Sami Makhuli
Ruby on Rails Full Stack Developer

Franklin, TN • 530-917-9252 • srmakhuli@gmail.com

About This Website

Overview

Innovative and experienced full stack web developer with extensive expertise (9+ years) in RoR web application development, maintenance and production support. Able to quickly adapt technical skills and organizational knowledge to effectively address diverse customer needs. Proven ability to collaborate with customers, internal users, business analysts, and technical staff to define and build high quality, innovative solutions, and efficiently solve technical challenges. Able to effectively manage and develop local and remote team members, enabling them to successfully take on a wide array of assignments based on client needs.

I developed this responsive website from scratch to showcase my HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript skills. For more details about this website, please go to the About This Website section.

My Toolbox

Employment History

  • Senior Software Developer
  • Associated Packaging Inc.
  • Jan 2021 — Present

Work on a Ruby on Rails responsive storefront application for purchasing thousands of products from multiple vendors tied to the Packaging industry. Am respnosible for:

  • Developing new features for both the storefront and admin sections of the application.
  • Integrating with vendors via a variety of APIs to import vendor product, pricing and inventory data and updating the storefront database
  • Fixing bugs.
  • Doing code reviews.
  • Pairing with and mentoring developers new to Ruby on Rails.
  • Software Engineer
  • Etison LLC dba ClickFunnels
  • Nov 2019 — Dec 2020

Worked on two different teams as a Software Engineer for ClickFunnels. The first team I worked on handled the support of integrations between the ClickFunnels application and Third Party vendors. The second team I worked on handled the migration of the ClickFunnels UI to a new component-based architecture. My job required primarily back-end RoR development with the integrations team and primarily front-end development (RoR, CSS and Javascript) with the UI migration team.

  • Ruby on Rails Full Stack Web Developer
  • Self-Employed
  • July 2014 — Oct 2019

In addition to full time employment, did RoR web development on a part-time contract basis from July 2014 through July 2018.

Moved into a full-time independent web developer role as of August 1st, 2018, supporting multiple clients.

  • Progetta, Inc. - Worked on releases for Bethel School of Ministry RoR web application, ensuring smooth code moves from development through all phases of verification and production. Quickly developed working knowledge of PHP in order to complete updates to a legacy system.
  • Sawmill Design - Provided back-end expertise and support for multiple custom RoR web applications to include retirement planning, investment analysis, and brokering sales of commercial properties.
  • Learn Amp - Supported RoR 5.0 Learning Management system web application, assisting the technical staff with eliminating backlog of fixes. Functioned as a full stack developer. The system uses HTML5, CSS3, haml views, Vue.js components, json to pass data between the haml views and Vue.js components and a postgresql database.

Currently working on an SSO SAML implementation which includes

  • Adding the Service Provider functionality.
  • Simulating the Identity Provider functionality in order to test in local development and staging environments.
  • Built an API to allow some preliminary user authentication with the Identity Provider before doing the actual SSO via SAML.

Have worked primarily with PostgreSQL and MySQL databases, have experience with RSpec and Minitest for test-driven development, have used Git/GitHub for all RoR projects for source control and conducting code reviews, have worked on several agile projects and have used Slack, Zoom, Google Hangout and other tools for team communication.

  • Bethel Church of Redding
  • July 2012 — July 2018

Bethel Church is a 750 employee organization, which is rapidly expanding through a number of diverse initiatives, to include a school of ministry, global ministry and disaster response, school planting, entrepreneurship, music production, media, and community service.

Senior Web Developer – August 2014 - July 2018

Supported RoR social media, training, mentorship/internship management, and recruiting web application which provided over 26,000 network members with the ability to post comments, start discussions, ask questions, send and receive private messages, create events, view upcoming events, and search for people, locations and various organizations within the network

This application also included all support for Bethel Church’s school of ministry’s Third year program, 8 sub-networks and a feature rich administration facility which allowed the staff to support different application areas with various authority levels. For the sub-networks, worked with each internal customer to define specifications, validate function, and ensure approval of changes made to the system, allowing a unique and customized view of each network according to their needs.

Accomplishments and responsibilities:

  • Developed new features, fixed issues, merged code, resolved code conflicts, conducted code reviews to ensure adherence to coding standards and deployed code to our beta and production servers.
  • Integrated social media platform with Braintree via API to enable members to complete payment transactions for on-line training offerings.
  • Developed multiple on-line training courses available to website members for a fee.
  • Integrated with third party product to allow live streaming and viewing of archived videos.
  • Developed job matching feature to allow prospective employers to post open positions for a fee and for website members to be able to review and express an interest in open job postings via system-generated emails.
  • Supervised 2 web developers, a senior front-end remote developer and a junior backend developer.
  • Developed Bethel Leader network application process which included a 7-page application, reference gathering, scheduling and conducting of interviews, applicant approval and denial process, ability for approved applicants to select payment plan (annual or quarterly) and submit of initial payment, sending of system-generated emails for each step of the application process, financial reporting, and multiple administration features and roles for internal staff.
  • Provided project management oversight to all projects, including
    • Project estimations - time and cost.
    • Task oriented project scheduling and assignments.
    • Frequent and accurate status updates to customers.
    • Communicated any roadblocks with recommended resolution options.
    • Managed change control to avoid scope creep.

Web Developer – July 2012 - July 2014

Supported RoR online store, multi-language podcast, and trip management web applications.

  • Served as the lead developer for the application that planned and managed 80 to 100 ministry trips a year for over 1000 School of Ministry students as well as public trips.
  • Provided supervision for two senior developers responsible for supporting and maintaining web applications.
  • Accenture
  • Dec 2010 — Jan 2012

Lead Implementation Specialist – August 2011 - January 2012

Led a team of 15 implementation specialists performing work on a wide variety of customer projects.

