Computerworld - February 27, 2012

Director, digital
innovation, Delta Hotels
and Resorts, Toronto
Altaf Rupani
Vice president, global
strategic planning and
architecture, Dow Jones,
Princeton, N. J.
How do you
make sure
your most
talented
workers
stay put?
An innovative sta; idea:
Kristin D.
Russell
Skills you’ll
hire for
this year:
Technology
architects
with good
business acumen and a broad
range of technical skills who
have the urge to use technol-
ogy to make news and infor-
mation more interesting and
more relevant.
How do you make sure your
most talented workers
stay put? Fostering a highly
collaborative environment
that allows employees to
be creative and innovative.
Clearly communicating vision
and direction for the team.
PUBLIC SERVICE BRINGS AN OPPOR TUNIT Y TO TRANSFORM
EVERY JOB involves taking risks. Sometimes, the greatest risk is taking the job. Kristin D. Russell, 41, had a successful career in the private sector, holding top IT jobs at both Sun and Oracle; she was comfortable and well rewarded. When the Colorado gover- nor’s o;ce came calling, she resisted the invitation to apply for the position of state CIO and secretary of technology.
Then the governor read her the poem “To Be of Use,” by Marge Piercy,
which ends: “The pitcher cries for water to carry / and a person for
work that is real.” Russell knew the job o;ered an unprecedented op-
portunity for meaningful work. “Technology is how we as a country
are going to innovate and transform who we want to be,” she says.
Within 90 days of coming on board, Russell remapped the IT organi-
zation with the goal of getting more citizens engaged in civil services.
For Russell, “relationship-building is key,” says Monica Coughlin,
who worked with Russell at both Sun and Oracle and is now business
planning and IT economic development director in the governor’s of-
fice. “That’s why she’s able to adapt in di;erent environments.” And by
drawing on her private-sector experience, Russell “is transforming the
way the state does business,” Coughlin adds.
Russell says she doesn’t regret taking a chance on something new.
“Some people say life is too short,” she says, “but I say life is too long
to not be doing things that you’re passionate about.” ;

— KEN GAGNÉ

Steve
Rubinow
Executive vice president
and CIO, NYSE Euronext,
New York
Vice president, Global
Business Solutions, RGA,
Chesterfield, Mo.

A new title
added to
your IT or-
ganization:
Chief data
o;cer. This
position incorporates most
aspects of data, from data-
bases and related processes
that generate and store trans-
action data, to the use of data
warehousing and business
intelligence, as well as the
management of the physical
storage for all the data.
Your relationship with a
key business leader: I have
vibrant discussions with the
chief operating o;cer on
ideas, technology and more.