David Behen
Deputy Administrator and Chief Information Officer
Washtenaw County, Michigan
David Behen is Deputy Administrator and Chief Information Officer for Washtenaw County, Michigan. Under his leadership in a number of key roles in the organization, Washtenaw County has been named twice to the prestigious CIO 100 list of the top 100 IT programs by CIO Magazine, and three times as one of the nation's Top Ten Digital Counties by the Center for Digital Government with the National Association of Counties (NACo).
In his seven years and three directorships with the County, Mr. Behen has been the consistent champion of the organization's drive towards reliable and accessible information, and fully integrated support for 1300-plus employees. An important legacy for the County will be Mr. Behen's development of a knowledge management strategy that underpins internal communication and planning. Employee Central, the County's 24/7 intranet, the Help Desk and wide ranging Liaison staff have all resulted from Mr. Behen's insistence on data driven decision making and quick, easy and accurate knowledge sharing throughout the County's 30-plus departments.
Dominating Mr. Behen's community leadership has been his role at the forefront of the Wireless Washtenaw initiative. (wireless.ewashtenaw.org) This nationally recognized breakthrough initiative has brought local public and private sectors together as never before to provide Washtenaw County with free or very low-cost access to the Internet - regardless of location or economic status. The project is on track to blanket all 720 square miles of the County with wireless access in 2008.
In 2007, Mr. Behen was named to influential Crain's Detroit Business "40 Under 40" list for outstanding professional achievement before the age of forty. Mr. Behen is the Vice-chair of the Telecommunications and Information Technology Council for Public Technology Institute (PTI), the national non-profit technology research and development organization based in Washington, DC. He is presently serving on the Governing Board for the Regional Leadership Forum for the Society for Information Management (SIM). He was named on of the region's "Top 50 Digital Innovators", by The Great Lakes IT Report and WWJ Radio. Prior to his work with Washtenaw County, Mr. Behen was City Manager of Mattawan, Michigan. He lives in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, with his wife Rosalie, and three children: Isabel, Joshua and Olivia.
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Phil Bertolini
Deputy County Executive and Chief Information Officer
Oakland County, Michigan
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson appointed Phil Bertolini as Deputy County Executive/CIO for Oakland County, in January 2005. He is currently leading the Wireless Oakland initiative that will provide free wireless broadband to all residents, businesses and visitors in Oakland County. Phil is also responsible for the Business Continuity Recovery project for all departments and divisions of County government. In his previous position as Director of Information Technology, Phil was responsible for overseeing the technology strategic planning, development and services provided to all of County government and the 62 local cities, villages and townships. He began his career with Oakland County in 1988 with the Equalization Division. Phil was named Director of Automation Alley's ConnecTech Network in 2002 where his responsibilities include; development of new chapters, nurturing of existing chapters and the oversight of the network-wide events. Currently, there are eight chapters statewide.
Phil is currently a member of the Harvard Policy Group and a Steering Committee Member of the eGovernment Compass Project of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He participates in many technology collaborative efforts with various governmental entities trying to promote enterprise solutions and the integration of government services. These initiatives are cross-boundary in nature with involvement at all levels of government. Leveraging technology dollars across many entities is a core responsibility of his position.
The Oakland County Department of Information Technology was named as one of the "Top 100 Agile Enterprises" by CIO Magazine in 2004 and again recognized in the "Top 100" in 2006. Also in 2004, Phil was honored as the CIO of the Year by Automation Alley. In 2007 he was honored as one of the "Top 25, Doers, Dreamers and Drivers" by Government Technology Magazine along with L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive. Oakland County was recognized as a top-ten county in the nation in the 2007 Digital Counties Survey conducted by the Center for Digital Government. Oakland County also placed second in the 2007 Best of the Web County Portal Category by the Center for Digital Government.
Phil received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. He resides in Oakland County with his wife and two children.
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Mike Brennan
Editor and Publisher
MITechNews.com
Mike Brennan is founder of Michigan News Network, and serves as Editor & Publisher of Mitechnews.Com. Brennan has worked since 1980 as a technology writer at newspapers in New York City, San Jose, CA., Seattle, WA., Memphis, TN., and Detroit. He co founded and served as managing editor of Pacific Rim News Service, which developed a network of more than 100 freelance journalists in 17 Asia-Pacific countries.
