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WIT Atlanta Features Jeffery Tobias Halter with YWomen and Serena E. Sacks with Fulton County Schools and 2015 WIT Women Of The Year Award Winner

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The work of Women in Technology has an incredible impact.

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT COMMUNITY, WIT Also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Jeffrey Tobias Halter and Serena Sacks

Jeffrey Tobias Halter and Serena Sacks

 

 

Jeffrey Tobias Halter/Gender Strategist
Founder

jeff-halter-aboutJeffery Tobias Halter is the country’s leading male expert on advancing women and engaging men. Jeffery is a consultant and the President of YWomen, a strategic consulting company focused on engaging men in women’s leadership issues. YWomen focuses on driving actionable business plans and strategies to help organizations create Integrated Women’s Leadership Strategies. Jeffery is the former Director of Diversity Strategy for The Coca-Cola Company. He has extensive knowledge of the consumer package goods, retail, food service and hospitality industries and is sought after speaker at industry forums and corporate programs.

Jeffery is the author of two books, WHY WOMEN, The Leadership Imperative to Advancing Women and Engaging Men(April, 2015) and Selling to Men, Selling to Women. He was a Panelist at the World Diversity Leadership Summit at Harvard University and led workshops at the Global Summit of Women in Athens Greece. His current clients include two Catalyst Award winning companies, The Coca-Cola Company and Kimberly-Clark. He has led best practice work with companies such as McDonald’s, Deloitte, Publicis Groupe, GE and Clorox. He recently keynoted the opening session for Walmart’s International Women’s Day celebration.

Combining 30+ years in corporate America – from the sales front line to the corporate headquarters and his passion for integrated leadership strategies, Jeffery connects with leaders at all-levels of the organization to create sustainable change and impact to the bottom line. His dynamic and engaging presentations garner positive reviews from stakeholders and attendees. He is available for keynotes, workshops, conference breakout sessions, panel moderation and long-term consulting opportunities.

Twitter     LinkedIn     YouTube

 

 

 

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Serena Sacks/ 2015 WIT Women of the Year Award Winner 
Chief Information Officer | Fulton County Schools

Serena-SacksSerena Sacks has been a transformational business and Information Technology leader for more than 25 years across corporate, non-profit, and government sectors. She has gained a comprehensive perspective through a variety of executive leadership positions and C-level consulting roles, working for organizations such as IBM, Walt Disney World, Harcourt, Wyndham, Florida Virtual School, and, now, Fulton County School District in Atlanta. Ms. Sacks earned her B.A. and M.S. in an accelerated program at SUNY Stony Brook, graduating Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa and had the honor of being selected as a Presidential Management Intern. She holds certifications in Enterprise IT Governance from ISACA, Six Sigma/LEAN Process Excellence, and Professional Project Management (PMI) and has extensive training in Strategic Execution through the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative. Appreciated for her strategic vision, excellence in operational delivery, and strong relationship skills, Ms. Sacks has effectively driven top line growth, customer satisfaction, and cost savings programs – depending on the needs of the organization.

Twitter     LinkedIn     

 

 

 

Sandy Welfare / WIT

sandy welfare

Sandy D. Welfare is the Executive Director of Women In Technology (WIT). Prior to that, she was the Executive Director of Cool Girls Inc, an award-winning early intervention after-school program dedicated to the empowerment of girls (2009-2015).

Sandy’s career began in 1989 in Greenwich, Connecticut where she joined Rand Insurance as the Controller. Six years later, she accepted a position with Lucent Technologies, an international telecommunications leader, holding a number of positions including serving as Accounting and Treasury Manager in Singapore (1999-2000) and then as Senior Manager in Australia and New Zealand (2000-2002). Sandy returned to Atlanta in 2002 as Senior Manager of Global Financial Services.

In 2003, Sandy accepted a position as Director of Operations for Xchanging, a business processing outsourcing company. In 2006, her career took her to London, England as Managing Director for professional services, where she managed global business processing services for bank financial transactions, insurance and retail.

