Project Manager

William Nicholas

Director, Computer Network & Operations - Blue Cross Blue Shield

Newtown Square, PA

*****@*******.*** - 610-***-****

• Innovative executive with demonstrated proficiencies in information technology, finance, and general

management in the healthcare industry.

• Adept in stepping into under performing situations and generating action plans that improve the overall

effectiveness of the IT function in large and complex multi-site healthcare systems.

• Demonstrated expertise in revitalizing IT operations and structures to improve profits and reduce costs.

• Proven success in performing as Chief Information Officer in turnaround situations as well as a permanent

member of senior management.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Director, Computer Network & Operations

Blue Cross Blue Shield - Wilmington, DE - 2008 to Present

Wilmington, De. 2008 - Present

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware has provided quality health benefits plans to Delawareans for more than

73 years, and currently serves more than 433,000 members, including approximately 338,000 Delawareans.

BCBSD provides benefits solutions that enable their customers to access high quality, cost effective health

services, and the knowledge and guidance necessary to improve their health and well-being.

Director, Computer Network & Operations

In this capacity I am responsible for all hardware, computer room, and network operations. This environment

includes a mainframe, 200+ servers, and client and desktop support functions. In addition I am responsible

for all hardware and software contracts including expenditures. I manage a staff of 41 professionals and a

budget over $10 million.

NPI Project Coordinator, Blue Cross Blue of Delaware

IMA Consulting - Chadds Ford, PA - 2005 to 2008

Chadds Ford, Pa. 2005 - 2008

IMA Consulting offers outcomes oriented consulting support exclusively to healthcare provider organizations.

They provide a full complement of operations improvement consulting and outsourcing services, along with

supporting products, to assist their clients to cost effectively manage change and achieve desired revenue

improvement, expense management, information technology and education outcomes.

NPI Project Coordinator, Blue Cross Blue of Delaware

Current assignment is with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware working on the implementation of

HIPAA initiative for National Provider Identifier (NPI). I am assisting BSBCDE with modifications to their

claims adjudication systems and operational processes and procedures to accommodate the new provider

identification numbering schemas.

Interim VP of Information Systems, Albany Medical Center

Led the application support function for the non-clinical applications for the Hospital, Medical College, and

Research facilities. I had three directors and thirty FTEs reporting to me. AMC's annual IT operating budget is

$20 million with another $12 million in capital. I was responsible for approximately 60% of these expenditures.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

• Assessed and developed an action plan for improving the operational effectiveness of the staff supporting

the non-clinical applications of the Hospital as well as the College and Research entities.

• Instituted ITIL best practices for an IT support organization thereby significantly enhancing the once troubled

relationship between IS and the end-user constituents.

• Re-aligned and successfully implemented two mission critical development projects that were failing; a new

Student Information System and the re-design/re-branding of the Center's new website.

Public Juridic Person

Catholic Health East - Newtown Square, PA - 2001 to 2004

Newtown Square, Pa. 2001 - 2004

Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional Catholic health system, which is co-sponsored by 15 religious

congregations, and Hope Ministries, a Public Juridic Person within Catholic Health East. Based in Newtown

Square, Pennsylvania, the System provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and

operational strength of the sponsors' health ministries, which are located within 11 eastern states from Maine

to Florida.

CIO, Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President, Information Technology

Led the Mid-Atlantic division comprised of 13 acute Healthcare facilities and a Home Health entity. Managed

IT department with 200 employees and operating budget of $35M.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Primary responsibility was to restructure IT and generate significant savings. Developed plan to regionalize IT

function for 13 acute care facilities. Consolidated IT operations and migrated three additional facilities outside

the division into shared data center. Implemented ITIL best practices to align operations. Re-wrote position

descriptions for 200 employees and develop a cost allocation methodology based on a per seat per month

usage. Some of the more specific components of this accomplishment are as follows:

• Designed and implemented a centralized corporate help desk function.

• Implemented a project management control system based Microsoft's project server technology.

• Developed a cost allocation methodology based on per seat per month usage for 16 acute care facilities.

• Turnaround a failing Siemens CPOE Invision implementation and successfully led another Siemens

implementation for three additional acute care facilities.

• Managed a successful migration of three Meditech facilities and established a corporate Meditech data center

with the successful implementation of the Meditech HIS at three additional hospitals.

