Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »
June 17, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM U.S./ET (GMT-4)
Larry Bonfante, CIO of the U.S. Tennis Association, will discuss the skills and approaches that your rising IT leaders must learn to be effective in an executive capacity.
How to Handle Your New CEO: Managing Turnover at the Top
June 18, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)
Turbulent times have increased turnover at the top. Find out what Council CIOs have done to "break in" new CEOs—build relationships, set expectations, educate on the role of IT.
Mid-Market CIO Panel: Tips and Techniques for Improving Vendor Relationships
July 15, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)
We'll highlight relationship priorities and best practices identified in a Council study, and we'll interact with a CIO panel on the approaches they've used to improve strategic vendor partnerships.
Executive Competencies Assessment Tool
Assess Your Business Leadership Skills with the Council's new benchmarking tool. Rate yourself in change leadership, strategy, customer focus and more.
Learn more about the CIO Executive Council »Apply today for a FREE subscription to CIO Magazine!
October 15, 2003 — CIO —
When Jim Brownell was CIO of Williams-Sonoma, he sat on the executive committee, reported directly to the CEO, and oversaw a strategic, multimillion-dollar replacement of the retailer’s merchandising and warehousing system. But when a new CEO took over, he decided he wanted his own CIO. So last October, Brownell, a 25-year IT veteran, began looking for a comparable position elsewhere. He couldn’t find one.
"When I looked at opportunities in CIO-land, they were unappealing. The cycle of CIOs reporting to CFOs is coming back, and it’s not pleasing," Brownell says. "I heard the same story in every interview: ’We’re looking for a new CIO because IT projects never deliver on time and they cost more than we expect and they don’t deliver what we want. All our systems need to be replaced. Oh, and we’re reducing the amount of money we’re allocating for IT.’"
In May, Brownell accepted a job as senior vice president and general manager of Escalate, a California software vendor, rather than settle for a lesser CIO job. "Quite honestly," says Brownell, "I don’t know why anyone would want the CIO job today."
Brownell has a point. Consider the following:
"CIO is no longer the same level of position," says Phil Schneidermeyer, CIO