Mark A. Scrimshire

Visionary Web 2.0 Architect, and Problem Solver

Current articles

- ekive.blogspot.com
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Web 2.0 Journal

Mark Scrimshire - The snapshot

  Dynamic, results oriented team player with diverse business focused, multi disciplinary IT and communications expertise gained in a global corporate environment. Cutting edge experience with Web 2.0 methodologies and technologies and over 20 years troubleshooting, taking decisive action and leading teams on challenging Internet and infrastructure architecture-related assignments.  

Contributing Editor
Sys-con Web 2.0 Journal
2006 - Present
I co-edit the respected Web 2.0 Journal. This blog is the Internet’s (http://web2.wsj2.com) leading commentary on the world of Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0.

Principal
Ekive LLC
2000 - Present

Founded EKIVE to provide strategic and program management expertise to CxO’s in technology dependent industries. I grew project billings to over $1M in the first full year of operation and recruited consultants to grow the company from 2 to 10 staff in 14 months. Every client received at least a fourfold payback (through reduced costs or increased revenues) from using our services.

Through my interest in raising the awareness of the need for distributed digital identity services in Web 2.0 I was recognized by one of the Identity Management gurus at Sun as one of the Web 2.0 “Identarati”. (ekive.blogspot.com).

Retained by the leading global provider of clearing, settlement, payment and financial risk management solutions for communications service providers to perform an Internet Architecture Assessment of their web-based applications prior to a major expansion investment. I defined an alternative platform design that significantly lowered their cost of expansion and eliminated single points of failure in their infrastructure.

As a Strategic Consultant for Nextel Communications I developed the Road Map for Network Management and Engineering Design and Deployment. This laid out the strategy and plan for the use of information technology, promoting Internet technologies and Data Warehousing tools. I recruited and managed the team of architects and the application evaluation process, assisting the VP, Engineering and Operations Support in growing his team from 4 to over 150 people. Directly responsible for over $30M of development budget decisions (www.nextel.com)

Other projects included the reorganization and re-focusing of the IT function for Teleglobe’s CIO. As Interim Executive Director - Infrastructure Operations I led a team of over 100 people, reduced the organization size by 50%, cut the budget from $22M to $9M, while increasing project completions by 25%. After recruiting my replacement I was retained by the CIO in his executive planning team. In that role the CEO and CIO asked me to take over leadership and review the unfinished $200M Internet Data Center build-out project. I performed a business assessment, developed a plan to bring the project to production readiness. I reviewed the sales prospects and developed an exist strategy. The recommendations were adopted and led to $12M/month reduction in operating expense. (www.teleglobe.com)

At DSL.net I transitioned the CIO’s organization from a single site regional operation to a multi-site national team. While undertaking this effort I also managed an urgent, high profile project to implement an extranet e-commerce solution. The sales application, used by IBM, was designed and deployed in less than 4 weeks and 45% under budget. (www.dsl.net)

As a Consultant/System Security Architect for American Systems Corporation, I led the team and was the editor and primary author that developed a Secure Enterprise Architecture framework for their client, The National Archives. The project had to be delivered in less than 6 weeks. This framework was used as the internal blueprint for the Electronic Records Archive initiative, projected to grow to over 11,000 terabytes of storage by 2014. (www.nara.gov)

Retained by the CEO of a local start-up software development company, I developed Return on Investment and product marketing strategies for an internet-based asset and warranty management application targeted at the SUN Value Added Reseller community. (www.ussolutions.net)

CIO
Iridium LLC
1997 - 2000
Joining as Operations Support Director and promoted to Executive Director and subsequently to the position of CIO as a result of a successful build out and commissioning of the 24x7 data center that ran Iridium’s back office services. These included: Development, Office Systems, Billing systems, Networking and Global Internet Web Site management. I designed and managed the implementation of a comprehensive web strategy with global Internet, e-commerce, extranet and intranet platforms to meet the needs of marketing and business operations. I also devised and completed a migration of office systems from Netware and cc:Mail to Microsoft Windows NT and Sun Solaris-based iPlanet mail services. This transition was critical to company operations. Email service availability jumped from 85% to be held consistently at over 99.9%.

