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Atlanta Tech Leaders

Jay Ferro

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Bryson Koehler / The Weather Company Linkedin Twitter

Bryson is a firm believer in IT as a Service – the concept where IT “gets out of the way” and openly arms every product developer with the tools they need to crank out an endless supply of innovations. As a member of the executive committee and self-proclaimed weather geek, Bryson plays a key role in the overall business strategy for The Weather Company. As head of the technology group, Bryson oversees the strategic vision, technical direction, execution and operations of all technology initiatives, systems and platforms across all of the company’s four divisions – TV, digital, professional and international.

His team oversees the architecture, global infrastructure, weather forecasting and big data platforms, broadcast engineering and TV localization systems, all of the company’s internal systems as well as overall quality assurance for all products and platforms. The technical platform his team has built provides all frameworks, data, tools and processes necessary to build, deploy and operate globally scalable B2B, B2C and B2B2C products and services. Through the design, implementation and global operations of industry leading cloud-based computing capabilities, large scale big data systems, the company’s internal and external APIs, live and digital video personalization technology for web, cable, satellite and telecommunication distributors, The Weather Company has transformed itself into a leading technology powerhouse.

Bryson brings a passion for change and innovation by sitting at the strategy table for both business and technology groups within large and small enterprises. He uses his 20+ years of experience to help companies transform their business capabilities and utilize elegantly simple solutions that are always focused on maximizing the business goals of the company. Bryson has and is serving on many customer advisory boards, including Verizon Business, Genesys, Revinate, Microsoft, Google, Akamai & HCL. He was selected by the Executive Alliance as the Quality Leadership Executive of the Year in 2007, and in 2010 Bryson was recognized by CIO magazine as One to Watch with an additional standout award for innovation. Bryson lead IHG to become ranked #2 on InformationWeek’s Top 500 innovative technology companies for the development of patent-pending inventory management systems his team developed. In 2013 Bryson was given the ATP Innovation of the Year award. In 2014 Bryson lead The Weather Company to be named as a top 10-technology company in the state of Georgia and has been nominated as CIO of the Year by the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

Bryson earned his double bachelor’s degrees in political science and communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has lived in the Atlanta area for 15 years, is married and has five children. He is active in his community and has served as the co-captain for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), executive sponsor of the Women In Technology (WIT) program in Atlanta, and is the chief of his son’s Indian Guides program with the YMCA. Bryson also is on the Board of Directors for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, The Technology Association of Georgia and San Francisco-based Revinate.

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

 

Michael Long CIO Georgia Department Of Revenue

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Michael Long / Georgia Department of Revenue Linkedin

Michael is currently Chief Information Officer for the Georgia Department of Revenue and was 2013 Georgia CIO of the year. Michael is responsible for enterprise wide information technology; infrastructure, operations, applications development, networking, support, IT governance, security and business development in support of the following revenue divisions:- Alcohol & Tobacco, Compliance, Special Investigation, Local Government Services, Motor Vehicle, Taxpayer Services, Tax Policy, Processing Center, Finance and Human Resources.

Prior to the Department of Revenue, he was Chief Information Officer and Vice President, Information Technology at USTravel, a large corporate and leisure Travel Company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael developed an overall corporate information vision and strategy, introduced a new CRM system and created a competitive business advantage through the use of leading-edge technology.

Prior to that, he was Vice President of Global IT Infrastructure & Operations at Knowledge Learning Corporation. In this role, Michael was responsible for the strategy, planning, direction and coordination of all activities associated with delivering reliable computer infrastructure, applications and networking services throughout the company. This includes voice and data networks, Windows systems, Computing Services, Change management and customer service, including Data Center Operations, Capacity Planning and Disaster Recovery.

Prior to that, he was Interim Vice President of Information Technology Service at WellPoint, a $40 billion healthcare insurance provider. There, he was responsible for the enterprise-wide IT and networking systems, from which he drove a total restructuring of the IT infrastructure and implemented a framework for financial reporting. Prior to WellPoint, he was SVP Information Systems for TCIM Services, there he managed 14 call centers with over 4,500 seats in the US and Canada, established strong relationships with vendors and maintained a 24-hour, 7-day a week call center. Prior to TCIM he was Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Group 4 Securicor, Plc where he designed and implemented a passenger tracking system for Delta and United Airlines and negotiated and implemented a new managed network service offering from a leading network vendor. Michael has also held key IT positions with Galileo International, one of the world’s largest providers of electronic global distribution services, connecting 44,000 travel agencies across the world and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a $22 billion company with a network of more than 3,000 locations in 150 countries.