  • Ensured each team member’s project tasks were completed on time and with a high degree of quality.
  • Encouraged pursuit of learning and development plans for every team member, to ensure they were taking advantage of growth opportunities.
  • Consulted on a regular basis to ensure team members had the support and technical direction they needed to complete their work.
  • Developed performance improvement plans for underperforming staff.

In July 2012 I was promoted to Lead Implementation Specialist which required me to split my time between supervising a team of 15 implementation specialists in Columbia and providing technical direction to my team on an as needed basis.

Senior Implementation Specialist – December 2010 - July 2011

Developed Property & Casualty Insurance web applications using a proprietary development tool that generated XML code.

Worked as part of a 6 person team to implement a Business Owner’s Policy web application.

  • Created entry screens, screen edits, rating, integrations to third party products (claims history, name & address verification), and forms.
  • Provided mentoring to junior members of the team.
  • Application Development Manager
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina
  • Mar 2007 — Dec 2009

Managed a staff of 15-20 programmers responsible for developing enhancements and making mandated changes to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Claims Adjudication system, ensuring accurate and timely system upgrades compliant with government requirements (projects ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 hours in scope).

Collaborated closely with the Project Management Office (PMO) to coordinate project schedules, assign work to appropriate resources, and ensure on time and on budget completion of project tasks.

Ensured team had access to training and tools to develop the needed skills for project work and also to further grow their careers.

Provided input to the people side of budget projections and ensured maximum utilization of available resources.

  • Contract Programmer
  • Dixie Tool Distributors, Inc.
  • Mar 2006 — Dec 2011

Provided support as needed for their in-house system used for managing inventory, ordering, accounting, reporting (etc.) while working full time, supporting system maintenance, upgrades and migrations (COBOL and BASIC).

  • Worked with another vendor to successfully migrate Dixie Tool’s VAX 3600 system to a new PC-based platform using a VAX-emulation software package.
  • Upgraded communication program to use a new protocol for electronically placing orders with vendors of automobile parts, reducing the time to go live from two weeks to one week, with no previous knowledge of the system.
  • Wrote system documentation for portions of the system.
  • Developed new functionality enabling the company to sell kits (a group of automobile parts) instead of only individual auto parts.
  • DXC Technology
  • Jan 1985 — Feb 2006

Director, Web Services – June 2000 - Feb 2006

Managed a staff of 20+ US and India-based technicians and business analysts implementing CSC’s web-based product that allowed property and casualty insurance agents to capture information for quotes, integrate with rating systems, and submit applications for processing on the policy administration system for commercial and personal lines of business.

Provided support for sales and marketing pursuits, consolidating estimates and proposals for prospects for the peripheral systems and solutions offered commercially by the company. Developed estimating spreadsheet for all peripheral systems that allowed each system owner to easily generate their estimate and allowed for a final estimate to be generated for all systems that was provided to marketing and ultimately delivered to the prospect.

Responsible for meeting revenue projections by keeping staff billable

Worked closely with Project Management Office (PMO) to ensure that

  • all projects stayed on schedule.
  • the customer and senior management received timely updates.
  • quality solutions were delivered to the customer.

Had Account management responsibilities for several DXC customers to ensure their technical needs were being met for all peripheral systems and solutions they were licensed to use.

Participated in building the Project Management Plan (PMP) for each customer implementation.

Responsible for staff development that included

  • building action plans to assist staff members with achieving career goals.
  • regular one-on-one meetings to allow for 2-way feedback.
  • annual performance reviews.
  • empowering staff to present ideas to help improve our implementation processes.

Development Manager – June 1997 - May 2000

Managed the development of PC DOS-based information ordering systems which gave companies real-time access to motor vehicle and claims history reports.

Supervised the development of the first of its kind web-based system which enabled SCRF (South Carolina Reinsurance Facility) agents access to rate a personal auto policy over the Internet, and served as a model for other similar online solutions.

Managed the developed of the first web-based product that enabled agents to quote, rate, and bind policies as well as order information real time for personal and commercial lines of business.

Evolved responsibilities and began managing the services teams that implemented this product.

Technical Supervisor – May 1989 - May 1997

Managed a team of developers and database specialists responsible for a solution which enabled property adjusters to estimate damage on small commercial and residential properties.

Provided technical oversight and completed coding tasks needed to convert the original system to more current technologies. (PC DOS to Windows)

Programmer Trainee to Lead Programmer Analyst – Jan 1985 - April 1989

Participated in technical training and onboarding program, gaining familiarity with insurance principles and technologies needed to develop and maintain the company’s proprietary software.

Developed maintained code on a PC-based system designed for personal and commercial Lines independent insurance agents which enabled them to do comparative rating for multiple insurance companies.

Education

Online Classes

Formal Education

References

Awards

My Hobbies

About This Website

I built this responsive website from scratch using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and jQuery plugins. I had originally planned to build this website using WordPress, but decided to develop it from scratch to showcase my knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript/jQuery. I used media queries to make the website responsive for the following categories of device/browser sizes:

All code for this website is avaialable for review on GitHub in a public repository. You can access the repository by clicking here.

I tested this website with Chrome, Firefox, Safari and IE browsers. I used the https://validator.w3.org website to validate my HTML and it passed with zero errors or warnings. I used animate.css to add some animation to the header section of the website. I used the JQuery waypoint plugin to help suppport sticky navigation, smooth scrolling and mobile navigation.