Bill White

Principal Consultant

Sierra Systems (Feb 2013 – present)

A top tier IT services and management consulting firm offering a full range of advisory services, systems integration, and managed application services.

As a consultant, provided Team Leadership, Technical Guidance, Project Management, Architecture, and Design, and services on a number of key projects and initiatives. Interface with CIO, IT Management, and VP level business executives.

• Office 365 (Cloud) Implementation
  • Technical PM and Advisor on successful migration of 5500 users worldwide, to Exchange online (cloud), and updated Office Suite, saving an estimated $250K annually
  • Included large scale remediation of Active Directory, and update or replacement of obsolete hardware
• Enterprise Information Security Program development
  • Involved in the assessment, design and planning of multi-year security enhancement program, including projects to address:
    • Intrusion detection/prevention
    • Windows Server Upgrades to 2012
    • Active Directory hardening and compliance
    • Network Security and standardization
    • Backup and recovery standardization
    • Cyber threat recovery
  • ActiveRoles software Implementation project
    • PM and SME on project to better manage access control and audit administration of MS Active Directory
  • Application/Server Global Load Balancing implementation
    • PM on design and implementation of GSLB solution using Citrix NetScaler technology
  • Enterprise Data Centre Build
    • PM and Architect on new Colo Data Centre, including Network Design, Storage capacity planning, and acquisition of equipment
  • DR/Backup Data Centre Build and Disaster (Technical) Recovery Plan
    • PM and Architect on new DR Data Centre, including real time synchronization of data with Production Data Centre
    • PM for design, planning and test of recovery process in DR Data Centre
  • Data Centre Consolidation
    • PM and SME for consolidation of 3 Data Centres to new Enterprise Data Centre, saving an estimated $600K annually
  • Help Desk (ITSM) software – Global roll out
    • Technical PM and SME on implementation
  • Endpoint Security System Implementation (TRAPS by Palo Alto)
    • Computing Endpoint Security using Zero Trust model
  • Corporate Digital Signage System (FourWinds Interactive)
    • PM and architect on implementation of centralized Digital Signage content management and delivery system
  • ERP System storage infrastructure upgrade
    • PM for selection and implementation of new storage system and data migration
  • ERP Server migration and consolidation
    • PM for migration of SAP VMWare servers to new VCenter instance
  • Mobile Device Management System implementation

Provided Operations Management guidance and team mentoring, including:

• Network infrastructure design, administration and maintenance
• Global Data Centre infrastructure and security management, serving 37 sites worldwide, and +5000 users
• 2^nd and 3^rd level help desk support (infrastructure and all non-SAP related applications)

Director, Information Technology

CanWel Building Materials Ltd. (Feb 2008 – Jan 2013)

A major competitor in the building materials distribution industry, with $1.0+ billion in annual revenue and 22+ offices / distribution centres across Canada.

• A member of the Senior Management Team, responsible for creating strategic and tactical IT Plans, managing multi-million dollar operating budget, overseeing IT staff members in the delivery of ERP and ancillary business applications and infrastructure management.
• Completed the integration of newly acquired company (with $750m revenue, 300+ employees), to corporate ERP platform, which included the physical consolidation of duplicate facilities in 10 cities. Integration also included consolidation of Cisco VOIP system, and repatriation of outsourced IT services
• Integrated separate Treated Wood line of business, into our primary business systems, including significant changes to our corporate ERP platform to accommodate new business processes
• Implemented Business Intelligence platform providing enhanced analytics and reporting options and increasing visibility of key metrics within the company
• Increased EDI (B2B) relationships with customers and business partners by 30%, improving ordering and invoice accuracy and reducing administrative costs by an estimated $40K/month
• Consolidated two data centres, moving physical server infrastructure on to new virtual server platform, improving system availability, mitigating disaster risks and saving over $200K annually
• Negotiated IT Services contract resulting in $600K annual savings
• Coordinated the selection, purchase and replacement of 3 IBM Power Series servers (running AS/400 OS) to improve performance of JD Edwards (Oracle) ERP and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
• Renegotiated 5-year WAN contract with Telecommunications provider saving $36K annually

Principal (Consultant)

BW Consulting Services (Jul 2007 – Feb 2008)

Independent IT Management Consulting Company specializing in Strategic Planning, Business Process Redesign, IT Governance, Software Development management, Infrastructure management, and Project / Change Management initiatives

• Provide consultative advice, managerial assistance and project management to customers in the planning and management of their IT functions and/or large IT projects
• Engagements included the assessment of the IT applications portfolio and associated business processes for a multi-national Pulp and Paper manufacturer. Delivered strategic recommendations on business application enhancements and acquisition of new technologies to meet business needs.

