Bio... Phil started Gunning Technology Solutions, LLC in 2003. It is his vision that Gunning Technology Solutions be known for the principles we value. Those are Expertise, Integrity, and Results. Phil is an internationally acclaimed DB2 consultant, author and lecturer. He has presented on DB2 at DB2 Regional User Groups in North America, International IDUG conferences, the IBM Data Management Conference, and has authored and taught college undergraduate courses on Database Management using DB2 UDB for Linux, UNIX, and Windows. Phil has over 17 years experience in the Information Technology industry. Prior to starting his own company, Phil held senior positions with DGI and Quest Software. As the Chief DBA at Boscov's Department Stores, Phil was instrumental in implementing Database Administration standards and procedures and in implementing an SQL review methodology that resulted in the cancellation of a $1 million dollar mainframe upgrade. He carried this methodology over to DB2 UDB on NT and AIX with similar results. Phil supervised a group of 5 - 10 DBAs working on mainframe and NT/AIX DB2 database administration and trained the entire staff on DB2 Connect. Phil was also responsible for Systems Administration of the Boscovs' AIX environment. He was the Technical Services Project Leader for DB2 and CICS Systems Programming at The Vanguard Group, where he was charged with improving the performance of mutual fund pricing applications, and he was a Senior CICS/DB2 Systems Programmer with Meridian Bank where he again was charged with improving performance of CICS/DB2 transactions and the Meridian Office Products System. With Platinum Technology, he was a Principal Consultant specializing in Data Warehousing and Y2K project management and led one of the largest Y2K assessments in North America. He was the lead CICS Systems Programmer on the Department of Defense (DOD) Standard Distribution System development and implementation team. He was assigned the task of implementing the MCS system during Desert Storm to provide DOD with increased distribution capabilities. Phil has consulted with Fortune 500 companies in the insurance, manufacturing, mutual fund, and banking sectors.
With DOD, Phil was a regular Pentagon briefer, presenting Integrated Logistics Support Assessments, highlighting Computer Resource supportability, at the Secretary of Defense and 4 Star review level. He was consistently cited as the best presenter at the US Army Logistics Evaluation Agency. He worked on such weapon systems as the Patriot Missile System, M1 Tank, Fiber Optic Guided Missile (FOG-M), Forward Area Air Defense System (FAADS), the M109 Howitzer Improvement Program (HIP), and countless other systems. He represented the Department of The Army, as the Logistician on an inspection tour of The United Nations Combined Forces Command and 8th US Army, Seoul, Korea. He spent 23 years in the Army and Army Reserve. He commanded the 6th Bn 68th Armor, an M1 Tank Battalion, headquartered in Bethlehem, Pa. He retired in 1999 as a Major. As the Force Modernization Officer with the 157th SIB(M), he served as the M1 Project Officer, M60A3 Displaced Equipment Training Officer, SINCGARS Radio Project Officer, Assistant S-3, and represented the brigade as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of tactical operations with I Corps, headquartered in Ft. Lewis, Washington.
Phil has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration in Management. He is a 1991 graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College, specializing in Leadership. Phil has presented at IDUG North America, IDUG Europe, and DB2 User Groups all over North America. Phil is a past member of the IDUG North American Conference Planning Committee and is former list owner of the DB2-L list which he transferred to IDUG in October of 2004 after serving almost 6 years as list owner/associate list admin. Phil was instrumental in the list membership growing from 900 users to 4,000 users over his tenure. Phil is currently on the Editorial Board of the IDUG Solutions Journal. You may have seen him wearing a DB2-L ribbon at IDUG or the DB2 Technical Conference. Phil teaches as an adjunct at Alvernia College, Reading, Pa. He teaches Database Management, Principles of MIS, Networking, Operating Systems, Computer Organization, Java Programming, and Systems Analysis and Design.
Awards and Decorations
2006 -- Participate in DB2 9 beta. Start new book, DB2 9 for Developers.
2005 -- Appointed to IDUG Solutions Journal Editorial Board.
2004 -- IDUG NA CPC Co-Chair, turnover DB2-L to IDUG.
2004 -- Writes initial DB2 LUW material for Knowledge, Expert, Quest Software.
2003 -- IDUG NA 2004 Presentations Chair
2003- Writes two books in one year. DB2 UDB V8.1 Handbook for Linux, UNIX and Windows, IBM Press; and co-authors IBM Redbook, DB2 UDB v8.1 High Performance Design for OLTP and BI.
2003 -- Participate in DB2 UDB V8.1 Beta.
2002 -- IDUG NA Presentations Chair.
2000 -- Completes Master of Business Administration, at night, DeSales University, Allentown, Pa
2000 -- Becomes DB2 Evangelist for Quest Software.
2000 -- Leads Boscov's DB2 Y2K effort, 2000 and of course, works over the turn of the century and communicates on DB2-L. Migrate to DB2 UDB V5.2, V6.1 and V7.1. Participate in DB2 V7 beta program and influence getting SQL procedures into V7.
1999 -- Integrates DB2 LUW into Database Management, 1999, undergraduate course at Alvernia College, Reading, Pa.
1999 becomes DB2 Project Leader at Boscovs Department Stores. Responsible for DB2 database administration and systems programming. Migrates from DB2 V4 to V5, then to DB2 V6. Upgrade IMS to be Y2K compatible. Supports DB2 UDB V5.1 on Windows. Installs DDCS and later DB2 Connect. Support large runtime client rollout in support of distributed applications.
1997 -- Leads one of largest Y2K Remediation efforts at USX for Platinum Technology.
1997 -- Provides CICS and Database consulting for M&M Mars, migrates all CICS regions to V4.