Brennan earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and was the 1992-93 Knight Fellow in Economic Journalism at the University of Michigan.
Brennan launched Mitechnews.Com in April 2000. Video and audio webcasting capabilities were added in 2001, a statewide radio show and eNewsletters were added in 2003. In January 2007, audio podcasts were added, followed by video podcasts in September 2007.
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Timothy Cox
Chief Information Officer
OnStar
Timothy Cox is the Chief Information Officer for GM OnStar, responsible for IT systems which deliver safety, navigation, telephony, vehicle diagnostics and other value-add services to OnStar subscribers.
Prior to OnStar, Mr. Cox served as the Regional Process Information Officer for GM North American Product Development. There he was responsible for information systems across Vehicle Engineering, Research & Development, Design Centers and Proving Grounds - including CAD/CAM, engineering simulation, testing, and product specification systems.
Earlier, Mr. Cox was Director of Vehicle Integration and Design IT where he was responsible for the deployment and support of all math-based tools (Unigraphics CAD/CAM, advanced visualization, and Product Lifecycle Management systems) in the North America Vehicle organization. He also held the position of Director for Global Systems Integration where he led the global software development factory for GM's Product Development organization.
Mr. Cox joined GM in 1999 from IBM where he served in various information technology consulting and systems engineering roles, primarily within the automotive industry.
Tim Cox has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
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John Crary
Chief Information Officer
Lear Corporation
John Crary was named vice president of Information Technology for Lear Corporation in January 1996, when he joined Lear, and is responsible for all information technology functions within Lear worldwide including electronic commerce, business computing, product lifecycle management, network operations, data management, information security and desktop services.
Before joining Lear, he was CIO for AlliedSignal Automotive in Southfield, Michigan. He also served as the CIO of ITT Automotive and as the Director of Business Systems Management at ITT Corporation in New York.
Crary earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, N.J. Crary is a member of SIM (Society for Information Management), a member of ISEF (Information Systems Executive Forum) at the University of Michigan and serves as a member of the Board of Visitors in The School of Business at Oakland University.
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Terry Cross
Founder
Windward Associates
After graduating from Wayne State University in 1964 with an MBA in Finance, Terry began his career with an 8-year stint in the machine tool industry. In 1968 he founded CP Systems Company and sold it in 1972 to a NYSE listed company for more than $10.0 million.
From 1972 until 1998, Terry worked for Kidder, Peabody and its successor, PaineWebber Inc. first as a stockbroker and then in the investment banking area focusing on business generation. During his tenure, he worked in Detroit, New York City and for the last nine years in San Francisco covering companies and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. In 1998 he left Paine Webber and co-founded Sonoma Photonics where he led an $11.0 million venture financing and successful launch of the company. He served as Chairman and CEO until returning to Michigan in 2002.
Terry has served as director of 12 companies as well as Chairman of 3 companies. Over forty years he has invested 44 venture deals including the following that became publicly traded: Novell, DSC Communications, Napster, Pay Pal, Inkotomi, Warehouse Club and he was a first round investor in Google. Terry also served for three years on the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity at MIT and helped launch three companies from MIT's Tech Transfer Department. He currently serves as Board Chairman of Green Daisy, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan and is a Director of Monarch Antenna, a Delphi Corporation spinout.
Since returning to Michigan, he founded Windward Associates to assist young companies in connecting and growing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Michigan. Terry serves on the board of directors for Great Lakes Angels and The Entrepreneurial Initiative of Southeast Michigan, and Board of Visitors of Wayne State's Business School where he was named Outstanding Alumni for 2005 and Executive in Residence for Entrepreneurship.
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Jamal Farhat
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
BorgWarner
Jamal Farhat is the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at BorgWarner responsible for the strategy and execution of information technology for the company.
Prior to BorgWarner, Jamal was the CIO and Executive Director of Supply Chain Management at LDM Technologies. His background includes senior IT management positions in the automotive industry including OEMs such as General Motors, and many medium to large size tier one suppliers. His experience includes eleven years of information technology consulting at EDS and Perot Systems.
Jamal holds a Bachelor & Masters of Science degree in electrical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Jamal also holds Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is also certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).
