Speakers

• LaVerne Council
  Corporate VP & CIO Johnson & Johnson
  
  

  LaVerne Council is Corporate Vice President and CIO of Johnson & Johnson. She is responsible for the management of IT and related systems for Johnson & Johnson's worldwide enterprise that includes more than 250 operating companies and 3,500 information technology employees with a budget of $1.9B.

  Council brings to this position a wealth of global experience in IT, supply chain management and business operations. She joined Johnson & Johnson as a proven leader with a demonstrated track record of achievement. Before joining Johnson & Johnson in June 2006, she was Global Vice President for IT, Global Business Solutions and Development Services for Dell, Inc. In this capacity, she served as the IT leader for EMEA, Asia, Global Software Services, and IT Globalization for Dell.

  In addition, Council was responsible for optimizing the global project delivery capability and she developed and implemented effective solutions for business growth. She created a global development model and managed the global quality process through the implementation of Capability Maturity Model (CMM/CMMI) strategies and business improvement processes worldwide. During her tenure at Dell, she was also the global leader for infrastructure engineering, networking, security, and enterprise application interfaces and was the Global Supply Chain Technology leader for Dell's core operations.

  Before her assignment at Dell, Inc., Council was a partner with CAPGEMINI, formerly Ernst and Young LLP, where she led the Global Supply Chain Strategy Practice, focusing on Life Sciences accounts, and was responsible for Ernst & Young's Supply Chain Strategy Team for all markets.

  Council is a graduate of Illinois State University and holds an M.B.A. in Operations Management. She also received a Bachelor's degree in Business, graduating with highest honors, in Computer Science from Western Illinois University.

  Among her many community and professional associations, Council is a member of the National Board of Trustees for the March of Dime, the Board of Trustees of the Liberty Science Center (New Jersey), Board of The Executive Leadership Council, Research Board, CIO Executive Board, and many other industry Advisory Councils.

  In January 2007, LaVerne was featured on Change Artists, a CNN live web cast profiling CIOs and CEOs of major corporations. She also has been featured in Eenadu, one of the largest news magazines in India and was selected by Profiles in Diversity Journal as one of 45 "Women Worth Watching" in 2004. Council was also featured in the 2003 Austin Business Journal as a "Power Award" winner.

• Craig A. Cuyar, Ph.D.
  Global CIO Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
  
  

  Dr. Craig Cuyar recently became Global CIO of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., a $2.2B global commercial real estate services and advisory firm with 15,000 employees in 215 offices across 58 countries. Previously, Cuyar was SVP and CIO for the Realogy Franchise Group.

  Prior to joining Realogy, Cuyar served as the CIO for CommonHealth, a WPP Company, for six years. Prior to his work in the advertising industry, he spent five years as the CIO for a Pennsylvania-based healthcare provider network.

  Cuyar started his career as a Physics teacher and maintains a permanent teaching certificate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has served as an adjunct faculty member and designed curricular materials for various academic institutions and currently mentors graduate students enrolled in Columbia University's Masters of Technology Management program.

  Cuyar holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. in Finance from the Rutgers Business School. He is a regular speaker on the Business Value of IT and serves on a number of advisory boards in both the technology and professional services industries. He is also an Executive Board Member of the New Jersey Chapter of SIM.

• Nicholas M. Donofrio
  EVP, Innovation & Technology IBM
  
  

  Nick Donofrio is a champion for innovation across IBM and its global ecosystem and is the leader of IBM's global technology strategy. He also is Vice Chairman of the IBM International Foundation. Donofrio's responsibilities include IBM Research, Governmental Programs, Quality, Corporate Community Relations, as well as Environmental Health and Product Safety. Also reporting to Donofrio are the senior executives responsible for IBM's enterprise on demand transformation, as well as IBM's initiatives for open industry standards and intellectual property. In addition to his strategic business mission, Donofrio leads the development and retention of IBM's technical population and strives to enrich that community with a diversity of culture and thought.

  Donofrio is focused sharply on advancing education, employment and career opportunities for underrepresented minorities and women. He served for many years on the Board of Directors for the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and was NACME's Board chair from 1997 through 2002. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for INROADS, a non-profit organization focused on the training and development of talented minority youth for professional careers in business and industry, and he is co-chair of the New York Hall of Science. In 2005, Donofrio was appointed by the U.S. Department of Education to serve on the Commission on the Future of Higher Education. In 2006, he was named IBM's delegate to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, a coalition of 190 companies united by a shared commitment to economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. Also in 2006, Donofrio was elected co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the New York Hall of Science.