Sandy received her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in New York, and a Master of Business Administration from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She serves on the board of several non-profits, including Kiwanis Club of Atlanta. Sandy resides in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Cliff and son, Soloman.

Twitter     Twitter(Sandy)      LinkedIn

 

 

WIT Women of the Year Awards 2015

WIT Women of the Year Awards 2015

 

WIT Atlanta Features James Dallas on Atlanta Technology Leaders Special Episode

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James Dallas is The 2015 Georgia CIO Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient 

with

WIT Executive Director Sandy Welfare

 

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Sandy Welfare and James Dallas

H-James-DallasH. James Dallas/Author Management Consultant

 Mr. Dallas is an accomplished senior executive with extensive experience as an agent of change in large domestic and international corporate settings. He has successfully implemented over 10 transformational and turnaround initiatives, 15 acquisition integrations, and 5 operations/quality shared services centers of excellence. Mr. Dallas has over 30 years’ experience in General Management/business operations roles as well as Chief Information Officer positions. He recently retired in September 2013 as Senior Vice President of Quality, Operations and IT at Medtronic, Inc., a global medical technology company that employs approximately 45,000 people and does business in more than 120 countries. Mr. Dallas also served as a member of Medtronic’s executive management team. Prior to joining Medtronic in 2006, Mr. Dallas was Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Georgia-Pacific Corporation, a global forest products company that employed over 55,000 people. In his 22 years at Georgia Pacific, Mr. Dallas held a series of progressively more responsible information technology and operating roles. He also served as a member of Georgia Pacific’s executive management team. The majority of Mr. Dallas’s career has been focused on bridging the gap between strategy and execution, using IT for competitive advantage, and leadership development. Mr. Dallas serves on the boards of for-profit and non-profit organizations. He has been named one of the most powerful black men in corporate America several times in his career by Black Enterprise and Savoy magazines. Mr. Dallas is a native of Atlanta, GA. He and his wife Celest have been married for 33 years and have three daughters.

James Dallas & Associates      Mastering The Challenges of Leading Change the Book     Twitter

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sandy welfareSandy Welfare / WIT
Executive Director

Sandy D. Welfare was recently appointed as the Interim Executive Director for Women In Technology (WIT), a non-profit organization that supports women at every stage of their STEM careers, from the classroom to the boardroom. Prior to joining WIT, she was the Executive Director of Cool Girls Inc, an award-winning early intervention after school program dedicated to the empowerment of low-income girls.

Sandy’s career began in 1989 in Greenwich, Connecticut where she joined Rand Insurance as the operations controller. Six years later, she accepted a position with Lucent Technologies, an international telecommunications leader, holding a number of positions including from 1999-2000 serving as accounting and treasury manager in Singapore and then from 2000-2002 as senior operations manager in Australia and New Zealand. Sandy returned to Atlanta in 2002 as senior manager global financial services.

In 2003, Sandy accepted a position as director of operations for Xchanging, a business processing outsourcing company. In 2006, her career took her to London, England as managing director for professional services, where she managed global business processing services for bank financial transactions, insurance and retail. Two years later, Sandy returned to the Atlanta area and was asked to chair the Cool Girls’ Board of Directors. In 2009, Sandy was offered the Executive Director position which she accepted and led the organization until stepping down in October 2014.

Sandy received her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in New York, and a Master of Business Administration from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Sandy resides in Marietta, Georgia with her husband Cliff and son Soloman.

 

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In Studio and On The Air

Women In Technology (WIT) Special Episode

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The work of Women in Technology has an incredible impact.

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT COMMUNITY, WIT Also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Sandy Welfare, Janet Barnard, Jackie Breiter

Sandy Welfare, Janet Barnard, Jackie Breiter

 

 

 

Sandy Welfare / WIT

sandy welfareWomen in Technology (WIT) today announced the appointment of Sandy Welfare as its Interim Executive Director.  Sandy will lead WIT, the Atlanta-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women and girls in STEM careers – through a transition from an association management firm to a more independent model.