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

 

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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John Trainor / Aaron’s, Inc. Linkedin Twitter Facebook

John Trainor is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Aaron’s, Inc., an Atlanta-based specialty retailer that leases furniture, electronics, and appliances. Since 1999, he has helped Aaron’s grow from 450 to over 2100 stores with almost $3B in revenue. Prior to joining Aaron’s, he worked in technology roles at the Southern Company and the United States Senate. He has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

John serves as the founding Chairman of the Mobility Society Board and on the Board of Directors for the Technology Associate of Georgia and is the Membership Chairman for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association. He volunteers and raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Georgia.

John lives in Roswell, GA with his wife, Heather, and 3 sons, Jack, William, and Phillip. When not working, he shuttles his sons back and forth from football and wrestling practice and tries to squeeze in some swimming, biking, and running (and, sometimes all at the same time).

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

 

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Anil Cheriyan / SunTrust Banks, Inc. Twitter

Anil Cheriyan is chief information officer for SunTrust Banks, Inc. He is responsible for SunTrust’s Enterprise Information Services (EIS) division, the organizational unit that provides the company’s overall technology, operations and information-related support.

Prior to joining SunTrust in April 2012, Cheriyan was senior partner at IBM Global Business Services, where he has served financial services industry clients and led a variety of business systems transformation, technology and process re-engineering initiatives. Before joining IBM in 2002, he was a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting and served in increasingly responsible leadership roles on a variety of systems, customer information, data warehousing and e-business engagements. Previously he was a senior consultant with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and information services manager for TVS Clayton, Ltd.

Cheriyan earned master of science and master of philosophy degrees in management as well as a bachelor of science in electronic and electrical engineering from Imperial College in London.

Bobby John / Band of Coders

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

 

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Curt Carver / Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia Linkedin Twitter

Curtis A. Carver Jr., Ph.D., is the vice chancellor and chief information officer for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG). In this capacity, he oversees a statewide educational infrastructure and service organization with more than 250 innovators and an annual investment in higher education of more than $70 million. He also provides technical oversight for the USG Shared Services Center.

With a mix of military and academic experience, Carver has led the transformation of USG Information Technology Services by partnering with USG business owners, institutions, and other state agencies. The introduction of private cloud services, entrepreneurial offerings, new learning management system, new data systems, social media, unified communications, strategic partner engagement, and a focused and aligned financial model has been well received in Georgia and around the nation.

Through his leadership, he’s garnered national recognition for the University System of Georgia including the 2012 Global CIO Break Away Leader Award, 2012 and 2013 Georgia State Technology Innovation Award, 2013 InformationWeek500 Top Innovative Organizations (ranked in the top 10), 2013 InformationWeek 20 Best Ideas to Steal, 2013 N2N Champions of Innovation, 2013 Atlanta Telecommunications Professional Leadership Impact Award, 2013 InformationWeek Chiefs of the Year, the 2014 ComputerWorld Premiere100 IT Leaders, and the 2014 InformationWeek Elite 100.

Prior to the USG, Dr. Carver served at the U.S. Military Academy – West Point in a number of positions including interim vice dean of education, vice dean for resources, associate dean for academic computing, and IT program director. Carver led efforts that were successful in more than doubling student participation in international experiences and substantially expanded programs addressing the needs of at-risk students. In addition, he coordinated significant revisions to the curriculum, facilitated the completion of the construction of a $72 million library and learning center, secured funding for a $182 million renovation of the science building, and supported efforts to accredit the institution regionally.

Carver’s 27-year military career includes appointments as platoon leader, senior signal officer, company commander, battalion operations officer, division deputy G6, and military mentor. He lived in Korea and Italy, and was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, where he served as a strategic mentor to build their respective national military academies.

Throughout his career, Carver has been engaged in the active leadership of military, academic, research, and service organizations. He has served as a member of a number of governing bodies or executive boards including the Computer Science Accreditation Board, Computer Accreditation Commission, multiple CIO Executive Summits, and the Federal Information Assurance Conference. He is a senior-level member in the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers professional societies and continues to play an active role in shaping the national agenda in technology, education, and the interaction between the two.

Carver has authored many journal articles and conference papers, as well as hundreds of plenary presentations, and is a frequent keynote presenter. He has received numerous national and international honors and awards for military, teaching, and research excellence throughout his career.

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

 

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Bill VanCuren / NCR

Bill VanCuren is vice president and CIO for NCR Corporation. Bill is a member of both the corporate leadership team and Chief Financial Office organizations.