  Donofrio joined IBM in 1967 and spent the early part of his career in integrated circuit and chip development as a designer of logic and memory chips. He held numerous technical management positions and, later, executive positions in several of IBM's product divisions. He has led many of IBM's major development and manufacturing teams - from semiconductor and storage technologies, to microprocessors and personal computers, to IBM's entire family of servers.

  Donofrio is the holder of seven technology patents and is a member of numerous technical and science honor societies.

  In 2002, Donofrio was recognized by Europe's Institution of Electrical Engineers with the Mensforth International Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the advancement of manufacturing engineering. In 2003, he was named Industry Week magazine's Technology Leader of the Year, the University of Arizona's Technical Executive of the Year, and was presented with the Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award by the Society of Women Engineers for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in the engineering field. In 2005, Donofrio was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he was presented with Syracuse University's highest alumni honor - the George Arents Pioneer Medal, and he was honored by CNBC with its Overall Technology Leadership Award. In 2006, he was honored by The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art with the Urban Visionaries Award for Engineering; was named one of Business Week magazine's 25 Top Innovation Champions; and received the Robert Fletcher Award from Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering for distinguished achievement and service.

  Donofrio earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1967 and a Master of Science in the same discipline from Syracuse University in 1971. In 1999 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Engineering from Polytechnic University. In 2002 he received an honorary doctorate in Sciences from the University of Warwick in England, in 2005 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Technology from Marist College and in 2006 he received an honorary doctorate in Sciences from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

• Mary Hall Gregg, Ph.D.
  VP & CIO Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
  
  

  Mary Hall Gregg is VP and CIO for Quest Diagnostics. Previously, Gregg was VP for Clinical IT Solutions for MedPlus, the IT subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics. She was responsible for sales and marketing of physician directed information technology products.

  Prior to joining MedPlus, Gregg held the position of VP, IT for Quest Diagnostics, where she directed lab and billing application development as well as managed a nationwide field support team. Before joining Quest Diagnostics, Gregg was VP of Business Information Systems and Deputy CIO for the American Red Cross. Prior to that, she worked with BDM Federal, a systems integration company, and Merck Research Laboratories.

  Gregg is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, with a Ph.D. in Biostatistics. In addition, she attended Vanderbilt University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics.

• Ronald W. Hovsepian
  President & CEO Novell
  
  

  Ron Hovsepian serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Novell, Inc. He is responsible for setting the company’s strategic direction and leading its growth as a global provider of enterprise-class software and services.

  Hovsepian joined Novell in June 2003 as President of North America, and has most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer. In that role he had direct worldwide responsibility for product development, marketing, and field operations, which includes sales, consulting and technical services. Previously, Hovsepian held management and executive positions at IBM Corporation over a 17-year period, including worldwide general manager of IBM’s distribution industries, managing global hardware and software development, sales, marketing and services. With stints in various sales and marketing positions prior to taking profit and loss responsibility at several IBM units, he brings a proven track record of achieving revenue goals and profit growth in the IT solutions business. Hovsepian also served as a managing director of Internet Capital Group, a venture capital firm.

  Hovsepian is non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ann Taylor Corporation. Hovsepian received a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College.

• Michael Iacona
  CIO & SVP TMP Worldwide Advertising & Communications, LLC
  
  

  Michael Iacona has more than 14 years of experience in business and technology, having previously worked for Loews Corporation and AT&T. He was the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of MyRebates.com. In his current role, Iacona oversees all technology initiatives for TMP. He isresponsible for activities ranging from the design and implementation of infrastructure and internal support, CRM, ERP, and workflow management systems to software product engineering and high end, high dollar external custom client-facing web development solutions.

  Iacona holds a BS from Hofstra University, an MS from Pace University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

• Rob James
  VP & CIO Novartis Corporation
  
  

  Rob James is currently VP and CIO for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation with IT responsibility for North America.

  James joined Novartis in 2003 as Vice President, Sales & Marketing Business Systems with IT responsibility for supporting one of the largest sales forces in the industry.

