
Owner, Solidus IT Solutions
Winnipeg, Canada Area

Owner, Solidus IT Solutions
Winnipeg, Canada Area
Experienced as an Application Developer, Systems Integrator, and Project Manager in a wide variety of business settings - with focus on the Telco and Finance sectors. A number of projects have utilized Don's UML based business and systems analysis skills, utilizing tools such as Rational Rose and Enterprise Architect (Sparx Systems). The most recent two or three years have been focused on systems integration and project management, having managed several billing platform data migrations to an SAP RM-CA (Receivables Management-Contract Accounting) system for MTS Allstream in Winnipeg.
Project Management (MS Project), MS Excel VBA, UML based requirements definition and system design (Rose, EA), PowerBuilder Development (v8).
(Information Technology and Services industry)
November 2002 — Present (7 years 2 months)
Currently engaged at MTS Allstream in Winnipeg until Mar 31, 2010.
Principal consultant Don Larsen, has applied his IT skills and experience for major corporations on both sides of the pond.
An impressive list of blue chip companies have made use of Mr. Larsen's consulting experience: HSBC, London; Agricore United, Winnipeg; Manitoba Telecom Services, Winnipeg; Great West Life-Co, Winnipeg are just a few.
(Partnership; 51-200 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
2008 — 2009 (1 year )
(Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; MBT; Telecommunications industry)
2006 — 2007 (1 year )
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
June 2000 — September 2002 (2 years 4 months)
Working in London, UK my major engagement for my tenure with Noblestar was with HSBC (Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corp.). There I was part of a team to develop (in PowerBuilder v8) the HIMFOS (HSBC Investment Management Front Office System) application. Other minor engagements included some mentoring in Riverton HOW with Standard and Poors (London) and Goldman Sacks (London). Great experience!
(Information Technology and Services industry)
2000 — 2002 (2 years )
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
March 1996 — May 2000 (4 years 3 months)
My second employer in the IT Consulting services field. Online introduced me to the world of Windows based software development and systems integration. Most of this took form as PowerBuilder Analysis, Design, and Development. I worked on engagements with United Grain Growers, MTS and Investors Group. At OBS I grew my UML based skills and I introduced UML based systems requirements definition and system design at UGG, using the UML tool - Riverton HOW. This later led me to my next adventure - departure from Winnipeg for London, UK.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
June 1992 — March 1996 (3 years 10 months)
My first foray into the world of IT Consulting was with LGS (Lafontaine, Gautier, and Shatner) Group. (The company was later purchased by IBM Canada in 2000.) Initial contracts were with MTS (Manitoba Telecommunications Systems), MPI (Manitoba Public Insurance), and with Investors Group. Most of my engagements with the afore mentioned clients were in a systems analyst role, although some of these engagements included some degree of coding (3rd generation languages like COBOL, etc). Anxious to work with Windows based technologies that were becoming all the rage in the mid-90's, I left LGS to join Online Business Systems, to obtain training and work in those newer technologies and languages.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; IGM; Financial Services industry)
May 1978 — June 1992 (14 years 2 months)
Starting my working career at Investors Group, initially worked as a computer operater (IBM 370 (DOS/VSE), 4341 (MVS-XE)) for about 5 years and went to night school (RRCC) to obtain my CAP certification, whereupon I garnered my first programmer/analyst position in mid-1984 (the year, not the Orwellian story). Initial projects included development of the Sales Information System (in Natural / Adabas) and later years included work on the design and initial 'QUID' modules utilized as the basis template for the CLASS (Client Access and Servicing System). Great years!
Certificate in Data Processing Management 1985 — 1989
Certificate in Computer Analysis and Programming 1983 — 1985
1974 — 1976
1974 — 1976
Project Management, PM Tools, Excel (love Excel!), Opera performance (the singing, not the browser)
CIPS, IIBA, The Little Opera Company Board of Directors, Manitoba Opera
LGS Excellence Award