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Chason Alexander
Empty Promises
Chason Alexander endured a similar experience at one of her previous jobs, which she also declines to name. At that company, Alexander had worked her way up to CIO, a job she agreed to take if she could report to the CEO rather than the CFO. Her goal was to participate in the company as a senior executive who helps set strategy.
Alexander transformed the IT department and the company's use of technology. She reduced the department's head count by 60%, led IT through major database upgrades and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance work, and implemented a worldwide Voice over Internet Protocol system. "I had a wonderful time doing all this," she says. "When you get all this and it's running like a machine, it's running well, you want to do more."
Her chief executive had been willing to consider her for roles beyond IT -- then he retired. His successor did not share that idea. Realizing that she probably wouldn't be allowed to help transform more of the business, Alexander resigned.
She is now a business development executive for ProCM, a Los Gatos, Calif., vendor that makes software tools to automate SOX compliance. She hopes ultimately to move to a midsized company where she can have a major influence, eventually as chief operating officer.
Ron Maillette
Look Before You Leap
Maillette used a different strategy to make his exit from his last job as CIO of Pacer International, a $1.9-billion transportation logistics firm based in Concord, Calif. Last fall, as Maillette grew dissatisfied with his job, he received a call from a former boss at Coke. The boss had moved on to become a sales executive for NuCo2 Inc., a $115-million Stuart, Fla., company that provides bulk carbon dioxide products to restaurants and hotels. He wanted some free advice from Maillette.
As a favor to his former boss, Maillette agreed to take a few vacation days and help out. The meeting gave both parties a chance to see each other in action. For his part, Maillette liked the company's IT strategy and how the group listened to his input. In January 2006, he signed on as the company's senior vice president of IT.
Having made several moves in his career so far, Maillette offers this advice for those who are considering moving on. "Clearly, there has to be a little discontent" for a CIO to consider leaving, he says, but one shouldn't do so without a firm landing spot. "There have got to be more things that are attractive about the new opportunity than not attractive about the current situation," he says. "The idea is not leaving, but rather going to something."
Joan Indiana Rigdon was a contributing writer for CIO Decisions. To comment on this story, email editor@ciodecisions.com.
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