KAREN PRESTON MCCARTY

436 OYSTER DRIVE

LA SELVA BEACH, CA 95076

(831) 786-0989

kmdd8e86@westpost.net

HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/KARENPRESTONMCCARTY
"_IT SOURCING PROFESSIONAL, KNOWN FOR TRANSFORMING PROCUREMENT _
_INTO A FINE TUNED ENGINE_"
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Innovative, detailed and results-driven IT manager with demonstrated
track record of developing outside-the-box RFP's, aggressively
negotiating cutting edge contracts, and streamlining procurement and
sourcing practices to deliver highly customized agreements and
best-in-class pricing for the full range of IT products and services.
Recognized for designing and implementing strategies that drive
process improvement and transform IT operations from troubled to
well-oiled. Able to achieve breakthrough results through solid
analytical, communications, problem solving, and team building
skills. Creative and confident, with proven integrity and highly
sought after work ethic.
Sourcing achievements across all positions listed include:
*
Obtaining 90%+ of the custom terms & conditions requested.
*
Achieving 20-100% reductions in annual minimum revenue commitments
(MARCs) and 15-83% increases in pricing discounts for the full range
of IT products and services.
*
Delivering added value with substantial one-time signing
credits/bonuses, leveraging existing agreements to replace non
performing systems at no additional cost, and arranging for
forgiveness of $2M+ in MARC shortfalls.
*
 Recouping in excess of $4M in vendor over billing.
*
Effectively collaborating with application owners, end user
constituencies, company executives, IT technical staff, legal
counsel, and financial operations to create and maintain key
strategic and cost-effective vendor relationships.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
*
Budget Forecasting & Financial Management
*
Contract Negotiations & Administration
*
Cost Allocation & Reduction
*
Performance Analysis & Process Improvement
*
Procurement & Sourcing
*
Project Planning & Management
*
Resource Forecast & Allocation
*
Risk Mitigation
*
SOX Compliance
*
Staff Training & Development
*
Strategic Planning & Business Transformation
*
Vendor Management
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
_BOTTOM LINE CONSULTING, INC.__ FEB 2010 a" PRESENT_
_Privately held management consulting firm specializing in legal
compliance, accounting, audits, business efficiency and process
improvement in the areas of business administration, finance, and
information technology_
CONSULTANT - PROPOSAL WRITER AND NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STRATEGIST

