in Sioux Falls and Las Vegas . Prepared financial reports, balance sheets, and partnership tax filings. Understands the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, GAAP and IASC
Directed the Publications and Publicity Division of a 501(c)(3) corporation with an all volunteer staff and over six thousand members.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Hardware: IBM iSeries (AS/400), IBM PC & PC clones, IBM 360/370 mainframes, Amiga, Commodore, Various Windows 2000 and 2003 Servers for IIS, SQL Server, and Analysis Services (OLAP), DEC, Osborne Executive.

Operating systems: OS/400, Lotus Domino on AS/400, CMS, MS-DOS, UNIX, Windows (3.1, 95, 97, NT, ME, 2000, XP, Vista), Novell NetWare, Banyan Vines, MVS, SQL Server 2000, Windows Server 2000, 2003, VM/CMS, Sun Unix.

Languages: RPG400, RPG-ILE, Assembler (mainframe), AS/400 CL, Basic, C/C++, COBOL, FORTRAN, HTML, IBM 370 JCL, Java, MDX, Pascal, PL/I, SAS, SQL (Microsoft and IBM), Visual Basic.

Software: Analysis Services (Microsoft OLAP); Access (95-2003); Ascent; BPA 10; BPC 5; Business Map; Client/Access and Client Access/Express; Cognos Planning; Corel Presentations 9; Crystal Reports; dBase III; DBU; DTS; Eudora; Excel (95- 2003); Filemaker; FDC (GEAC; Comshare) V6.5 and 6.6; FrontPage; GEAC Infor MPC relational and analysis services V4.5 through 7.2; Graphics Workshop; Harvard Graphics; Hawkeye; Internet Explorer; J.D. Edwards; LMS IV & V; Lotus 1-2-3; Lotus Notes (4.6 & 5); LegalKEY; MapPoint; Microsoft Small Business Financials (Great Plains); Microsoft Dynamics; MPC (INFOR GEAC Comshare) relational and analysis services V4.5; through 7.3; MS Office; Netscape; Norton Utilities; OLAP Analysis Services; Oracle (9; 10);Org-Plus; Outlook Express; OutlookSoft 5.2; Paintshop Pro; Pagemaker; PerformancePoint Photoshop; PostalSoft; PowerPoint; PurchasingNet-SQL; Quickbooks; Quicken; Rippe & Kingston LMS IV & V; Reporting Services; SAP BPC 5.2; SAS 9.1; SAS FM (4.2; 4.3); SAS HCM; SAS DI Studio; SharePoint; SPSS-Xpc; SPSS-X (mainframe); SSIS; UPS Worldship Intranet; Visio; Visual Studio 2003 and 2005; VSAM; Websphere Express; Whitehill; Word; WordPerfect (5; 6; 7; 9); WordStar (2).

EDUCATION

2007 Outlooksoft 5.2

2006 SAS FM, HCM, SAS Programming I & II, Data Integration Studio and Installation.

2005 IBM certified database administrator.

2004 MBA II certification, Tulane University Freeman School of Business

2003 Microsoft M2072 SQL Server Administration.

2002 Microsoft M2093 advanced MDX for OLAP with Analysis Services.

2001 Fall Common Users Group speaker (Intro to Integration Methods); IBM certification RPG IV(RPG ILE).

2000 AS/400 System Operators advanced training. Instructor – Intro to Computers – Robert Morris College

1999 Certificate in AS/400 programming from Computer Systems Institute, Skokie , Illinois consisting of an intensive six month course including 240 hours of lecture and 300 lab hours. RPG III, RPG IV, & CL.

1996 MA in Sociology, University of North Dakota . Extensive statistical analysis using SPSS.

1991 BA in Sociology, University of North Dakota . (cum laude) Focus areas: Marketing Research and Organizational Communications, minors in Computer Science and Accounting.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

· 2006 - present Member American Management Association. Member of and webmaster for the International Press Club of Chicago.

· 2000 - 2003 Newsletter editor Omni Users Group

· 1999 - 2006 Member Omni Users Group (Chicagoland AS/400 programmers organization). Member Common Users Group (midrange computers users group)

· 1997 - 2000 Director of Publications for the 58th World Science Fiction Convention held in Chicago Labor Day weekend in year 2000. Responsibilities of budgeting and financial decisions, web-page management, press relations, publicity, recruiting staff for editing, production, and advertising sales for seven reports to membership of 6000+, conference program book, on-site daily bulletins, on-site web updates. 58th World Science Fiction Convention

· 1995 Chairman of small, international academic conference (SFRA), instrumental in developing program for Grand Forks, North Dakota, handled all aspects of convention production which included facilities liaison, promotion and fund raising, and staff recruitment. Supervised program design and implementation, budgeting and accounting.

· 1994 Hotel liaison and programming shift supervisor for the international (54th)World Science Fiction Convention. Responsibilities included contract negotiations and on-site innovation and implementation of solutions to problems for 3500 participants.

· 1994-1997 Non-fiction editor of the SFRA Review, an academic book review and news journal for the Science Fiction Research Association.

Writing Sample

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