Karen McCullough

Led transitions of services for Mainframe clients' in-house IT into Ensino's support. Assumed role as liaison during client transition, aligning Ensono resources with client's IT staff.

Familiarity with mainframe functional areas such as z/OS Operating System, Storage, Databases, CICS, and Disaster Recovery concepts.

Ability to host meetings and conference calls. Must be self-motivated and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel, to a level of creating documents that can be shared with clients.

Created technical documentation, led technical discussions and conducted research on mainframe related technology. Represent Ensono to clients. Coordinate hardware installations with vendors.

Effectively involved necessary resources to ensure successful migration by understanding functional areas.

Facilitated daily large scale technical meetings to foster knowledge sharing and problem-solving among teams.

Determined the appropriateness of uncovered discrepancies during migration and engaged clients to provide effective solutions.

Provided regular updates on project progress and milestones to a designated Project Manager. Managed support for Ensono's Mainframe systems, excluding network, security, ITSM, and other aspects.

• Coordinated with internal teams for the successful execution of the transition plan.
• Assisted in developing training materials and conducted trainings for all relevant stakeholders.
• Created detailed reports outlining key milestones achieved during the transition period along with any challenges faced by the team.
• Analyzed existing processes, identified areas of improvement, and proposed solutions to improve operational efficiency during the transition phase.
• Acted as a liaison between business partners and technical teams in order resolve complex issues arising during transitions.
• Monitored progress of transition activities, identified risks, and escalated issues as needed.
• Monitored milestones and deliverables to stay ahead of schedules and proactively spot potential roadblocks.

• Worked with mentor and team members training to learn DB2 SQL as well as CQM Query Monitor
• Was training in the SDET group performing QA on Query Monitor ISPF and CAE tools
• Performed smoke and performance testing of the tools before APAR’s were shipped
• Worked on JIRA tickets that were assigned by team leads to test customer issues and try to “break” the tool to make sure all vulnerabilities were tested, found and fixed before the function went live
• Learned SQL query language and learned how to run SQL’s, cancel threads if needed to restore mainframe productivity and performance
• Worked with and edited the Common Collector optkeys and other SQL features and bounced to collector to apply changes and features
• Was learning how important GETPAGES are and how to keep monitor them as well and CPU percentages, run away threads etc via CQM ISPF panels
• Participated in the “bug smash” activities where all bugs were worked on, resolved and JIRA tickets closed
• Each group competed for fun! Ran jobs to offload query monitor intervals, created offload tables and learned how to code small SQL’s
• Attended daily DB2 and Query Monitor meetings
• Was asked to demonstrate via CAE and CQM ISPF how to cancel a thread
• Worked on creating new training documents that were lacking.

• Worked with an experienced IBM Z System Programmer as my main mentor and other experiences Systems Programmers to shadow and ask questions
• Completed assigned courses, labs and exercises as assigned with mentor and other team members available for support and questions when needed
• Attended team meetings and shadowed SME’s during maintenance or special projects to gain more knowledge
• I initiated the shadowing when I knew maintenance would be performed
• Participated in the Master the Mainframe Challenges when time permitted
• Earned 13 IBM badges for completing courses – some were required, and some were extra to gain more knowledge
• Badges earned – IBM Apprenticeship Program Professional Skills, Introduction to IBM z/OS, Master the Mainframe 2020-Level 2, COBOL Programming with VSCode, Introduction to z/OS Command and Panels on IBM Z, IBM z/OS Mainframe Practitioner, Introduction to System Programming on IBM Z, Getting Started on the Mainframe with z/OS Command and Panels, SMP/E for z/OS Workshop, LearnQuest IBM z/OS System Services Structure, LearnQuest IBM z/OS REXX Programming Foundations and IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner
• Earned an IBM Mainframe System Administrator Apprenticeship Certificate issued and recognized by the Department of Labor
• Helped manage email boxes for the ISV’s and answered support questions or escalated to senior team members as needed.

• Duties were to provide mainframe support for the GE clients
• Monitored 24 LPARS on master consoles using Automation Point Console Emulation programs
• Monitored resources and batch jobs streams to ensure timely deliverables
• Escalated issues as needed for swift thorough problem resolution
• Performed ADHOC job requests via CA7 Batch Scheduler
• Edited JCL for abends and job restarts
• Also coded JCL overrides
• Monitored CICS, DB2 and IMS regions – checked for hung transactions and other performance issues.

• Promoted to team lead and managed a team of over 20 customer service agents
• Plan, assist and monitored work tasks for optimum team efficiency and staffing
• Identify and address development training needs for the agent’s career progression
• Analyze date to identify strategies for improvement of service productivity
• Monitored the consultant support ticket queues to stay on top of problems and their resolutions
• Assisted with QA testing of new and improved applications and web site features during the consultant’s website upgrades
• Assisted and escalated system website outages to IT via SKYPE
• Resolved consultant issues that were escalated to me with unique and innovative resolutions.

