RICH SIMMONS
Orlando,FL
Summary
Visionary technology leader with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation, product innovation, and operational excellence for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations. Proven expertise in aligning IT strategies with business objectives to deliver measurable results. Adept at fostering cultures of innovation and resilience, enabling sustainable growth in highly competitive industries. Led digital transformation for $1B hospitality brands and $20B financial services firms, delivering scalable solutions and strategic product roadmaps. Designed award-winning Customer Experience Programs, including initiatives recognized by the JD Power Customer Service Award. Implemented cybersecurity frameworks and generative AI solutions, improving system resilience and customer engagement. Enhanced employee satisfaction and retention, reducing turnover rates from 28% to 6%.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Vice President of Product Management
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
Orlando, FL
11.2022 - 01.2024
- Defined and executed a comprehensive product strategy, driving innovation and aligning product development efforts with organizational objectives to maximize business value
- Led cross-functional teams of over 260 professionals, including 200 internal technology experts and 60 contracted product developers, to deliver high-impact solutions on time and within budget
- Implemented a Value Stream Product Delivery model, improving resource alignment, accelerating time-to-market, and increasing delivery efficiency by 60%
- Championed agile methodologies to transform the software development lifecycle (SDLC), reducing production timelines and enhancing collaboration across business units
- Spearheaded customer-centric product innovations, increasing market flexibility and brand competitiveness while fostering a culture of continuous improvement
- Reduced hourly product engineering costs by 50% through the introduction of offshore development partners, expediting the end-to-end design and delivery process
- Developed key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics to measure product performance, customer satisfaction, and ROI, ensuring data-driven decision-making across product roadmaps
- Partnered with executive leadership to prioritize product investments, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhanced customer engagement and operational efficiency
- Established a scalable governance framework to streamline product lifecycle management (PLM), ensuring seamless transitions from ideation to delivery
- Cultivated strategic vendor partnerships, enabling access to emerging technologies and enhancing the organization’s innovation pipeline
Interim Chief Information Officer
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
Orlando, FL
11.2021 - 11.2022
- Developed and executed comprehensive IT strategies aligned with organizational objectives, ensuring seamless integration of technology with brand priorities
- Oversaw enterprise-wide cybersecurity initiatives, implementing advanced security protocols and governance frameworks to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with regulatory standards
- Directed IT operations and infrastructure management, optimizing system performance, scalability, and reliability for a global organization
- Streamlined disaster recovery and business continuity plans, reducing incident impact by 60% and achieving 100% data protection in a highly regulated environment
- Championed IT governance, introducing a framework to identify and address gaps in technology systems, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with industry best practices
- Fostered a culture of innovation, leading cross-functional teams to evaluate and implement emerging technologies, including advanced intrusion detection tools and proactive threat detection systems
- Delivered cost efficiencies and operational improvements through vendor negotiations, system upgrades, and process automation initiatives
- Established and managed an IT budget exceeding $20M, ensuring optimal allocation of resources to high-impact projects and technology investments
- Built strategic partnerships with stakeholders and executive leadership, aligning IT deliverables with business growth goals and enhancing customer experience through innovative digital solutions
Vice President of Data Systems
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
Orlando, FL
02.2017 - 11.2021
- Led multi-year data analytics initiatives, transitioning to cloud-based solutions that transformed business performance
- Developed generative AI applications tailored to customer demographics, enhancing brand loyalty and engagement
- Created a Virtual Assistant platform that improved guest satisfaction by 14%, optimizing service delivery processes
- Standardized strategic data delivery processes to improve revenue modeling, soft credit scoring, and customer experience
- Mentored and coached a team of 30 professionals, aligning innovative education with evolving data trends to ensure sustained performance excellence
Founder & Consultant
Simmons Consulting
Orlando, FL
01.2016 - 02.2017
- Advised clients on digital transformation, data analytics, and ERP application development, delivering measurable improvements in IT operations
- Directed the design and launch of advanced data warehouses, improving service quality and analytics capabilities
- Led system implementations, vendor negotiations, and change management efforts across diverse business units
Vice President, Information Technology
CNL Financial Group
Orlando, FL
07.2005 - 03.2016
- Directed the strategic development and implementation of enterprise-wide IT systems, aligning technology initiatives with organizational goals to drive operational excellence
- Built and led a high-performing team of over 50 IT professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous development through mentoring and training programs
- Spearheaded the integration of Salesforce.com with Oracle Fusion, streamlining customer relationship management and financial operations while reducing manual processes
- Designed and implemented Corporate Wide Data Warehouses, earning national recognition for advancing reporting accuracy and business intelligence capabilities
- Transitioned business units to a cloud-first strategy, modernizing infrastructure and improving scalability and cost efficiency across the enterprise
- Enhanced IT governance and compliance by implementing robust policies and frameworks, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and minimizing risk exposure
- Optimized the distribution network by introducing advanced automation and logistics analytics, resulting in a 15% improvement in delivery efficiency
- Directed multimillion-dollar IT budgets, managing resource allocation to prioritize high-impact projects and technology investments
- Developed and executed business continuity and disaster recovery strategies, maintaining 100% system availability during critical operations
- Partnered with executive leadership to implement company-wide ERP systems, reducing processing times by 25% and improving overall efficiency
- Cultivated strong vendor relationships to negotiate favorable contracts, resulting in a 10% annual reduction in technology costs
Education
Mini-MBA -
Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College
Skills
- Process Optimization
- Operational Efficiency
- Business Intelligence
- ERP
- Data Analytics
- Business Continuity
- Disaster Recovery
- Strategic Planning
- Project Leadership
- Digital Transformation
- Innovation
- Cybersecurity
- Risk Management
Certification
- Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Applications, MIT Sloan School of Management
- Leadership in the 21st Century / Strategic Management, Wharton School of Business Online
- Executive RLF Program, SIM Central Florida
- Leading Remote Teams, Cornell University
Timeline
Vice President of Product Management
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
11.2022 - 01.2024
Interim Chief Information Officer
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
11.2021 - 11.2022
Vice President of Data Systems
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Inc.
02.2017 - 11.2021
Founder & Consultant
Simmons Consulting
01.2016 - 02.2017
Vice President, Information Technology
CNL Financial Group
07.2005 - 03.2016
- Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Applications, MIT Sloan School of Management
- Leadership in the 21st Century / Strategic Management, Wharton School of Business Online
- Executive RLF Program, SIM Central Florida
- Leading Remote Teams, Cornell University
Mini-MBA -
Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College
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