ROBERT J. GENTRY

Winter Park Florida ***** • 407-***-**** • acqmxl@r.postjobfree.com

GLOBAL IT DATA CENTER & INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM MANAGER

Sr. Program Technology Leader ~Large Scale Technical Projects ~ Global Data Center Moves/Consolidations ~ Architecture ~ Strategy

Visionary, Hands-On astute Global Information Program Manager with significant experience across multiple verticals directing complex, multi-site IT programs, operations and teams. Proven ability to structure technical resources to meet business needs, facilitate strategic vendor management programs and deliver innovative technology solutions. Consistent record of success delivering bottom line multi-million dollar expense savings in global environments such as Lockheed, Darden Restaurants and Wyndham. Record of success managing large, capital-intensive IT projects, meeting budget and timeline objectives, improving efficiencies, reducing costs, minimizing risks, and maximizing return on technology investments. Adept at coordinating and energizing diverse, cross-functional technology teams.

Over 20 years of functional and multi-industry experience in transforming projects and strategic business process to reduce cost, maximize value and improve performance. Key strengths include global business experience, problem solving and resolution, change management, new program implementation, crisis management and technology leadership.

20 Years of Global Data Centers Experience

New Construction, Consolidations, Migrations, Operations, Relocations, Vendor Management, Co-Locations, Contracts, NOC, SNOC

Storage-HP/EMC/Hitachi/IBM. Network-Cisco Nexus, Juniper, Security-Cisco, Symantec, Juniper, Check Point, Microsoft, Trustwave

Vmware, UNIX-HP/SUN/IBM, Red Hat Linux, Microsoft, AD, SQL, Oracle, Cisco Call Manager, SSO, IDAM, CA-SSO, IDS/IPS,

VMware, P2V, V2P

SELECTED SKILLS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Large scale technology program management initiatives involving a wide breadth of technology, people and process improvement

Outstanding vendor management skills including large scale contract reviews, negotiations and SLA management oversight

Strategic executive leadership role in Data Center Consolidations, New MEP Builds, Cloud and Co-Lo projects.

Reduced operating expenses $3.5M by identifying cost avoidance opportunities.

Slashed costs $1.1M by implementing new marketing and sales technology standards.

Improved operational efficiency and service delivery improvements by restructuring IT organization, staff, and business processes.

Managed multiple $25M in data center, security, and technology infrastructure build projects.

Highly skilled merger and acquisition technology evaluations, restructuring opportunities and turn around projects

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

TIER FOUR BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, Orlando, Florida 2012 – Present

World Class Consulting and IT Advisory Services Including Project Manager, Data Center/Infrastructure, Building High Performing Teams

Managing Director of Information Technology – Data Center and Infrastructure Advisory Services

Information Technology leader responsible for strategic and visionary oversight for business relationships, IT operational execution, and the orchestrating high performing teams in large enterprise global architectures. In depth data center build, design, relocation and complex infrastructure strategies. Additional project technical leadership experience includes; comprehensive strategic sourcing evaluations (shared services, in/outsourcing, on/off shore, cloud, Hybrid), large scale data security design projects and regulatory compliance, and capital intensive technology evaluations and deployments.

Successful and proven experience involving strategic technology team building, identifying and recommending competitive technology innovations specifically in the hospitality, restaurant and global data center space. Strategic program business initiatives include detailed financial and technology analysis, sourcing strategies, organizational change management alternatives and forecasting detailed budgets. Leadership and business responsibilities also include tactical and strategic IT project evaluations, regulatory and strategic risk management, finance/accounting reviews and security assessments.

Recent/Relevant financial experience included a six month engagement with Bank of America involving a Data Center Migration/Consolidation Program. As one of the senior program managers, my program consisted of three Data Center consolidations and two closures which included over 100,000 physical/virtual Wintel/Linux/UNIX servers. The significant portion of my program responsibilities included addressing budgetary and risk management strategies related to underperforming DC migration teams. Other responsibilities in this program included; strong technical and leadership responsibilities, architecture designing, operational planning and successful execution of migration strategies and overall risk management.

WYNDHAM VACATION OWNERSHIP, Orlando, Florida 2007 – 2012

World’s largest timeshare company.

Sr. Director of Information Technology

Hands-On Executive responsibility for global infrastructure, information security, data center operations, facilities management, M&A support, P&L, global telecom, disaster recovery, regulatory compliance, enterprise architecture, IT design and development, and R&D. Additionally managed operations of 5 US and Australian call centers, with total of 3,500 personnel. Actively involved in all resort construction and opening initiatives. Supervise staff of 35 in support of 220 resorts plus corporate offices and other business sites in US and overseas. Administer $25M budget. Develop long-term relationships with suppliers and business partners. Identify areas for cost reductions. Negotiate contracts. Member of Senior Executive Leadership Team.

Reduced operating expenses $3.5M in 2008 by identifying cost avoidance opportunities.

Avoided $1.1M in expenses by implementing new marketing and sales technology standards.

Saved $1.7M by renegotiating enterprise software and services agreements.

Delivered $1.8M in savings through technology redeployments and new enterprise systems management strategy.

Improved efficiency by restructuring IT organization, staff, and business processes.

Decreased open ticket backlog 80% by introducing new processes and procedures.

Lowered new resort development costs 60% by implementing better site design and construction standards.

Led team of IT global leaders in development of multi-year capital budget for $30M data center consolidation project.

Enhanced data center operations by analyzing functions and developing strategic remediation roadmap.

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, Orlando, Florida 1993 – 2007

World’s largest company-owned and operated restaurant company.

Director Data Center Infrastructure & Strategic Initiatives

Managed North American corporate and restaurant technology infrastructure, including day-to-day operations, telecom, and immediate and long-range strategic architectural direction. Served on M&A due diligence team, providing technology infrastructure direction and contributing to strategy and decision-making for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Established executive stakeholder relationships and assessed IT supplier performance.

Identified business model success criteria. Evaluated emerging technologies, external suppliers, and internal business development opportunities. Provided strategic planning for multiple convergence opportunities including VoIP, physical security, remote manageability, and self-healing of distributed architectures. Led architecture design and operations for moving application infrastructure from mainframe HR and Financials architecture to distributed ERP-based architecture.

Oversaw $56 million in technology assets across 1,500 distributed locations, including data center technology, telecom architecture, and associated budgets and staff of up to 65 employees.

Led strategic planning and design, along with $25 million budget and P&L functions, for new data center, physical security platforms, and voice and data architectures.

Directed rollout of 1,400 distributed sites to frame relay and MPLS architecture.

Designed and automated centralized network, staff resources, and supplier directory involved in maintaining 750,000 system accounts and passwords.

Facilitated new data center development, including identifying data center sourcing opportunities, data center location analysis, construction administration, and move management.

Designed and implemented single sign-on architecture for all enterprise web-based applications, featuring fully automated and real-time identity management and provisioning infrastructure.

Previously held position of Supervisor of Network Services at Lockheed Martin (1985-1993), managed 100 Networks, 20 direct reports.

EDUCATION

Course work in Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Associate of Arts, Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL

AFFILIATIONS

Member, University of Central Florida CIO Forum, Member, Leadership Orlando, LinkedIn, Member, Worldwide Data Centers

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