After holding executive roles including CIO, CEO, and senior leadership positions at organizations such as Microsoft, Weyerhaeuser, Plum Creek and Port of Tacoma for 20+ years, I am excited to start a new chapter in my life but not ready to become a full-time golfer. I started my career in technology consulting at Accenture in 1989 and then served as CEO for 8 years at Equarius, a prominent West Coast consultancy later acquired by EMC/Dell. I am excited to go back to my roots in consulting and look forward to helping clients leverage technology to reach their business goals.
I founded CIO Advisors LLC to help organizations optimize and enhance their Information Technology functions and investments. Over the last 13 years, I have led three major Information Technology transformations for organizations from $250 million to $10 Billion with IT annual operating budgets from $10-$100 million. Each was unique but required an Assessment, IT Strategy Development and then 3-5 years of Strategy Implementation resulting in an IT Transformation. The results included:
IT being viewed as a strategic business partner
IT Operational Excellence with Key Performance Metrics
IT project and investment results
Improved IT employee and management development and performance
Programmatic approach to Information Security Risk Management
I am excited to work with Western US companies and agencies in a remote or hybrid consulting model.
Testimonials
“Mark has been a confidant for me for years on many levels. As an executive, it is paramount to have other like-minded professionals to bounce ideas. As they say, many brains make better solutions. His perspective on technology and business is unique as he can bridge the gap between ones and zeros to the financial performance of an organization, toss in employee development, and there you have Mark. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with Mark talking shop!”
Rob PotterCIO, Vice President of Business Systems Tessera
“I had the privilege of benefiting from Mark’s mentorship early in my career and while starting my own business – while I personally wouldn’t be where I am without his support, Mark’s experience with a wide range of companies has enabled him leverage his passion for coaching and developing consultants and IT professionals to have a profound impact on many people’s careers. “
“I’ve also worked with Mark as a client of mine. As the CIO of Weyerhaeuser, we had the opportunity to partner on cloud migration and cyber security strategy projects – his ability to quickly transform an IT organization using his background and trusted partners is second to none.“
Brian PaulenHead of Global Enterprise Services West Monroe
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Mark on several occasions, both at Weyerhaeuser and Port of Tacoma as a supplier/vendor. I was lucky enough to build a strong enough relationship that he not only was a customer, but an executive mentor to me as I continued to run and grow my business. Mark always had a way to explain and communicate large, some times complicated IT initiatives in a simple way that both technical and non-technical people could understand. Additionally, in my role as a vendor and recruiter, is was important to me to understand his style and culture of the team and company, which is another area that Mark flourished in and always had admiration from his teams and leaders. Mark is an authentic and caring leader who always puts his employees first while helping the organization flourish.”
“I have had the privilege of working with Mark both as a colleague and as a client over the years. He is an exceptional IT executive with a remarkable ability to lead, inspire, and drive growth. In times of significant change, I have often turned to him as an advisor and mentor. His guidance has always been thoughtful, grounded, and impactful. Mark brings deep expertise in both business dynamics and technology implications, and he has a rare talent for connecting the two in a practical and strategic way. I continue to value his insight and look forward to working with him and benefiting from his advice in the years to come.”
“In 5+ years at the Port of Tacoma, Mark transformed the Information Technology department. He defined a clear IT Strategy that had executive and IT staff buy-in. He partnered with the business leaders to modernize and migrate our applications fully to the cloud. He delivered improved IT Services while also addressing Cybersecurity risk. Mark has a passion for IT staff development and this is reflective of the executive team selecting his succession candidate from within the department. Mark is a strong strategic leader whose legacy will have an impact on the Port of Tacoma for years to come.”
