Mel Martin, BSc, PMP
115 Waterloo St., Kitchener, Ontario, N2H 3V5
Tel: (519)772-4839,
Profile
A capable, results-driven, technically astute, senior manager with a pragmatic approach to management that stresses productivity and professionalism with a very strong emphasis on bottom line results. An experienced and pragmatic certified (PMP) project manager with a reputation for getting complex, multinational, multidisciplined technology projects approved and implemented on time and on budget. Exceptional leadership and sound motivational and mentoring skills have resulted in excellent overall staff performance and very low turn-over. Strong client focus has resulted in extraordinary satisfaction levels for stakeholders.
Qualifications
Expertise in:
§ Collaborating with the top-level management to develop and execute the business plan.
§ Developing innovative technical and operational solutions to further a company’s mission.
§ Resolving challenging technical or operational problems expediently.
§ Cooperating transversely with all management levels to promote and design IT projects.
§ Directing the implementation of complex IT and technology solutions.
§ Negotiating contracts and pricing with vendors and contractors to maximize return for dollar spent.
§ Leading, mentoring and motivating a team to contribute to corporate success.
§ Managing difficult structural change while promoting a positive outlook.
§ Controlling costs without compromising effectiveness.
§ Maintaining focus in exigent circumstances.
§ Insurance Industry.
§ Software Development Industry.
§ Wholesale and Distribution Industry.
§ Manufacturing (Telecom) Industry.
§ Programming and Design using C, VB, COBOL, BBX and others.
§ LAN/WAN administration.
§ Database technology.
§ Microsoft Enterprise products.
§ Windows, UNIX, VMS, HP3000 and many IBM platforms.
§ RF and Electronics.
§ Security & Audit.
Recent Projects
§ Exploited business/project management and negotiation skills to implement a major insurance system (Genius).
Details: This project had an initial Canadian budget of approximately $1M. It was part of a much larger coordinated international project. It took about 2 years elapsed in Canada. I took responsibility for the project after the charter and initial scope statement had been developed. I had a corporate PM reporting to me as he was scheduled to oversee the following scheduled phase of the project in England. After taking control of the Project, I took a number of initiatives which allowed me to reduce the budget substantially. This included re-using some of the development work that had been done at other locations and gaining control of the vendor who had been permitted too much latitude in project decisions. Although we were the third country to undertake the project, we were the first on-line on the only one of the first three that came in on or under budget.
Results: Project delivered on time and 40% under the corporate assigned budget.
§ Managed a project involving the design and implementation of a SQL based system to assist in tracking over $250M in investments.
Details: This project had a budget of approximately $250K and spanned a period of 1 year. I was in charge of the project from inception (business case) through implementation. Though the project was very important to our business, the team was small, just 2 IT people and 2 part time user resources.
Results: Easier, more reliable data capture and analysis and significant improvements in reporting accuracy.
§ Organized the Canadian portion of an international Peoplesoft implementation project.
Details: This project was directed by our corporate PMO in Paris. My responsibilities involved allocation and scheduling of resources in Canada. Determining local requirements and fine-tuning the scope. I also had budget responsibility for the Canadian portion of the project.
Results: Implemented on time and without incident.
§ Organized infrastructure projects to connect business offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to our global WAN via NYC, London (England) and Paris.
Details: These were either domestic or corporate (international) projects depending on the particular link. The Canadian budget was typically under $100K per project. In the case of backbone links to NYC, London and Paris, the corporate PMO had primary responsibility. For domestic links the project was managed locally, though overall WAN topology and hardware standards were determined by our corporate office.
Results: Implemented on time without service interruptions.
§ Directed several infrastructure upgrade projects (under $1M).
Details: These were small, relatively informal projects in the $10k-$100k range.
Results: Improved Server or network performance without service interruptions
§ Developed the local company Business Continuity Plan which became the template for other corporate entities.
Other Achievements
§ Advised the CEO of AXA Re Canada on all operational and strategic decisions involving technology. Result: Collaborated with executive management to ensure high quality, cost-effective, durable solutions.
§ Established IT acquisition and maintenance methods and procedures. Result: Reduced IT operational costs to the lowest of any national division of AXA Re.
