Western Union’s Operations Executive Talks about the Impact of Collaborative Decision-Making on Business Transformation
Robin Heller is The Western Union Company’s executive vice president of operations and technology. She oversees the strategic aligning, prioritizing and synchronizing of the company’s global service strategies. Before taking this position, Heller was senior vice president of global operations for First Data Corp., Western Union’s former parent. Her leadership career at First Data also includes that of senior vice president of sales, marketing, and operations for Western Union Commercial Services, and senior vice president of operations for IPS, a subsidiary of First Data. Heller received her master’s of business administration from the University of Nebraska in Omaha.

 Burger King CIO Talks About Global Business Transformation that Turned Them into a Competitor
In 2005, Rajesh (Raj) Rawal joined Burger King as senior vice president and chief information officer. Before arriving at Burger King, Rawal was the principal partner in Axya Corp., a consulting firm that helps large corporations with technology. Previous roles include senior vice president and CIO at Cendant Car Rental Group, which includes both Avis and Budget brands, as well as CIO for GE Information Services. Rawal graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut with a B.S. in Computer Science and later earned his M.S. in Operations from Case Western Reserve University.

 Crowe Horwath LLP CIO Talks about Business Transformation to Double Firm’s Size in Five Years
In February 2008, Yvonne Scott joined Crowe Horwath LLP as chief information officer. Before Crowe, Scott was senior vice president and chief information officer for GATX Corporation, a Fortune 1000 company that specializes in the leasing of long-lived assets to corporate customers. She currently serves on the board of directors of i.c. Stars, a non-profit organization that trains and prepares inner-city youth for careers in information technology. She is also a member of this organization’s strategic planning committee. Scott has a MBA from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in general management and accounting from Purdue University. In addition, Scott has published articles in professional journals, presented seminar topics on third-party managed services, and served as a CIO panelist at several conferences and seminars. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a certificate in data processing.

DaVita CEO Talks About Giving New Life to a Healthcare Provider
Kent Thiry knew it from the instant he took over as chairman and CEO of the company in 1999. DaVita Inc.’s previous regime had made too many acquisitions and spread the company’s resources too thin. Operational costs had spiraled out of control. Top managers had left their posts, abandoning the sinking corporate ship. It was time for a change, and no one could have imagined how successful this new wave would be.

Former Starbucks Executive Talks About What It Took to Become the World's Largest Coffeehouse
Howard Behar is the former president of Starbucks Coffee Company North America and Starbucks Coffee International. He joined Starbucks in 1989 when the company had just begun to venture outside the Northwest region. Initially serving as vice president of sales and operations, he grew the retail business from 28 stores to more than 400 stores by the time he was named president of Starbucks Coffee International in 1995. Under Behar’s leadership, Starbucks opened its first location in Tokyo in 1996. Following this historic opening, over the next three years he introduced the Starbucks brand across Asia and the United Kingdom. After a two-year hiatus, he returned to Starbucks as President of Starbucks North America until his retirement in January 2003. He was a director of the Company from 1996 to 2008.

CEO of GE Healthcare Business Unit Talks About Transforming a Company with the Right Strategy
John Chiminski, CEO of GE Medical Diagnostics, a GE Healthcare business unit formed from Amersham's imaging agent business, to look at his company's growth, innovation initiatives, governance process, and challenges of making and monitoring technology investment decisions.

 Lego Group CEO Talks About Transforming This Toy Company One Brick at a Time
In 2001, Jorgen Vig Knudstrop joined the Lego Group to focus on business and strategy development. Following an interim role of CFO, he became CEO in 2004, and began to transform this legendary toy company – one brick at a time.

 Southern Company CIO Talks About Bringing Technology to the Forefront
Rebecca (Becky) Blalock is senior vice President, CIO, of Southern Company. She directs IT strategy and operations across the 120,000 square miles and 10 subsidiaries of Southern Company.

 Physician and CEO Talks About Transforming Two Healthcare Facilities
Dr. Richard Salluzzo, a double-board certified physician, is CEO of Wellmont Health System, a 13-hospital system with 7,000 employees and facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky.

 Former Microsoft COO Talks About When Global Companies Get Seduced
Robert J. Herbold is the former executive vice president and chief operating officer of Microsoft Corp. Prior to Microsoft, Herbold was an executive at Procter & Gamble for 26 years. Herbold serves on the Board of Directors of Agilent Technologies, Indachin Ltd. Hong Kong and First Mutual Bank.  In 2001 he was appointed by President Bush to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and currently chairs the Education Subcommittee of the Council.