“Given Sandy’s international business and systems background, as well as her multiple years’ experience leading a non-profit, she was an excellent choice for WIT as we assimilate our operations back in-house,” said Tricia Dempsey, WIT Inc. Board President.

Prior to joining WIT, Sandy was the Executive Director of Cool Girls, Inc., an award-winning early intervention after-school program dedicated to the empowerment of low-income girls.  “Sandy has a clear passion for the empowerment of girls, a valuable contribution to our continued growth,” added Denise Reese, WIT Foundation Board President.

Sandy’s career began in 1989 in Greenwich, Connecticut where she joined Rand Insurance as the operations controller.  Six years later, she accepted a position with Lucent Technologies, an international telecommunications leader, holding a number of positions from 1994-2000, including serving as accounting and treasury manager in Singapore and then as senior operations manager in Australia and New Zealand. Sandy returned to Atlanta in 2002 as senior manager of global financial services.

In 2003, Sandy accepted a position as director of operations for Xchanging, a business processing outsourcing company. In 2006, her career took her to London, England, as managing director for professional services, where she managed global business processing services for bank financial transactions, insurance and retail.  Two years later, Sandy returned to the Atlanta area and was asked to chair the Cool Girls’ Board of Directors. In 2009, Sandy was offered the Executive Director position, which she accepted and led the organization until stepping down in October 2014.

Sandy received her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in New York, and a Master of Business Administration from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

Welfare will be based at the new WIT Executive Offices, effective December 2014.

 

Janet Barnard/Manheim North America Cox Automotive
President

headshot-janet_barnard

Janet Barnard is president of Manheim North America. In this role, she acts as a member of Cox Automotive’s leadership team and directs several groups at Manheim engaged in transforming the company’s core auction business with its 79 operating locations into one that incorporates an expanding digital and mobile strategy. Groups that report to Barnard include Sales, Inventory Services and Customer Experience. Barnard most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Manheim. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.

Prior to joining Manheim, Barnard served as senior vice president and general manager for Cox Communications’ (CCI) Central Region. Her responsibilities included growing the $1.2 billion region’s voice, data and video services across its residential and commercial base of more than 700,000 customers. Prior to that role, Barnard was senior vice president and general manager for other Cox Communications regional business areas including Northern Virginia, Middle America and Omaha.

Recognized by Women in Technology (WIT) as one of Georgia’s top women leaders, she was the winner of the 2014 Woman of the Year in Technology Award in the Large/Enterprise Organization category. In 2010, Barnard was named as a Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Fellow, which honors the most successful female leaders in the cable and telecommunications industry. She was also selected by CableFAX as a Top 25 Regional Player and as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Cable.

Barnard gives back to her community by representing Cox Enterprises on the Board of Governors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and through her role as the Executive Sponsor for Cox Automotive’s Go Green Council which implements best practices designed to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. In addition, she supports and participates in the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America (KPCRAA) to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction and other charities supporting chronically ill children.

She resides in Atlanta with her husband Bryan, and has two children and three grandchildren. She enjoys golf, travel and motorcycling.

 

 

Jackie Breiter/Emory Goizueta Business School
COO and CIO

Jackie BreiterJackie Breiter drives the strategic direction and management for all aspects of technology relating to teaching, faculty research, students,
and administration for the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She is a recognized leader that combines technological knowledge with strong strategy and communication skills. Her particular expertise is in aligning organizational objectives with real-world solutions and a “get it done” approach.

Prior to joining Goizueta, Jackie built and led teams in various industries including telecommunications, software, and health care. Jackie served for nearly four years as vice president of global customer success for CA Technologies, an IT management software and solutions company. At CA she led a global team responsible for increasing customer loyalty among the firm’s top CIO clients. She previously served for nearly three years as vice president of technical services at PharMerica Inc., where she was responsible for setting the technical vision and managing the operations of PharMerica’s IT services. Jackie started her career at AT&T, where she worked for 12 years in logistics management and automation, as well as in almost every functional area within IT. It was at AT&T where she built the foundation for her leadership and technology expertise.

