KIM WARD
*** ********** **** ******: 832-***-****
League City, Texas ********@*****.***
www.linkedin.com/in/kimo
ward
Summary
A Senior Information Systems executive with expertise in global Oracle and
SAP implementations in the pharmaceutical, retail, wholesale, mining and
consumer goods industries. Valued for ability to reduce costs, improve
quality and manage large scale projects within time and budget parameters.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
IT Governance Relationship Management
IT Strategy Various ERP implementations and
support
Project Portfolio Management Application Management
Project Management eCommerce
Budget management Enterprise Content Management
Vendor Management Process Improvement
Professional Experience
Grocers Supply June 2014 - Present
Grocers Supply has provided 90 years of success in serving and partnering
with independent grocers in order to provide quality products to
communities in Texas and surrounding states. In addition to their wholesale
business, Fiesta Mart, a wholly owned subsidiary, operates retail Hispanic
format markets in the Houston, DFW, and Austin regions. Grocers Supply
generates approximately $3 billion in sales annually.
IT Director, Enterprise PMO and office of CIO
Responsible for identifying the strategic priorities for Grocers Supply,
ensuring the overall project portfolio is balanced delivering the strategic
goals expected by the business. Additional responsibilities include
creating and managing the overall IT budget and driving process improvement
throughout the IT organization. Some highlighted accomplishments include:
. Established a process improvement initiative with warehouse operations,
transportation and sales to balance transportation and warehouse workload
and customer deliveries within a day and across a week optimizing the
frequency of deliveries to a customer, realizing savings in labor and
transportation costs and reducing employee turnover due to a more
balanced schedule. Annual savings in excess of $1.5M include closing one
warehouse for two days and another warehouse for one day each week.
. Implemented a voice selection and replenishment systems improving
accurate orders shipped to customers (increased from 99.5% to 99.9%),
improved productivity due to shorts, replenishment issues and the need
for audits at multiple points in the process and reduced warehouse
employee turnover resulting in a reduction of 15 FTE's required to
execute the order fulfillment process.
. Replaced 25+ year old phone systems with new Cisco technology with a
centralized phone system across 5 locations providing 5 digit calling
between locations, failover, audio conferencing via Webex, Interactive
Voice Response (IVRs) and hunt groups for 8 locations.
. As result of C&S acquisition, coordinated and led the effort to prepare
for "day 1" activities with new company for payroll, finance, benefits,
and treasury ensuring risks were managed and contingency plans were in
place.
. Led the divestiture of the real estate business and Levit family assets
per legal obligations of the C&S acquisition and directed the transition
to separate all assets from Grocers Supply LLC.
Gartner 2013 - 2014
The world's leading information technology research and advisory company.
Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for their clients
to make the right decisions. They work with every client to research,
analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of the client's
individual role.
Executive Advisor
A trusted adtvisor, coach and senior consultant in Gartner's Executive
Programs division responsible for Service Delivery to CIO clients. Examples
of advisory topics for CXOs and CIO roles include: strategy, innovation,
project/portfolio management, governance, leadership development, IT cost
optimization, and organizational and process optimization. Results include
the improved use of information products and services to support profitable
business growth and sustained client relationships.
. Managed up to 42 CIO client relationships in a range of industries
including healthcare, public sector, oil and gas, education,
manufacturing, retail, and banking to equip the executives with the tools
and knowledge they need to deliver exceptional business results and
develop themselves as successful business leaders.
. Renewed 94% of client relationships with more than 25% renewing at a
higher level of service delivery.
. Established programs to mentor IT executives aspiring to become CIOs
. Led IT cost optimization workshops with clients to identify opportunities
to reduce operating expenses through better management of contracts,
application and infrastructure technologies and benchmarking.
MERIAL LIMITED, DULUTH, GA 2005 - 2012
Animal health division of pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis with 5500-
employees and $2.7B-revenue.
Executive Director, IS Applications and Portfolio Management (2010 - 2012)
Reporting to the CIO, providing IT leadership for Global Applications,
Project and Portfolio Management, Relationship Management with specific
focus on US Business Operations, R&D and Support Functions. Managing four
directors/managers, a department of 17 +, an annual expense budget of
$5,000,000, and an average annual capital budget of $8,000,000.
. Established Global IS governance of IS applications, projects and
portfolio improving overall performance of IS ensuring consistent
processes and metrics globally
. Established a sourcing methodology, identified preferred list of
suppliers providing contractors/consulting resulting in $1.4M annual
savings of capital
. Implemented a Project and Portfolio Management office to ensure IS
projects aligned to the strategy, delivering the highest value, following
the most efficient and effective processes and ensuring quality
. Established an IS Software Asset Management collaborative process and
solution to reduce risks and penalties/fees of non-compliance to
contractual obligations and usage
. Directed the implementation of a global service desk solution
establishing common processes and providing 100% visibility management of
incidents and changes to all Merial systems globally
. Established a global disaster recovery process for all critical
applications that was planned and tested annually as a single exercise
Executive Director, IS Applications and Development (2005 - 2009)
Reported to the CIO. Provided IT leadership in every major strategic IT
initiative. Managed five senior directors worldwide, a department of 125
+, an annual expense budget of $45,000,000, and an average annual capital
budget of $25,000,000. Maintained IT costs at 3% of sales. Responsible
for relationship management, project and portfolio management, development
and support of all business applications worldwide, including ecommerce.
