IT Manager, Director, CIO, VP IT, AVP
Content
NOWELL ASHFORD BCS, MBA, (CFA*) Strategic. Visionary. Driven to Succeed. An Individual with a Track Record of Business Success and Vision. Leveraged leadership and cutting-edge strategies to achieve business goals. Weig hed risk versus reward when analyzing new ventures and projects. Managed, traine d and worked efficiently with cohesive, world class teams in globally diverse en vironments. Implemented innovative solutions to challenging problems expeditious ly. Reliable, motivated and highly perceptive. ~ Orchestrated project planning and management, managing on average five to ten critical projects annually. ~ Executive Summary Spearheaded numerous initiatives and projects to achieve strategic business goal s. Hands-on leadership experience in developing streamlined, cost-efficient orga nizations. Lead all aspects of organizational information management, strategic and tactical planning, business continuity, IT governance and administration. Co llaborated with senior management to define strategic goals and set appropriate project budgets. Spearheaded million plus dollar projects; managed critical chan ges. Valuable experience in Sarbanes Oxley compliance, change & project manageme nt methodologies compliant with PMI/PMBOK, service level agreements, root cause analysis, internal time and cost tracking methods, structured HR systems etc. Ex posure to highly organized methods of business , technology management and stric t ITIL concepts and practices. 12 years plus of cumulative experience in Microso ft/Cisco administration, design and operations. Vast expertise in the areas of S harepoint, Windows Server, SQL Server, Symantec Enterprise Products, AD (Manipul ation, design, implementation, scripting and more), Citrix: Presentation Server ,Access Gateways & Netscalers, VMWARE, RMS, AIR, EQE, MS Exchange 2007, RIM Blac kberry Server, IPSWITCH monitoring, SCOM Monitoring, HP Insight Monitoring, HP S ervers, Cisco Switches, routers, firewall and VoIP (AVAYA & Cisco), Storage conc erns (SAN & Fabric), System Monitoring, PKI, and many more enterprise level solu tions. Management Experience INFRASTRUCTURE IT MANAGER , Endurance Specialty Insurance (NYSE: ENH) 2007-Pre sent Collaborate with senior management to identify and report strategic areas of imp rovement, cost efficiency and to evaluate cutting-edge strategies. Key resource responsible for problem solving and technology oversight. Create efficient and c ost optimized network methodologies. Ensure compliance with in house SLA and PLA levels - working under pressure daily; create Root Cause Analysis (RCA) documen tation per regulatory SOX compliance. Tracking of true project and infrastructur e cost calculations to determine a more accurate cost & ROI. Accountable for var ious analytical reporting, process flow identification and documentation, contro ls methods and performance metrics. * Leveraged training in structured project management methodology to provide ha nds-on leadership for large-scale, global projects fostering organizational grow th, productivity, and efficiency while communicating and all aspects of a projec t succinctly to upper management. * Delivery of strategy and vision for a globally diverse IT infrastructure. * Oversight and Implementation for global virtualization project. Ensure compli ance with strict timelines and budgets; risk mitigation. Leverage technology exp ertise to create cost-effective and "greener" server rooms, saving vast amounts of money on maintenance, extended warrantees, and power and cooling costs via de creasing the physical technological footprint. * Management of a major DR project to overhaul, expand and replace all DR infra structure inclusive of the Design of a more resource efficient and innovative DR isolation strategy for annual SOX compliance testing purposes.
* Information Lifecycle Management design and implementation concerns for all c ompany file systems and email systems. * Key resource for Web Application Infrastructure; IBM Webspere, IIS, Tomcat, i n-house solutions and others. * Primary Resource for all Mail Related Concerns inclusive of long term capacit y planning, archive, clustering, dedicated Netapp SAN storage, Disaster Recovery etc. * For all implemented and managed systems, Design, implementation and maintenan ce of IT security policy, procedures and best practice methodology. * Managing external consultants and a team of highly skilled and technically di verse professionals * Be on point with licensing concerns and related vendor management relations. * Tasked with Strategic growth planning, scalable solution designs and more. * Coordinated large-scale global security project for global RSA deployment. * Facilitate global meetings on varying concerns, projects, product choice dete rmination and more often aimed at proving & steering opinions as to why a given product or solution is or is not a best fit for the company. * The maintenance, design and assurance of 'High Availability ' solutions for a ll infrastructure concerns. * Provided critical support to Underwriting, Analysis and Actuarial departments ' workbenches. * Tasked with planning and Implementation for globally integrated telephony for one of the major branches in order to increase cost efficiency and productivity . * Key resource for various Data Management and Warehousing concerns as a SQL ad ministrator. * Primary resource for all Enterprise storage solutions; SAN and Fibre network topologies. * Revamping technological reporting infrastructure for enhanced proactive repor ting globally. * Responsible for Risk Modeling Systems inclusive of RMS, AIR and EQE. * Oversaw technical documentation for administration, security, and emergency m anagement. * Operating in a large and global production environment. * Maintained strict change control procedures. * Maintained complete compliance with regulations (SOX, etc.) and in-house chec ks. IT MANAGER, BHS - Bermuda 2001-200 7 Spearheaded IT management, budgeting, future requirements analysis and staff man agement (including recruitment and termination). Led various expansion efforts a nd related planning, including layout, RFPs, and cost oversight. Redesigned IT t o better serve increased capacity requirements. Conducted long and short term pr oactive planning. * Served for many months after leaving as an expert resource and consultant to oversee large projects, such as cost streamlining virtualization efforts, produc tivity increasing remote access and a full review of disaster recovery strategy to ensure business continuity. * Orchestrated project planning and management Managing on average five to ten critical projects annually-budgets exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars. * Single-handedly steered departmental vision and direction and raised awarenes s of its mission. * Successfully researched and designed a new infrastructure-serving over 800+ u sers. * Catapulted the business from a low technology footprint in 2001 to a cuttingedge and cost-efficient infrastructure. * Researched industry best practices and implemented them accordingly. * Improved in-house capabilities and talent while eliminating heavy reliance on external vendors to cut costs.