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Susan Harwood
Chief Information Officer
Borders
Susan Harwood joined Borders Group, Inc. as chief information officer in August 2007, bringing with her a 23-year track record of successfully combining technology and business knowledge to deliver information technology solutions that meet corporate goals and provide positive bottom-line results.
At Borders, Harwood is responsible for the overall vision, strategic direction and tactical delivery of all information technology systems and solutions to support the company's business operations, which include more than 1,100 stores worldwide as well as distribution facilities and the company's corporate headquarters. She spearheads all information technology initiatives, including merchandising and warehouse management systems, and is responsible for the company's technology infrastructure and for driving emerging technologies. In addition, Harwood plays a key role in leading technology supporting the ongoing development of Borders.com, the proprietary e-commerce site the company will launch in the first quarter of 2008.
A significant part of Harwood's career has been dedicated to the specialty retail industry. Prior to joining Borders, she served as vice president of information technology at Books a Million, Inc. since 2001, where she led all information technology operations for the 200-store retail chain and its subsidiaries. From 1995 through 2001, she was with Crown Books, a national discount retail chain, where she began as an independent consultant and advanced through a series of information technology management positions including director of systems planning, director of corporate systems, and vice president of information technology and chief information officer, a post she held from 1998 through 2001. She can count among her many successes achieving a complete information technology turn-around at both companies.
In 2007 Harwood became a member of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Board. The BISG Board is made up of publishers, libraries, authors, printers, wholesalers, etc who come together to address issues and concerns to improve and advance the book community.
In addition to her impressive work credentials, Harwood holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and computer science from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
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Tom Hathaway
Attorney
Clark Hill PLC
Nationally known as a premier lawyer displaying "superb skills and an excellent trial demeanor" ("Chambers USA: Leading Lawyers for Business") Thomas M.J. Hathaway is Member in Clark Hill's Labor & Employment Practice Group where he specializes in representing public and private sector management and executives in labor and business litigation, including employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, trade secret and non-compete matters and counseling on business and personnel matters. Prior to joining Clark Hill, Mr. Hathaway was a founding partner and President of Brady Hathaway Brady & Bretz, P.C. Mr. Hathaway has over 30 years experience drafting policies and contracts, advising and defending employers in a wide range of employment, corporate, business and admiralty litigation before state and federal trial and appellate courts and before numerous administrative tribunals, as well as advising clients on traditional labor matters, collective bargaining negotiations and interest arbitrations.
Mr. Hathaway's experience includes trials, litigation, appeals and counseling under various state and federal civil rights statutes, the FMLA, the FLSA, the PERA, the WARN, the Michigan Sales Representatives Commissions Act, various Whistleblower, Constitutional, tort, breach of contract, Wage and Hour, trade secret, confidentiality and non-compete agreement claims. Mr. Hathaway has successfully represented employers, school districts, municipalities and businesses before the U.S. and Michigan Supreme Court, various state and federal trial and appellate courts around the U.S., including Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado, as well as federal and state administrative agencies, including the EEOC, the NLRB, the MERC, the MESC and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
In addition to his litigation and client counseling experience, Mr. Hathaway has been selected as the sole Arbitrator of employment and business litigation, as a Defense Arbitrator and Mediator in Panel Arbitration/Mediation and as a Facilitator for Alternate Dispute Resolution facilitation. Mr. Hathaway has served as the Chair of the Michigan State Bar Character and Fitness Committee, Wayne District, since 2004.
Mr. Hathaway is a 1969 Bachelor of Arts graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and a 1972 graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law. After receiving his law degree, he practiced at and became a partner with the Detroit firm of Riley and Roumell, P.C. before co-founding Brady Hathaway, P.C. in 1989.
Affiliations
Mr. Hathaway is active in the following professional affiliations:
Charter member of the American Employment Lawyers Council (1993-Present); An active member of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association (President, 1994-95), (Labor and Employment Law Section); American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section (Member and past Program Chair, EEO Subcommittee) and Litigation Section; State Bar of Michigan (Labor and Employment Law Section, Alternate Dispute Resolution Section) Macomb County Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section). Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. In addition to his professional affiliations, he is active in charitable and non-profit activities. He is a longtime benefactor of Life Directions, www.lifedirections.org/locationsBoard.html, a national organization founded in Detroit in 1973 to motivate and work with at-risk youth and young adults, ages 13 to 30. He has served as Chair and as a board member of the Detroit location and currently serves as national Board Chair.
