21ST CENTURY SYSTEMS CORPORATE PROFILE

 

 

 

Corporate Background

 

21st Century Systems was formed in 1995 by Dennis Rusch and Dean Jones, information systems professionals, each with over fifteen years in the industry.  The goal of 21st Century Systems is to provide the same level of information systems consulting services to small and medium sized businesses that the Fortune 500 receives from the largest industry consulting and computer firms.

 

In order to accomplish this goal, 21st Century Systems has recruited only highly experienced information systems professionals.  Our staff is drawn from the largest computer firms, the banking industry, and the top 100 firms in the Chicago area.  With a base of the best information system professionals in Chicago, the result is our ability to deliver the highest quality information systems for our clients as well as the assurance that their investment will deliver business results. With the recent purchase of Northfield, IL based Accounting Resource Group, 21st Century Systems, Inc. has become a single source vendor providing complete technology and business application services to the small and medium size companies in the Chicago area.

 

 

Professional Profile

 

21st Century Systems management team consists of partners, Dennis Rusch and Dean Jones.

 

Mr. Rusch is an Information Systems professional with a highly distinguished technical career that includes several notable professional awards.  Prior to co-founding 21st Century Systems, Inc., Mr. Rusch worked as a Systems Integration Specialist for IBM in the 1980’s and 1990’s before leaving to head multiple data centers for a Chicago based service bureau firm in the advanced ticketing and reservations field.

 

Mr. Jones is an Information Systems professional who spent 17 years with IBM where he began as a systems engineer and spent the last 10 years of his career as an Account Executive covering several of the top five corporations in Chicago.  Mr. Jones received many professional awards while at IBM and was the first in Chicago to complete the Harvard College Client Executive program before leaving IBM to co-found 21st Century Systems, Inc.

 

Products and Services Overview

 

Business Consulting

 

21st Century Systems offers comprehensive business consulting services from accounting to business systems design, building, and implementation services. 

 

Employing process analysis and redesign techniques, as well as standard supply chain and value chain analysis, 21st Century Systems is focused upon measurable business improvement.  Our professionals focus on specific client problems and achievable solutions.  Measurable, sustainable returns on investment are the objectives of any 21st Century Systems client engagement.

 

Professional Consulting

 

Project management, system selection, hardware, software, network design, and software package customization are among the professional consulting services offered by 21st Century Systems information systems practices. Currently our consultants have been trained and posses the necessary skills to implement a variety of off the shelf MRP/ERP and financial accounting packages including: JD Edwards, ACCPAC, SBT Accounting, TOPS Property Management, MAS90

 

Experienced project managers using stringent methodologies and controls keep projects on time and on budget.  21st Century Systems will also audit and manage client projects that are not meeting expectations to get them back on track.

 

Technical Consulting

 

21st Century Systems technical consulting and support services are available for all platforms and technologies. All consultants on our staff are certified in several technologies including:

 

Cisco - CCNA, CCNP

Citrix

Microsoft – MCSE

WIN2000

Exchange 5 and 2000

SQL all versions.

Enterprise Networking

Novell - NCP

IBM – AS/400

 

Business Consulting

 

21st Century Systems consultants use business process re-engineering techniques when analyzing a client’s business problems.  The documentation of current state processes is used to design with the client a “best practices” process.  System requirements needed to support the best practice are derived through this analysis.  A process approach has proven effective not only in deriving systems requirements but many of our clients have used the resulting process maps as a base from which to improve company operations.  In several cases, the process documentation has also served as a base from which our clients have begun ISO 9000 certification or internal quality assurance programs.

 

In conjunction with process documentation, our business analysts will document the current information systems environment.  This effort includes an inventory of existing hardware and software, as well as sources and uses of data.  Internal and external network connections will be documented and diagrammed.

 

Armed with the information above, 21st Century professionals will conduct a marketplace survey to identify potential solution providers.  In some cases, a formal RFP will be generated on behalf of our client.

 

After a solution has been identified, 21st Century will deliver detailed financial analysis, including ROI projections, if desired.  Finally, with a depth of technical skills available, 21st Century Systems can provide complete implementation for our clients.

 

 

Professional Consulting

 

21st Century Systems professional consultants complement our business and technical services to produce complete business results.  Our technical professionals will take the business requirements and help select the appropriate ‘best of breed’ solution for our clients.  Associations with industry leaders, such as IBM and Microsoft, allow 21st Century Systems to bring significant value to our clients.

 

This combination of business expertise and technical excellence allows 21st Century Systems to implement solutions for our clients that deliver the business results they expect. 

 

Business Software Package Installation

 

Software packages are becoming the standard for business.  Custom developed software written and maintained by internal information systems departments is no longer competitive.  Package software from established firms provides reliability, flexibility, and a lower cost of ownership when compared to internally developed software.  Most importantly, packaged software provides a constant stream of improvements allowing customers to react to changes in their business much more quickly than they could in the past.  21st Century Systems has advocated this approach for some time and has developed a package implementation practice designed to quickly and effectively assist our clients in selecting and installing comprehensive software packages.  21st Century Systems consultants are skilled in the best of the “commercial grade” software packages available.  We can help you select and implement the package that is right for your business and your budget. Services include:

 

·         Business analysis

·         Project management

·         Software selection

·         Hardware selection

·         Package setup and customization

·         Data conversion

·         Production training and support

 

21st Century Systems package installation practice has the skills to handle these mission critical projects and deliver business results.

 

Technical Consulting Services

 

Network/Desktop/WWW Technology Services

 

21st Century Systems provides end-to-end ‘Turnkey’ services 21st Century Systems provides complete solutions for even the most complex network requirements.  Services offered include:

·         Site design and installation services

·         Network wiring

·         Router/bridge/hub installation, configuration, and support

·         Wide area network design, implementation, and support

·         Local area network design, implementation, and support

·         Firewall installation, configuration, and support

·         Novell

·         Microsoft 95/98/NT/2000/XP

·         All MS products (SQL, Exchange, Backoffice, IIS, all Office products)

·         Cisco design, implementation, and support

·         Citrix/Terminal Server design, implementation, and support

·         Internet website Integration

·         Website development

·         Graphics

·         Intranet Design and maintenance

 

Our network practice consultants are experienced on virtually all platforms and products. Our professionals are certified in, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, and Novell networking software.

 

AS/400 Technical Services

 

21st Century Systems offers a complete line of AS/400 technical services.  Our AS/400 professionals each have over a decade of experience on the AS/400 and System 3X hardware and software platforms in a wide variety of industries including banking, manufacturing, distribution, travel services, and professional services.  In conjunction with our business consultants, 21st Century Systems can provide the best AS/400 team available in the nation to our clients.

 

Other AS/400 services include:

 

Hardware:                                           Software/OS:                          Networking:

PCs’                                                    OS/400                                    LAN Design/Implement

AS/400                                                SSP                                         WAN Design/Implement

IBM Host                                              JD Edwards                            SNA

DASD Mirroring                                   CA/400                                    APPC

Installation                                           Rumba                                                TCP/IP

Performance Tuning                           Lotus Notes                             NDM

Capacity Planning                               Lotus Domino                         Frame Relay

Upgrade Planning                               Windows NT                           Internet (All Aspects)

Wiring                                                  Windows 95/98

CISC to RISC Migrations                    Data Conversion