CIO, Primary Health Systems

Integrated Consulting Solutions - Newtown Square, PA - 1994 to 2001

Newtown Square, Pa. 1994 - 2001

Established ICS, Inc. as a consultancy that specialized in tailored solutions for complex audit, tax, and

information technology problems. Primary mission to provide the right project team, at the right time, in order

to accomplish the desired objectives.

CIO, Primary Health Systems

Assigned as interim CIO to renovate Hospital Information System (HIS) and IT infrastructure for $400M

healthcare system with five hospitals, a $13M project. This multi-site healthcare system was in bankruptcy.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

• Analysis concluded that the entire IT infrastructure (application architecture, personnel, hardware, and

network) needed to be replaced.

• Generated required $13 million for the project from the financial stakeholders.

• Designed new network while re-wiring all facilities.

• Existing staff was retrained and new skilled resources were hired.

• Successfully completed implementation of the new network, HIS system, and staff training $2 million under

budget and within 9 months after the completion of contract negotiation.

City of Hope Research Hospital

City of Hope is one of just a handful of Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States as designated by

the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

(NCCN). It is here at City of Hope that more than 300 physicians and scientists and over 2,500 employees

work to find the causes of and cures for cancer and other life-threatening diseases, including diabetes and

HIV/AIDS. City of Hope, located on over 112 beautifully landscaped acres, has 158 licensed beds, 84 of which

are devoted to bone marrow transplantation patients.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Project Director - As Project Manager assigned to City of Hope hospital, assumed control of fund raising project

in serious dilemma Costs had exceeded the project's budget and the timeline was critically behind schedule.

Estimates by other consultants were too excessive to correct.

• I created technical and operational viability plan.

• Applied appropriate project management tools and techniques on first two phases, which represent the most

significant components of system.

• This project was successfully accomplished within four months, on time and saving 76% of project completion

costs.

Strategic Planner - Engaged as a member of senior review team assigned to complete an operational

and financial review of this $300M research hospital. Responsible for assessment of hospital's information

technology infrastructure and the overall IT effectiveness in supporting the current environment and strategic

direction.

• Performed detailed review of all current technical environments.

• Realigned the IT strategic plan to complement the organization's business strategic direction.

• Successfully implemented the approved recommendations, creating a best practices atmosphere and

reduced IT costs 40% savings.

Coastal Physician Group

A healthcare services organization based on North Carolina that specialized in providing emergency room

physicians to acute facilities throughout the east coast.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Project Director - Responsible for rescuing a major IT systems initiative for this entity. One of their subsidiaries,

a large physician service company was directed to centralize IT functions. New medical billing system was also

being installed. This project was at risk from financial and operational perspectives. Significant weaknesses in

IT system at corporate parent caused erosion of end user confidence.

• I initially performed a functional comparison of the new system against operational client needs of the

subsidiary.

• I re-aligned the strategic plan and halted the implementation of the new medical billing system.

• I also developed and implemented a project management control infrastructure.

• As part of my revised strategic plan I assisted in contract negotiation to outsource the IT function thereby

reducing costs and increasing net profits by $1.4 million.

Partner, Information Technology Group

Ernst & Young - 1981 to 1994

1981 - 1994

The members of the global Ernst & Young organization help companies in businesses across all industries

- from emerging growth companies to global powerhouses - deal with a broad range of business issues.

Our 114,000 people in 140 countries around the globe pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality and

professionalism to provide clients with a broad array of services relating to audit and risk-related services, tax,

and transactions.

Partner, Information Technology Group

Designated the firm's "Trouble Shooter", specializing in the design, development, and implementation of

large complex management information systems for financial services, manufacturing, insurance, airlines,

transportation, government, and emerging organizations.

Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

• Built the Philadelphia IT consulting practice from 2 to 150 FTEs.

• Successfully led a project team to complete the development of a new financial management system for the

New York City Housing Authority.

• Completed an IT strategic plan for Fortune 50 financial services client.

• Corrected a "Run Away" project & successfully completed the implementation of an complex integrated billing

system for another Fortune 50 Client.

• Made Partner in 1984

Project Director

Neshamminy Valley Information Processing - 1979 to 1981

Directed design and implementation of centralized financial management system for this international holding

company.

Systems Engineer

Electronic Data Systems - 1975 to 1979

Managed design, development, and implementation of applications for financial, insurance, and manufacturing

systems. Oversaw production control, operations, and systems and programming departments.

EDUCATION

MBA

Villanova University

BA in Mathematics

LaSalle University

BS in Accounting

St. Joseph's University.

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