Seminars Taught
Mr. Hathaway lectures and speaks on various employment law, litigation and ethical issues with many groups including, the American Bar Association, the ABA EEO Committee, the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section, the Michigan State Bar, the Michigan State Bar's Labor and Employment Law Section, the Detroit Metropolitan Bar, the Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), the Council on Education in Management, the Michigan Public Employer Labor Relations Association (MPELRA) and the Edison Institute. In addition, Mr. Hathaway has addressed various organizations and trade groups on anti-harassment, and employment discrimination matters, including preventative measures.
Law Articles
Mr. Hathaway is a contributor to Employment Discrimination Law, Schlei and Grossman, second edition, 1983 supplement and the third edition, 1997. He has also authored articles and outlines examining, among other topics, age discrimination, religious discrimination, layoffs, damages recoverable in employment litigation, breach of contract claims and defending employment discrimination claims.
Honors
Mr. Hathaway is "AV" rated, the highest rating available by Martindale-Hubbell Law Firm Directory.Chambers USA : America's Leading Lawyers for Business lists Mr. Hathaway as one of the top 20 Management employment lawyers in Michigan. Mr. Hathaway is recognized in "Best Lawyers in America" Mr. Hathaway was named as one "The Michigan Super Lawyers" by the Detroit News and the New York TimesWho's Who Legal: Management Labor & Employment has also recognized Mr. Hathaway for his professional achievement in management labor and employment law in Michigan.
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Sam Kahan
Senior Economist
Federal Reserve Bank Chicago, Illinois
Samuel D. Kahan is currently Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Detroit Branch. Keeping tabs on developments in the local economy is the primary focus of attention.
Prior to joining the Federal Reserve System, Sam was president of A.S.K. Financial Research, Ltd. The company, based in Chicago, was organized to provide micro and macro-economic consultancy to business, financial institutions, and governments, particularly in the fields of economic analysis and financial markets. Sam produced the ASK Weekly Business Barometer.
Before establishing A.S.K. Financial Research, Ltd., Sam was Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at Fuji Securities Inc., a primary dealer in U.S. government securities, and the subsidiary of Fuji Bank. Fuji Securities, Inc. had been purchased from Kleinwort Benson, one of London's premier merchant bankers.
Prior to joining Fuji Securities Inc. in 1985, Mr. Kahan was Vice President and Director of Financial Futures for Heinold Commodities, Inc. From 1976-1981, Sam was money market economist for Citibank's Money Market Division.
Sam received his undergraduate degree in economics from Yeshiva University and his graduate degrees in economics from Columbia University.
Sam has been widely quoted in the world's media including CNN, Reuters, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He has been a frequent presenter at international conferences and roundtable discussions on economic and policy issues. Sam is a member of the usual professional organizations of economists.
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Heidi Maher, Esq.
Solutions Consultant eDiscovery and Compliance
EMC Corporation
Heidi Maher is a Solutions Consultant in EMC's Global Compliance Solutions Practice where she leverages her legal experience along with EMC's unique technology, to help organizations address challenges related to e-discovery, compliance, and records management.
By serving as a liaison between legal, IT and other key business units, Ms. Maher helps organizations implement internal procedures and technology solutions that minimize the risk and expense associated with compliance and e-Discovery. She has drafted discovery readiness plans for multinationals and advised corporations and law firms on privacy laws and best practices for international data transfers. Ms. Maher has conducted numerous CLE courses, webinars, workshops, industry conference presentations as well authored articles on eDiscovery and Compliance in publications such as Digital Discovery & Electronic Evidence. She is a member of Working Groups 1 and 6 of The Sedona Conference, a well known eDiscovery think tank, and was a project leader for the Electronic Discovery Model (EDRM).
Prior to joining EMC, Ms. Maher gained extensive litigation and technology experience as a Legal Consultant with RenewData Corp. where she helped educate lawyers and litigation professionals in corporations and law firms about technology and its role in litigation. Prior to that, she was a felony prosecutor, Assistant State Attorney General and an attorney in private practice working on complex multi-million dollar class action and mass tort litigation at the largest law firm in Austin, Texas.