Just prior to the commercial launch of the Iridium system I assumed responsibility for the entire IT function. I successfully retained staff through a volatile period. As CIO I shrank the IT function from over 120 people to less than 10 while still maintaining basic services for the company. During the reorganization I was a member of the technical team leading discussions with potential purchasers of the Iridium system. (www.iridium.com)

AVP Global Operations
Preferred Health Systems, LLC
1996 - 1997
I established the UK and European Headquarters and defined strategies for the delivery of software and services to clients. I was a contributor to multi-million dollar bids to provide Health Risk Assessment services to the UK’s leading private healthcare provider. I also managed the delivery and deployment of technology and software for clients in the USA, developing revenue, costing and implementation plans for client-server and web-based application deployments. I developed a pilot application to demonstrate how health care assessments could be integrated with third party applications via the Internet.

Senior Consultant
CMG Plc
1995 - 1996
I was recruited in to the Advanced Technology Division for my Call Center, Networking and Program Management experience. This was used to architect and deliver the complete technology infrastructure for the paperless administration centre for the world’s largest building society, the leading mortgage provider in the UK. This centre was the hub for 29 offices in the South-East of England. The solution was instrumental in improving customer satisfaction with the mortgage application process by over 20%. This was the highest earning project with a billing rate of more than $3.0M per year. In parallel I published articles and spoke at conferences, becoming recognized as an expert on the challenges in integrating the Internet and the call centre.

I conducted a business process review for the branch network of the leading UK parcels delivery operator and developed the business case for web-based provisioning and customer care processes for a major international telecommunications operator as part of an overall customer service strategy. As a result of my demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects I was placed in the Associate Directorship program as a precursor to promotion to a company directorship.

Principal Consultant
Aspen Consultancy Ltd
1995 - 1996
I Published articles in industry publications including DataPro and the Telecommunications Users Association Annual Reference Book. I developed and chaired a Business Process Re-Engineering conference for AIC Conferences and Network magazine and presented papers at conferences on topics ranging from network security, field-force automation and mobile communications, groupware to LAN design and implementation. I led a successful nine-month, fast track program culminating in Aspen achieving BS5750 Part 1/ISO9001 certification at the first attempt.

I conducted world-class comparative benchmarking quality studies for a TQM-focused electronics manufacturer to assess the performance of their Customer Service centers and conducted a strategic audit of relocation and system upgrade plans for the high availability voice and data network of the leading UK electricity generator.

My interest in performance metrics was enhanced by undertaking a project to develop billing/pricing strategies and models for the IT department of a world leading PC and printer manufacturer. I developed pricing and charging models for every IT service, including TCP/IP packet usage. My experience in using standards documents to drive change was utilized by a major telecommunications company by authoring strategic workstation and networking standards for the implementation of PCs in a 1500 seat call center. Previously the company had used only Apple Macintosh equipment.

PC/LAN Services Manager
Conoco UK Ltd.
1987 - 1992
I managed a multi-disciplinary, multi-project team supporting end users, managers and IT specialists in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. I conceived, wrote and implemented PC and LAN standards that were adopted by the company, world-wide. These standards were put in to effect through the management of a complex migration of 750 LAN users to new systems and new facilities as part of a major relocation. I also developed and presented PC and LAN training courses for Conoco employees.

I received a company performance award for my efforts to expand the backbone PC and LAN infrastructure through a 20 fold increase in scale to support more than 30 fileservers and 1,200 users. Following this growth, I recommended and managed the implementation of new technology that enabled consolidation, achieving a 60% reduction in the number of servers and a saving of £0.5M.

Systems Analyst Systems Analyst
Consultant
Resultant Ltd.
1985 - 1987
Senior Systems Analyst
Philips Electronics Ltd.
1983 - 1985
Systems Analyst
Rolls-Royce Ltd.
1982 - 1983
Facility Analyst
Rolls-Royce Ltd.
1981 - 1982
Undergraduate Apprentice
Rolls-Royce Ltd.
1976 - 1981

Certifications

• Diploma of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply
• ISO 9001 Internal Auditor
• NCC Certificate in Basic Systems Analysis

Qualifications and Education

B.A. Honours - Business Studies
• Coventry University, Coventry, UK, 1980
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