* Successfully streamlined company telephony making use of existing systems and merging them for greatly increased productivity and cost savings. * Strategically planned related concerns during business expansion; two large b uildings in 2002 and 2006; ensuring strict deadlines and cost control during the expansion. * Hands-on leadership for initiatives, improving departmental efficiency often via the analysis of cumbersome procedures and related intelligent solutions. * Recommended to management and implemented the use of new web technologies and appropriate budgets to increase PR efforts and external communication. * Deployed secure and accountable Internet usage to uphold the company's public image at all times. * Designed a secure wireless infrastructure to increase user mobility and effic iency. * Established strict departmental documentation policies to ensure business con tinuity via knowledge transfer. CHAIRMAN, SMITHS REGIONAL/NORTH - DISTRICT # 10, United Bermuda Party 2006-200 8 Provided highly effective leadership and planned and conducted both Smiths North and Smiths regional meetings. Orchestrated all regional functions, including me et and greets, legal workshops, canvassing preparation, technology concerns and finance procurement. Oversaw election planning, organization, and preparation fo r all three districts. Ran regional and district AGM's; invited general public t o events for input. Accountable for data manipulation and parliamentary registra r reconciliation. Oversaw door-to-door canvassing on behalf of party. Senior boa rd member of Central Executive Committee and Tech Committee. Delivered presentat ions to members of parliament and the Campaign and Central Executive committees. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 2001& Previous * Zurich Insurance Bermuda Branch (1997 - 2001) - Accomplishments available upo n Request Educational Qualifications & Affiliations *CFA Institute (CFA), In Progress Certifications: CCNA & MCSE, Both in Progress- I am considered Expert level in b oth topics regardless Masters of Business Administration in Technology Management (MBA/TM), University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 2006 Bachelors of Computer Science (BCS), Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada, 2001 Boarding School, Kings-Edgehill School, Windsor, NS, Canada, 1994 Saltus Grammar School, Pembroke, Bermuda Proficiencies Financial: Budgeting, Cost efficiency, formula/algorithm design, investment and ROI calculations Math: Adept at analyzing mathematical problems Analysis: I am very strong at analyzing, determining areas of improvement and pr oblem solving Education: Capable of learning new skills and talents very quickly and pride mys elf in my desire to learn Programming: C/C++, VB, .NET, PERL, J2EE and others Networking (Expert Level): Cisco, SAN, NAS, Fibre, Citrix, VMWARE, DNS, Routing, DHCP, TCP/IP, AD, GPO, Scripting, MOM/SCOM, IIS, PKI, All AV Enterprise Product s, EXCHANGE, Enterprise Vault, Clustering/HA Solutions - All Major Concepts OS: Unix/Linux, Windows Server (2003 & 2008), OSX Databases: SQL Design, Maintenance and Implementation; DBA Work. Risk Modeling Systems: RMS, AIR & EQE Knowledge Hardware Design: Satellite Hardware; the design of a Complex Band-Stacker unit Software Packages: All major Insurance, enterprise and HR/administrative applica tions - Please enquire
Nationality Bermudian Canadian (Also allows for work within the US under NAFTA) UK / EU References Available upon request
* Information Lifecycle Management design and implementation concerns for all c ompany file systems and email systems. * Key resource for Web Application Infrastructure; IBM Webspere, IIS, Tomcat, i n-house solutions and others. * Primary Resource for all Mail Related Concerns inclusive of long term capacit y planning, archive, clustering, dedicated Netapp SAN storage, Disaster Recovery etc. * For all implemented and managed systems, Design, implementation and maintenan ce of IT security policy, procedures and best practice methodology. * Managing external consultants and a team of highly skilled and technically di verse professionals * Be on point with licensing concerns and related vendor management relations. * Tasked with Strategic growth planning, scalable solution designs and more. * Coordinated large-scale global security project for global RSA deployment. * Facilitate global meetings on varying concerns, projects, product choice dete rmination and more often aimed at proving & steering opinions as to why a given product or solution is or is not a best fit for the company. * The maintenance, design and assurance of 'High Availability ' solutions for a ll infrastructure concerns. * Provided critical support to Underwriting, Analysis and Actuarial departments ' workbenches. * Tasked with planning and Implementation for globally integrated telephony for one of the major branches in order to increase cost efficiency and productivity . * Key resource for various Data Management and Warehousing concerns as a SQL ad ministrator. * Primary resource for all Enterprise storage solutions; SAN and Fibre network topologies. * Revamping technological reporting infrastructure for