Brock University

Senior Innovation and Strategy Leadership

St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Entrepreneurship mentor to young start-up companies across Canada supporting their journey through the LOI incubator and launch program.

LOI - League of Innovators

Mentor

Senior Director, Retail Credit Systems

Member of the Board of Directors for Gillian's Place, an organization dedicated to supporting women and children fleeing abusive situations. Gillian's Place provides a women's shelter, counselling, and a variety of support programs directed to both helping women in need and raising awareness for the elimination of domestic abuse in our society.

Gillian's Place

Director at Large (Board of Directors)

Contracted by several clients in the GTHA for specific technology and innovation oriented projects which required a focus on delivery, process improvement, and business management structures and processes. • Provided consulting support in several major banking digital transformation projects in Canada and Asia• Provided subject matter expertise supporting several US acquisitions in the financial consulting sector.• Delivered new data insights into the manufacturing sector in Niagara and an internationally leveraged marketing solution to the Niagara Region Economic Development team.• Lead the development and start-up of a new Millennial focused networking offering through Universities and Colleges focused on connecting graduating millennial students to established career and entrepreneurial mentors.• Developed new co-operative approach to business development for legacy manufacturers in Ontario.• Created $250,000 in first-year revenue through the development of a new innovation and commercialization consulting practice for a leading Innovation Portfolio firm. • Delivered over 30% reduction in inventory on hand and 50% reduction in stock out situations for a hearing aid and audio technology manufacturer through Sales & Operations Planning. • Recovered off-track military surveillance and imaging program, successfully completing commercialization and demonstration for the UK Ministry of Defense in only 5 months and initial sales orders immediately following the successful demonstration.

Succeed Sooner Consulting

President & CEO

The Central Group is the leading Performance at Retail agency, delivering industry-leading solutions for retail marketing and merchandising through temporary and permanent displays, interactive kiosks and mobile solutions, and a full suite of campaign management and execution services. Hired by the CFO to lead the transformation of the technology and innovation services to support both operational and process performance within the company and a quickly changing retail environment through innovation. Accountabilities included Information technology leadership, client operations, innovation management, and process and organizational transformation.• Implemented new Strategic Account Management Frameworks to support structured management of large (>$40MM) client accounts across North America resulting in significant immediate improvements in customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.• Initiated transformational programs to re-implement ERP and retire over 30 legacy applications supporting operational execution and efficiency, and reimplement an innovative webstore and distribution logistics systems to streamline Client Operations activities.• Implemented Innovation Management processes, a new approach to building an innovation culture, and an outcome-driven approach to innovation resulting in an immediate new product and service pipeline for future growth.• Implemented new Organizational Capability Maturity frameworks to measure and prioritize strategic programs to improve overall organizational productivity resulting in significant near-term improvements to quality and a 25% immediate improvement productivity in the application, client operations, and IT infrastructure teams.• Supporting the Executive Leadership team in the restructuring of the organization to support key leadership transition activity and improve the scalability aligned to the aggressive growth plans.

The Central Group

Director of IT (CIO) and Director of Innovation

One of the top Canadian financial institutions, BMO Personal & Commercial Banking focuses on retail and mid-market commercial banking services across North America. Promoted to report to the SVP and CIO for Personal & Commercial Banking tasked with bridging the business and technology groups for all new initiatives.• Standardized program delivery to align business and technology delivery teams resulting in a 70% improvement in estimation accuracy and significant reduction in effort related to non-approved initiatives. • Aligned key business unit leaders and technology executives to develop the first integrated business and technology multi-year strategic plan, resulting in executive alignment around priorities, reducing the annual planning cycle by 6 months, and eliminating hundreds of thousands in costs through optimization of the $80 million annual portfolio.• Implemented agile and iterative methodologies into an integrated business and technology delivery process offering improved risk management and reporting.• Developed the new Behavioural Savings Account resulting in over $150 million in deposit growth in the first year as well as the Digital Needs Navigator which delivered new advice and guidance to customers increasing net promoter score by 5%.• Accountable program leader for major enterprise programs reaching across business and technology teams to successfully deliver large complex enterprise programs (>$25 million) resulting in successfully adding business process automation, digital imaging, marketing campaign capabilities, and new branch experiences to the organization.• Always in the top 10% in the organization for employee engagement scores because of my focus on coaching, training, and team development programs while building a new internal consulting & innovation team.

