MAKING IT HAPPEN

About the Book

In this book, I have tried to detail common themes of Information Technology (IT) work that can be viewed as running horizontally across all industries. Within these chapters, I will refer upon my experiences in Manufacturing, Banking, and Transportation industry sectors.

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ralph Menzano has been in the computer field for 25 years - from when it was called “Data Processing” in the ‘70s, to “Management Information Systems” in the ‘80s, to its more recent metamorphosis as “Information Technology,” or IT, for short. He has seen the industry go from punched cards to the Internet. As an active practitioner, i.e. installer of systems, Mr. Menzano had the unique opportunity to view the growth of IT in three distinct industries - manufacturing, finance, and government. Mr. Menzano has held the position of: • Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA, a $1.5 billion Transit Agency (5th largest in the U.S.). In this capacity, he established a strategic technology plan including project priorities, technical infrastructure, and resource requirements. In this capacity he managed/influenced over 400 systems valued at over $100 million. • Vice President, Technology, The Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, NY where he established IT infrastructure that enabled the growth of a Commercial Loan Division from zero to $1,000,000,000. • Vice President, Systems Development, GMAC Mortgage Corporation, Horsham, PA where he constructed technical system plans for all business entities included in the entire loan process - origination, underwriting, servicing, and pooling for resale. • Director, Systems Development, St Gobain N.A., where he constructed system plans and implemented projects for this global manufacturing conglomerate. • Senior IT Auditor, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps performing operational, financial, and IT audits throughout the U.S. and Europe. In these roles, he has managed every IT project imaginable. Some examples follow: • IT Strategic Planning corresponding to Strategic Business Plans • Strategic Sourcing/Outsourcing • Year 2000 Compliance • Installation of Local and Wide Area Networks • All aspects of financial system suites_(General Ledger, Budgeting, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets, Payroll, Benefits) • Manufacturing Enterprise Systems (Customer Order Management, Activity-based Costing, Just-in-Time Inventory, Process Control, Process Scheduling, Product Delivery) • Banking Enterprise Systems (Loan Origination, Underwriting, Servicing, Pooling, Real Estate Tracking) • Transportation Enterprise Systems (Route Planning, Revenue Collection, Incident Tracking, Fleet Management, Material Management) • Voice-response Systems • Internet Sites • Document Imaging Systems • Geographic Information Systems • Call Center Management Over the years, Mr. Menzano has become a nationally prominent speaker and author on the topics of Strategic Planning, Total Quality Management, Performance Measurement, Business Process Re-engineering, as well as general Information Technology. He has spoken at a wide variety of forums including APTA (American Public Transportation Association), BOMA (Builder/Owner Management Association), World Vision Conference, Information Week’s Executive Advisory Council, Real Estate Finance Association, Institute of International Research, Quality Assurance Institute, Computer Security Institute. He has been an active member of the Villanova University Advisory Board, LaSalle University Advisory Board, and the Amtrak Advisory Board. He won St. Gobain’s International Management & Special Recognition Award, the U.S. Navy’s Superior Performance Award, and was recognize in a feature story of CIO Magazine. He holds a MBA from Philadelphia University & BS from Villanova University, is a Certified Systems Professional (CSP), and has taught at the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached most effectively via e-mail: rmenzano@aol.com