Ms. Maher received her J.D. from Baylor School of Law and her B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin. She is licensed to practice law in the Eastern and Western District Courts of Texas as well the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Daniel Granholm Mulhern
First Gentleman
State of Michigan
When Jennifer M. Granholm became Michigan's 47th Governor in 2002, her husband Daniel G. Mulhern put aside his business and quickly became one of the hardest working volunteers in the State of Michigan. As Michigan's first "First Gentleman," Mulhern is champion for the cause of volunteerism and community service, chairing the Michigan Community Service Commission. He is an accomplished leadership coach and organizational development expert and is using those skills to guide the Office of Great Workplace Development, whose aim is to make the State government a "great place to do great work." He has similarly taken on a large role in promoting the practices of Michigan's companies recognized as "great companies to work for" and he serves as Honorary Vice-Chair of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness.
Mulhern is a tireless advocate for kids. He is a very active parent, supporting his daughters in a variety of sports activities and coaching his son's basketball team. In addition to caring for their own three children, the Governor and First Gentleman have undertaken an enormous effort called Mentor Michigan that works to ensure that all of Michigan's children have the same opportunity to be influenced and taught by a caring adult.
The First Gentleman is a prolific public speaker and has recently published a book called, Everyday Leadership: Getting Results in Business, Politics, and Life. This book illuminates leadership lessons that help everyday people lead better every day. He shares his personal experiences as he writes about real people as leaders. In his stories, Mulhern explores and discusses both successful strategies and various misconceptions he's observed in leadership practice, and offers his thoughts and ideas on how to negotiate the various challenges leadership can present. He also writes and publishes a weekly e-column called "Reading for Leading" that stimulates the thought and development of leaders around the country.
Dan and Governor Granholm reside in Lansing, Michigan with their children Kate, Cece, Jack and their dog, Mackinac.
Fast Facts
- Born: January 3, 1958 in Detroit. Dan is one of seven children.
- Education: University of Detroit Jesuit High School; Yale UniversityÑDegree in Religious Studies in 1980; Harvard UniversityÑLaw Degree in 1986.
- Favorite Pastime: Winning pick-up basketball games with his daughters, preferably against over-confident teenage boys.
- Working On: Building Great Workplaces in the State of Michigan, increasing the number of male mentors, continuing to write and speak on leadership issues using his own unique and personal experiences.
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Cherri Musser
Chief Information Officer
EDS
Cherri Musser is vice president and chief information officer (CIO) for EDS. She reports to Charlie Feld, senior executive vice president of Applications Services.
As CIO, Musser is responsible for EDS' global infrastructure and internal systems including information technology (IT) strategy and planning, implementation, and service level agreements supporting the EDS enterprise. This includes the further build-out and execution of EDS' own application modernization strategy through the deployment of the company's multi-year IT investment plan.
Previously, Musser served as group vice president and CIO for GMAC Financial Services. In that role, she led integrated IT transformation efforts. Earlier in her GM career, Musser served as the process information officer of Supply Chain, OnStar and Business Services.
She joined GM after 20 years with Texas Instruments (TI), where she held various leadership positions including vice president of worldwide research and development in TI's Software Division.
Musser is an executive committee member and past president of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT). She has been recognized as one of the 100 leading women in the North American auto industry by Automotive News and as one of the 25 most influential people in the supply chain industry by Supply Chain Technology News. Musser has also been recognized as one of the "Top Michigan Women in Computing" by The Association of Women in Computing. She received the 2007 2CMichigan Corporate Commitment Award honoring individuals participating in area relations, organizations and philanthropic activities that impact the Michigan community.
Cherri Musser earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Mississippi State
University and an M.B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University.
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Bob Paul
President and Chief Operating Officer
Compuware Corporation
Bob Paul is a business leader with a proven knack for getting-and keeping-companies focused on what they do best for their customers. As President and COO of Compuware, Paul puts these capabilities to use as leader of the company's worldwide products and services operations, the organization's transformational Compuware 2.0 initiative and a number of other key functions, such as product management, marketing and communications, technical sales support, and recruiting, training and career development.
Before this position, Paul served as President and COO of Compuware Covisint and was instrumental in helping to facilitate Compuware's acquisition of Covisint in 2004. Prior to his Covisint days, Bob's experiences include being the President of SYNAPZ, a provider of web-based supply chain management procurement applications for the auto industry. Bob was also President and COO of Coherent Networks, Incorporated (CNI).