enhanced proactive repor ting globally. * Responsible for Risk Modeling Systems inclusive of RMS, AIR and EQE. * Oversaw technical documentation for administration, security, and emergency m anagement. * Operating in a large and global production environment. * Maintained strict change control procedures. * Maintained complete compliance with regulations (SOX, etc.) and in-house chec ks. IT MANAGER, BHS - Bermuda 2001-200 7 Spearheaded IT management, budgeting, future requirements analysis and staff man agement (including recruitment and termination). Led various expansion efforts a nd related planning, including layout, RFPs, and cost oversight. Redesigned IT t o better serve increased capacity requirements. Conducted long and short term pr oactive planning. * Served for many months after leaving as an expert resource and consultant to oversee large projects, such as cost streamlining virtualization efforts, produc tivity increasing remote access and a full review of disaster recovery strategy to ensure business continuity. * Orchestrated project planning and management Managing on average five to ten critical projects annually-budgets exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars. * Single-handedly steered departmental vision and direction and raised awarenes s of its mission. * Successfully researched and designed a new infrastructure-serving over 800+ u sers. * Catapulted the business from a low technology footprint in 2001 to a cuttingedge and cost-efficient infrastructure. * Researched industry best practices and implemented them accordingly. * Improved in-house capabilities and talent while eliminating heavy reliance on external vendors to cut costs.
* Successfully streamlined company telephony making use of existing systems and merging them for greatly increased productivity and cost savings. * Strategically planned related concerns during business expansion; two large b uildings in 2002 and 2006; ensuring strict deadlines and cost control during the expansion. * Hands-on leadership for initiatives, improving departmental efficiency often via the analysis of cumbersome procedures and related intelligent solutions. * Recommended to management and implemented the use of new web technologies and appropriate budgets to increase PR efforts and external communication. * Deployed secure and accountable Internet usage to uphold the company's public image at all times. * Designed a secure wireless infrastructure to increase user mobility and effic iency. * Established strict departmental documentation policies to ensure business con tinuity via knowledge transfer. CHAIRMAN, SMITHS REGIONAL/NORTH - DISTRICT # 10, United Bermuda Party 2006-200 8 Provided highly effective leadership and planned and conducted both Smiths North and Smiths regional meetings. Orchestrated all regional functions, including me et and greets, legal workshops, canvassing preparation, technology concerns and finance procurement. Oversaw election planning, organization, and preparation fo r all three districts. Ran regional and district AGM's; invited general public t o events for input. Accountable for data manipulation and parliamentary registra r reconciliation. Oversaw door-to-door canvassing on behalf of party. Senior boa rd member of Central Executive Committee and Tech Committee. Delivered presentat ions to members of parliament and the Campaign and Central Executive committees. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 2001& Previous * Zurich Insurance Bermuda Branch (1997 - 2001) - Accomplishments available upo n Request Educational Qualifications & Affiliations *CFA Institute (CFA), In Progress Certifications: CCNA & MCSE, Both in Progress- I am considered Expert level in b oth topics regardless Masters of Business Administration in Technology Management (MBA/TM), University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 2006 Bachelors of Computer Science (BCS), Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada, 2001 Boarding School, Kings-Edgehill School, Windsor, NS, Canada, 1994 Saltus Grammar School, Pembroke, Bermuda Proficiencies Financial: Budgeting, Cost efficiency, formula/algorithm design, investment and ROI calculations Math: Adept at analyzing mathematical problems Analysis: I am very strong at analyzing, determining areas of improvement and pr oblem solving Education: Capable of learning new skills and talents very quickly and pride mys elf in my desire to learn Programming: C/C++, VB, .NET, PERL, J2EE and others Networking (Expert Level): Cisco, SAN, NAS, Fibre, Citrix, VMWARE, DNS, Routing, DHCP, TCP/IP, AD, GPO, Scripting, MOM/SCOM, IIS, PKI, All AV Enterprise Product s, EXCHANGE, Enterprise Vault, Clustering/HA Solutions - All Major Concepts OS: Unix/Linux, Windows Server (2003 & 2008), OSX Databases: SQL Design, Maintenance and Implementation; DBA Work. Risk Modeling Systems: RMS, AIR & EQE Knowledge Hardware Design: Satellite Hardware; the design of a Complex Band-Stacker unit Software Packages: All major Insurance, enterprise and HR/administrative applica tions - Please enquire
Nationality Bermudian Canadian (Also allows for work within the US under NAFTA) UK / EU References Available upon request