  Before joining Novartis, James served as IT head for Pharmacia's U.S. Commercial business. Prior to that, he worked for 13 years at P&G, where he served as global CIO for the Pharmaceutical division during a time of significant business growth.

  Since starting his career with Xerox in 1984, James has gained extensive international experience through several assignments in Europe and the U.S. in support of major globalization initiatives. He has successfully led global deployments of SAP R/3 for Supply Chain, Siebel for Customer Relationship Management, and integrated Regulatory and Clinical Development platforms.

  This year, James is Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Information Systems Association (PISA) CIO Board and is a member of the Microsoft Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee and Intel Advisory Board.

  While currently based out of East Hanover, New Jersey, James is a native of the United Kingdom, where he earned a graduate degree in Mathematics from the University of London.

• Maryfran Johnson
  Chief Content Officer CIO Leadership Network
  
  

  Maryfran Johnson is an award-winning IT journalist and editor with wide-ranging experience in CIO executive events. Leveraging an extensive IT executive network built during her leadership roles in publishing atCIO Decisions magazine andComputerworld, she now brings her expertise to the role of Chief Content Officer for the CIO Leadership Network. During her 18-year career in IT journalism, Johnson has been featured in TV, radio and newspaper interviews as an expert commentator on business and technology trends and is renowned for her engaging stage presence and in-depth knowledge of CIO issues. In 2005, she was named one of the "21 Most Intriguing People in Publishing" by Min'sB2B Magazine. The year before, she was honored as the first national winner of American Business Media's 2004 Timothy White Award for editorial integrity.

  As the founding editor of TechTarget's CIO Decisions Media Group, Johnson led the April 2005 launch of TechTarget'sCIO Decisions magazine and CIO Decisions Conference for senior IT executives at midsized companies. Prior to joining TechTarget, she served as Editor-in-Chief of IDG'sComputerworld, where she spent 15 years in reporting, editing and managerial positions. During her five years' tenure as the top editorial executive, she created the Premier 100 IT Leaders Awards Program and Conference, now among the industry's largest and most prestigious events for technology executives.

  Johnson earned her Master's degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University, and her Bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, which in 2002 honored her as one of six "Alumni of Distinction" for the College of Journalism and Communications. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, two daughters and three absurdly spoiled miniature dachshunds.

• Dr. Arthur Langer
  Senior Director Center for Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement Columbia University
  
  

  Dr. Arthur Langer is the Senior Director of the Center for Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is on the faculties in the Department of Organization and Leadership at the Graduate School of Education (Teachers College) and Associate Director of Instruction and Curricular Development for Programs in Information Technology in the School of Continuing Education. He is also a visiting professor at Kyoto's Graduate School of Informatics in Japan. His activities at Columbia University focus on education and research that provides students with theory-to-practice knowledge or applied learning to professional students. Dr. Langer is also Chairman of Workforce Outsource Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to "leveling-the-playing-field" and providing scholarships and job opportunities to under-served populations across the country.

  Dr. Langer's practice and research involves workforce development, adult mentoring programs, workplace learning, adult education, intellectual development, and learning transformation as well as the design of special education programs. He is the author ofInformation Technology & Organizational Learning (2005),Applied Ecommerce (2002),Analysis & Design of Information Systems (2000), andThe Art of Analysis (1997) and has published numerous articles and papers relating to workforce development, organizational integration, mentoring, and staff development. He consults with organizations and corporations throughout the world.

• Mary LeBlanc
  VP & CIO Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
  
  

  Mary LeBlanc is SVP & CIO of Avis Budget Group, Inc., with full responsibility for planning, organization and prioritization of IT projects that support the Group's business goals including applications development, architecture, data security, quality assurance, operations research, operations, and infrastructure.

  With 25 years of experience in information technology, LeBlanc previously served as Vice President for Global Commercial IT at Pharmacia Corporation, where she provided application support to the company's global prescription pharmaceutical business, seeing the company through its acquisition by Pfizer. LeBlanc was also Vice President of Global IT for the agricultural products business at American Cyanamid, guiding the group through its ownership by both BASF Corporation and American Home Products (now Wyeth). During this time she spent four years at Cyanamid's primary manufacturing facility in Hannibal, MO, responsible for IT and manufacturing services (warehousing, raw materials handling and storage, purchasing, and logistics). LeBlanc started her career at Atlantic Richfield Company as a business systems analyst.