His position at CNI gave Bob the opportunity to experience the second of three turnarounds in which he has played a leading role. By guiding the company to focus on what its customers valued, and by applying technology and services to solve those problems, Bob and his team were able to take out 36 percent of the company's operating costs in his first nine months at the company and attain 72 percent of annual revenues by the end of the first full quarter of the subsequent year.
Bob's influence at Covisint was even more significant. Coming in as a Vice President of Sales and Marketing in October 2001, Bob learned that the company was competing in too many application spaces and did not have the resources to succeed in all of them effectively. Bob was key player on the team responsible for focusing the company on the things it was competitively qualified to do...areas that would also provide sustainable revenue. With Bob's help, Covisint grew its registered user base to almost 100,000 in the first year of the turnaround, nearly quadrupling it. During this same timeframe, Covisint's results featured a 56 percent operating cost reduction, while the company maintained top-line revenue objectives.
Advancing to CEO and President of Covisint, Bob's next challenge was to manage the acquisition of his company. Part of the turnaround for Covisint was the realization that Covisint customers often require substantial development and operational support when implementing services. With an extended services organization, Covisint could provide even greater value to its customer base.
So Bob and his team went shopping for a large company with experience doing major IT-based projects. A headquarters in Detroit would be a strong plus. And above all, the purchasing company had to be a place where high-performance people were welcomed and respected. Compuware had its offer on the table within seven days. On March 1, 2004 the acquisition was completed.
In addition to his dedication to Compuware, Bob is an active industry citizen. He speaks on IT topics at business schools and industry events all over the world. He also authors supply chain management articles for business publications.
Beyond corporate walls, Bob has always been a serious sports enthusiast. He attended Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan on a soccer scholarship and earned recognition as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American in the sport. Bob continues to play soccer, and has coached several teams, including the Olympic Development Team for Michigan soccer. Currently, he coaches his son's under-seven team on weekends. Bob is also a golfer and former University of Michigan club rugby player. In support of his golf habit, Bob served as President of Walnut Creek Country Club.
Born and raised in England until he was 12, Bob now lives in Northville, Michigan with his wife, four kids, and two dogs – a treasured Bernese mountain dog and an equally beloved mutt. When not working or coaching, Bob can usually be found cheering on his kids at one of their many extracurricular performances and sporting events.
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Tom Peck
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
MGM Mirage
Tom joined MGM MIRAGE in March 2006 where he leads MGM MIRAGE's corporate information technology (IT) group. He has operational and strategic responsibilities for all technology supporting the company's 70,000 employees across 17 global mega-resorts and numerous other investments. MGM MIRAGE features well-known brands such as the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Paradise in China, and numerous others. As CIO, he is responsible for aligning and executing initiatives that drive growth and innovation, cost-out and competitive advantage. These initiatives cross hotel, casino and banking, food and beverage, retail, supply chain, corporate and entertainment. A high-energy, results-oriented leader, Tom has nearly 20 years of experience in information technology, financial management and Six Sigma.
Prior to MGM MIRAGE, Tom spent eight years with the General Electric (GE) Company. He joined GE in 1998 as an internal IT consultant (Six Sigma Black Belt) at GE Client Business Services, Inc in Fort Myers, FL in support of GE's shared services organization. Tom later served in various technology management roles supporting a multitude of functions including IT Quality, Strategic Sourcing, Latin American Systems, Sales and Marketing, Mergers and Acquisitions, ge.com, Corporate Initiatives Group and much more.
Most recently Tom served as EVP and Chief Information Officer for NBC Universal's global entertainment business units - Television, Universal Pictures, Home Video, Studio Operations and Theme Parks and Resorts. While at NBC, he led the IT integration of NBC's $14B acquisition of Vivendi Universal Entertainment. He also served as NBC Universal's Corporate Quality Leader where Six Sigma, Lean and Kaizen methodologies were used to drive process optimization; organic growth and sales automation; consumer centricity; corporate governance; and operational excellence.
Tom began his career as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He served in various capacities including financial systems and project management, payroll, accounts payable, accounting, and process improvement. He was Deputy CFO at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and has also served in the Marine Corps CFO's office at the Pentagon.
