First, a few words from Rick  ...

I have a proven record of success in working with highly technical material. I have excellent skills in mathematics, programming, analysis, and both verbal and written communication.

From 1983 to 1996, I worked on actuarial software for Alexander & Alexander Consulting Group, Inc. (recently acquired by AON, Inc.) The software dealt primarily with provisions of the Internal Revenue Code related to funding of pension plans. One of my major tasks was to read, analyze and interpret the Internal Revenue Code, then design and implement programs which conformed to those requirements. The programs were used by A&ACG actuaries around the world, and met their extremely high expectations for speed and flexibility.

I also developed a training program and taught seminars on the A&ACG pension plan software. These seminars focused on the software from the user’s perspective, with emphasis on applying various features of the software to specific real world situations.

I teach actuarial seminars during March, April, September and October each year. I teach seminars in programming with Visual Basic in other months of the year. Other than that, I am generally available to do Visual Basic programming work.

Short term contract programming with Visual Basic for Windows.

Recent programming experience in C, Visual Basic for Windows, Word 97 and Excel 97 Visual Basic for Applications, Microsoft Access 97.

Recent Software Projects:

VB 5.0 program reads in ASCII text files, and writes out Access database files. Program uses a data dictionary to map up to eighty different fields for each of fifty different types of input records to over 80 related tables. Give "user friendly" error messages for possible errors that may occur. Created extensive set of validation test cases to verify proper program function.

VB 5.0 program reads in data from Access database files. Determines eligibility for several different types of pension benefits. Determines pension earnings based on numerous definitions, and calculates multiple sets of benefits, based on provisions of pension plan document. Interfaces with Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to determine Social Security benefits. Produces summary displays of all calculations, and prints detailed reports of calculations. Validated correct operation of program by comparing results against previous benefit calculations performed by hand.

VB program reads in ASCII text files, and writes out Access database files. Data elements are mapped to database based on the layout of the input file. Give "user friendly" error messages for possible errors that may occur. Generate log file which contains: all actions taken with respect to data file, including name and size of both input and output file, numbers of records read and written, data mappings from text file to database fields, user options selected, and dumps of first 50 records from both input and output files. Created extensive set of validation test cases to verify proper program function.

The program uses VB for the user interface, and Microsoft Fortran DLL’s for the number crunching "engine". The program projects benefits at retirement from both defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans. It allows the user to choose various retirement ages and investment assumptions, and see the effect on retirement income. Information is displayed in both tabular and graphical formats.

Wrote a non-discrimination testing program based on regulations under sections 401(a)(4), 410(b), and 401(l) of the Internal Revenue Code. Revised program regularly as new regulations were published, and in response to user requests for enhancements. The program manipulates data files containing accrual rates, and allows the user to choose various options to test if pension plans pass the non-discrimination requirements.

Program output shows all options selected, and if the plan passed the test. If the plan failed the test, the program creates a file with all groups that failed, plus the reason why. Several text files are created in Lotus "PRN" file format. These files are designed to be loaded into template spreadsheets that were distributed with the program.

Software Polish

1996 - Present

Taught numerous on-site seminars in Visual Basic programming (versions 4, 5, and 6), with excellent feedback and course evaluations. Worked on various Visual Basic consulting projects. Taught actuarial seminars at Georgia State University and on-site for various actuarial firms. Gave presentations at several national actuarial meetings.

Alexander & Alexander Consulting Group Inc.

Oversee department with fourteen software developers working on defined benefit pension plan software. Migrated from DOS to the Windows environment using Windows-based development tools such as Visual Basic for Windows.

Updated pension valuation software for changes in IRS pension regulations. Jointly developed stochastic forecasting system. Designed/developed visual user interface to the pension valuation software, including context-sensitive help.

Prepared actuarial valuation reports, analyzed data from clients, reviewed actuarial valuation reports, presented them to clients.

Developed series of seminars and accompanying materials to assist students preparing for the EA-1 and EA-2 actuarial certification exams sponsored by the Joint Board for Enrollment of Actuaries. Have taught seminars as part of the Georgia State University Actuarial Science program since 1983.

All problems from the prior two exams are also worked during the seminar to illustrate application of the concepts covered in the seminars. The EA-2 seminar materials include detailed analysis of numerous sections of the Internal Revenue Code regarding cost calculations for pension plans.

Taught numerous seminars in Visual Basic programming, with excellent feedback and course evaluations.

Developed formal training program for the Alexander & Alexander pension valuation software. Included detailed documentation, overheads, and hands-on "lab sessions" for these topics: Beginning, Intermediate, Gain and Loss, Forecasting. These seminars are two days in length, and the documentation for each seminar includes about 100 pages of notes and examples of usage of the software.

Taught short seminars on various software packages, including Windows 3.1, Norton Desktop 3.0, WordPerfect 5.1/5.2, Excel 5.0, Word 6.0, and numerous DOS-based utility programs.

Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor of Business Administration
Actuarial Science major, Magna Cum Laude

Visual Basic Developer, two short "VB tips" articles in June 1998 issue

The Actuarial Digest, August 1985 article on programming languages