  LeBlanc holds a Master's degree in Business Administration (Management of Information Systems) from Anderson School of Management at UCLA and a Bachelor's degree in Human Biology from Stanford University.

• Brian R. Lurie
  VP, IT Stryker Orthopaedics
  
  

  For the past 10 years, Brian R. Lurie has served as Vice President, Information Technology at Stryker Orthopaedics, the largest operating division of the Stryker Corporation with more than $5 Billion in annual sales. Stryker Orthopaedics is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales of reconstructive, trauma, and sports medicine orthopaedic products and services specifically for the hip, knee, spine, wrist, craniomaxillofacial, shoulder and elbow.

  Lurie provides worldwide IT leadership for Stryker Orthopedics' four international manufacturing facilities and 100+ branch and agency distribution locations. Lurie's teams are responsible for all computer and telephony requirements including application development, infrastructure, information delivery, and IT quality and controls with a core focus on customer satisfaction and response.

  In addition to his role at Stryker Orthopaedics, Lurie is a founding member of Stryker's Business Technology Council, a cross-divisional Stryker entity.

  Lurie has more than 20 years of increasing experience in the field of information technology and has held a number of key leadership positions over the span of his career. Prior to his current position, Lurie served as the CIO for Penn Engineering and Manufacturing where he managed an international IT staff in corporate, field and consultant positions. He was also responsible for selecting new technology that met the needs of the company's business, which grew at a rate of more than 30% during his tenure.

  From 1984 through 1994, Lurie worked for the Unisys Corporation, culminating his tenure as the Bid Integrity Manager for the Tri-State area.

  Lurie has received many accolades including the 2008 Top 10 Leaders & Innovators Award and top 100Computerworld Magazine 2009 (due out December 2008).

  Lurie is an active contributor to his local community, currently serving as President of the Dellwood Park Civic Association in New City, NY. Lurie also serves on the panel for the Global Technology Confidence Indicators (GTCI), an executive research and analysis unit at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ., and is a Charter Board Member on the Temple University Computer and Information Sciences Advisory Board. Lurie is also an annual technology guest speaker at the University of Pennsylvania.

  Lurie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer and Information Sciences from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA., and conducted post-graduate work at The University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Gallup's Leadership Academy.

• Christine Poon
  Vice Chairman Johnson & Johnson
  
  

  Christine Poon is Vice Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, and a member of the Office of the Chairman. She serves as a member of the Company?s Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and has responsibility for the pharmaceutical businesses. In January 2007, she assumed responsibility for the Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, the Corporate Office of Science and Technology, the Corporate Office of Information Management, Worldwide Procurement and Worldwide Operations.

  Poon began her career with Johnson & Johnson in November 2000, as Company Group Chairman, Pharmaceuticals. In August 2001, she was promoted to the Executive Committee and named Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals. Poon was appointed Worldwide Chairman, Medicines & Nutritionals, in October 2003. She was named a Vice Chairman of the Board in January 2005 and was elected to the Johnson & Johnson Board of Directors in April 2005.

  Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Poon spent 15 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb where her most recent position was President of International Medicines. Her career at Bristol-Myers Squibb included marketing and strategic planning positions. In 1990, she was named Vice President, Cardiovascular Strategic Product Planning, and she became Vice President and General Manager of Squibb Diagnostics in 1992. In 1994, she was named President and General Manager of the Canadian operation. Poon was named Vice President, then Senior Vice President for Canada and the Latin America Pharmaceutical Operations, and from 1997-1998 she was President of Medical Devices.

  Poon is on the Board of Directors of Prudential Financial in Newark, NJ, and the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. She is a past member of the Board of Trustees of the NJ Institute of Technology. In 2004, she was named Woman of the Year by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and in November 2005 was named Business Leader of the Future by CNBC/Wall Street Journal.

  Poon received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Northwestern University, a Master’s degree in Biology/Biochemistry from St. Louis University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Boston University.

• John Repko
  Corporate SVP & CIO Covance, Inc.
  