 

 

 

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Special Edition: Women in Technology (WIT)

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Sandy Welfare / WIT Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT Foundation, WIT also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Fela Strickland-Smith and Dara Solomon / Satori Interactive, LLC Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Fela Strickland-Smith is CEO and Managing Partner at Satori Interactive, LLC. where she is responsible for Satori’s day-to-day operations, as well as overseeing the company’s customer operations, marketing and strategic partnerships. Fela cofounded Satori Consulting, Inc with Dara Solomon in 2004 which was rebranded to Satori Interactive in 2012. Under her leadership Satori Interactive has dramatically scaled its infrastructure and diversified its product offerings while maintaining a strong culture of innovation.

From 2008 – 2012 Fela also served as an adjunct professor at the Art Institute of Atlanta’s department of Web Design and Interactive Media Design. She taught an introductory course in “Information Architecture” to Interactive Media Design students preparing for professional careers in interaction design, communication design, and web design.

Prior joining Satori Interactive, Fela held leadership roles across program/ project management, product development, IT services and User Experience strategy and research within leading fortune 500 corporations.

Fela earned her Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Math and Computer Science from Virginia Union University. Originally from the Northeast, Fela resides in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

Dara Solomon is the COO and Managing Partner at Satori Interactive, LLC. In this role, Dara drives the User Experience Research, Strategy and Design direction for Satori Interactive. With over 15 years of experience in User Experience research and information architecture Dara is the leads the organization in delivering user-focused solutions through extensive research and knowledge in human factors, information architecture, market research, usability and design.

Dara has a demonstrated track record for implementing engaging solutions for Web sites, Web applications, mobile applications, and BI dashboard designs for both small and large companies in various industries.

She is a strong team builder and mentor who is skillful in managing and motivating employees to delivering innovative, insightful and high quality interactive user experiences. Dara has shared her experience with aspiring user research professional by teaching. Dara was a faculty member at The Art Institute of Atlanta (AiA) for 9 years, where she taught Introduction to HTML, Project Management, Information Architecture, Internet Marketing (includes Social Media and Search Engine Optimization) and a Usability course.

Dara holds a both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering with a concentration in Human Factors from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. In addition to these degrees, she has also earned the Professional Researchers Certification (PRC) with Market Research Associates. Dara’s byline has appeared in numerous conference proceedings as well as journals.

 

 

WIT Special Episode

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Sandy Welfare / WIT Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT Foundation, WIT also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Robert Poole / Emory Continuing Education

Valarie Mackey / The Coca-Cola Company

Valarie W. Mackey, IT Global Performance Leader, The Coca-Cola Company is a Director level professional with 15+ years’ experience focused on strategic planning and execution. She effectively leads and manages global team members and is committed to ensuring employees are well-rounded professionals and enjoy their career growth. At The Coca-Cola Company she has responsibility for creating and executing strategies to improve Information Technology, employee and organizational performance. She brings leadership, educational, and career development opportunities to the organization and makes employees aware of external development opportunities. Valarie has overarching accountability for technology solutions for the business functions of Human Resources, Public Affairs, Sustainability, and Facilities. She is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with STEM organizations and educational institutions to promote community outreach and enhance the talent pipeline of the Coca-Cola IT organization. Employee Engagement and Communication also falls under her responsibility. Prior to The Coca-Cola Company, Valarie was a consultant for Ernst & Young. Valarie serves as a Board member and is an advocate for several nonprofit organizations. She holds an Industrial Engineering Degree from North Carolina A&T State University.

