George "Bo" Kohut Resume

SUMMARY

Self motivated hardware and software platform architect with experience in agnostic development specializing in networking, security, and encryption.  Experience in entire project cycle including project planning, architecture, design, coding, implementation, testing, documentation, production support, and production operations. Substantial experience in the financial industry and cybersecurity as well as mission critical real-time OLTP server development.

EMPLOYMENT

• Solving Digital 01/17 - Present

• TrxServices 02/06 - 08/16

• Planet Payment Inc 04/08 - 05/10

• iPay / PaybyTouch Payment Solutions 04/04 - 04/08

• Intercept Payment Solutions 05/02 - 04/04

• Electronic Payment Exchange 03/99 - 05/02

• Electronic Check Services 09/97 - 03/99

• Technology Consulting 09/97 - Present

Entrepreneur | Founder | Partner | CxO

The world is rife with problems that only technology can solve and therefore ample opportunities exist.  These are the difficult challenges that SolvingDigital has set out to address.

Entrepreneur | Founder | Chief Technology Officer | Chief Information Officer | Chief Security Officer | Chief Data Officer | Chief Compliance Officer

An entire rebuild from the ground up of a "technology complete" payments system applied to an Independent Sales Organization using extensive knowledge and expertise in all areas of business and technology.  Involvement extends through all reaches of the business with a focused role best defined as a chief technology and security officer.  Motivation and inspiration was sparked during dark days of employment caused by not getting a paycheck but still expected to work due to company bankruptcy.  The project began as a complete coding of a what was originally a fraud scoring system that was a single API interface for all functions of execution, which ultimately led once again into payments.

This design is highly security centric and includes a custom XML API, while still maintaining a focus of making every single call into the same API.  The software architecture design mimics a large, well known, software company's application model of a single process handler.  This allows for multiple application library loads, which led to isolation of process handlers based on criticality.  Utilizing agile development and continuous delivery practices in conjunction with the unified process handler architecture led to rapid development of additional application libraries.  As a startup, financial costs were minimized at every turn, so initial design decisions for a database solution led to the use of a well known ACID compliant open source product.  Significant experience was gained in leveraging options not previously worked, and at a production level there were many steps to become an expert administrator for the diverse selection of hardware and software products.

Upon completion of the software platform to the point of commercial usage proper geo diverse data centers locations and all hardware and software was procured and setup along with PCI level 1 compliance.  Virtualization was used extensively throughout the environments and private clouds were created both for non-production and production, which nearly mirrored each other in every way for simplicity of management where automation was not possible.  Multiple changes were required as the system matured, some of which involved data center relocation and core data storage area network equipment replacement of which I solely executed and managed.

After years of successful operational uptime, the extensive work that I was responsible for establishing allowed me to acquire a unique and valuable skill set.  Currently, this includes, but is not limited to, all hardware, including the data center, all software, and relationships involving hardware and software from procurement through to core system support.  Security is still the core focus involved around every action that is taken, and having been solely responsible for PCI, my time was primarily dedicated in maintaining these standards.  Outside of routine PCI activities, I was also administrator of the following; data center racking, servers, switches, firewalls, SANs, PDUs, cameras, IPS, virtualization, load balancers, web, data, database, fim, antivirus, SMTP, security certificates and keys, devops, continuous integration, secops, backups, windows, linux, and all third party service providers related to the technology aspect of the business.  Automating any and everything possible led to the ability to achieve so much with so few human resources and automation continues to be a focus in all I do.

Enterprise Architect

Continually enhanced and supported real-time OLTP system for financial systems transaction compliance requirements as well as system security based on the applications WAN exposure. Instructed and tested on the implementation of pin debit processing on real-time OLTP engine. Worked with leadership to ensure correct changes to API documentation. Worked directly with Discover Card engineering team to enhance their ISO8583 format to accept biometric authentication data. Involved heavily in parent company, PaybyTouch, in direction of moving to a commercial OLTP solution for the entire enterprise. My participation in these product reviews included but was not limited to installation, analysis, design discussions, redesign recommendations, and code reviews of recommendations. These commercial OLTP solutions included Open2 and Kabira Transaction Switch. Tasked with creating specification documents, designing application API, and coding server side software for functionality replacement of a third party software product. Worked with leadership to ensure correct changes to API documentation for new functionality.

