John Black is the manager of the Client/Vendor Payments Team, Payments Area in the Department of Human Services (DHS), Systems Development Division of DIT. John said his transition to management was made easier just over two years ago by his staff’s vast experience. Several members of the team have more than 30 years with the state.

The Client/Vendor Payments Team’s primary responsibility is to maintain/update the client cash benefit issuance processed for DHS as well as generate/maintain the seven-year Payment History database. The cash benefit issuance payroll so far this year has averaged over $32 million a month. The team also handles several other payroll processes for DHS including the consolidated and regular vendor payroll, Social Security supplemental income payments, and the disability determination system payroll for the Social Security Administration. All of these payments except the disability determination payments get recorded on the Payment History database.

The client benefit issuance was changed in 2000 from a warrant (check) to a debit card (Electronic Benefits Transfer, EBT, Bridge Card). The team creates the cash benefit issuance file that is transferred to the EBT contractors system. It also reviews and corrects any discrepancies found in the EBT account activity received from the contractor that is loaded to the data warehouse.

John has great faith in his team’s ability to get tasks done even though it is continuously asked to maintain ongoing systems while doing new development at the same time. The majority of the team’s systems are mainframe-based Cobol systems, but they also are responsible for the DHS CIMS online transactions that deal with supplemental payment issuance and payment inquiries. They are also working on a new project to rewrite the DHS Contract Tracking Payment process that is being developed in MS Visual Studio.Net using an Oracle database.

Away from work, John enjoys golfing, bicycling and traveling with his wife. In April they spent a week on the Hawaiian Island of Maui and had the opportunity to ride bicycles down the Haleakala volcano. It was over 20 miles downhill, not a lot of exercise, but some great views.