His current assignment as the CIO has oversight over the full application realization process, portfolio management, global networks and processing services for both internal and external customer services, security and compliancy, and all workgroup computing. Bill has 30 years of experience in the information technology (IT) field and has held increasingly responsible positions.

Bill established the first NCR captive IT development center in India, championed the engineering processes to achieve the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) Level 3, and has driven world-class levels of both efficiency and improved effectiveness via a combined IT and business governance. As a result of implementing leading practice strategies, his organization is consistently named to the Information Week500, and was listed in CIO magazine’s 2014 CIO 100 and Bill was named CIO of the year in Georgia for 2011.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree, Cum Laude, from The Ohio State University and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton. He has also received executive training at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, along with a variety of extended leadership training from the NCR University.

He is a board member of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and Georgia CIO Leadership Association(GCLA). He is also an Advisory Board Member for the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia – Terry School of Business, MIS Department.

Bill lives in Cumming, Georgia with his wife, Jeannie, and their three sons. His hobbies include skiing and landscaping. Bill is a member of both The Ohio State University Buckeye Club and the President’s Club.

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

 

Jay Ferro with American Cancer Society and Lee Crump with Rollins, Inc.

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Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

Lee Crump / Rollins, Inc. Twitter

Lee W. Crump is the CIO and Group Vice President of Business Support for Rollins, Inc. Rollins, based in Atlanta, has annual revenues of over $1.3 billion and is the parent company of Orkin Pest Control, and other well-known pest control companies. Prior to joining Rollins in 2009 Crump spent ten years as the CIO of the largest and most profitable ServiceMaster subsidiary based in Memphis, TN. In 2012 Crump was named Georgia CIO of the Year (Global Division) by the Georgia CIO Leadership Association (GCLA).

In his current capacity, he manages a team of 150 professionals and is responsible for all Information Technology (IT) and Program Management (PMO).

Mr. Crump holds the PMP credential from the Project Management Institute and has a long track record of successfully delivering major systems implementations. He served as the Six Sigma Executive Deployment Champion in his previous role with ServiceMaster. He has spent over 35 years in IT, equally divided between IT Executive Management and Business Consulting.

Mr. Crump serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Georgia Junior Achievement, Year-Up Atlanta, and CHRIS Kids. He serves on the Advisory Boards of the Georgia CIO Leadership Association (GCLA) where he is Vice Chair of Programs, the Association of Telecommunications Professionals (ATP), and the Sprint CIO Advisory Board. He is a volunteer and mentor for Pathbuilders Achieva and Year-Up Atlanta, where in 2013 he received the Year-Up Urban Empowerment Award.

He is a member of American Mensa, the Georgia CIO Leadership Association (GCLA), the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Technology Association of Georgia, (TAG), and the Society of Information Managers (SIM).

Special Edition: Women In Technology

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ABR

This special edition of Atlanta Technology Leaders focuses on The Women In Technology Foundation (WIT) and their upcoming signature event: The 20th Annual  WIT Connect Presented by Dell. Featuring guest interviews with WIT Foundation’s Board President, Denise Reese and WIT Connect Co-Chairs, Jay Ferro and Lisa McVey.

WIT Connect presented by Dell brings together hundreds of Georgia’s leading technology executives and up-and-coming professionals for an entertaining evening of networking and competitive bidding at the Georgia Aquarium. Executives from Aaron’s, Cox Communications, NCR, Novelis, SunTrust, the Weather Company and many more have donated their time to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Proceeds from this unique executive auction benefit the WIT Foundation’s free career programs, Girls Get IT and WIT on Campus, aimed at encouraging middle, high school and college aged women to continue pursuing their interests in STEM education and careers. Since 2008, WIT Connect has raised more than $1.5 million to support WIT’s mission to serve as passionate advocates for advancing women in Georgia’s STEM industries.

Thursday, June 12th marks the 20th anniversary of WIT Connect led by Co-Chairs, Lisa McVey and Jay Ferro.

For more information on WIT Connect, visit www.mywit.org.

Denise Reese / WIT Foundation Board President Linkedin  

Denise Reese is Director, Business Development with Endava US LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endava UK Limited, a leading IT Services and Consulting firm with operations in London, Germany The US and Central Eastern Europe. In her role, Denise leads all Business Development activities for Endava in the Atlanta market.

Denise has spent more than a decade in Sales and Strategic Alliances for several major IT Services and Software organizations and has held positions both in The United States and Europe. Her experience spans multiple disciplines including Identity and Access Management, IT Security and Regulatory Compliance Management.

