reduction in customer quote time at Bahler—72 hours to two.
C-Suite Executive · Chicago, Illinois
Leadership that transforms the business.
I am a C‑suite executive and change agent who drives technical and business transformation and optimizes financial and operational performance through strategy, technology, and people—a strategic partner who aligns ambition with action and builds environments where teams do their best work.
- Currently
- CIO, Bahler Management
- Previously
- CIO Colibri · CTO Apollo Education
- Based
- Chicago, IL
- Business & IT Transformation
- Digital & AI Strategy
- M&A Integration
- Cybersecurity & Compliance
- Team Building at Scale
01
Philosophy
Technology earns its seat at the table when it moves the business forward.
Across nearly three decades, my craft has been the same: take an IT function that has lost the trust of the business and turn it into a credible, predictable engine of growth. The work is one part architecture, one part operating model, and three parts people.
I believe in a rare blend of entrepreneurial grit and servant leadership. The grit gets you through the unglamorous middle of a transformation; the servant leadership is what makes the team still standing at the end of it the kind of team that wants to do it again.
The proof shows up in the work and outside of it. I’ve rebuilt and revitalized 11 teams across corporate enterprises and non‑profit organizations, and serve as Elder Board Chairman at my church. The principles travel: empower the people closest to the work, align the leaders to a clear strategy, and build the operating muscle that holds after the consultants leave.
My best work has happened in purpose‑driven organizations with forward‑thinking business models—places where technology is treated as a strategic enabler, not a cost center to be managed downward.
- Strategic Dedicated Fair Insightful Engaging A problem solver
02
Career
Executive engagements
-
Chief Information Officer
Bahler Management, Inc. · Remington, IN
Brought on as the company’s first formal CIO of this commercial construction enterprise. Reestablished trust in IT, led a digital transformation and platform modernization, and made AI a working capability inside the sales and operations organization.
- Cut customer quote time ~97%, from 72 hours to two hours, with modern web applications.
- Increased end‑user productivity 50% by modernizing custom‑built applications.
- Stood up a hybrid‑cloud environment on Azure Stack Hub and Azure Arc; consolidated software spend 18% across seven operating companies.
- Led the first‑ever penetration testing; lowered cybersecurity insurance premiums 20% after meeting or exceeding NIST industry benchmarks.
-
Chief Information Officer
Colibri Group · St. Louis, MO
Stabilized IT inside a continuing‑education business growing through aggressive M&A. Built the integration playbook, doubled the function, and made data and security first‑class concerns of the business.
- Led IT due diligence on 25+ targets; integrated 18 acquisitions supporting $100M in M&A‑fueled revenue.
- Generated >$1M of first‑year savings by piloting the company’s first IT budget and rationalizing vendor spend.
- Implemented NIST CSF; slashed insurance premiums 9% and used security as a B2B retention lever.
-
Chief Technology Officer
Apollo Education Group / Vanta Education · Chicago, IL
Led global application development for nine universities, including the University of Phoenix. Promoted to CTO in 2017 after building and scaling the team that rebuilt the platform.
- Cut enterprise IT spend 49%, from $36M to $18.5M, while accelerating M&A integration.
- Delivered >$80M in subsidiary OX reductions while supporting 20%+ growth targets.
- Led a $100M, three‑year modernization that reduced the application footprint from >1,500 to <300 via COTS and SaaS.
- Rescued a Salesforce program three years behind schedule and delivered the implementation in twelve months.
-
Cofounder & Managing Principal · IT Consultant
Solus Development · Ponvia, Inc. · Greenbrier & Russel
Early career as a builder and consultant delivering infrastructure, internet, and application work for the Chicago Blackhawks, the United Center, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago White Sox, HAVI Global Solutions, the Board of Trade Clearing Corp, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—across supply chain, entertainment, finance, tax, SaaS, and nonprofit.
03
Selected projects
Work I’m proud of
A short list across consulting, executive, and personal work— spanning enterprise software, cybersecurity, and applications that ended up touching well‑known names.
P·01
AI Strategy
Bahler AI & Quote Engine
An AI‑backed initiative for commercial construction sales: process knowledge, quote validation, and a sales‑training capability that improved quote accuracy 20% and is on track to cut quote time another 50%.
Learn more
P·02
Sports Analytics
CourtLogic
A sports‑intelligence application combining structured data, scouting workflows, and decision support for coaching staffs—built in the same lineage as my work on the Chicago Blackhawks scouting system.
Learn more
P·03
Production Application
AMPAS
The library website and search engine for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—the Oscars—delivered as part of my early consulting practice. A reference example of taking deep institutional content and putting it in front of people in a way that respects both.
Learn more
P·04
Cybersecurity Program
CYBN
A program around cybersecurity posture, risk reduction, and insurability for mid‑market organizations—built on NIST CSF, with measurable outcomes from premium reductions to fewer successful penetration attempts.
Learn more
P·05
Scouting Platform
Chicago Blackhawks Scouting System
An internal scouting and decision‑support system for one of the NHL’s flagship franchises—structured player data, reporting workflows, and the operational guts behind how a scouting organization sees the league.
Learn more
P·06
M&A Playbook
University‑in‑a‑Box
A repeatable playbook for post‑acquisition integration across Apollo Education Group’s portfolio of nine global universities—collapsing integration to twelve months and becoming the operational pattern for how the group absorbed new institutions.
Learn more
04
Impact, in numbers
The numbers.
three‑year enterprise modernization led at Apollo Education.
teams rebuilt and revitalized across corporate enterprises and non‑profit organizations.
acquisitions integrated at Apollo Education Group and Colibri.
cut to enterprise IT spend at Apollo while accelerating growth.
applications consolidated through a disciplined COTS/SaaS strategy.
05
Expertise
Areas of executive focus
Transformation
- Business Transformation & IT Strategy
- Digital Transformation
- Technology Roadmapping
- Enterprise Architecture (TOGAF)
Operating Model
- Business Startup & Scaling
- ITSM & Database Management
- M&A Assessment & Integration
- Product Development & Management
Risk & Cost
- Cost Containment & Profit Building
- DR, BC & Cybersecurity Management
- Domestic & Global Compliance
- GDPR & EU Data Protection
Platforms & Teams
- ERP Selection & Implementation
- Hybrid, Multicloud & FinOps
- Business Partnering & Collaboration
- Team Building (On‑, Off‑, Nearshore)
06
Service, advisory & voice
Boards, councils & speaking
Elder Board
Chairman
Serving as chairman of the elder board—applying the same servant‑leadership discipline and strategic clarity that has carried across corporate and non‑profit team rebuilds.
SmartBuild
Roadmap Advisor
Advising on the product roadmap for design and construction management software serving the commercial construction industry.
Thought Industries
Product Advisory Council, Member
Advised on the direction of a leading customer education and training platform.
EMC · ECD
Customer Advisory Board, Member & Speaker
Board member and Board Strategy Meeting speaker (2016) for the Enterprise Content Division’s customer council.
Conference & Panel
Featured Speaker
- Forte Group, Panel: The Balance Between Business Expectations and CTO’s Sustainability Needs · 2023
- Liferay Symposium · 2017
- Microsoft Dynamics Conference · 2015
07
Education & credentials
- Illinois Institute of Technology BA, Computer Science · Minor, Business
- Thayer Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point Executive Leadership Program
- Sun Microsystems Sun Java 1.1 Certification
For a private conversation
For boards, founders, and senior leaders thinking through technology, transformation, and what comes next—I’m always glad to make time for a thoughtful conversation.
- bclaird@outlook.com
- Phone
- 312·659·8382
- linkedin.com/in/bclaird
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois