Each year, Computerworld accepts nominations from across the industry -- vendors, IT users, public relations and marketing professionals, Computerworld readers, and past Premier 100 honorees. Eligible nominees include CIOs, chief technology officers, senior vice presidents, vice presidents, IT directors and managers from a cross-section of user and vendor companies and their IT divisions, including but not limited to professionals in network management, database management, Web management, help desk, application development, project management, contract management or procurement.
Nominations for the 2006 list were collected in April and May 2005. We received 466 nominations. Our editors then invited the nominees to complete a comprehensive management/leadership survey questionnaire online during June and July 2005. The candidates were asked about a range of topics, including their backgrounds, work experiences, special accomplishments, leadership styles, project management skills, mentoring activities, technology priorities and strategies, and other details about the IT environments they have fostered at their companies. We received more than 278 complete, qualified surveys.
Nominated individuals were asked to provide three references each: a direct manager, a direct report and a professional reference. Computerworld 's editors contacted references for each finalist, and those responses were incorporated into the evaluation process.
Using Computerworld's IT Leader Index, which is a measurement of how closely an individual matches our definition of an IT leader, the completed questionnaires were evaluated by a panel of Computerworld editors and outside judges. Judges evaluated only those nominees outside their own industries. We define the IT leader as someone who guides the effective use of information technology to improve his company's business performance. Other characteristics of IT leaders include the following:
- Promotes an IT vision that supports the company strategy.
- Identifies strategic opportunities provided by IT.
- Thinks beyond short-term tactical needs to long-term strategic goals.
- Understands business needs and profit/loss responsibilities beyond the IT department.
- Ties technology and innovation to specific business needs and goals.
- Uses technology to gain an advantage over the company's competition.
- Takes calculated risks but has contingency plans in place.
- Learns from failure and uses these experiences to improve IT processes and products.
- Hires inquisitive people who like to explore and are innovative.
- Creates work environments that are positive and rewarding to employees both inside and outside of work.
- Encourages staffers to be innovative and come up with ideas.
- Motivates with recognition and opportunity, not just money.
- Compares best practices with peer companies.
- Leverages technology vendors as partners.
- Develops leadership skills inside the IT organization.
- Viewed as a leader by other executives and by the IT staff.
Special thanks go to our 16 judges, Premier 100 IT Leader alumni, who helped select this year's honorees.
- Rizwan Ahmed, CIO, Louisiana Office of Group Benefits and Department of Natural Resources
- Sanjiv Anand, chief technology officer, Hewitt Associates LLC
- Shirley Walton Bridges, chief operating officer, and acting president and CEO, Delta Technology Inc.
- Steve F. Brown, executive vice president and CIO, Tenet Healthcare Corp.
- Frank W. Enfanto III, vice president, health care services systems delivery, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Inc.
- Evelyn Follit, senior vice president and CIO, RadioShack Corp.
- W. Garrett Grainger Jr., executive vice president and CIO, Dixon Ticonderoga Co.
- Cathy Hotka, principal, Cathy Hotka & Associates
- Timothy C. O'Rourke, vice president for computer and information services, Temple University
- Robert L. Otto, vice president and chief technology officer, U.S. Postal Service
- Rick Peltz, senior vice president and CIO, Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Brokerage Co.
- Harry Roberts, senior vice president and CIO, Boscov's Department Stores
- Steve Scott, CIO, Vision Service Plan
- Vickie Smith, director of IT, Helena Chemical Co.
- Loreen M. Tabbut, vice president, information services, Calpine Corp.
- Judi Zito, CIO, Miami-Dade County
This year's honorees are presented here in alphabetical order, with information captured at the time they filled out our survey.
2006 Premier 100 IT Leaders
Stories in this report:
- 2006 Premier 100 IT Leaders
- How They Were Chosen
- Premier 100 IT Leaders Honor Roll
- Defining Leadership
- IT Heroes
- People First
- Quiz: Are YOU A Top-Tier Leader?
- Words of Wisdom
- Agile By Design
- Cohesive Compliance
- Security Imperative
- Managing Megaprojects
- Foreign Challenge
- Succeeding at Storage
- Speed of Business
- Rebecca A. Blalock: IT Convert
- Terry P. Brooks: Multitask Manager
- Julie F. Butcher: Master Organizer
- Barbara D. Carlini: Agent of Change
- Lev S. Gonick: Community Liason
- John Sullivan: IT Adventurer
- George C. Rimnac: Disciplined Leader
- Mark Popolano: Master of Details
- William Westrate: Tech Strategist
- Elizabeth Hackenson: Business Booster
- In Memoriam: Gerard Higgins
- Protege Profile: Steve Yon
- Ask A Premier 100 IT Leader: Wendell Fox
- The Next Generation of IT
- Protege Profile: Allison Young
- Protege Profile: Michael R. Dean
- Protege Profile: Jairo Orea
- Protege Profile: Bill McCorey
- Protege Profile: Martin Schneider
- Work That Makes Them Cringe
- Leader Do-Overs
- Shark tank: Some Lead, Some Don't
- Data Points: Premier 100 IT Leaders 2006
- Executive Brief: IT Management Best Practices
- Webcast: Secrets of Superspies
- Webcast: The Passionate Pursuit of IT and Business Alignment
- Webcast: Evolving Through Abstraction: On the Way to Utility Computing