Neil Fox
300 Victor Hugo Dr.
Cary, North Carolina 27511
919.559.4000
Key Talents: A passionate and creative IT executive with more than 20 years of leading innovative companies in setting business vision aligned with global technology delivery for ultimate success. My core competencies focus on building diverse (award winning) web applications that leverage a company’s key strengths for incredible measurable performance and outstanding customer experiences. Expertise in Open Source and best practices development methodologies (Agile Development with Scrum) lend real business benefit to any organization focused on delivering shareholder and customer value.
2/2005 - Present Red Hat, Raleigh, NC
Red Hat is the world's leading provider of open source solutions to the enterprise and SME market. They are currently one of the fastest growing software companies in the world.
Major accomplishments
Leading 4 diverse IT teams: Back Office Applications, e-Commerce Applications Development, Services Oriented Architecture, and Global Operations. Each department has several managers and team leads. Recruited top talent and added more than 60 highly skilled professionals in several global regions.
Designed and implemented key building blocks for a robust technology architecture that includes SOA, Single-sign on, I18N support within web properties, SaaS applications, High Transaction Processing and reusable Java components for speedy applications delivery.
Assisted in growing overall company operating margin from 13% to 26% in 12 months by implementing many key systems and business process changes after conducting rigorous buy vs. build analysis. These include:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) via Salesforce.com
Global Financial Systems and HR modules via Oracle in NA, EMEA and APAC
Business Intelligence Warehouse utilizing Business Objects
Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) via BPEL and Mule
Customer and Partner Portal web applications via a pure Java implementation
Software Subscription and Entitlement Management using Poetic from Open Channel Solutions
Enterprise learning systems via Saba
Initiated and matured a off-shore development center in Pune India using Agile Development Methodologies
Supported the due diligence and integration of several key acquisitions
Implemented Sarbanes Oxley compliance programs and security policies to support the global enterprise.
Evaluated and resurrected hosted system monitoring application just before divestiture. Product is expected to add $26 M to bottom line in 24 months.
Developed on-line vision and strategy for the Red Hat global enterprise.
2/2003 - 2/2005 Lawson Software, Saint Paul, MN
Lawson software is considered one of the top suppliers of HRIS and ERP software solutions. The organization is focused on several key vertical markets including health care, retail, public sector and strategic markets.
Major accomplishments
Implemented consistent design and development processes in order to significantly improve quality
Addressed more than 90% of the known software issues
Converted e-Recruiting application from an ASP only solution to an application which can be offered as either ASP or packaged application delivery
Retained key clients based on articulating a compelling product vision and product road map
Responsibilities
Maintain, manage and improve current HRIS product line
Developed product road map for building the next generation product
Support sales and marketing efforts through direct customer contact including site visits and presentations
Ensure quality, reliability and performance of all HRIS applications by implementing operations systems and best practice processes
Delivered an outstanding client experience while continuing to build value into the product line
5/2002 - 8/2002 PeopleFlow, Chicago, IL
I was recruited to fill the role of President and COO by Bob Geras (a major angel investor in Chicago), who was in the process of purchasing the company. PeopleFlow is focused on providing Human Resource solutions in an application service provider (ASP) environment.
Major accomplishments
Established partnership with a vertical market solutions provider expected to increase revenues by 125%.
Recruited top sales people, web developers and a senior client relations vice president.
Developed financial models and forecasts to determine key investment decisions and objectives.
Responsibilities
Developed and executed business strategy, financial models, forecasts and key processes.
Built an outstanding team by recruiting the best and brightest talent available
.Developed compensation models for sales, client relationship and help desk positions as well as marketing, business development and technological processes, objectives and metrics.
Conducted brain-storming sessions regarding product direction and competitive execution.
Simplified product and pricing models to shorten sales cycle from 9 months to 30 days,
Established key alliance partners for product integration as well as channel distribution.
Participated directly in business development opportunities.
3/1999 - 1/2002 Management Recruiters International, Cleveland, OH
MRI is the world’s largest permanent placement staffing company with more than 1,200 franchised offices in 28 countries in addition to 32 company owned offices in the United States.
Major Accomplishments
Improved average office efficiency by 65% annually via the design and implementation of a comprehensive technology architecture in order to link legacy systems with new web based applications and third party systems. Key member of executive team that grew revenues from $500 million to $750 million in one year.
Designed and led the implementation of two groundbreaking web based applications:
1. BrilliantSelect e-commerce solutions which assist recruiters in the pre-screening, ranking and filtering of candidates. (Patents pending).
2. BrilliantPeople.com™ (one of the top 10 career web sites) to provide effective connectivity between recruiters and candidates.