 

 

 

Spotlight on WIT

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Sandy Welfare / WIT Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT Foundation, WIT also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Jaclyn Conner / Emory University Goizueta Business School

Jaclyn Conner, Ed.D. is the lead, Instructional Designer in the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Throughout her career, she has managed the curriculum development process for in-person and online programs at top-tiered business schools, medical schools and with Fortune 500 companies such as IBM. Jaclyn received her education from Spelman College, Georgia Institute of Technology, and earned her Doctorate of Education at the University of Southern California. Jaclyn joined WIT after being exposed to one of WIT’s exciting FORUMS. Given Jaclyn’s background in curriculum design, it was a natural fit to volunteer for the WIT CAREERS program partnering with Emory University’s Continuing Education. Jaclyn was delighted to volunteer her time to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of WIT members.

Kanisha Dennis / Emory Continuing Education Facebook

Kanisha Dennis joined Emory Continuing Education in November 2014, bringing with her a solid background in marketing and business operations.

In her current role as the Program Coordinator for Corporate Learning and Business Development, Kanisha serves as a partner to corporate clients by managing client relations and coordinating the logistics of multiple training projects through to completion.

Kanisha earned her Master of Science Degree in Advertising from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

 

Spotlight on WIT

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Sandy Welfare / WIT Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT Foundation, WIT also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Cherie Fuzzell and Tina Dyer/Parkmobile USA FacebookTwitter

Parkmobile is the leading global provider of seamlessly integrated end-to-end solutions for mobile payments, parking guidance using business analytics and parking. Its offerings include mobile payments for on and off-street parking, digital parking permits, real-time enforcement and a seamless transit experience. Their services are used in 500 cities around the world by millions of registered users. Parkmobile USA was founded in Atlanta, Georgia and its call center, engineering team and corporate headquarters are located in the U.S. Parkmobile’s investors include BCD Holdings and Fontinalis Partners. With annual global revenues of $22.8 billion, BCD Holdings is an international market leader in the corporate and online travel, and off-airport and mobile parking industry. Fontinalis Partners invests in and partners with innovative technology companies that modernize and improve transportation. Fontinalis is led by Bill Ford, a lifelong environmentalist and the executive chairman of Ford Motor Company.

Cherie Fuzzell has over 17 years of executive experience in the payments and healthcare industries as well as 7 years of mergers & acquisitions experience with the international law firm Jones Day. Cherie was most recently President and CEO of FirstView and has held senior positions with USBancorp, NOVA Information Systems, Inc. (now Elavon) and Magellan Health Services. Cherie earned a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama and a juris doctorate from the Vanderbilt University School of Law where she served as Associate Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. She is a member of the Bar Associations of the States of Texas, Ohio and Georgia.

 

 

Special Edition: Women in Technology (WIT)

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Denise Reese / Endava Linkedin Twitter Facebook

Denise Reese is Director, Business Development with Endava, Inc., 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 sales and operations for Endava’s newest US office in Atlanta, GA.

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.

Ben Hendrick / Dell Services Linkedin Twitter Facebook

As Managing Director of the Consulting & Systems Integration team, reporting to Dell Services – Vice President – Joe Schoenbaechler, my new responsibilities will include the following:

Enterprise Systems & Networking (ES&N) / Service Lines: 1) Networking & Advance Networking Services 2) Microsoft Infrastructure & End-User Services 3) Security & Advance Security Services 4) Telephony & Wireless Services 5) Platform Management Services 6) Global Principal Architects

Delivery Managers, Technical Consultants, and Principal Architects on the ES&N team / Service Lines are deployed globally in the United States (on-shore), Mexico, (near-shore) Romania, and India. (off-shore)

Within Dell Services – C&SI, we focus on retention customers (farming) by doing repeat business (LAND & EXPAND) through Field Identified Opportunities (FIO). We engage and assist in pre-Sales with Principal Consultants, Client Executives, Application Sales Executives, Systems Consultants, and Global Account Managers. We also assist in winning new business with acquisition accounts (hunting) that are a part of the Global 1,500 named account list. In addition, my team is tasked to define new business solutions and to deliver these solutions to our customers while working the various Sales teams.