Former Halliburton CIO Goes Postal, Plus CIO Shakeup at Goodyear and More

Ross Philo got the job as the United States Postal Service‘s (USPS) EVP and CIO. He reports to Postmaster General John Potter and sits on the agency’s executive committee. Philo is charged with helping the USPS increase sales, manage expenses, develop employees and improve service. He most recently worked for Cisco Systems as its director of global energy solutions. Prior to Cisco, Philo was CEO of Visean, a data transfer services comapny serving the oil and gas industry. Previously, he was SVP and CIO of Halliburton Energy Services.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. moved its vice president and corporate controller into the CIO position on February 27. Thomas Connell, 59, had served as Goodyear’s controller since 2003. Previously, he worked for TRW for 24 years in financial management positions. Connell replaces Stephanie Wernet as CIO. Wernet will be taking on a new assignment with the Akron, Ohio-based company, but the company has not yet said what her new role will be. Wernet had served as CIO since 2003.

Goodyear CFO Mark Schmitz said in the press release announcing Connell’s new position that the tire maker wants to “enhance the business focus and functional capabilities” of the IT organization, and implied that Connell’s “strong leadership and organizational skills” will be instrumental in doing so. Schmitz noted that Connell has led ERP, business process, shared services and IT systems standardization initiatives during his career. “Tom will lead our IT group to a new level of collaboration with the business units on real-world, information-based technology solutions to demand planning, supply chain implementation and other areas,” Schmitz said.

Safeco hired Robert Ingram as its new EVP and CIO on Wednesday. Ingram joins the Seattle, Wash.-based insurance company from Argonaut Group, an underwriter of specialty property and casualty insurance products, where he was CIO. Prior to Argonaut Group, he worked for USAA for eight years as a senior vice president in IT supporting the company’s property and casualty business.

Robert Plante joined NYC-based IDB Bank as its EVP and CIO yesterday. He is responsible for technical strategy, innovation and leveraging technology to uncover business opportunities, according to the press release announcing his hire. Plante most recently worked for CIT Group as its EVP and CIO. Previously, he worked for GE Money (when it was known as GE Capital’s Global Consumer Finance division) and for Geary Corp.

Woodbury Financial Services hired a CTO to develop and implement technology that will make employees more efficient, improve the services the broker/dealer provides to its reps and their clients, and to support the company’s growth. Marvin Clark is responsible for making the company’s three-year IT strategic plan a reality. Clark previously worked for Ameriprise and Advent Software.

Joe Cole was promoted to CIO of Symbio Solutions on February 25. Cole’s promotion was prompted by the retirement of CTO Bob Campbell in late 2007. Cole joined the healthcare industry staffing company in February 2007 as vice president of product development. In the year he’s been with the company, Cole restructured the development department, implemented new processes and tools to streamline and improve development, and created a new business analysis department. Prior to Symbio, he worked for Perot Systems for seven years. Cole also co-founded carefinder.com, a website that offers consumers information on childcare. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University.

Switch and Data, a provider of Internet exchange and co-location services, recruited a Sony executive as its new vice president of technology. Michael Bowen most recently led the operations and operational engineering group at Sony Online Entertainment as a vice president. Switch and Data hired Bowen for his knowledge of media and online gaming companies’ technical needs.

Jeffrey Boone joined Bickmore Risk Services & Consulting as its CIO. He most recently served as CIO of Eliant where he directed the strategy, design, development and delivery of the company’s core software systems and technology infrastructure. Previously, he was CTO of Retail Technologies International and Island Pacific, and was CIO and VP of products and technology for Ojbective Systems Integrators.

Carl Powell begins his new job as Metropolitan State College of Denver‘s vice president of information technology on March 1. He most recently served as a consultant with Cynergies Solutions in Ohio. From 2000 to 2006, he was VP and CIO of Cuyahoga Community College District in Cleveland, Ohio.