Hi Everyone,
As a follow up to our November 1, 2016 meeting, we would like to extend a special thank you to our esteemed speakers, Robin Gordon, Chief Data Officer at CoreLogic and Jack Barsky, ex-CIO and ex-government spy.
Special thanks to Lon Binder, Chief Technology Officer at Warby Parker for hosting our meeting, and for providing a wonderful venue for our event.
The following companies were registered for the November 2016 meeting:
CoreLogic, Warby Parker, Promontory Financial Group, Two Sigma Investments, Contrarian Capital, Perry Capital LLC, Eton Park Capital Management, JP Morgan Chase and Co., Flushing Bank, Astoria Bank, Bank of America, Aflac, Carlyle Group, NYSE Euronext, Tannenbaum, Helpern, Syracuse & Hirschtritt, McCann-Erickson Advertising, Gerber Life Insurance, AEGIS, SIM, St. John’s University, Rutgers University, Apollo Global Management LLC, Wiley & Sons, iQ Venture Advisors, L.P, Honeywell, KPMG, Cushman & Wakefield, Signicast Investment Castings, Imagineer Technology Group, NYSE Euronext, York Capital, Viking Global Investors L.P., Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Data Conversion Laboratory, Accordo Compliance Solutions, LLC, Centurion Global Management, LLC, TD Bank, Anti- Defamation League (ADL), Prosecs, LTD and Financial Guaranty Insurance Company.
Meeting Summary:
Robin Gordon, Chief Data Officer at CoreLogic
Our key note speaker, Robin Gordon discussed the drive for innovation by enabling data and analytics. Her views and vision will clearly help transform CoreLogic from the Data company it is today, to becoming the Analytics giant of the future. CoreLogic, a legacy, multi-billion dollar company is utilized by 2/3rds of realtors in the US for comparables, appraisals, tax processing, and insurance.
Transformation: Can we afford to do it or are we best served by incremental progress?
Thesis: Incremental approach may be dangerous for an organization in today’s world.
Strategy:
- Reduce human BPO footprint
- Productionize analytics prototypes
Challenges:
- Requires a leap of faith
- Funding and Institutional inertia
- Amount of legacy infrastructure and documentation
- Employee skills and alignment; risk in 50% of employees within two years of retirement
In summary:
- Incremental: Leads to Stabilization
- Transformation: Leads to Growth
- CoreLogic today is a Data company; but it’s future is an Analysis company
- Alignment with CIO
Jack Barsky: ex-CIO and ex-government spy
Jack discussed his dual career in the KGB and corporate America, as well as exfiltrating information and signs to look for to identify espionage within your organization. Jack’s presentation included early factors in his life which prepared him for the espionage role. He discussed the ideology, lure, and training required to actually operate as a spy. The questions and answers during the session resulted in some of the following tips for executives:
- There is too much focus on the system of firewalls, and not enough emphasis on the people within an organization
- Security is enhanced by isolating access and systems
- Pay attention to details in people
- Odd and observable behaviors are the earliest indicators
- Most thorough way to detect is through Psychological interviewing techniques and Lie Detector tests administered by experts
- Use “third level” references (references provided by the 1st level references…)
- Companies only validate employees on hire, but in high security settings should continually examine employees. Examples of data exfiltration through romantic relationship with existing employees.
Final Observations:
The topics of the evening, although diverse, triggered exciting discussions until late in the evening. The combination of truly exceptional speakers, and smart, sharp members of the audience provided an event to remember. To all those of you who joined us at the CIO Forum, thank you for your interest, participation, and support. To our fabulous speakers, and to our wonderful host, Warby Parker, thank you so much for helping us create a truly exceptional event.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!
-malka
Malka Treuhaft
Executive Director East Coast CIO Forum &
President
Truision Inc.
646.942.2625 (office)
917.589.1069 (mobile)
718.375.1529 (fax)
Robin Gordon’s Bio
Robin Gordon has been with CoreLogic, a leading property data and analytics firm, for 3 years. She is the Chief Data Officer responsible for the acquisition and transformation of data, providing insight and content for all of CoreLogic’s products. Prior to this role, Robin served as senior vice president of Application Development within CoreLogic, responsible for developing and managing the product solutions across the company’s product segments. She also managed the project management office for the technology organization responsible for setting standards for delivering projects with quality and consistency. Robin’s career has spanned over 20 years focusing predominately on enabling data and analytics firms by providing innovative, effective, and efficient technology solutions. Although her career has predominantly centered around technology she has a held several positions outside of the technology vertical including leading a large business operations function managing the company’s data supply chain. She also spent several years running a customer insights and analytics team supporting sales and product groups. Robin holds a bachelor of commerce degree in Economics from the University of South Africa and a master of business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jack Barsky’s Bio
Jack Barsky was born, raised and educated in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany). He started a brief career as a college professor, teaching chemistry and math at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. His life took a sharp turn when he was recruited by the KGB for an undercover mission. After four and a half years of training in Berlin and Moscow, Russia, he was launched on an undercover assignment into the United States. Jack created an American identity for himself and went on to become an ordinary member of American society. After a two-year stint as a bike messenger in Manhattan, Jack entered Baruch College from which he graduated three years later with a degree in Business Administration. He started his professional career as a computer programmer but soon advanced into the ranks of management and executive management and worked for such companies as MetLife, United HealthCare, Prudential, Con Edison, NRG Energy, and the NYISO. Jack unilaterally severed his relations with the KGB in 1988 and was captured by the FBI in 1997. After a lengthy debriefing process, Jack and his family were allowed to stay in this country. He became a US citizen in 2014. In the spring of 2015 CBS 60 Minutes ran a story on Jack’s unusual life. Subsequently he decided to retire from corporate life and concentrate on his book and public appearances. Jack has two adult sons in Germany, one adult son in the US and one adult daughter in the US. He lives with his wife Shawna and their five-year-old daughter Trinity in Covington, GA.