1995, As a Project Leader, responsible for mutual fund pricing performance at The Vanguard Group. Assists with migration from DB2 V3 to V4.1.
1994 -- Conduct CICS Systems Programming and tuning at Meridan Bancorp, Reading, Pa. Install DB2 gateway, tune DB2 attachment facility and RCT entries.
1993, Conducts M1 Tank transition training at FT. Drum, NY.
1993 -- Moves DSS testbed from IBM mainframe in New Cumberland, Pa to Ogden, UT with no outages.
1993 -- Selected as Commander, 6th Bn 68th Armor, Bethlehem, Pa (Served in and commands one of two reserve tank battalions). Selected as a Major, a position only reserved for Lieutenant Colonels. Wins best battalion in First United States Army for readiness and ability to go to war. Receives max OER as Battalion Commander.Rolling Thunder!
1992 -- Receives 4th Army Achievment Medal
Graduates three years ahead of time from the US Army Command and General Staff College,1991, Ft. Leveanworth, KS
1991 -- Receives 3rd Army Commendation Medal for conducting outstanding task force level operations.
Promoted to Major, 1991, three years ahead of all other classmates.
1990 -- Again as a Captain, serves as BDE S-3, a Colonel slot, and conducts tactical operations with I-Corps, FT. Lews, WA. Specifically cited for tactical proficiency, iniative, and leadersip by panel of 4-Star generals.
1990 -- As lead CICS Systems Programmer and DBA, Implements new Defense Standard System (DSS) at New Cumberland Army Depot during Desert Storm.
1990 -- Tunes CICS 1.7 and 2.1 to enable distribution operations to continue. Assists with MVS/XA upgrade. Thanks to Doug French my mentor who is also mentioned in the book.
1990 -- Receives 3rd Army Commendation Medal for outstanding performance of duties as Bn Operations Officer.
1990 --Plans and conducts SINGCARS Radio New Equipment Fielding to 157th SIB (M).
1989 -- As a civilian, work on digitizing the M1A2 tank with the Mil-Std-1553 data bus. Spend a lot of time at Geneneral Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in Detroit.
1989 -- Nominated for General Douglas McArthur Leadership Award.
1989 -- Serves as acting BDE S-3, a Colonel position, (as a Captain) and runs Brigade tactical operations at I-Corps, Ft. Lewis, WA
1989 -- Selected as Bn S-3 as a junior Captain, a slot reserved for a Major.
1989 -- Writes Armor Battalion Task Force Tactical Standard Operating Procedures.
1989 -- Commands Co C, 6th Bn 68th Armor at Fort Indiantown Gap, wins best company award. Wins Draper Award for Armor Leadership.
1989 -- Earns Bachelors Degree at night in Computer Science.
1988 -- Commands Co A, 6th Bn 68th Armor, Reading, Pa
1988 -- Serves as Battalion S-4 and receives 3rd Army Achievement Medal for outstanding performance.
1988 -- Distinguished Graduate, US Army Reserve Components Tank Commanders Course, Gowen Field, Boise, ID
1988 -- Graduates from US Army Armor Officer Advanced Course, Ft. Knox, KY
1987 -- Serves as Bn Maintenance Officer, plans and conducts M60A3 Tank Displacement Equipment Training
1986 -- Receives 2nd Army Commendation Medal for outstanding achievement
1986 -- Returns to Chief of Police, Jefferson Township, Berks County, Pa.
1986 -- Promoted to Captain (Best rank I ever had)
1985 Transferred to Co A 8th Bn 40 Armor, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Wins Best Company Award. Specifically cited for tactical proficiency and leadership by external evaluation evaluators. Desert Dragons!
1984 -- Receives 2nd Army Achievment Medal for outstanding leadership in planning tank gunnery. Serves as acting Company Commander and full time XO.
1984 -- Work with Doctrine and Training at FT. Knox to revamp ARTEP Mission Traning Plans. Assist in writing first Mission Training Plans (MTPs) in the Army.
1983 -- Graduates from US Army Armor Officer Basic, Ft. Knox, Ky
1982 -- Receives 1st Army Commendation Medal for outstanding performance as Company Executive Officer.
1982 -- Served as youngest Chief of Police in Berks County. Served as Chief of Police of Jefferson Township, Berks County, Penn Township, and Bernville Boro.
1981 -- Receives 1st Army Achievement Medal for outstanding performance as part of advance party and tank gunnery operations
1981 -- Goes on active duty as 2LT, Armor Officer, Company Executive Officer, Wins Best Company Award. Wins Draper Award for Armor Leadership.
1981 -- Writes Tank Platoon and Company Tactical Standard Operating Procedures manuals (first crack at writing a lengthy document)
1981 -- Graduates from special course, Systems Information Officer, US Army Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IL
1981 -- Become a recognized expert in Joint Uniform Military Pay System (JUMPS-RC)
1980 -- Transfers to Co A 6th Bn 68th Armor, Reading, Pa and becomes hooked on tanks for life.
1980 -- Graduates from Reading Police Academy, Certified Police Officer, State of Pa.
1979 -- Graduates from US Army Military Police Officers Basic Course
1979 -- Servers as Bn Traffic Control Officer, 723rd MP BN, Lehighton, Pa.
1979 -- Graduates from Officer Candidate School and is commissioned 2LT, Miliary Police.
1978 -- Runs the 2nd Annual Marine Corps Marathon, Wash, D.C. Represents Officer Candidate School. As an accomlished runner, leads all runs at Officer Candidate School. Starts and manages the "Run for your Life" program while in officer candidate school.
1977 -- Serves on active duty at Johnstown Flood, Johnstown, Pa. Meritoriusly promoted to PFC.
1976 -- Graduates from US Army Military Police School, FT. McClellan, Al ahead of peers.