Mark R. Biggers

1032 Laura Lane

Yadkinville, NC 27055

(336) 849-0278

mrbiggers@yahoo.com


Professional Summary

Seasoned, results-driven Senior Software Engineer with 4+ years experience creating and revisioning production Web applications for organizations such as United Media, Eli Lilly, Polaris Images, and Dixon-Hughes. Extensive expertise (20 years) in Open Source software platforms: Zope2, Python, Linux, X Window & Motif GUI, Apache, Tomcat and GNU software tools. Core competencies include software engineering, configuration management, systems engineering, technical training and application deployment.

  • â�œLearnabilityâ�� (eager to learn and adapt to change) with a strong focus on â�œdoing the simplest thing that can possibly workâ��. Uncompromising commitment to performance excellence with an ardent bias for action.

  • Skilled relationship builder and mentor, recognized for ability to partner with business leaders and technical teams to plan, integrate, fully document and execute complex project plans on time and on budget.



Technical Skills

Languages: Python, Java, C, C++

Databases: PostgreSQL, Oracle, GDBM

OS Platforms: Linux: Red Hat, Debian, SUSE. UNIX: Solaris, AIX. Windows XP.

Unix & IDE tools: Korn (bash) shell, GNU Emacs, GNU Make, gdb, httperf, JMeter, WingIDE (Python), JEdit, Netbeans v5, Eclipse v3, Subversion, CVS

Web & Java servers: Apache, MS IIS, Zope2, IBM WebSphere, Apache Tomcat, glassfish

Software & Tools: OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office, Plone CMS, Postfix, Nagios, Samba



Professional Experience

Biggers / UTSL.com consulting 2003 - present (3+ years)

Software Engineering Consultant

Client: Dixon-Hughes PLLC (2005 � 2006)

    Sole Zope/Python developer and systems engineer supporting 2 L.O.B. applications (Message Manager, Electronic File Room) used by 30 offices in 7 states as well as several clients. Handled systems engineering and software maintenance for all applications based on open source technologies (Python, Zope, Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, Postfix). Functioned as DBA for all PostgreSQL database services.

    Key Accomplishments:

    • Led roll out of Electronic File Room document management system to all North & South Carolina offices. A build out of one EFR server per office requires: install of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4; source-code build of all services using re-written pymake (Python) scripts; and some manual configuration. Fixed bugs and added new features to EFR.

    • Installed, configured RedHat Linux, PgSQL, ftpd, Apache, Zope & Subversion services.

    • Configured Postfix to reject 90% of spam, preventing a total email shutdown.

    • Wrote, deployed an extensible â�œincremental rsyncâ�� backup system for 28 Linux servers.

    • Built, configured and upgraded Subversion revision control with Apache.

Clients: Marketpay.com, Transite.com (via IVC, Inc.) (2004 � 2005)

    One of 2 engineers supplying SUSE Linux engineering to startup delivering human resources pay scale management solutions, based on an open source foundation.

    Key Accomplishments:

    • Built and configured SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 on multiple servers, including IPtables firewalls, Exim email and Apache Web services.

    • Installed, configured and performed some DBA for several Oracle 8 DBs on SUSE.

    • Successfully utilized the Python ClientForm library to write a Bill of Lading â�œpostingâ�� web client in Python, running on Windows desktops.

Client: Polaris Images (2003 � 2005)

    Core resource supplying Web development and SUSE Linux engineering for photojournalism startup selling photographs to news media (Newsweek, Time, CNN).

    Key Accomplishments:

    • Produced Contact Management Web application (in Zope2 & Python), used by Polaris staff daily.

    • Increased system performance by converting Polaris servers from Red Hat Linux to SUSE Linux Professional 9.

    • Built and configured IPtables firewalls, Qmail email services, Samba file shares, Apache Web service and performed some PostgreSQL DBA work.


Lowe's Companies, Wilkesboro NC 2001 - 2003 (2 years)

WebSphere & eBusiness Portal Administration

Sole engineer for multiple high-profile projects for this Fortune 100 company with 1275 hardware stores in 49 states. Concurrently provided AIX UNIX system administration & 24/7 support for WebSphere, AIX, Solaris and other Lowe's Unix-based applications.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Met challenge of rolling out WebSphere v.4 and fronting Apache web services, despite lack of resources and no previous knowledge with the technology.

    • Engineered WebSphere services architecture, including development, staging and production services, and IWS (Apache2) services.