. Established a global 4 year IT strategy aligned with the business
strategy tracking action plans with executive KPI's to measure progress
for global ERP, commercial excellence, and achievement of service levels
for critical applications
. Drove operational efficiencies and reduced cost by implementing global
ERP strategy (Oracle R12 and MS Dynamics)
. Improved IS operations for service desk tickets, project and portfolio
management, testing and validation for 2 Six Sigma black belts and 3 Six
Sigma green belts to support the Oracle R12 implementation
o Reduced the number one call to the service desk with single sign-
on solution for password resets
o Improved project and portfolio management efficiencies by 15%
with standard processes and templates by implementing a standard
process for approving projects and managing projects
o Improved validation/testing process by reducing regulatory risk,
capturing regulatory requirements, ensuring traceability through
validation deliverables and enabling milestone review and
signoff
o Reduced testing effort and duration by establishing standard
processes and ensuring quality for all systems using a global
testing tool.
. Increased sales and improved productivity of sales force by 40%
implementing CRM/SFA solutions and ecommerce
. Implemented corporate VoIP, VMWare and global outsourcing solutions to
reduce costs by $4.6M annually
. Delivered standard technology solutions globally - Oracle e-Business
(R12), Oracle HR (R12), Cognos Planning, Cognos BI, Hyperion, ECM, MS
SharePoint
PEPSICO, INTERNATIONAL, ARLINGTON, TX 2004 - 2005
IT Director
Reported to the VP of World Wide Concentrate Operations and the CIO of
PepsiCo International. Provided technology leadership to IT managers and
Plant Managers in North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Caribbean
operations including world wide distribution. Key responsibilities
included providing an IT system strategy and driving best practice and
standardization across all plants. Managed eight IT managers, an expense
budget of $5,400,000, a capital budget of $3,300,000 and an ERP
consolidation project of $14,000,000.
. Delivered technology solutions to support sourcing strategies for the
Mexican and Andean market from Uruguay meeting the tax free benefits for
all production to Asian market
. Established an interim ERP strategy for all concentrate operations
standardizing on one ERP and convinced senior executives to fund the
solution for 7 countries which generated a 48% ROI over 3 years and
significantly reduced costs while continuing to deliver on-going demands
of the plants and distribution
. Partnered with business to develop their first business continuity plans
completing a table top exercise walking through the event of a disaster
to improve the quality of the plans and to identify best practices and
solutions to be shared across all plants
. Created and implemented the first IS Disaster Recovery Plan for all
concentrate plants that was planned, documented and tested
. Established and implemented SOX controls and policies to ensure SOX
compliance for concentrate operations
NORDSTROM.COM, SEATTLE, WA 2000 - 2003
Senior Director Business Information Systems
Reported to the CTO and COO providing technology leadership to
Nordstrom.com. Executive team. Responsible for project management,
business analysis, development, testing and quality assurance to support
all business applications and the Nordstrom.com website. Managed four
senior managers, a staff of 75 an expense budget of $10,000,000, and a
capital budget of $7,000,000.
. Re-designed the Nordstrom.com website on the .Net platform to decrease
dependency on IT staff for content management
. Upgraded Ecometry in 6 months, less than 3% of budget ($3,500,000)
increasing user productivity, improving customer service, providing real
time interfaces to the website and eliminating 90% of the modifications
. Launched the beauty /cosmetic website increasing sales by 10% the first
year
. Implemented Gift Cards on website to increase sales and improve service
. Delivered drop ship shoe solution integrated with PkMS and Ecometry
improving internal efficiencies, increasing sales and scaled solution for
jewelry and apparel
. Implemented Oracle financials delivering on schedule and within 1% of
budget
ECC INTERNATIONAL/IMERYS, ROSWELL, GA 1997 - 2000
Director of Business Applications
Reported to the CFO/CIO. Managed a staff of 24, an annual expense budget
of $7,000,000 and a capital budget of $10,000,000.
. Directed successful SAP implementation for Calgon business unit that
generated a 60% ROI over 5 years
. Integrated an acquired company with revenues of $280M into ERP system
. Directed global SAP implementation for IMERYS ($34,000,000 budget - 3
years)
. Implemented HR solution (HRizon) within budget replacing legacy system
. Completed all Y2K projects on time and 12% less than budget, including 2
new business units as a result of merger
LEVI STRAUSS & CO., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 1990 - 1997
IS Technology Manager
Reported to the VP of IT for Europe, living as an expatriate in Brussels,
Belgium. Key leader in business process re-engineering effort to redesign
the supply chain for Europe and implemented BPCS for 11 countries. Managed
team of 5 developers.
. Established a global model of current and future business processes as
team member for a European Business Process Re-engineering effort
. Established a global IT architectural design to support ERP system for
Europe reducing regional infrastructure and ERP expenses
. Established development standards and hardware configuration on the
AS/400
. Facilitated JAD sessions with 11 countries to capture business
requirements
. Led the RFP process to select an ERP solution - BPCS
. Led development of all additions, modifications and interfaces for BPCS
ASK/MANMAN, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 1988 - 1990
Senior Technical Consultant
. Installed and upgraded MANMAN/HP software for various ASK customers
. Trained and consulted for HP3000, Cognos, Order Management and
Manufacturing
FMC CORPORATION - AUTOMOTIVE, CONWAY, AR 1986 - 1988
Programmer Analyst
. Implemented and supported ASK MANMAN (ERP) modules for General Ledger,
Inventory Management, Order Management, AR, AP, MRP and MPS
. Designed and developed a service and commission system integrated with
ASK MANMAN driving increased sales of service parts by more than 25%
annually
Education
Liberal Arts degree in Mathematics with emphasis in Computer Studies
Hendrix College, Conway, Arkansas
Professional Development
Six Sigma - Black Belt Sponsor, Influential Leadership, Leading Through
Change, Customer Relationship Management, IS Governance, Project and
Portfolio Management, Coaching