WHAT PRIMARY GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
ENTERPRISE
Elevate the role of IT at each of our companies and support our IT leaders and teams as they step up to the elevated expectations. WHAT TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY DO YOU EXPECT WILL SHAPE YOUR INDUSTRY AND WHY? If I’m being honest, COVID-19 has done more to progress the technology strategy of our companies than any of us could have ever done on our own. Capitalizing on this unprecedented opportunity, while striving to maintain methods and opportunities for meaningful personal connection, is so important and will shape all industries for the foreseeable future. WITH WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN YOUR CAREER AND/OR LIFE ARE YOU MOST PLEASED? I’m most pleased with the role I played in helping others advance their careers and achieve more than they thought possible. As for specific technology accomplishments, I was very proud of myself and my team for developing and implementing an enterprise information security standard across our diverse group of businesses. Also, moving several of our companies to the cloud and to SD-WAN architectures.
RACHEL LOCKETT
CIO // POHLAD COMPANIES
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Technically my first job was as a waitress in a steakhouse. I got my start in the IT field as a programmer for a marketing company. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY? Paris. I love the history, the art and architecture, the food, and the ambiance of the city. I’ve been there three times and can’t wait to go back.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? My very first job, I was a paper boy in Wilbraham, MA (home of Friendly’s Ice Cream), however, my first professional job was a high school math teacher and coach in Vermont. WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WHY? First and foremost, I am passionate about my family. As I look at my work, I love to coach people and teams to achieve stretch results. A team is like a puzzle: one needs to fit all the pieces together carefully, and when you do, it’s a great outcome. WHAT PRIMARY GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE? I announced my retirement from Thomson Reuters in August, but I will remain with the organization until February 2021. My goal over the coming months is to support our new CEO and COO as my roles are transitioned to someone new and make sure they come up to speed. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT MANAGING THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN IT AND THE REST OF THE BUSINESS? You always want to be “in the room where it happens,” so the CIO or CTO always needs to work hard to earn that place and demonstrate value.
RICK KING MANAGING DIRECTOR OPERATIONS // THOMSON REUTERS
LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT
The key is to be the IT person who thinks about the business first and is practical about applying technology to the problem. In the end, it’s important to be focused on business outcomes. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO FUTURE ORBIE AWARD NOMINEES? Simple: work hard and focus on the customer, business outcomes, and employees. The last piece is particularly critical – everything that gets done is done by the employees. Nothing gets done without them, so supporting the people who do the work is vital. As you follow that idea, shift your focus onto the “how” as much as, if not more than, the “what” that needs to be done. To put it plainly, it’s about style meeting substance.
18 | Twin Cities CIO of the Year Award Winners
Powered by FlippingBook