Career

rick alvarez

E-MAIL zeravlar@gmail.com

http://linkedin.com/in/zeravlar

 

PROFILE

I have held various IT Leadership and Enterprise Architecture positions within Fireman's Fund Insurance Company (FFIC) for most of my career.  My current role is an Enterprise Architecture Specialist for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), with a focus on Property and Casualty Insurance (in the U.S.) and Enterprise Content Management related technologies.

Proficient in IT Leadership, IT Strategy, Enterprise Architecture, Business Alignment and New Technology Adoption

 

Experience

Enterprise Architecture - AGCS

During this period, FFIC’s Personal Insurance book was sold to ACE, and its Commercial Insurance division has been merged into the AGCS operational entity.  I have retained my role as an Enterprise Architect within the combined AGCS entity.  Key activities during this transition period include: 

·         Preparation & presentation of FFIC’s legacy IT portfolio, application landscape, business capabilities and former enterprise architecture strategies to AGCS leadership

·         Reused some of the same content as input to risk contingency planning in support of the Data Center Consolidation project

·         Development of solution blueprints in support of segregating Personal Insurance from Commercial Insurance within the FFIC application landscape

·         Consultation on the rationalization of FFIC’s technical asset portfolio

·         Enterprise Architecture support to the AGCS Digital Document Management initiative (Input Management, Document Generation & Management, Document Retention & Application Integration)

·         Preparation & participation in the AGCS “Americas Transformation Program” Target Architecture workshops  

 

Enterprise Architecture Specialist - FFIC

Within the last decade, FFIC underwent constant changes, both in leadership and in business strategies.  During this time period I elected to play more of a consulting leadership role and less of a managerial role.  Key activities include: 

·         Redefinition of EA’s roles and responsibilities based on new leadership expectations & needs

·         FFIC Core Insurance (Policy Admin, Billing & Claims) current state architecture, future state architecture and strategy roadmaps

·         Introduction of new (strategic) enterprise technical components

·         Rationalization of FFIC’s technical asset portfolio

·         Collaboration & Enterprise Content Management blueprints, reference architectures & roadmaps

·         Technology Innovation, Trends and Traction Lead

·         FFIC representative on the Allianz Global Standards and IT initiatives

 

Enterprise Architecture Manager – FFIC & Allianz of North America (AZOA-EA)

Allianz attempted to combine the IT organizations of FFIC and Allianz Life North America into a virtual shared services organization.  In this new organization I was asked to play the role of EA domain manager for the Allianz North America Enterprise Application Architects.  Key activities include: 

·         Development of the AZOA-EA Charter, Goals & Metrics, and redefining EA’s roles and responsibilities to support multiple operating entities

·         Leadership (management) of Enterprise Architects supporting FFIC specific projects, and AZOA Application Architects supporting all Allianz North America activities

·         Participation in strategy & roadmap development in support of the new regionalized AZOA shared service organizations

·         Posting job positions and interviewing candidates to fill open EA positions

·         Participation in the Allianz global IT initiatives (target application architectures, standards, technologies, operating models and candidate leading practice solutions)

·         Participation in the Allianz North America task force to analyze the feasibility of  “shared services regionalization” across all of the Allianz North America Operational Entities

 

Chief Architect - FFIC

Most of my responsibilities during this time period evolved around the development of enterprise solution RFPs, evaluating solution provider proposals and driving conceptual designs for strategic FFIC initiatives.  Key activities include:

·         Business Architecture for Enterprise Underwriting, Claims and Work Management

·         Impact analysis, introduction and adoption of .NET & J2EE based technologies at FFIC

·         Establishment of an FFIC SOA Center of Excellence

·         FFIC Data Management strategy

·         Application landscape and 5 year technical strategy (for the new CIO)

·         Introduction of CMMI @ FFIC (played lead for architecture & design processes & artifacts)

·         B2B integration short-term and long-term strategies (including Acord XML)

 

Enterprise Architecture Manager – FFIC Emerging Technologies

I accepted a position to lead & manage an EA core team performing emerging technology research and adoption projects

·         Enterprise Policy Administration System feasibility analysis (w/ recommendations for a short list of potential solutions)

·         Planning and implementation of the FFIC Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) strategy (also known as the FFIC Message Bus)

·         Emerging technology research, proof of concepts, position papers and guidance on the operationalization of approved new technologies

·         Worked with HR Training department to develop an IT curriculum, and held overview classes on the new technologies being adopted

·         Enterprise Architecture communications plan

·         FFIC Architecture Review Board member (governance around FFIC’s strategic initiatives and technology adoption)

 

Chief Architect – FFIC Personal Insurance Systems & Enterprise Applications

I was elected as the Personal Insurance Chief Architect and a member of the Fireman's Fund Enterprise Architecture Team:

·         Strategies and designs for application frameworks, instrumentation, component designs for reuse, common look & feel, and architectural collaboration across multiple FFIC IT division initiatives 

·         Introduction of XML to FFIC, sponsored by the FFIC HR Training department, and establishment of an FFIC XML Center of Excellence

·         Strategies in the use of  the IFX/Acord and IBM IAA XML standards

·         Positioning & utilization of the IBM IAA reference models (BOM, AOM & IDM)

·         Introduction of Java development to FFIC (application which won the "Application Development Trends" magazine's 1999 Innovator's Award for "Object Oriented Component Base Development") 

·         IBM had us present our case study in their Technical Interchange conference, IBM Palisades Technology college, and to represent them at the Java One conference

 

I am also proud to announce that I was a awarded the annual Fireman’s Fund John Meyer Award, which is based on FFIC’s shared values and is awarded to the top 10 performing employees (across all of FFIC and its subsidiaries).

 

Systems Engineering Specialist – FFIC P&C Core Insurance Systems

Was asked by a previous leader to follow them to the P&C arm of FFIC, where I played the role of architect & lead designer on multiple projects and new technologies.  Key activities included:

·         Introducing client-server applications to FFIC

·         Convinced CIO that applications of complexity should NOT be developed in Lotus Notes/Domino

·         Introduced FFIC to object oriented programming and the use of C++

·         Consulted on projects to get them started with conceptual design alternatives and estimates, producing detailed designs, prototyping, and kick-starting their coding efforts

·         Application modernization analysis on existing systems, estimates, recommendations on phasing, and project plans

·         Nominated as IBM technical coordinator representing Personal Insurance Systems

·         Member of the architecture team for the development of a Personal Lines Underwriting System (aka Policy Admin System)

 

Programmer Analyst – FFIC Life Insurance Systems

I started my career in IT being responsible for maintaining and enhancing FFIC’s Life Insurance Systems, where I gained experience in structured analysis, design, coding, testing and estimating.  Eventually branched out of maintenance to participate in other new app dev & tech opportunities:

·         Developed a prototype for an online Billing system (majority of life insurance core systems were batch cobol based)

·         Assigned to an optimization team charged with performing analysis and developing recommendations to reduce operating costs

·         Was tasked with doing research on workstation technologies & solutions

·         Lead a team in converting Mainframe VM & HP 3000 based applications to the workstation platform

·         Responsible for cross training peers in workstation technology and establishing a Life Insurance Systems workstation support desk 

·         Participated in other workstation development efforts