§ Used multi-disciplined IT skill to convert a 450 program insurance system single-handedly. Result: Saved 90% of the cost ($450K) and 50% of the elapsed time quoted by a contractor.
§ Developed a proactive approach to network and hardware maintenance at AXA Re. Result: Never had a Canadian server or workstation unavailable for a period exceeding 2 hours in 15 years.
§ Led the Canadian division by stressing work excellence and a strong client orientation. Result: Achieved the highest user satisfaction ratio (97%) throughout AXA Re.
§ Negotiated improved pricing on Microsoft products. Result: Generated and additional ongoing savings of 8% on contract pricing for the entire AXA group. (125,000 employees)
§ Devised innovative tools and procedures at McGill. Result: Significantly reduced staffing requirements for workstation and server maintenance.
§ Recovered two years of research data considered to be permanently lost by the McGill Computing Center. Result: Turned around a disastrous situation for a researcher in the Faculty of Management.
§ Devised techniques and tools at Speedware Inc. Result: Reduced System-3 to HP3000 conversion times from months to days.
Professional Experience
AXA Re - Vice President Information Systems 01/1997 – 05/2006
AXA Corporate Solutions - Vice President Information Systems 01/1998 – 12/2003
§ Member of the Canadian Management Steering Committee.
§ Signing officer for the Company.
Responsible for all IT objectives for AXA Re Canada including:
§ Executing the IT department business plan
§ Managing the IT budget for Canada and ensuring that the IT department operated cost-effectively
§ Managing the employees within the department including performance reviews, interviewing and selecting new staff and recommending salary increases
§ Contributing to the Strategic Plan
§ Supervising all aspects of IT security in Canada
§ Developing and maintaining IT related policies and procedures
§ Planning and implementing the necessary maintenance and upgrades to the hardware, software and network infrastructure for Canada
§ Determining the most appropriate enabling technologies
§ Providing for development and support of applications developed in Canada
§ Providing for Canadian implementation and support of corporate-wide applications
§ Managing projects initiated by the IT department in Montreal
§ Participating in the development of new applications
§ Approving necessary technical training for employees
§ Ensuring IT resources met the requirements of users
§ Ensuring adherence to Corporate Standards
Major systems utilized:
§ General accounting - Peoplesoft
§ Insurance – Genius
§ Reinsurance – Developed in-house by AXA Re
Linmar Inc. - Independent Consultant 01/1991 – 12/1997
§ Installed, Customized and Maintained OSAS Accounting Software.
§ Provided system administration for UNIX, Windows and Netware systems.
§ Installed and maintained LAN/WAN systems including POP3 mail servers, proxy servers, firewalls and HTTP servers.
§ At AXA Re provided complete facilities management including all infrastructure installation/upgrade projects.
§ At McGill Faculty of Management managed approximately 15 servers and 800 workstations including Netware, Lanserver, VMS and UNIX.
Hobbytronique Inc. - President and owner 01/1983 – 12/1990
§ Small specialized electronics distributor and retailer.
§ Annual Sales approximately $2.5M.
§ Managed approximately 15 employees.
§ Branches in Montreal and Toronto.
§ Implemented a UNIX based POS system
Speedware Inc. - Programmer/Analyst HP3000 01/1979 – 01/1983
§ Designed, programmed and implemented a custom online order entry system for Hunter Douglas Inc.
§ Designed, programmed and implemented a custom GL System for Sun Tours Inc.
§ Developed various utilities to migrate System-3 users to HP3000.
§ Assisted in the development of a Natural Language interpreter for HP’s IMAGE 3000 Database.
Nortel Inc.
§ Programmer/Analyst HP3000 using COBOL, RPG and SPL manufacturing and inventory control.
§ Internal operational EDP Auditor.
Spar Aerospace Inc.
§ Programmer/Analyst, COBOL.
Standard Life
§ COBOL and Assembly Programmer.
Education and Professional Training
University of Montreal - Loyola Campus
§ Bachelor of Science, Major: Mathematics
Project Management Institute
§ PMP (Project Management Professional) certification
Executive Training
§ AXA Group, Bordeaux, France
Technical and Management Training Seminars
§ Various
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