    • Self-taught on J2EE deployment, including some development.

    • Deployed, revised and resolved production issues for over 12 WebSphere-based Java applications.

    • Sole WebSphere administrator for 9 months; trained 2 assistants to take over some responsibilities.

  • Exclusive administrator of eBusiness portal, LowesLink.com, for 1 year. Implemented a standardized, security-hardened Solaris 8 installation for the Entrust Truepass portal, and rolled out new test and production servers. Formalized developer change control.

  • Installed, configured, and established best practices for CVS revision control. Authored Wiki documentation for developers, on CVS and the Java application release process.

  • Planned and installed EZBuy, Lowe's internal Web purchasing system.

  • Instrumental in the standardization of Java and object-oriented development (bibliography, Java IDE, release management, process framework, etc.)




IVC, Inc., Cary NC 1999 - 2001 (2 years)

Network Services and Web Software Developer

Client: Lonesource. com

Supplied technical expertise on business-critical projects, including an eCommerce Website. Wrote customer service support code (Tcl, Oracle SQL and HTML templating) and performed Red Hat Linux systems engineering and management.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Influential in the launch of customer-facing eCommerce Website. Performed CVS configuration management for development, staging and production sites, and employed branching release-management discipline.

  • Installed, configured and managed all Linux-based services (OpenACS, AOLserver, Qmail, IMAP, POP) on intranet and hosted Internet servers.

Client: Telcordia (Bellcore)

Major contributor on conversion of legacy problem-tracking application to a heavily customized version of Quintus CustQ, a Web-based CRM system.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Created Python scripts using Python's DB driver for Oracle; built Oracle SQLplus scripts for conversion work, and rewrote C code and Shell scripts.



Sphinx Pharmaceuticals (Eli Lilly) � consulting 1997 - 1998 (1 year)

Intranet Application Developer


Produced Web applications for this Eli Lilly subsidiary, reporting on drug-discovery screening results of thousands of potential drug compounds.

Key Accomplishments:

  • With no knowledge of Perl or Oracle SQLplus, within days started and later released SST, a drug-discovery â�œdata miningâ�� Web application, rolled out to Eli Lilly scientists worldwide.

  • Re-wrote the Monthly Target Reports (Perl CGI) web application, presenting drug-discovery research progress. Developed these applications while concurrently installing 3 Sun Servers, and managing Unix-based network and Web services.


Prior Experience

1990- 1998

Held technical positions with or consulted for United Media, Alcatel Network Systems, Wandel & Goltermann, Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (S.W.I.F.T. and the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Contributed to client/server fastCGI Web framework for Dilbert and Peanuts Web Store application using Python, in production from 1997 â�“ 1998.

  • Lead C++ X/Motif developer on the Cinema of the Future, enabling HD-TV to be sent over ATM networks to theaters. Demoed to Pacific Bell, Sony and United Artists.

  • Within 4 weeks, wrote a fully functional C++ X/Motif Internet Delay & Reachability (SNMP) application, introduced at the 1994 Spring Network InterOp trade show.

  • Developed & delivered a 5-day UNIX/C applications programming course for the U.S. Air Force. Authored and delivered X Window/Motif training courses.

  • Assisted in hypertension research at U.A.B., as a Biochemistry Lab Technician. Developed a new purification method for angiotensin-converting enzyme, extracted from pig kidneys (ACE is a blood-pressure regulation agent).



Professional Training

  • Self-education on Java JEE 5, â�œAgile Javaâ�� & new open-source frameworks â�“ in progress

  • Attended a 4-day JEE 5 training course by Batky-Howell.com training, 11/2006

  • Presented on Python web framework Turbogears, at the Triangle Zope/Python Users

    Group -- http://trizpug.org/Members/biggers/TriZPUG_talk_2006_09/

  • Attended a 5-day TriZPUG.org Plone Boot Camp (open source Content Management System), UNC Chapel Hill, 01/2005

  • Completed 5-day IBM course, WebSphere Studio Application Developer v.5, 2003



Education

Master of Science in Computer Science

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 1984

Graduate Study in Biochemistry, & undergraduate Computer Science

University of Alabama in Birmingham 1977 - 1981

Bachelor of Science - French Major, Chemistry Minor

Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 1975


Please understand that I am focused on software development and engineering positions.

I am not interested in 100% time Linux/Unix system administration, configuration management, or WebSphere (Java app-server) administration work.


Mark Biggers � Page 4 of 4