Tom earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD and has a Master of Science Degree in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt and has graduated from several of GE's executive training programs. Tom and his wife Julie live in Las Vegas and have three children, Victoria, Brandon and Jason. Tom enjoys team sports, sailing, mountain biking, tennis and golf.
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Matt Roush
Technology Editor
Great Lakes IT Report
Matt Roush joined WWJ Newsradio 950 in August 2001 to spearhead the launch of the Great Lakes IT Report, a daily IT newsletter delivered via email first thing every business morning. As Technology Editor of GLITR, Roush covers the tech world broadly, from hardware, software, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and tech education. Roush most recently was at Crain's Detroit Business, where he worked for more than 10 years. His beat included banking and finance and retailing. In 1994, while covering retailing for Crain's, he discovered a novel medium called the Internet, which retailers worried at that time was going to put every store out of business. In 1998 he started covering technology full time, including the rise and fall (and rise) of the dot-com in Detroit. Roush later was promoted to editor of CrainTech.com in October 2000 -- a job he held until joining WWJ.
Roush's journalism background is extensive. He has covered beats as varied as business, health care, local government and real estate for the Kalamazoo Gazette, the Traverse City Record-Eagle the Leelanau Enterprise in Leland and the Three Rivers Commercial. Roush, a resident of Dearborn, is active in his community and church. He has won numerous journalism awards from the Associated Press, UPI, the Association of Area Business Publications and internal awards from Crain Communications Inc. His hobbies include web surfing, cross country skiing, camping, hiking, astronomy, gardening, and building and flying model rockets. Roush is a native of Three Rivers and a 1978 graduate of Albion College.
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Tony Scott
Chief Information Officer
Microsoft
Tony Scott joined Microsoft Corp. in February 2008 as corporate vice president and chief information officer (CIO). Under Scott's leadership, Microsoft IT is responsible for security, infrastructure, messaging and business applications for all of Microsoft, including support of the product groups, the corporate business groups, and the global sales and marketing organization. Scott champions IT as a value-added business for Microsoft and works with all the company's groups to identify opportunities, structure IT solutions and deliver measurable returns to the business. Scott is also the executive sponsor for Microsoft's Operational Enterprise Risk Management efforts and supports the integration of management principles from the Quality & Business Excellence team, which drive continuous and breakthrough process improvements across the company.
Scott helps ensure that Microsoft is the "first and best customer" of its own products. In addition to maintaining a globally integrated set of enterprise IT platforms built on Microsoft technology, his team deploys prerelease versions of Microsoft products throughout the company. The direction and feedback his team provides to Microsoft developers help them enhance products before their commercial release. Scott's "first and best customer" initiatives help identify and capture new market opportunities while co-developing innovations to software plus services. Scott and his teams also share their IT expertise with customers (via IT Showcase), providing them with firsthand insights on product deployments and the value of Microsoft technologies and services.
Before joining Microsoft, Scott was the senior vice president and chief information officer for The Walt Disney Co., where he led planning, implementation and operations of Disney IT systems and infrastructure across the company. He also held the position of chief technology officer, Information Systems and Services, at General Motors Corp. (GM), where he was responsible for defining the information technology computing and telecommunications strategy, architecture, and standards across all of GM's businesses globally. As vice president of Information Services at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Scott led the transformation of its technology infrastructure organization to a shared services model and the development of a corporate infrastructure to support implementation of SAP- and Web-based technologies. Scott's professional experience has also included assignments at Marriott International Inc., Cadren Systems, Sun Microsystems Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Scott has a bachelor of science in information systems management from the University of San Francisco and also holds a juris doctorate with a concentration in intellectual property and international law from Santa Clara University.
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Steve Swartz
Chief Information Officer
University of Toledo, Ohio
Steve Swartz has worked in Information Technology for over sixteen years in a variety of roles: as a consultant, director of IT with a large law firm, manager of IS for the nation's largest private home health provider and director of infrastructure for a level 1 trauma certified hospital. He is currently the Interim Chief Technology Officer for the University of Toledo and oversees technology servicing over 20,000 students and the Medical Center. Steve had an MBA from Xavier University, is married and has one daughter.
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Teri Takai
Chief Information Officer
State of California
On December 6, 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of Teri Takai as Chief Information Officer for the State of California. As a member of the Governor's cabinet, she advises him on the strategic management and direction of information technology resources as the state works to modernize and transform the way California does business with its citizens.