BMO Financial Group

Head, Technology Consulting & Solutions

One of the top Canadian financial institutions, BMO's Canadian Commercial Banking unit focuses on mid-market commercial banking services in Canada.Hired by the Technology Head to lead the Commercial Lending transformation program and manage the existing commercial banking technology platforms. After 9 months I was promoted to recover the off-track credit card platform replacement program reporting to the VP, Products & Services. • Generated over $20MM in new revenue and $25 million in cost savings annually through the Commercial Lending process and technology transformation program.• Successfully recovered $60 million credit card platform replacement program leveraging strong vendor management and contract levers to meet contractual and regulatory deadlines avoiding millions in penalties and significant reputational damage.• Successfully delivered other key revenue focused programs such as Commercial Leads Management which linked data analytics to customer leads for Account Managers and Account Open Simplification which supported improved conversations between customers and their Account Manager.

Application Software Development Manager

Filogix (now owned by Davis+Henderson) is the leading broker-originated mortgage software solution in Canada. Recruited by the EVP for Lender Management as the Account Executive for the largest portfolio of mortgage lenders reaching across Canada. Engaged as a leader in the integration activities after the acquisition of the Cyence Commercial Lending business.• Rehabilitated key client relationships resulting in a 10% improvement in client satisfaction in only 6 months and a 100% client retention rate in my time with the organization. • Delivered over $100,000 in annual savings through a Kaizen delivery process improvement initiative.• Successfully led the integration of the Cyence organization resulting in new client relationships and significant growth opportunities with the combined organizations post acquisition.

Filogix Limited Partnership

Client Delivery Executive

eBridge Software (now eBridge Connections) is the leading ERP eCommerce integration company in North America. Hired by the Professional Services leader to lead an implementation team, quickly promoted by the Chief Operating Officer to take the overall lead of the Professional Services organization.	• Increased contribution margin for the professional services organization by 22% in the first 12 months.• Reduced average implementation project duration by 45% through standardization of process and integration templates.

eBridge Software

Manager, Professional Services

Recruited by the Chief Executive Officer on a contract basis to assess the IT systems during the acquisition of an international aerospace manufacturing firm in Fort Erie. • Delivered integrated technology improvement plan tied to lean manufacturing improvements, product development plans, and business management structure for the new organization.

Fleet Canada Inc.

Manager of Information Systems (Contract)

The Goodman School of Business at Brock University is one of the top ranked business schools in Canada and the only Canadian school to achieve Premier Chapter status with the Beta Gamma Sigma honour society. Accepted into the graduate program despite a lack of an undergraduate degree on the basis of strong professional credentials, strong GMAT performance, and a panel review by the business school executive.• Top 2% of all GMAT scores (756) on the entry exam• Inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honour society as part of the top 10% of the graduating class

MBA Candidate

Recognizing the increasing complexity in IT service delivery in small and medium sized business and a lack of companies supporting this space in the Niagara Region I built an IT solutions and consulting company focused on software, hardware, consulting, and support services. Over four years I developed a loyal clientele of organizations such as the Buffalo Sabres, Brock University, and several of the larger wineries and greenhouse operations in the area and built a strong financial operating position. In 2001 I was approached by a competitor looking to move into the business solutions space and sold the firm, remaining on as General Manager.• Built annual sales and service revenues of over $1 million prior to acquisition.• Successfully repositioned the combined company as the leader in the Region for small and medium sized business technology solutions, quadrupling sales by 2005.

Tim Empringham, MBA

Tim Empringham, MBA