Ray Blackman

Experience

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  Circuit City

  Jul 2002 - Dec 2008

  Retail Sales Associate

  Customer-Centric Problem Solving: Leveraged strong interpersonal and communication skills to understand customer needs, provide tailored technology solutions, and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, laying the groundwork for consultative selling and relationship management in complex, high-stakes environments. • Team Collaboration & Leadership: Demonstrated leadership by mentoring new team members and coordinating sales efforts, fostering a collaborative environment that increased team productivity and consistently exceeded sales targets, mirroring the collaborative, results-driven approach essential in consulting leadership roles. Show less

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  T-Mobile

  Jul 2010 - Sept 2011

  Retail Sales Associate

  Technical Product Expertise & Communication: Developed in-depth knowledge of mobile technology and network services, enabling clear communication of technical details to customers, a skill directly transferable to explaining complex technical concepts to clients in consulting and high-level IT roles. • Negotiation & Client Engagement: Excelled in identifying customer needs and negotiating sales to maximize value for both the customer and the company, reflecting the negotiation, stakeholder management, and client engagement skills critical in consulting and leadership positions. Show less

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  LOMA

  Sept 2011 - Nov 2012

  Jr. Programmer/Analyst - Enterprise Applications

  Database Management & SQL Server Optimization: Managed and optimized SQL Server databases to support financial systems, ensuring data integrity and improving query performance, which facilitated faster financial reporting and decision-making processes. • Data Analytics with Tableau: Developed and implemented data analytics dashboards using Tableau, providing actionable insights for financial analysis and strategic planning, leading to more informed business decisions within the finance department. • Financial Systems Development: Enhanced and supported financial operations by developing custom solutions on Microsoft Dynamics AX and MAS 400, including creating detailed financial reports through Crystal Reports, which improved financial transparency and compliance. Show less

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  McKesson

  Dec 2012 - Jan 2015

  Technical Support Engineer II - Team Lead

  Global Technical Support: Provided technical support for clinical patient tracking software across a network of 150 healthcare systems, ensuring reliable and secure data processing using Linux, Java, and Windows platforms. • Security and Compliance: Reduced security incidents by 40% through proactive threat identification using Nagios Security Log Monitoring software. • Financial Applications: Expertly troubleshooted and resolved complex issues in JasperReports for McKesson, utilizing technologies such as Java, SQL, JDBC, and XML to ensure seamless data integration and accurate report generation, significantly improving reporting reliability and efficiency Show less

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  H&R Block

  Jan 2015 - Apr 2016

  DevOps Engineer

  CI/CD Pipeline Design: Engineered and deployed CI/CD pipelines for financial applications, reducing code deployment time by 40% and greatly enhancing system reliability and efficiency. • Performance Optimization: Implemented containerized solutions and leveraged cloud-based infrastructure to improve application scalability by 30%, resulting in reduced operational costs. • Security Integration: Integrated security and compliance checks into DevOps practices, decreasing audit time by 25% and ensuring adherence to industry regulations. Show less

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  Koch Industries

  Apr 2016 - Apr 2017

  Applications Systems Analyst - HRIT

  Enterprise System Integration: Integrated and provided ongoing support for financial and HR systems, including PeopleSoft and Oracle Cloud HCM, resulting in a 25% increase in system reliability and user satisfaction. • Operational Efficiency Enhancement: Led ERP upgrades and system enhancements that reduced downtime by 15%, significantly improving operational efficiency across the enterprise. • Technical Documentation: Authored comprehensive technical documentation for financial systems, facilitating clear and effective communication between technical teams and stakeholders. Show less

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  B&B Enterprises

  Aug 2017 - now

  Senior Information Technology Consultant

  Spearheaded ERP Implementations: Led the integration of cloud-based ERP systems, including Infor CloudSuite Financials, to streamline financial operations, enhance reporting capabilities, and drive efficiency across the organization. • Data Modernization Leader: Pioneered data modernization initiatives using Google Cloud Platform, improving data management, accessibility, and performance, resulting in optimized financial workflows and decision-making processes. • AI Strategy Development: Developed and implemented AI-driven strategies that significantly improved financial data accuracy and supported strategic decision-making processes. • End-to-End ERP Management: Managed the complete lifecycle of ERP financial suite implementations, from initial design and configuration through to testing, training, and deployment, ensuring seamless adoption and operational excellence. • Cross-functional Collaboration: Worked closely with accounting teams to align IT solutions with business needs, ensuring compliance with industry standards and enhancing overall financial management. Show less