Records Manager Information Governance Manager eDiscovery Legal Hold

AARON A. TAYLOR 832-***-****

Morton, IL *****

**********@*****.***

linkedin.com/in/aarontaylorhouston

SUMMARY

I have served as a Senior Records and Information Program Manager in both consulting and full-time employee roles for major corporations for over 25 years. My experience includes direct management of the entire RIM lifecycle programs, including records retention schedule and categorization (file plan) development for global companies, IRM policy and procedures development, electronic records management, and ERM/DM software selection and implementation. In my Senior RIM role, I have been responsible for extensive staff training program development and have conducted small- and large-scale training sessions on software use and program implementation, conducted records program audits and reviews, and integrated Legal, Compliance, RIM, & IT disciplines into a comprehensive information management program. As in-house Senior Records Manager, I facilitated the selection of RIM vendors for ERM software and directed the implementation for users and guidance for IT teams.

As part of my extensive working background, I emphasized strong communications skills at all corporate levels, personal initiative, project expertise and work ethic. I utilize my human relationship skills in internal customer support and service within the corporate environment for their specific RIM activities and to ensure goals are met according to established objectives.

Skills:

Retention Schedule Program DM Policy Suite Development

DM Program Management Privacy and Document Security Management

IG Program Implementation Communications and Risk Management

RIM Software Experience:

oOpenText

oMicrosoft O365/SharePoint

oNetDocuments

oECM Software products

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL May 5, 2024 – Jan 8, 2025

American corporation which designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines

Global Corporate Records and Information Manager

I fulfilled a corporate position as Global RIM Manager in the midst of their extensive rebuild of the records program and new Global Records Retention Schedule development with external vendors. I coordinated with the existing Records Management Consultant on the project and also wrote a new Corporate Records Manual to streamline the existing document and better serve end users in guidance and instructions for daily records management activities.

I requested a medical termination of this position in 2024 to fully recover from medical surgery. I needed to allow the company to have an active RIM Manager during the final phase of important retention schedule projects, and it was my ethical responsibility to make room for this adjustment. This was not a termination for cause in any way, just my decision knowing that I would not be available for the highly demanding tasks until I recovered fully. I am now fully recovered and healthy and ready to take on a new and exciting leadership role.

Hormel Foods Inc., Austin, MN Sep 1, 2021 – Apr 18, 2024

Global food products manufacturing, commercial and retail sales company.

Records and Information Governance Manager

I was positioned in the Law Department and reported directly to and worked closely with a senior attorney on all RIM and Information Governance activities and initiatives. I inherited an empty position with no existing Records Manager and very little established RIM expertise, knowledge, or established program. I initiated weekly meetings Legal team leadership to establish strong communications and pipeline to enact needed programs, and to strengthen cross-discipline communications throughout the company.

Multiple Responsibilities for Position:

oI was responsible for creating and updating various policies related to Records & Information Management and other disciplines; I worked directly with the senior attorney and General Counsel on policy language and approvals and published numerous policies for RIM, Legal, and Compliance

oInitiated conversations with key Legal attorneys to provide awareness regarding AI Chat risk, created and published a formal AI Chat Policy and guidelines, and developed both internal and external training modules for enterprise-wide use

oFacilitated and led a successful implementation of a Contracts Management software application, and facilitated the selection and implementation of software for the Legal eDiscovery team

oServed as Project Lead and facilitator in selecting a Records Retention Schedule (RRS) product to update and replace their current retention schedule; the project was successfully completed on time and budget within a compressed four-month schedule.

oLaid the groundwork with IT to identify and select Document Management (EDM) and Digital Asset Management (D.A.M.) software applications to improve and consolidate the overall corporate management of its information collections.

oCreated an IG/IT team to facilitate ongoing conversations and periodic meetings so that IT members and I could share our perspectives on current and future information related activities. This was my effort to improve upon transparency and collaboration between IT and various business lines and eliminate the silos that hinder communications.

oFacilitated a project and served as Subject Matter Expert to select an eDiscovery Legal Hold product to replace the tedious and complex manual legal hold process.

oServed on the Cultural Beliefs group within the Legal External Affairs department, to develop periodic presentations on ways that company employees can develop self-improvement goals, interact with others and with corporate leaders to maintain Hormel’s core values and purpose.