Senior Software Architect

Continually enhanced and supported real-time OLTP processing system for financial systems transaction compliance requirements as well as system security based on the applications WAN exposure. Designed and implemented real-time OLTP monitoring solution to alert via SMTP and SNMP while presenting graphical HTML pages to support alerting investigations.

Redesigned and coded the batch processing system to be scalable and stateful, and that utilized the existing XML API protocol to allow merchants the ability to process in bulk via file submission with near zero effort to switch between transaction submission methods. Batch system implemented strong security design practices given its WAN exposure as well as included feature requests and design enhancements from previous experiences.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for acceptance for a recurring payment processing solution as well as an automated transaction reporting system. Worked with external service providers to certify the formats and instructed merchants on changes to API documentation for new functionality. The recurring transaction solution allowed merchants to submit a transaction with a schedule and frequency that could be entered systematically until set requirements were met. The automated transaction reporting system delivered bulk data requests in the format and method of delivery desired by the merchant.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for acceptance of Purchase Card Level III. Worked with external service providers to certify the formats and instructed merchants on changes to XML API documentation.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for acceptance of several custom solutions for large national merchants attempting new market ideas within the realm of prepaid cards. Worked with external service providers to certify the formats and instructed merchants on changes to XML API documentation.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for acceptance of mobile device transaction processing capabilities. Worked with developers from leading terminal hardware and software companies to implement the XML API and make adjustments based on the POS terminals processing ability of the time.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for move of OLTP from Microsoft SQL server to Oracle 8i. In completing this database move the process inadvertently led to the design and usage of an a application based globally unique identifier (GUID) which in turn led to non database dependent design and a card data security enhancement for merchants now referred to as tokenization. Wrote and tested Oracle package code for fastest methods possible to retrieve transaction data. Shared knowledge with non mission critical developers for use in other areas.

Under an urgent deadline, designed, coded, tested, and implemented a central OLTP logging solution that could support business needs within weeks. Administered the MSSQL database and ran ad hoc queries for unique business support requirements.

Created specification documents, designed application, coded server side software for a batch system to allow merchants the ability to process in bulk via file submission. File formats supported included but where not limited to 80-byte, PC Charge, and proprietary.

Profiled and examined real-time OLTP system to identify inefficiencies. Benchmarked system with proprietary tools in isolated network environment, and was responsible for the entire benchmark with suggested improvements based on the results. Responsibilities included composing the test plan, developing timers, profiling code, inserting hooks into application to measure throughput, performing the benchmark, compiling the results, and creating the benchmark report.

Lead Software Architect

Implemented a distributed systems approach, now referred as microservices in a then non-standardized protocol XML, utilizing a single API approach and suggested the company move away from closed client server architecture to an open communication protocol. Responsibilities included creating specification documents, designing software, coding software and utilized, a now standard message passing method, asynchronous queuing.  Worked with external service providers to certify the payment formats for new functionality.  Server supported a multi-session interface to service providers for transaction processing which used the multiple various proprietary and standard formats in communication protocols: RS-232 (various emulations) and TCP/IP. In the redesign of the server side architecture the back-end settlement systems were also enhanced to support new service providers and their settlement file formats.

Software Architect

Supported and enhanced client side merchant management application. Application utilized client server proprietary API for payment processing while recording transaction activity to a localized Microsoft Access database. Technical lead with merchants for both integration and processing resolution. Supported back-end transaction processing and database as well as entry-level network support.

Coordinated and worked with Federal Bureau of Investigation as the sole graphics user interface developer to write, implement, test, and deploy the initial production release version of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for consumer gun purchases.  Deployment was executed onsite in August 1998 at a newly erected armed guard data center in Moundsville, West Virginia.

EDUCATION

Goldey Beacom College 1993-1997

Wilmington, Delaware

BS, Computer Information Systems

Technologies

Golang, TCP/IP, Virtualization, Bare Metal

Achievements

Serial Entrepreneur

EPX Employee of the Year 1999

Further Detail