Conceived and implemented an auto-responder and global database project which leveraged millions of candidate assets previously discarded. Revenue expected from this project toped $15 million in 24 months.
Recognized industry leader - featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, CIO Magazine, USA Today, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Smart Money, PC Week, InfoWorld, Computer World, IndustryWeek, Intranet World,. Have appeared on several television programs and as a featured speaker at conferences such as Ecruiting, WWW Consortium, Internet Security and the Internet World annual conference.
Responsibilities
Reported to the President and CEO and managed 4 key departments - telecommunications/video conferencing, applications development, desktop/help desk support and Internet services
Conducted major business analysis in order to align technology initiatives to the business objectives
Negotiated software partnerships ranging from $2 -10 million to provide a wide range of services to MRI field offices world-wide. These included Monster.com, Red Match, Broadwing, Brainbench and Netopia.
Led, implemented and supported the technology direction for more than 1,200 franchises and 32 company-owned offices in 28 countries.Developed international business-to-business and business-to-consumer oriented web sites utilizing marketing trials, focus groups and market research.
Fully dedicated to converting a traditional business into a market leading e-enabled business.
Major participant in the CDI (parent company to MRI) e-business strategy development.
8/1991 - 3/1999 TRW Inc., Cleveland, OH
TRW was a $20 Billion Fortune 500 conglomerate focused on delivering space and defense solutions, automobile parts and systems integration services to government institutions and major automobile manufactures world-wide. TRW has more than 120 business units in 29 countries and is now part of Northrup Grumman.
Major Accomplishments
Constructed and led the TRW Internet strategy to develop a 5-year plan for the use of Internet based technology for the TRW world-wide organization.
Designed and led the implementation of one of the first corporate Intranets in 1993 for TRW, pioneering the use of web technology for internal productivity gains. This initiative included the design and implementation of a custom content management system developed in Perl.
Trained and aided the implementation of content management, employee, vendor and customer portals in North America and Europe.
Provided business analysis and e-business project implementation for all TRW world-wide business units. More than 30 web applications were developed under my guidance.
Project lead for the $6 million dollar TRW Enterprise Directory Service project. The secure enterprise directory provides the foundation for information protection, user authentication and digital signatures at TRW. The project was awarded 20 individual patents.
Responsibilities
Reported to the CIO and led two tactical teams of highly specialized employees in the goal of providing new technology direction and applications development for all business units worldwide.
Project lead for 4 key areas of TRW Internet strategy including TRW Enterprise Directory, Universal Application, knowledge management and web replication.
Provided leadership and direction in the utilization of new technology to TRW’s 121 locations worldwide with specific focus on North America, France, Germany and the UK.
Evaluated and prototyped more than 20 new technologies for possible adoption by TRW business units. These included a wide range of biometric authentication and user interface applications.
Developed highly specialized and effective teams for research and implementation of robust web-based applications.
Participated in Total Quality Management (TQM) teams focused on sharing best practices and benchmarking performance against market leaders.
8/1989 - 8/1991 Macromedia Inc., Chicago, IL
Macromedia, now part of Adobe was the world’s leading producer of multimedia and web development applications. They design and distribute Flash, Director, Dream Weaver, Shockwave and many other (now) popular computer applications.
Award winning sales leader. Exceeded sales quota by an average 90% per quarter.
Developed sales forecasts and analysis for the Midwest region.
Pioneered the field of multimedia via the evangelization of this new technology.
Established central region. Provided direction, partnerships and business development for a 14 state territory.
Conducted seminars, demonstrations and user groups for audiences from 3 to 3,000.
Fastest growing software company in the world – Business 2.0 - 2006
Forrester Research “Magic Quadrant” for HR Applications - 2004
PC Week Top 500 Companies Using Internet Technology – 1998
Computer World Top 100 Companies Using Web Technology – 1997
TRW Chief Financial Officer Special Recognition Award – 1996
TRW Information Systems Award for Innovation – 1995
TRW High Achievement Award – 7 Consecutive Years (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
5/1997 MIT Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA
Executive Leadership Certification
5/1987 Hofstra University, Heampstead, NY
Bachelor's Degree
BBA
Coordinator of university Outreach program, a student suicide hot-line.
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Product Strategy/Leadership |
Applications Development Methodology |
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Negotiation |
Business Vision |
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Industry Positioning |
Executive Leadership |
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e-Commerce Application Development |
Complex Problem Resolution |
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Open Source Software |
Subscription Business Model Management |
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Offshore development |
ERP Systems |
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Project Planning and Execution |
Impeccable Integrity |
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Agile Development Methodology and Tools |
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