Qualifications

Robert J. Abrams

Summary Seasoned information systems (is) manager and consultant. Consistent pattern of success in broad range of corporate environments and assignments. Proven record of creative problem solving. Strong motivation and communications skills. Effective change agent. Consultant and adviser to senior management in the assessment, planning, management and control of information systems activities. Special expertise in:

• Strategic & Operational is Planning • Education & Training

• Rebuilding Programs & Turnarounds • Operations Improvement

Experience

1995 – Present Abrams & Associates Managing Partner

Participated in merger planning for two Regional Bell Operating Companies (rboc’s). Assisted in assessment of each is organization and developed organizational design recommendations for combined is entity.

Organized overall product strategy for venture capital funded internet/tele-communications startup. Brought focus to design of new core product and prepared marketing materials for pilot sales campaign.

For two leading high-tech firms, led teams in development of first strategic plan for each is organization.

Assisted large vocational college in design and implementation of 17 campus lan’s, all connected by frame-relay wan. Proposed and implemented groupware and intranet initiatives.

1992 –1995 CellularONE Director, Information Services

Transformed understaffed, reactive and unfocused is organization into effective, strategically driven unit. Established strong customer focus as part of systematic tqm implementation. Developed and empowered subordinate managers, creating effective management team. Restructured and professionalized department, made strategic hires, and quadrupled staff while improving cohesiveness and teamwork.

Managed state-of-the-art technology infrastructure, including rapidly-expanding, router-based, multi-protocol lan serving 500+ nodes in 15+ locations throughout the greater Bay Area.

Identified and initiated multiple business process re-engineering and automation projects. Built strong working partnerships with key user managers and executives throughout organization.

Created Voice Services Unit to support networked pbx’s connecting all ca locations, inbound acd for 300 agents, outbound predictive dialing, etc.

Planned and executed integration of acquisition representing a 50% increase in retail customer base. Assumed responsibility for managing overall business relationship with billing vendor and with long distance carriers.

1987 – 1992 Information Technology Directions, Inc. President

For a national not-for-profit corporation, developed detailed three-year is plan, specifying month-by-month project staffing, complete annual budgets, and office-by-office schedule of infrastructure deployment activities. Went on to lead senior management team through complete redesign of organization’s management structure, including re-definition of roles and responsibilities of senior officers, restructuring and re-chartering of all committees, and revision/specification of corporate/field relationships.

For a multi-state government agency, introduced broad array of planning and control programs, allowing information systems department to quantify extent and value of services provided. Developed is strategic plan, led design and implementation of comprehensive cost accounting and

chargeout system, developed disaster recovery plan, developed and applied capacity planning methodology, and assisted in design and implementation of major reorganization. In addition, provided ongoing advice and counsel to management team on a variety of systems management issues.

1985 – 1987 KPMG Peat Marwick Senior Manager

For a major California winery, worked closely with owners to develop and initiate broad-based turnaround program for is activities. Conducted assessment of current activities and developed comprehensive is plan. Provided detailed action plans for realizing both immediate and long-term improvements to transaction/information systems, technology platforms, organizational capabilities and is/user relationships.

1984 – 1985 Abrams Associates Managing Partner

For a major computer vendor, developed intensive three-day sales training program, including lecture material, integrated multi-part case, breakout groups and role playing exercises. Taught program to one-third of domestic sales force to improve their competitive effectiveness in solution-sales to both is and user prospects.

1979 – 1984 Nolan, Norton & Company, Inc. Principal (1982 –1984)

Consultant, Manager (1979 –1982)

Designed, marketed and managed twelve-month multi-client research study on topic of Information Systems Architecture. Fifteen multi-billion dollar organizations participated in structured program to define issues, objectives, strategies and methodologies for architectural planning. Drew on this material and on related client work to design and lead several full-day seminars successfully offered in U.S. and U.K.

For a major money center bank, introduced strategic systems planning process and developed first year’s plan. Led annual systems planning process for next three years, expanding breadth, depth and sophistication of systems plan and fully integrating systems and business planning processes.

Designed integrated curriculum of over fifty video courses, providing comprehensive and structured introduction to Firm’s perspective on

information technology management. Supervised production of first fifteen video modules, including script development, visualizations, supplementary readings, continuity and quality control.

1978 – 1979 Shawmut Bank of Boston, N.A. Project Manager

Led twenty-person team in production of detailed functional specifications for integrated retail banking system. Specifications later sufficed as Bank’s contribution to $17m joint venture development program with three other banks and outside software firm.

1973 – 1978 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Manager, Economics Department (1976 – 1978)

Managed operation of seventy-person department with $2.5m annual budget. Directly responsible for support staff of 25, and for operation of 100,000 volume special library focused on economics and banking.

Manager, Systems Planning Group (1974 – 1976)

Managed annual update of Bank’s long range automation plan, ensuring compliance with Federal Reserve Board requirements. Coordinated and conducted numerous individual planning efforts.

Systems Planner (1973 – 1974)

Managed development of job-shop simulation model to analyze daily work flow of 2.5 million checks among 300 employees. Model proved feasibility of alternative staffing strategy that led to almost $1m in annual savings.

1972 – 1973 Boston Financial Technology Group, Inc. Asst. VP

Developed probabilistic simulation model for financial analysis of real estate projects to assist in their syndication through limited partnership vehicles.

Other	Frequent speaker at professional meetings, including Federal Computer
professional	Conference, Conference on edp Performance Management, and local
Activities	chapters of dpma and asm. Co-offered seminar program on Strategic Uses of Information Technology with Professor Steven C. Brandt of Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Publications — “The Stage Assessment,” Robert J. Abrams, John J. Foley, and Laurence G. Robbins, Chapter 10, and “Strategies for Applications Management,” Thomas R. Mantz, Robert J. Abrams, and Paul Clermont, Chapter 17, both of Managing the Data Resource Function (Second Edition), Richard L. Nolan, West Publishing Company, 1982.

Education B.S., Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He is a CPA.