Prior to her appointment in California, Takai served as Director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology (MDIT) since 2003, where she also served as the state's Chief Information Officer. In this position, she restructured and consolidated Michigan's resources by merging the state's information technology into one centralized department to service 19 agencies and over 1,700 employees. Additionally, during her tenure at the MDIT, Takai led the state to being ranked number one four years in a row in digital government by the Center for Digital Government.
Prior to going into state service, Takai worked for the Ford Motor Company for 30 years, where she led the development of the company's information technology strategic plan. She also held positions in technology at EDS and Federal-Mogul Corporation. In 2005, Takai was named "Public Official of the Year" by Governing magazine. She is Past-President of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers and currently serves as Practitioner Chair of the Harvard Policy Group on Network-Enabled Services and Government.
Takai, 59, of Detroit, MI, earned a Master of Arts degree in management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan.
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Ken Theis
Chief Information Officer and Director
Michigan Department of Information Technology
Ken Theis serves as the Director for the Michigan Department of Information Technology (MDIT) and the State of Michigan's Chief Information Officer (CIO). He and his
agency of 1,700 employees are responsible for delivering technology services to Executive Branch agencies across state government. He is responsible for setting the strategic
direction for state government technology and ensuring the timely delivery of agreed upon IT services. He reports directly to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and serves as a Cabinet member.
Mr. Theis came to the State of Michigan from the General Motors Corporation where he held several key business and technology leadership positions. He has extensive background in business processes, technology and developing successful teams to tackle the most complex projects. While at General Motors, his accomplishments included leading
reorganization and reengineering of Oldsmobile Division Systems and IT implementation. Mr. Theis also led the Systems Reengineering and Information Technology implementation for the reorganization of six General Motors marketing divisions into one centralized sales and marketing organization.
Mr. Theis was recently named to the "Premier 100" list by ComputerWorld magazine, placing him in the "Best in Class" as one of the top ten technology leaders in the country. In 1998, Mr. Theis received the General Motors Chairman's Honors Award and was also the recipient of the General Motors CIO Award in 1999.
Mr. Theis has served as the Deputy CIO for the Michigan Family Independence Agency (FIA), where he successfully implemented a statewide Child Support Enforcement System enabling the State to recover substantial federal penalties. He also held the position of Chief Deputy Director of MDIT prior to his appointment as Director/CIO.
Mr. Theis received his B.S. at Ferris State University and M.B.A. at Northwood University.
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Scott Wrobel
Director, Dispute Advisory and Forensic Services Group
Stout Risius Ross
Scott T. Wrobel is a Director in the Dispute Advisory and Forensic Services Group. He is responsible for business development. Mr. Wrobel has a background in Computer Forensics and extensive experience working with business owners, attorneys and local government / law enforcement throughout the Michigan region.
Mr. Wrobel's experience expands many industries including manufacturing, automotive, finance, retail, marketing, government, energy, health care and insurance.
Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Wrobel was the President of Digital Forensics Corporation a division of CMC Development. Mr. Wrobel also serves as an Advisory Board Member for the University of Michigan, Dearborn campus and is a member of the Michigan InfraGard Member Alliance Chapter as well as an associate member of the American Bar Association and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Mr. Wrobel has earned the right to use the Certified Fraud Examiner designation.
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Brian Ziff
Attorney
Clark Hill PLC
Brian M. Ziff is a member in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. He represents and counsels clients in business disputes with an emphasis on breach of contract (including covenants not to compete), Uniform Commercial Code, complex commercial disputes, fraud, software implementation, antitrust, and misappropriation of trade secrets litigation. Mr. Ziff also regularly represents clients in alternative dispute resolution formats. He has significant experience assisting clients in e-discovery disputes.
Mr. Ziff was admitted to practice in Illinois in 1997 and Michigan in 1998. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Mr. Ziff is a member of the American Bar Association (Antitrust Law and Litigation Sections) as well as the Michigan and Illinois Bar Associations. He served as a Barrister for the American Inns of Court from 1999 until 2002. Mr. Ziff received his B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1993 and his J.D., with honors, from the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1996. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Ziff served as a clerk to the Honorable John J. Bowman of the Illinois Appellate Court. Mr. Ziff has served on Clark Hill's Recruiting Committee since 1999 and has been Chair of the Committee since 2006.
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