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Peer 1 Network, Vancouver, BC (May 2006 – Jul 2007)

An Internet Infrastructure company providing server co-location, managed server hosting and self-managed server hosting, and high speed Internet access from 15 data centers across North America

• As a member of Executive team, created strategic and tactical IT plans, administered IT budget and oversaw 27 staff in the delivery of business applications and infrastructure management.
• Implemented new Corporate VOIP phone system resulting in savings of more than $200K over previously planned PBX upgrade by researching alternative options. Provided many enhanced features, including automatic site failover, distributed call centre support, and 4 digit locals across company.
• Led team in the development of an integrated inventory, recurring billing and customer support application, using .Net based web services, Microsoft BizTalk and Java based user interface.
• Involved with implementation of SaaS CRM solution (SalesForce.com) across 2 US Divisions.
• Implemented new Storage Area Network (SAN) /Backup software and hardware solution, which reduced backup times for customers, and allowed Peer 1 to offer new revenue generating backup services
• Reacquired lapsed Microsoft Gold Partner Status, which opened up new market segments and resulted in a significant increase in revenue and revenue potential.

Director, Development and Delivery

Envision Financial Credit Union, Vancouver, BC (May 2005 – May 2006)

BC’s 3rd largest Credit Union with a number of subsidiary businesses including Envision Insurance Services, Envision Investment Services, CU DealerLink, Envision Leasing and in Unison Technology Services.

• Responsible for leading software development team of 34 staff from two partnered Credit Unions, in the delivery of all business related applications, including the core banking system, for both credit unions. Budget $4 Million.
• Conducted Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software evaluation and selection project to replacing aging and obsolete financial systems. Implementation was planned for following fiscal year.
• Created PMO structure and Project prioritization process to more effectively align IT projects to business strategy and initiatives, and allocate IT staff.
• Developed customer web portal that promoted a new financial services product, and allowed customers to manage their accounts. Application was developed in C# and ASP.NET
• Optimized value in previously implemented Microsoft CRM system by adding customized functionality and increasing staff usage through enhanced training. This resulted in increased product sales by 5% in first year, and increased cross selling opportunities by 15%.
• Streamlined acquisition integration process and reduced support costs for growing insurance business sector, by standardizing insurance software and project templates (Reduction of 1 FTE in support)

Director, Information Services (Jan 2003 – May 2005)

Weldwood of Canada Limited / West Fraser Mills Ltd, Vancouver, BC (1983 – 2005)

A major forest products (harvesting, lumber, plywood, pulp) company, wholly owned by International Paper, and employing 4,500 people in 13 manufacturing locations. Acquired by West Fraser Mills Ltd in 2005.

• Reporting to CEO, was responsible for the direction and leadership of 45+ IT professionals in the provision of IT infrastructure and business applications, as well as overseeing IT Governance and $8.5 Million IT annual budget.
• Led Supply Chain improvement project to automate processes used to balance forecasted customer demand to manufacturing projections. This resulted in $300K annual reduction in Inventory carrying costs, more efficient production scheduling, and 15% improvement in customer satisfaction KPIs.
• Planned and managed the transfer of Data Centre (80+ servers and IBM Mainframe) from Vancouver to Memphis as part of parent company integration plans. Six months later, managed transfer of Data Centre back to Vancouver as part of purchase agreement by West Fraser Mills. In both cases, migration resulted in 100% availability of Servers in less than 36 hours.
• As member of a Business Process Redesign project team, oversaw the process transition from commodity based sales business to value added services company. Result was a 5% increase in average margin compared to same sales volume at commodity prices.
• Manager, Application Delivery (1997-2003)
• Weldwood of Canada Limited / West Fraser Mills Ltd, Vancouver, BC (1983 – 2005)
• Led team of 28 IT professionals in developing/acquiring and delivering technical business solutions in mainframe, client/server and Web environments, to base of 2300+ users.
• Managed project to evaluate and implement Woodlands management system which reduced support costs, improved analytical capabilities and reduced payment discrepancies with logging contractors.
• Managed project to evaluate and implement Mill Maintenance Management system resulting in improved efficiencies and reducing inventory carrying costs by $12 million.

Multiple Roles

Weldwood of Canada Limited / West Fraser Mills Ltd, Vancouver, BC (1983 – 2005)

Preformed multiple other roles with Weldwood of Canada Limited / West Fraser Mills Ltd, including:

• Manager, Network Services (1995-1997)
• Manager, PC Services (1991-1995)
• Systems Consultant -> Senior Systems Analyst (1989-1991)
• Programmer Analyst -> Systems Analyst (1983-1989)

Programmer Analyst

International Air Transport Association (IATA), Montreal, QC (1980-1983)

Trade association of major international air carriers, with offices in Montreal and Geneva.