Engagement Descriptions
In all Engagement Descriptions presented herein, where the client is identified, we have received permission from that client. In all other instances, we have maintained client confidentiality.
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Fortune 50 Financial and Insurance Conglomerate
Global NYSE Listed Maintanence and Energy Company
Educational Testing Service (ETS), Princeton, NJ
Program Management / Project Management / Business Process Reengineering / IT Security / Interim Executive Services / Systems Integration / Management Consulting
“RGZ Solutions demonstrated its ability to quickly and successfully implement a complex PeopleSoft solution for us. RGZ Solutions’ ability to apply a combination of deep project management knowledge, extensive experience, flexible methodology, and reporting and change management skills, was key to this success. Without the RGZ Solutions’ team’s long hours, dedication, professionalism, and an unparallel drive to succeed, this effort would not have been successful." – Frank R. Gatti, CFO
ETS is a lynchpin client of RGZ. We are honored that we have been selected several times to provide consulting services to the world’s leading educational services company. To date, RGZ has assisted ETS in the following projects:
- Program Management for the implementation of several new PeopleSoft ® modules in addition to upgrading several other modules including Human Resources, Financial and Supply Chain. RGZ was engaged to assume project responsibility to execute this project on time and within budget. Together, we achieved those results. Twelve new modules were implemented.
- RGZ was engaged to assist ETS with changing the date of the fiscal year end. RGZ was instrumental in the following activities:
Management of internal reorganizations- Employee open enrollment
- Implementation of Cognos, a business intelligence system
- Re-coding the chart of accounts and conversion of legacy financial coding to the new schema
- Testing
- Change Management
- Universal Customer Initiative was a project led by RGZ that focused on consolidation of all customer information into a single authoritative source
- ets.org was led by RGZ and included the management of three large consulting firms. This project created the ability for PRAXIS test candidates to register, create a personal profile and order study materials on line. In it’s first year of operation, revenues from test preparation products ordered online rose 25%. In addition through the use of an eCommerce ASP (Application Service Provider), ETS was able to realize cost savings in the areas of IT infrastructure and support.
- Community College Initiative: RGZ provided interim CTO services for this pilot project focused on the Community College Market
- Scholarship Reporting System: Working with RGZ, ETS was able to source and qualify a SaaS (Software As A Service) vendor to provide an intermediate solution.
- Enterprise Identity Management: ETS acted as Program Manager for the selection and implementation of Oracle’s Identity Management System for ETS. The work included definition of Authoritative Sources, Provisioning and Single Sign-On
- Various other Program Management services
About Educational Testing Service: With consolidated revenues of nearly $900 million, the ETS mission is to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. In serving individuals, educational institutions and government agencies around the world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacher professional development products and services, classroom and end-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learning tools. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers and scores more than 24 million assessments annually in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. Additional information is available at www.ets.org.
Mountaineer Gas Company West Virginia
Project Management / Vendor Selection / Call Center Consulting / Customer Information Systems / Regulatory Compliance / Organizational Change Management
RGZ Solutions partnered with one of the top 15 accounting and consulting firms to program and project manage a critical core system as well as related projects and processes. As a result of a divestiture, in accordance with the West Virginia Public Utilities Commission, Mountaineer (MGCWV) had to select and implement the following core systems and processes:
- New Customer Information System (CIS)
- Customer billing
- Customer relationship management
- Financial interfaces
- Third party payment interfaces
- New Customer Call Center based in West Virginia.
The timeline to accomplish the above was 14 months. This project, while IT-based also included significant non-IT consulting in the areas of Organization, Governance and Regulatory Compliance. Every aspect of the project had to include transparency and documentation for review by the Public Utilities Commission.
RGZ managed the following project tasks:
- Sourcing of acceptable Utility CIS vendors
- RFP (Request for Proposal) Preparation
- Selection process
- Criteria matrix
- Presentation production
- Creation of client Steering Committee
- Contracting
- Conversion of legacy data
- Implementation of Microsoft Dynamics-based Cogsdale CIS system
- Selection of bill print and mailing vendor
- Call Center build-out
- Site selection
- Selection of Managed Service Provider
- Integration with CIS system
MGCWV was a wonderful client to work with. Their staff was fully engaged and prepared for the work involved in this massive and complex project. The system was implemented and deployed on-time and on-target with budget expectations.
However, one of the accomplishments that we are most proud of is that together with our implementation partner and MGCWV, we brought needed jobs to West Virginia. The call center located in Charleston, WV is proof that call center activities need not be outsourced abroad. Today, the MGCWV Call Center is economical and ready to provide services for other institutions.
Fortune 50 Financial Services and Insurance Conglomerate, NY Metro Area
Project Management / SAP / Risk / Compliance / Business Processing Reengineering
The history of acquisitions within this client resulted in multiple ledger systems and an environment of excessive manual work, extensive overtime and multiple ledger entries. Additionally, the then current legacy system was experiencing extreme operating difficulties resulting in financial information integrity risk. Our client made the decision to standardize on SAP.
RGZ was retained to manage the implementation of SAP in addition to reengineering and improving the financial process, developing standardized business policies and practices and developing a data warehouse.
As a result, the quality, consistency, speed and reliability of data reported at all levels of the business were improved.
Significant benefits included:
- Reduced latency in financial reporting
- Increased consistency and transparency of controls across the Enterprise
- Enhanced Sarbanes-Oxley compliance capabilities at a reduced cost
- Business process standardization and consolidation
- Ability to implement lower cost shared-services
Global Process Manufacturer, NY Metro Area
SAP / Vendor Due Diligence / Risk / Compliance / Forensic Project Management Services
RGZ Solutions was asked to provide consulting services as a subject matter expert (SME) in an internal corporate investigation. The matter was an alleged professional ethics and conflict of interest violation by a senior executive as well as a suspected vendor fraud. This was a highly sensitive and confidential investigation.
In the course of the investigation, RGZ was asked to analyze all third-party SAP consulting invoices associated with the matter. In addition, RGZ was asked to examine whether or not the stated work was needed and / or ever done. Finally, RGZ was asked to review the internal controls around SAP and make recommendations for better monitoring of controls.
RGZ’s work was instrumental in identifying the perpetrating parties and participating in dispute resolution services. RGZ CEO, Bob Kurtz (CPA) was instrumental in assisting the Investigators and CFE’s working on the case with subject interviews and insight into the IT operations of an SAP environment.
Global NYSE Listed Energy Maintenance Company, Texas
ERP / Microsoft Dynamics / Project Management / Business Process Reengineering
This unique public company responds to critical heavy industrial and energy maintenance issues. Due to rapid internal growth as well as acquisitions, the client decided to consolidate several legacy ERP (Enterprise Requirements Planning) Systems into one system-Microsoft Dynamics.
RGZ was retained to manage the worldwide implementation of Microsoft Dynamics. We installed the Supply Chain, Human Resources, Payroll and Financial modules inside of nine (9) months. Our most intense focus was on the Supply Chain modules to support a significant effort to project cost all service activities to ensure that customer billing was based on sound auditable information.