  

  John Repko is Corporate SVP & CIO for Covance, Inc., and has overall responsibility for evolving the global IT organization to drive IT innovation and deliver world-class service excellence. He serves as a member of the Global Leadership Council, the Executive IT Steering Committee, and leads the Global IT Leadership Team. He reports to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

  Repko joined Covance in March 2003 as Vice President, Global Applications. In that role, he organized and led the centralization and globalization of Application Development, Application Support, and Quality Control across Covance. He was promoted to Senior Vice President and CIO in January 2006.

  Prior to joining Covance, Repko served as Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer at GE American Communications - A Division of GE Capital.

  Repko received a Master's degree in Business Administration and Information Technology from Drexel University, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Villanova University. He is a Certified GE Six Sigma Master Black Belt.

• Stephen Savage
  SVP & CIO CA
  
  

  Stephen Savage is SVP & CIO for CA, where he is responsible for the company's global IT strategy, IT compliance, international IT organization, and infrastructure. Additionally, he manages the implementation of a global ERP system and oversees the internal adoption and implementation of CA solutions based on the company's Enterprise IT Management (EITM) vision.

  Savage has built his career primarily overseas in sales, consulting and operations. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for the business planning cycle and the significant corporate transformation that redefined the company's business processes. Savage has also been responsible for corporate strategy and SOX compliance and has held international roles within CA, which included running the Application Products Group in Europe as well as European professional services.

  Before joining CA, he was responsible for international operations of a consulting services company that was purchased by CA in 1998. Earlier in his career, Savage was GM of Singer Sewing Machine Corporation.

• Tom Shelman
  President, Defense Group Northrop Grumman IT Northrop Grumman Corporation
  
  

  Thomas W. Shelman is President of Northrop Grumman Information Technology's Defense group, a business responsible for providing information technology and related services to the Department of Defense. The Defense group focuses on systems and services related to analysis, training, communications, IT infrastructure, logistics, mission support, computer simulation, and science and technology.

  Shelman previously was Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Northrop Grumman Corporation. In this role, he led Northrop Grumman's IT strategy as the corporation grew from a $6B to a $30B operation. He standardized the systems infrastructure and consolidated systems to support the corporation's acquisition and integration activities. His successful execution of an integrated IT shared services model greatly reduced recurring IT costs for Northrop Grumman as a percentage of sales over time. Shelman's career includes leading several consecutive enterprise implementations, including a secure network and enterprise office collaboration. His financial accountability represented more than $1B in IT assets, processes and personnel.

  In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Shelman served as chairman of the e-Business Steering Group of the Aerospace Industries Association from 2001 to 2003. Shelman is also an active member of the Federal Government Leadership Forum, which is working to improve information sharing between the public and private sectors to protect our country from terrorist threats.

  Through Shelman's leadership, Northrop Grumman receivedCIO magazine's CIO 100 Award in 1997, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The company was named to theInformationWeek 500 for seven consecutive years, and also appeared in that publication's Top 100 Innovators list in 2005. Shelman was distinguished as Information Systems Executive of the Year for 2003 by the David D. Lattanze Center at Loyola College, Baltimore, a nationally recognized Center of Excellence dedicated to fostering management collaboration and excellence in business and information technology. In 2004, Shelman was selected as aComputerworld Premier 100 IT Leader and his Litton Industries integration initiative was amongComputerworld's 12 Best in Class. He received the American Business Award for Best Management Information Systems/IT Executive in 2006.

  Shelman serves on several business advisory boards that span the industry. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, Commerce, Texas.

• Dan Zelem
  CTO Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
  
  

  Dan Zelem is the CTO of Medco Health Solutions, a position he took on in March 2007. Zelem joined Medco Health in 1991 as Manager, Information Product Development. As CTO, Zelem is responsible for managing the enterprise architecture function across Medco, inclusive of technology strategy and governance, technology R&D, technology refresh, software engineering, and services deployment.

  Prior to his current role, Zelem held numerous positions within Medco's infrastructure and application development organizations. Most notably Zelem led the implementation of Medco's industry leading information warehouse platform and its online pharmacy Medco.com. Medco.com is currently the largest online pharmacy servicing over 6 million consumers and generating over $6 billion in drug sales.

  Prior to joining Medco Health, Zelem was with Chemical Bank Corporation from 1980 through 1991 where he held several positions with increasing responsibilities in their IT organization.