Denise has built a brand rooted in developing trusted advisor relationships with her clients. This, coupled with a keen ability to build repeatable and sustainable revenue generating opportunities, has afforded Denise with the opportunity to achieve significant milestones for the firms she’s worked with. During her tenure with Wipro Technologies, a leading IT Services, Consulting and Business Process Outsourcing Organization headquartered in Bangalore, India, she secured Wipro’s 1st and largest Hospitality Client in the US and was a multi -million dollar contributor to the RCTG (Retail, CPG, Transportation and Government) Business Unit.

Denise holds an MBA in Strategic Management from The Henley Business School in The United Kingdom. Her dissertation research focused on the importance of businesses adapting a sound IT Security and Risk policy. During her MBA Program, she completed her International Business Experience in Hong Kong. This allowed her the opportunity to analyze and provide strategic direction to Asia-Pacific companies in multiple industries including Manufacturing, Retail, and Public Sector.

Denise is passionate about serving in the community and embodies the qualities of a true Servant Leader. She served as Board Chair of the University Community Academy Board of Directors from 2009-2012. She is currently President of The Women in Technology (WIT) Foundation Board, the philanthropic arm of Women In Technology, Inc. Additionally, she serves as Executive Advisor to WIT’s “WIT on Campus “ Program and is also responsible for developing Strategic Relationships for The WIT Foundation. Denise also had the honor of being a contributing author to WIT’s leadership book CLIMB: Leading Women in Technology Share Their Journey’s to Success. Denise also serves on the Board of Directors for Cool Girls, Inc. where she has held positions as both Board Development and Resource Development Chair. She was also Event Chair for Cool Girls’ signature fundraiser, Hot Pink Party 2013. She had the privilege of being a 2012 Girls, Inc. “Strong Smart and Bold” Award Nominee and was recently bestowed the honor of serving on the Judges Panel for Distinguished Young Women’s (formerly Junior Miss) 2013 National Finals. Denise was a Founding Board Member and Director of Development for the Greater Atlanta Professional Chapter of Women MBA’s International, formerly known as NAWMBA – National Association of Women MBA’s. Recently, Denise was inducted into the Financial Times/European Business School’s Women on Board Initiative, “Global Board Ready Women.” This groundbreaking program is a global database of 8000 high achieving women in business and supports greater gender diversity on publicly quoted company boards in Europe. Denise is also a member of the National MS Society of Georgia’s MS Leadership 2014 Class.

Jay Ferro / WIT Connect Co-Chair Linkedin

Jay Ferro, CIO for the American Cancer Society, is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the global information technology of the organization. Ferro joined the Society’s executive staff in 2012, bringing a deep personal connection to the fight against cancer. In 2007, he founded the nonprofit group Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, who died from cancer. Priscilla’s Promise raises funds for cervical cancer education and research; Ferro currently serves as the group’s executive director. Ferro was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association. His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In addition to his work with Priscilla’s Promise, in 2011, he was elected to the board of directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community.

 

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.

Alan Stukalsky / Randstad Linkedin Twitter Facebook Google+

As CIO for Randstad US, the world’s second largest provider of HR solutions and staffing, Alan is responsible for all information technology strategy, planning and implementation in the US. His primary areas of focus include all customer and employee facing applications, PeopleSoft HR and Financials, Hyperion business intelligence, infrastructure, and various other third party applications.

Prior to rejoining Randstad in 2009, Alan served as CIO of Church’s Chicken, a $1 billion quick service restaurant chain. Within the first year of joining Church’s Chicken, Alan outsourced the company’s entire IT infrastructure to several outsourcing companies which resulted in a $1 million per year reduction in the IT department’s budget and improved customer satisfaction levels by 25%.

Prior to Church’s, Alan worked with PeopleSoft Consulting and Delta Air Lines.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Emory University. He is a member of the Georgia CIO Leadership Association, Omicron Advisory Board, Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), TechBridge, and Georgia State University’s Mentors for the Masters Program.

Born in Argentina and raised in Miami, Alan enjoys playing soccer, football and spending time with his family. Alan and his wife, Shana, have two children, Nessa and Ian.

Special Edition: Georgia CIO Leadership Association

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Lisa LaRoque/Georgia CIO Leadership Association Twitter

First part of career spent in marketing for LOB application software companies; Moved into business development for technology service providers over the last nine years, most recently having worked for Intellinet, a management consulting and technology solutions firm.

Jay Ferro/American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.