Patty Morrison Executive VP and CIO Motorola

How long at current company: Two years

Career accomplishment I'm most proud of: The number of individuals I have had the opportunity to manage and/or mentor who are now CIOs of their own companies. Development of them personally, the industries they serve, and the IT profession is at the center of my commitment to talent development in IT

Most important career influencer: My late husband was the wind beneath my wings; he gave me the confidence to change jobs, change industries, and take risks. His support, and the patience of my kids, made it possible for me to push myself to always change and grow. They were my best critics, my cheerleaders, and my reminder of the most important things in life.

Decision I wish I could do over: Looking back at some of the major decisions made during my career, I wouldn't necessarily want to do them over since everything has been a great exercise in learning, but I do wish I had responded more quickly to my own instincts.

The next big thing for my business will be ... the explosion of Web 2.0 and the consumerization of IT. Organizations will need to completely rethink how they will provide end-user services to an incoming workforce that has more technical capability at home/school than the enterprise can offer.

Best advice for future CIOs: Know how to build great teams--teams that are agile and courageous, that know how to execute flawlessly and can build real partnerships with your business clients. Your success is dependent on the quality of your people.

Size of IT team: 5,000 worldwide--both insourced and outsourced dedicated IT professionals

Top three initiatives:

• Deliver business results through a portfolio model where IT dollars are invested into strategic programs, measurements tracked, and business benefit clearly identified.
• Reduce complexity of IT from both an operational and employee standpoint; provide new tools and technologies to make it easier for Motorola's 65,000 employees to get their work done.
• Increase the value of IT across all groups, such as reducing annualized IT infrastructure spend with no direct impact on strategic programs, and implementing change management processes to improve cycle times and reduce costs related to poor quality.

Colleges/degrees: Graduated summa cum laude from Miami University; BA in mathematics and statistics, BS in secondary education

Leisure activity: I love to cook and play golf at my club in Florida.

Last vacation: A week in London with my kids

If I weren't a CIO, I'd be ... leading an IT services provider--I love being in IT!