Brian Cruess

Current

Application Architect at The Hartford Insurance Company

Past

Sr. Solutions Architect at United Health Group
Application Development Manager at CIGNA
Adjunct Professor at Central Connecticut State University

Principle Systems Consultant at Lincoln Financial Group
Developer at The Hartford Insurance Company
Lead Systems Designer at Lincoln Financial Group
Senior Programmer at CIGNA
Computer Technician at Integra Systems Incorporated

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5 more...

Education

Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University

Recommended

6 people have recommended Brian

Connections

101 connections

Industry

Information Technology and Services

Websites

ABMA Foundation

Brian Cruess’s Summary

Architect working in a wide array of technical disciplines from Web to Host. Developing and utilizing my skills within an organization that will enable me to grow technically into the Architectural arena while delivering unparalleled customer service to the business.

Brian Cruess’s Experience

Application Architect

The Hartford Insurance Company

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; HIG; Insurance industry)

April 2007 — Present (1 year 5 months)

Develop application architecture and design artifacts and mechanisms. Develop and articulate strategies and roadmaps to transform from current state to desired state. Lead assigned architectural and design activities within specific business or technology initiatives while ensuring the integrity of the architecture across all domains. Provide support to strategic business and IT projects to promote architectural integrity.
Sr. Solutions Architect

United Health Group

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; UHN; Insurance industry)

July 2005 — April 2007 (1 year 10 months)

An architect responsible for the design and development of a standardized United Health Group platform across a series of applications and functions. Solutions designed using current United Health Group architecture principles or aiding in the development of those principles including Service Oriented Architecture, Reusable components and Pattern recognition.
Application Development Manager

CIGNA

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; CI; Insurance industry)

June 2002 — June 2005 (3 years 1 month)

CIGNA Portal Framework development and support for the eCommerce Practice in CIGNA Systems crossing all lines of business. Lead developer and architect for the Consumer Portal, Employer Portal, Customization Service and the Provider Portal. Mentor to four junior developers in all facets of application life cycle and career management.
A leading developer and architect in the gathering of business requirements, analysis, estimation and constructing the new workbench tool to be used by the Commercial Underwriters. Lead a vendor search, evaluation and purchase of a software component to allow multiple users to access a single Excel model. Major responsibilities on this project are the lead in design, development and implementation of a calculation engine to be utilized by the Underwriting Workbench as well as a component to be added to the CIGNA .NET Framework. Mentor to a new senior lead developer and two junior developers during this project.
Adjunct Professor

Central Connecticut State University

(Educational Institution; 201-500 employees; Higher Education industry)

August 2001 — December 2002 (1 year 5 months)
Principle Systems Consultant

Lincoln Financial Group

(Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; LNC; Insurance industry)

May 2000 — June 2002 (2 years 2 months)

Application Architecture design and support for the E-business application teams of the Lincoln Life Insurance Company. Job responsibilities included the lead in designing and developing secure and industry standard web architecture. Lead architect in driving an enterprise-wide application and architecture availability study, vendor evaluation and recommendation to management. Application related job responsibilities include the research, analysis, design and implementation of new web-based applications with the inclusion of security, architecture, object oriented principles and knowledge transfer. The design implications would be to create an enterprise-wide Internet solution that would be a major focal point to the Lincoln E-business corporate standard. The applications are Java-based utilizing Servlets, Middleware, JSP’s, Web Services, XML and JDBC.
Developer

The Hartford Insurance Company

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Insurance industry)

March 1999 — May 2000 (1 year 3 months)

Supporting the Personal Lines Automation unit of the Personal Lines Company in the Internet Development Group. Job responsibilities include the analysis of business specs, object modeling for the domain business framework, and development of business classes within the Java-based electronic commerce Automobile application that includes consumer Internet malls and agent quote to issue via an Agent Management System and Internet. Development of a standard software version control platform and migration from MS SourceSafe to PVCS. Data analysis, modeling, and design of normalized reference data for the business model.
Lead Systems Designer

Lincoln Financial Group

(Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; Insurance industry)

January 1998 — March 2000 (2 years 3 months)

Part of CIGNA Individual Insurance division sale to Lincoln.
Senior Programmer

CIGNA

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Insurance industry)

July 1995 — December 1997 (2 years 6 months)

Providing analytical programming and technical support to the Microfocus-based Broker Compensation area. Job responsibilities include lead technical role of application team to maintain existing desktop/networking support and testing of new technology affecting end-users, beta testing and debugging of vendor database engine, code and script enhancement to improve processing efficiency for both on-line and batch environment, lead licensing compliance development across multiple applications, consulting on Year 2000 application version control and testing lab environment.
Computer Technician

Integra Systems Incorporated

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

July 1994 — June 1995 (1 year)

- Setup and developed UNIX and XENIX based computer systems. Constructed and completed multi-site computer systems with multiplexors. Delivered and executed computer based systems directly to end-users. Organized and completed open hardware issues with customers and vendors. Assisted customers with hardware issues over telephone and on-site support. Resolved complex hardware/software problems through troubleshooting. Configured terminals, multiplexors, modems, printers, bar code readers, cash drawers and receipt printers.

Brian Cruess’s Education

Central Connecticut State University

Masters of Science, Industrial Technical Management, 1998 — 2000
Central Connecticut State University

Bachelors of Science, Management Information Systems, 1990 — 1994

Activities and Societies:

President, Class of 1994
Program Assistant, Residence Life Department
Resident Assistant, Residence Life Department
Sports Talk Radio Personality, CCSU 107.7

Additional Information

Brian Cruess’s Websites:

ABMA Foundation

Brian Cruess’s Interests:

donating time to non-profit organizations for web development, participating in and attending sports events, coaching children's sports, software design, mentoring