My goal has always been to energize high-growth environments and implement technology to drive meaningful change in organizations and their markets. Working hand-in-hand with business leaders, I've initiated and produced innovative management processes, performance infrastructures, and executive governance. I strive to leave my mark on every organization I touch, generating visible improvements in strategic focus and operational performance. I practice an open and collaborative style, attract top talent and inspire others to move beyond their current capabilities. In my current ventures, I serve as a sounding board on technology and product futures to investors and executives of start-ups that are positioned to be leaders in their markets. Previously I served as the top technology executive at Brandes Investment Partners, a highly respected investment management firm recognized for its culture and ethical standards. As the company grew at an exponential rate, I created a professional IT organization from the ground up that served the firm's needs and received industry recognition as “best in class”. As a management consultant, I had opportunity to work with top-level clients including Cargill, 3M, GE Capital, General Mills, and Piper Jaffray on engagements ranging from strategy for global businesses, to supply chain re-engineering, to technology integration. I have spent time in most of the United States, lived on both coasts and travel globally.

Investor / Advisor @ Actively managing across a portfolio of innovative startup companies; focusing in the areas of big data, business analytics and social media. From 2011 to Present (4 years) Director / CIO / CTO / Head of Information Systems and Technology @ Brandes Investment Partners, a leading investment advisory firm, specializes in managing global equity and fixed-income assets for clients worldwide based on a value investing approach with assets under management of up to $120 billion. While in the role of CIO/CTO dramatically reduced the company's outsource reliance by creating a world-class in-house IT department of over 100 IT professionals, gaining their Technology and Operations Functions a "Best In Class" among 75 top investment managers by Plan Sponsor Magazine 3 years running. Accomplished during tenure in this High-Growth environment: • Building an enterprise network and infrastructure, significantly increasing measured reliability, exceeding 99.99% uptime. • Creating technology strategies and the architecture for implementing an advanced application infrastructure integrating package and custom software that aligned business workflow • Developing and promoting an executive prioritization process in collaboration with the CEO and COO, defining all IT priorities for short and long term needs across the entire organization. • Managing 100+ technology and financial vendors that supported the firm’s products and needs, and enhanced open communication and mutual benefits by nurturing key relationships including: ~ Eagle Investment Systems ~ Charles River (Investment Software Solutions) ~ Microsoft • Establishing a Disaster Recovery/Business Continuance site; Sponsored, planned and implemented a disaster site to meet growing business continuance requirements. Full data-center with fiber link to headquarters seats 100 + staff. Worked closely with the executive team to identify progressive improvement across all areas of operational and market risk. The entire program was achieved for 40% less than the typical Financial Services Industry IT budget (4% of revenue vs. 7%) From 1998 to 2010 (12 years) Management Consultant @ Developed management and organizational approaches for business and information technology senior leadership of Fortune 1000 companies including: ~ 3M ~ Cargill ~ GE Capital ~ Carlson Companies ~ Piper Jaffray ~ Allina Health Systems ~ Blue Cross Blue Shield ~ General Mills. Prioritized and defined initiatives to realize strategic objectives, and accountable for: ~ Strategy Definition and Planning ~ Executive Communication ~ Technology Acquisition ~ Vendor Selection and Negotiation ~ System Architecture ~ Role and Responsibility Defining ~ Project Planning. Directed staff, ranging in size from 5 to 125. MANAGEMENT ACHIEVEMENTS • Directed global technical consolidation, enhanced supply chain management, established advanced application development organization, and led the architecture of an Information Technology infrastructure. • Developed a highly effective RFP system focusing vendor capabilities on the organization’s process and functional requirements. Adopted process resulted in 20-50% savings of previous process time, while increasing selection effectiveness. • Established a methodology enabling high performance teams to assess business state, conduct strategic planning, identify and implement appropriate supporting initiatives to gain measurable process improvements. From 1994 to 1998 (4 years) Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul AreaManagement Consultant (Continued) @ FINANCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS • Led a company-wide configuration management initiative, affecting a 3,000-user campus, delivering $2M in annual support cost savings. • Re-engineered vehicle-marketing function yielding 40% productivity improvement, established an optimized workflow and a cross-trained staff, achieving #1 industry position within 3 years. • Consolidated technology of 4 business units saving $1.2M in annual capital costs. Strategic alignment of distinct business strengths led to higher position on product value chain. • Defined a streamlined architecture, which specified integration of all information technology operation areas. Specific savings of $1.4M annually. Used as major point in subsequent acquisition negotiations. TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS • Led the acquisition and implementation of a three-tiered object-oriented development environment, integrated with legacy mainframe components, maximized to re-use existing application investment. • Recommended and implemented a variety of database and data warehouse structures, along with decision support tools to provide information to operational, management and executive levels. From 1994 to 1998 (4 years) Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul AreaFounding Partner @ CP Consulting Group provided process and technology consulting services to Fortune 500 companies - clients included: ~ Allina Health Systems ~ Blue Cross Blue Shield ~ Burlington Northern ~ Carlson Companies ~ GE Capital ~ General Mills ~ Piper Jaffray KEY CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS CLIENT: GE Capital ~ Led re-engineering and development of its re-marketing business’ processes and systems: • Provided a business methodology that re-shaped the processes and infrastructure tightly aligned with the business unit’s aggressive objectives • Increased productivity by 40%, streamlined an integrated workflow, and retrained business and support staff. Instrumental in business unit’s achieving #1 market position within 3 years. CLIENT: General Mills ~ Defined and integrated a new technology foundation for the company: • Lead architect noted for having engineered one the first client server infrastructures anywhere in the world, allowing General Mills to use PC technology to access all corporate data • Pioneered one of the first integrated, graphical front-end systems of its time CLIENT: Piper Jaffray ~ Identified and led selection of an advanced application development platform: • Developed a streamlined and thorough RFP proposal process providing for efficient decision making • Identified steps and process for adoption of new technology for maximum effectiveness CP Consulting Group was profitably sold in 1994 to Computer Horizons, which used it as the catalyst for what is now a major business unit. From 1989 to 1994 (5 years) Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul AreaSenior Consultant, Management Consulting Group @ Managed client engagements to re-engineer business processes while leveraging enabling technology to realize envisioned benefits. Accountabilities included facilitation of vision sessions with management, education of client staff in process change methodology, development of application and data architecture as well as utilizing Ernst & Young’s distinct areas of expertise for specific project needs. From 1988 to 1989 (1 year) Greater New York City AreaFinancial Systems Consultant @ Developed, implemented and maintained the Commercial Loan system which tracked daily performance of foreign notes and participation. Daily reports established decision points for portfolio managers allowing the bank to establish leadership position during the South American debt crisis. From 1985 to 1988 (3 years) Greater New York City Area

Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Economics @ Southern Connecticut State UniversityAll course work completed for Master of Science, Operations Research @ Southern Connecticut State UniversityContinuing Education, Negotiation for Executives @ Harvard School of Management Walt Czerminski is skilled in: Management Consulting, Strategic Planning, IT Asset Management, Investments, Technology, Information Technology, Technology Management, Technology Needs..., Financial Analysis, Application Architecture, Application Frameworks, Start-ups, Start-up Consulting, Start-up Ventures, Start-up Environment, Global Business..., Global Strategy, Strategic Thinking, Business Strategy, IT Strategy, IT Management, IT Operations, Strategic Consulting, IT Infrastructure..., Network Infrastructure, Infrastructure Security, RFP Design, Business Process..., Business Intelligence, Business Development, New Business Development, System Architecture, Asset Managment, Asset Management, Disaster Recovery, Integration, Management, Entrepreneurship, Process Improvement, Leadership, Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategy, Outsourcing, Venture Capital, E-commerce, Business Process, Governance, Equities, Executive Management, Finance