• Promoted to Senior Leader Support Specialist to support the highest selling Norwex sales consultants due to me superior level of customer service and senior leaders constant requests for my assistance
• Monitored the senior leaders problem ticket queue, answered the senior leader inbound phone line that was created just for them
• Monitored and responded to the senior leaders via chat
• Was requested by name and senior leaders would wait in the queue until I was available due to my patience and ability to understand, support and resolve their issues with compassion
• Performed team lead duties assigned by management
• Selected several times to attend National Conference held out of state and due to many requests by senior leaders to meet me in person.

• Worked this position and Norwex for the opportunity to work the Mainframe and retain my skills
• Provided Mainframe support for GE and Synchrony Financial clients
• Monitor 24 consoles via Automation Point console emulation program
• Monitored all system resources to ensure batch cycles received the resources they needed to prevent performance issues and contention
• Performed scheduled and unscheduled IPL’s as needed
• Ensured all deliverables were met during the scheduled windows
• Troubleshoot system issues and escalated to support groups when needed
• Edited JCL for abended jobs and restarted them per SOP or programmer requests.

• Answer inbound customer and sales consultant calls – up to 60 or more calls each day
• Helped consultants with system and website issues and account questions
• Provided technical support for customer browser and connection issues
• Selected to attend National Conference and Senior Leadership Conference held out of state and was a privilege to attend
• Helped make procedural and process changes and documentation to support the changes.

• Monitored the Mainframe system resources and devices
• Responded to and watched for program error messages
• Analyzed batch job abends and terminated jobs as needed
• Verified job completions and escalated programming issues
• Assisted programmers with application testing and debugging
• Open and assign problem tickets and escalate critical issues
• Update documentation and error logs per SOP’s
• Performed morning reports for smooth shift turnover.

• Accepted this position due to layoff and was not able to find equivalent Mainframe employment during this time
• Entered paper data documents into a UNIX data entry system
• Maintained batch integrity and made user corrections as needed
• Maintained a keystroke aver of 12,000 KSPH with low error rate.

• Worked as Night Shift Production Control Analyst
• Monitored the execution of over 10,000 batch jobs running multiple job streams
• Performed or helped with new system applications installations
• Checked cycles to ensure nothing was halting the job streams
• Provided support for moderate to complex system performance issues
• Made sure batch cycles received all resources needed to complete the cycles
• Contacted Operations for additional resources needed like initiators, DASD or tape drives for jobs
• Made ADHOC scheduling changes when needed
• Ran UTILITY jobs like IEBGENR for file maintenance
• Resolved critical path job abends
• Coded JCL overrides to continue batch cycles
• Accurately recorded abended jobs in the ABEND LOG for training and future reference and determined if permanent changes are needed
• Uploaded permanent JCL changes to production via ENDEVOR
• Assured cycled completed and CICS regions were up by SLA’s
• Performed cycle research to prevent repetitive abends.

• Monitored all mainframe system resources, started tasks and devices
• Ensured batch jobs received resources needed for timely completion
• Monitored systems via master consoles, SAM, OMEGSMON an SDSF
• Answered over 50 inbound customer calls and resolved escalated issues
• Corresponded with support groups and assisted them with problem resolutions
• Helped train and mentor new operators
• Instrumental in creating and updating procedural documentation
• Participated in Best Shore initiatives which included travel to Sao Paulo Brazil for knowledge transfer of 5 mainframe systems
• Assisted the Brazilian staff via SKYPE as well as over the phone after returning to the United States
• Supported Brazil operations remotely until successful transition
• Was requested by management to help resolve complex unique system issues during IPL’s due my years of experience and hunger for fixing issues during a crisis.

• Was sent to SUN SOLARIS Boot Camp in Carrollton Texas
• Promoted to Open Systems Webmaster from the Mainframe group for a change to experience new platforms
• Worked in a Leveraged Webmaster support group
• Provided website and server support to Webvault and Webhosting clients
• Uploaded, altered, removed or implemented client website content
• Participated in client migration and new business initiatives
• Utilized UNIX shell scripts, PERL and Netscape Administrative Web Server to complete customer content requests
• Maintained server security
• Performed server file maintenance
• Served as on-call Webmaster every 6 weeks supporting SUN, HP and AIX servers.

• Monitor and prioritize production and UAT batch job queues
• Ensured batch jobs received maximum system performance resources for night shift batch cycles
• Troubleshoot batch abends and worked with on-call programmers for help resolving the abends
• Was the main contact for critical system issues and failures due to my quick escalation abilities coupled with my resolution experience
• Checked weekly IPL SYSMODS for errors that may prevent a smooth IPL window
• Participated in the migration of 6 Mainframe systems to Plano Texas from Camp Hill Pennsylvania
• Helped empty silos and pack up cartridge tapes for shipping to Pennsylvania
• I was offered a position and relocated to Plano Texas to support these migrated clients.