Career Stops with David “Q” Quesenberry
By: Next at Chase Editorial Team
The Career Stops series chronicles the twists and turns that members of the Chase team take on the journey to their current roles with the firm. This week, we’re following Product Architect David “Q” Quesenberry’s journey in technology during his 36 years with the firm.
When I was hired in 1988 at Bank One (which merged with JPMorgan Chase in 2004), little did I know my career path would be paved with innovation and modernization.
In those early days, our work revolved around Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology. It was a time when computers were just starting to make their presence felt, and I vividly remember the excitement of receiving our first two PCs, which our group of 75+ people used primarily for word processing to compile our monthly status reports.
One of the defining moments of my career came with an unconventional partnership at the bank, which presented me with my first major challenge, or what I like to call a “big rock.” This challenge involved consolidating the 50 Sorter Control Instruction (SCI) programs to one code base, a pivotal program driven by configuration, which operated the 3890 check sorter — an immense machine responsible for sorting and processing checks. The sheer scale of these machines was such that the entire building would tremble when they were in operation.
A New Era
The enactment of the Check 21 Act ushered in a new era of possibilities, particularly in the realm of image processing for checks. Signed into law in 2003, Check 21 was designed to foster innovation and increase efficiency with payments. In essence, it enables banks to handle more checks electronically to make check processing faster and more efficient. I had the privilege of spearheading various image-related projects, including enabling the 3890 machine to process images as legal documents. It was during this time that I earned my first two patents for my work in ATM data processing and data reconciliation.
Transitioning to branch operations, I found myself reflecting on the significant changes in the banking landscape. Gone were the days of eagerly awaiting the arrival of cancelled checks in our monthly statements; instead, we now had the convenience of processed checks returned to us by tellers and accessible online.
I’ve always been passionate about connecting the dots between applications and problem solving, so being a part of reshaping Chase’s tech landscape during this time was especially rewarding.
Leaning On My Strengths
Never one to rest on my accomplishments, I’ve sought out opportunities that align with my passion for connecting dots and problem-solving. While I briefly explored managerial roles, I discovered that my true strengths lay elsewhere. As the concept of Design Authority was still in its early stages, my manager entrusted me with defining and shaping this role — a challenge I enthusiastically embraced.
I had the opportunity to lead a team of five interns in developing the first Customer Information Systems (CIS) API, which successfully launched into production. This experience led to my involvement with architecture teams, where I contributed to addressing various project needs. During this time, I also created comprehensive documentation outlining the process for implementing Domain Driven Design (DDD). This framework was instrumental in the completion of project designs such as AML/KYC Risk Scoring, Customer Type Classification, and B-1 Forms (Question and Answers). The adoption of DDD resulted in increased efficiency and a deeper understanding of project requirements across all three initiatives.
My journey eventually led me to the role of Product Architect, where I faced a host of new and exciting challenges. I concentrate on several key areas that align with our organizational goals, including developing a comprehensive roadmap, providing strong leadership, strategic planning, fostering cross-functional collaboration, ensuring more of our products gain visibility in front of Chase’s Architecture Review Board (ARB) and reusable patterns.
Through it all, my commitment to inclusion remained unwavering — I firmly believe in ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued. This in part has motivated me to remain at Chase — the vast scope and culture of the organization presents anyone who wants them the opportunities to grow at every turn. Should you desire to pivot your trajectory, there are supportive resources available to help you navigate and pursue new directions.
Beyond the office, I am a family man residing in Westerville, Ohio, with my wife, Lorinda. I find joy in spending time with my children, enjoying movies with my wife, indulging in my passion for designing and building electronics, woodworking, programming various languages, and AWS DeepRacer with work buddies.
I’m proud to be a part of the team at Chase and the work we are doing to continuously improve customer experiences with our products and services. As I embark on my new role as an Architect, I am excited about the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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