ENGIE NORTH AMERICA INC, Houston, TX May 30, 2012 – Feb 1, 2017

US and Canada energy corporation for electricity production, delivery and services to commercial and retail customers

Records Manager / Legal Hold Administrator / Data Privacy Officer

Upgraded Corporate Records Retention Schedule

oCreated “big box” records categorization that greatly decreased number of record series that minimized confusion for users in selecting appropriate retention rule

Created new Records and Information Management (RIM) Policy and Procedures

oOld policy was outdated, cumbersome and too broad

oI created and published a policy that dealt specifically with RIM topics, with links to related policies

Updated and Managed E-Records Collection in SharePoint

oEdited corporate contract collection/migration document errors

oManaged staff for adding new contracts and supporting documents

oSet up new contract metadata categories and assignments

oUpdated document scanning process

oUpdated document controls in SharePoint for all departments

Implemented new eDiscovery Management Program

oExisting legal hold management application was incomplete with no consistent management

oThe company declined to purchase a commercial Legal Hold software product, so I created a new spreadsheet application that linked all active legal holds to the attorney list

Developed guidelines to update Corporate Contracts system in SharePoint

oI identified gaps in the existing Contracts collections and prepared project approach to correct gaps and errors, and to update the collections

oSharePoint development team and I worked closely together to roll out a controlled site for Corporate Contracts collections

oI trained my Records Support staff through meetings and published PowerPoint slides in procedures for updating Contract metadata and assigned project tasks

Established my direct Records Support supervisor as main point of contact for internal client support on daily RIM activities

I continued a long-time business relationship with senior representatives at a major commercial records center to provide secure and responsive offsite document storage processes

LITTLER MENDELSON, PC Houston, TX Aug 1, 2010 – Apr 16, 2012

Employment and Labor Law

Senior Manager – Records / eDiscovery Advisor

Provided internal records program development and direction; participated in Legal Hold activities to support data collection.

Reported directly to Director of IT Operations

Served as Records and eDiscovery Manager for 8 staff in the corporate office location in San Francisco

oLed the implementation of new records procedures to support all eDiscovery and Legal actions

oSuccessfully addressed internal staff issues through removal and replacement of under-performing positions

Established an updated client file creation process and retention rules

oDirected Houston records staff on updating client file updates for accurate file identification and retrieval

oCreated process for improving electronic client file data definitions to enhance identification and retrieval process

Created white papers for email application reviews and selection process

Developed legal hold process draft documents and created final legal hold policy in collaboration with senior eDiscovery Partner

Initiated draft data privacy structure

ACCESS SCIENCES CORPORATION, Houston, TX Feb 5, 2005 – Jun 30, 2010

Employee-owned Information Management Consulting company

Senior Consultant

Lead consultant for highly intensive RIM projects including records retention schedule and file plan development, RIM policy and procedures development, best practices processes, information process review and transition to Information Governance processes for clients in major energy and financial corporate institutions. Major projects I successfully completed include:

Global data gathering and record retention and file plan creation for Chevron, a top-tier international energy company

oRIM Policy development and implementation for environmental and contract data management for an energy corporation

oSuccessful information and data discovery project for major financial institution

Completion of information program strategy certification for Information Governance vendor

Created new records retention schedule for Credit Suisse as part of 4-person consulting team, through interview process with department supervisors in New York City, London, and Los Angeles, CA

THOROUGHBRED TECHNOLOGIES, INC, Houston, TX Aug 1, 1999 – Oct 30, 2003

Information and Document Software Tracking Solutions

Information Management Consultant

Facilitated new client information identification and tracking requirements, and coordinated software modifications to provide interface solutions to the software application

Pat Vice Consulting, Houston, TX May 1, 1992 – Jul 10, 1999

Records & Information Management consulting company

Project Management Lead Consultant

Served as team and project lead for numerous energy company projects to update existing RIM programs, create and lead new initiatives, create and implement new policies with IG management processes for all business lines, and conduct regular meetings with client executives

EDUCATION / TRAINING

Bachelor of Business Administration, Records and Information Management

University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

CERTIFICATIONS

AIIM – EMM Master Certification

AIIM – SharePoint Practitioner Certification

ASSOCIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS

Sedona Conference Member

ARMA

AIIM

PRESENTATIONS

“RIM in the eDiscovery World”

“I’m Responsible for “WHAT”?! – Legal Hold Responsibilities for Attorneys and Clients”

“Proportionality in eDiscovery: Impact on Mobile Information Management”

“Attorney Responsibility for eDiscovery Technical Requirements”

“Selecting eDiscovery Platforms and Vendors”

“Consumer Privacy – Survival in the Electronic Marketplace”

Professional Panels

Ingenious eDiscovery Panel Participant – May 2016

Ingenious eDiscovery Panel Participant – June 2017

Ingenious eDiscovery Panel Participant – June 2018

Ingenious eDiscovery Panel Participant – June 2019

LINKEDIN

Posted numerous commentaries and articles related to Information Governance, eDiscovery, and Privacy topics

Professional Website

www.greenlightdiscovery.com

REFERENCES:

Reference List available at interview and upon request

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