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CIO Values: Steve Olsen, Executive VP, Chief Operating Officer, And CIO At CheckFree
Advice from CheckFree's CIO: Focus on how technology creates value for your customers.
3 Min Read
Career Track
Steve OlsenExecutive VP, Chief Operating Officer, and CIO, CheckFree |
How long at current company: 10 years
Career accomplishment you're most proud of: Partnering with the major banks in the country to mainstream paying and receiving bills online.
Most important career influencer: There are two: My former chief operating officer, Pete Sinisgalli, who gave me significant opportunities to grow and take on broader business leadership roles, and Pete Kight, my current CEO, for his vision and passion, and for changing the way consumers manage their financial lives.
How I measure IT effectiveness: Each IT initiative must stand on its own based on its ability to drive customer value that can be monetized into either increased revenue or reduced costs.
On The Job
IT budget: Approximately $305 million
Size of IT team: Approximately 1,000
Three top initiatives for current year:
Developing a next-generation online banking application that makes use of integrated multichannel payments.
Building a new Tier 4 data center, implementing ITIL [Information Technology Infrastructure Library] processes, and consolidating 13 data centers down to three.
Engineering a state-of-the-art application infrastructure for the separately managed accounts industry.
View on the benefits of offshore outsourcing: Offshoring lets us develop new technology faster and pursue a "follow the sun" utilization of resources. These benefits are only possible if IT organizations invest up front in the appropriate enabling processes and tools.
Key tech partners: CA, EMC, IBM
Vision
The next big thing for my business will be ... a dramatic change in online banking and electronic billing and payments as a result of wireless technology. I believe the use of wireless devices to conduct these activities will become routine over the next five years.
Best piece of advice for CIOs of the future: Focus on how technology can create value for your customers.
Personal
College attended and degree earned:University of Massachusetts, bachelor of science degree in management
Favorite leisure activities: Scuba diving
Smartphone of choice: BlackBerry
Best book read recently: The Purpose-Driven Life, by Rick Warren
Favorite presidential candidate: No comment
If I weren't a CIO I would be ... CEO
About the Author
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