Strategist and project manager for pursuing new business

opportunities. Assembled project teams and authored proposals for IT
strategic planning, ARRA audit, University administrative
reengineering, and research park expansion projects.
_GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED_ _APRIL 2008 a" JAN 2010_
_One of the nation's largest diversified, heavy civil contractors
and construction materials producers. $2+ billion in revenue, 5,000+
employees, over 28 US locations_
IT MANAGER - ENTERPRISE CONTRACTS & STRATEGIC COMPLIANCE
Spearheaded all IT contract negotiations, IT budget forecasting and
performance, and SOX compliance initiatives. Managed a workgroup of 4
to deliver these services.
_FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED__ OCT 2004 a" JAN 2008_
_The number one category leader in the value added salad market.
$1.6 billion in revenue, 4,500+ employees, over 23 US locations_
IT MANAGER - TELECOMMUNICATIONS developed enterprise
telecommunications budgets and managed to forecast.
_KNIGHT RIDDER INCORPORATED__ NOV 1999 a" MAY 2003_
_The second largest newspaper chain in the nation until its sale to
the McClatchy Group in 2006. 20,000 employees, 32 independently
published metropolitan daily newspapers plus multiple local weeklies
with a total circulation of 3.3 million_
IT DIRECTOR - ADVANCED NETWORKS
Drove the strategic planning and service delivery for the enterprise
IT infrastructure (e.g. voice and data networks, messaging, security,
and enterprise application servers) as well corporate and shared
services desktop support. Led the sourcing activities and contract
negotiations for all related products and services. Managed a group
of 15 in the delivery of these functions.
_CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM__ SEPT 1989 a" NOV 1999_
_One of the largest and most diverse publicly funded university
systems in the nation_
IT DIRECTOR a" TELECOMMUNICATIONS, SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY & CSU
MONTEREY BAY
Served as Director of Telecommunications for San Jose State
University (27,000 students, 3000+ faculty & staff) 1989 - 1997 and
at CSU Monterey Bay (4,500 students, 500 faculty & staff) 1997 a"
1999. Oversaw the strategic planning, budgeting, procurement and
contract negotiations for service and product agreements, and the
service provisioning for all telephony related services for faculty,
staff and resident students. Managed 10-17 staff members at each
institution in the delivery of these services.
PRIOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
_MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY _(3+ years)_ - A world-class,
privately endowed university, renown for both teaching and research,
most especially in the areas of business, science, and technology_
_ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES_ (1 year) a" _Leading global semiconductor
manufacturer_
_AT&T / PACIFIC BELL_ (5 years) - _The largest national and
international provider of telecommunications services._
SELECTED CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS
_GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED_
*
Successful sourcing and contract negotiations included:
* $2.4+M contract with AT environmental management; insurance claims
and risk management; and treasury with both aggressive pricing and
significantly enhanced vendor warranties and penalties for
non-performance.
* Enhanced licensing and service agreements with all of the major
product and service suppliers including AT&T, Cisco, HP, IBM,
Microsoft, Oracle, Sprint, and Verizon.
*
Reduced IT budget forecast 16.6% ($3.3M) and delivered actual
spending within 1% of forecast.
*
SOX Compliancy - converted the IT organization from COBIT to COM
based assessment processes and documentation, introduced recurring
systemic internal review procedures, and subsequently produced the
first IT SOX audit in 5 years with no findings of failure or
recommendations for remediation.
_CHIQUITA /FRESH EXPRESS_
*
Highly customized contracts included the following services and
benefits:
* Dual MPLS networks - decreased costs 40% and increased capacity
60%.
* Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) - reduced costs 25% and tripled
available bandwidth.
* VPM access - decreased costs 83% with improved end user
functionality.
* Long distance usage - reduced costs 60%, eliminated need for /use
of dedicated circuits at all but 3 locations, and increased overall
availability.
* Audio and web conferencing - reduced costs 68% and increased both
capacity and functionality.
 * Cellular services - obtained additional monthly discounts, annual
refresh, and early replacement of 25% of installed devices.
* Collocation services - reduced monthly costs, expanded vendor
liabilities and enhanced vendor warranties for primary data center
for Chiquita and high availability facilities for Fresh Express.
*
Developed and managed the telecommunications budget, reducing the
annual telecommunications enterprise spend 25% and recouping $1.67M
in one-time credits and cash refunds for over billing and penalties
owed by vendors.
*
Led and collaborated with cross functional teams to bring multiple
projects to fruition. Enterprise wide projects included the
conversion of conferencing, long distance, and data network service
providers and upgrade of 50% + of installed cellular base with no
disruption in service.
_KNIGHT RIDDER, INC._
*
Negotiated contracts that yielded $4.5M in savings in enterprise
wide over a 2-year period. Net benefits included:
* A 45% cost reduction for voice and data networking services.
* 19-21% cost reductions for the provision of PBX maintenance,
dedicated Internet and remote VPN access, desktop, network, and
server security, audio conferencing, and cellular services.
* Substantive increases in purchase discounts for networking,
security, telephony, and Wintel hardware and software applications.
*
Other cost savings measures included:
* Arranging for the forgiveness of a $1.7M shortfall on a previously
negotiated networking contract.
* Recouping $2M+ in over billing by telecommunications carriers.
* Reducing enterprise wide telecommunications spending an additional
10% with the identification and subsequent cancellation of services no
longer needed and/or in use.
*
Spearheaded the first enterprise wide IT infrastructure security
audit project and authored the first comprehensive policies,
procedures and rule set documents to address change management,
incident handling, performance reporting and response, physical
security, system configuration, and system access.
*
 Chaired the first cross functional team to be charged with
establishing hardware and software standards both personal computing
and enterprise applications.
_CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM_
*
SJSU achievements included:
* Eliminating $100k budget shortfall in first year and, for the
duration of my tenure, generating and maintaining $250 - 500k
operating contingency to fund system replacement and expansion.
* Negotiating long distance contracts with AT SJSU was the first CSU
campus to have their TIMP approved and funded ($8.8M) by the
California Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) and the Department of
Finance (DOF).
*
CSU - MB achievements include:
* Negotiating and implementing contracts reducing long distance
costs 60%, LEC costs 15%, and LAN costs 25% while increasing
functionality and capacity.
* Leveraging an existing contract to replace the Telecommunications
Management System at no additional cost to the University.
* Significantly expanding the cable television and video
infrastructure at minimal cost; upgrading the functionality and
doubled the capacity for remote access facilities at no additional
cost.
EDUCATION
_SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE, NOTRE DAME IN_
Bachelor of Arts a" Liberal Arts, Graduated Cum Laude
_OHIO UNIVERSITY, ATHENS OH_
_Completed coursework for M.Ed_ with 3.9 point grade average
_SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN JOSE CA_
Certificate of Professional Achievement and Leadership
KEY TECHNOLOGIES
Active Directory * Anti Virus * AS 400 * AS 400 Reporting & Security
Applications * ATM * Blackberry * Cable Modem * Cable TV * Cellular *
Citrix * Content Filtering * Data Center Collocation & Outsourcing *
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) * Document Retention * DSL *
Enterprise Desktop & Laptop Applications & Hardware * Enterprise
Server Applications & Hardware * ERP Applications * Ethernet * 5ESS
Central Office Switching * Firewalls * Frame Relay *
Industry-Specific Enterprise Applications * Integrated Conferencing
Applications * Integrated Messaging * Internet * ISDN * Linux * MPLS
* Microwave * PBX * Routers & Switches * SaaS Applications * SAN *
Satellite * SONET * SQL *Telemanagement Systems * UNIX *
Videoconferencing * VMWare * VoIP * VPN * WinTel Platforms * Wireless

KEY VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS

Adobe * Alcatel * Aon eSolutions * AT&T * Avaya * Bay Area
Technologies * BellSouth * CD Group * CDW * Cincinnati Bell * Cisco *
Dell * Deloitte * Digital Designs * Enkon * Forrester Research Inc. *
Frontrange * Gartner Group * Global Crossing * HCSS * HP * IBM *
Intecom * iPass * JDE * KIS * Kyriba * Lansa * Lucent * Microsoft *
Navisite * NetIQ * Northern Telecom * NuBridges * Onyx Systems *
OpenText * Oracle * Premiere Global Services * PwC * Qwest * SBC *
Spacenet * Sprint / Nextel * SPSS * Stonemont Solutions * Symantec *
T-Mobile * Touchtone * TrendMicro * Ultimate Software Group * Verizon
* Verizon Wireless * VMWare * Websense
WEBSITE LINKS
HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/KARENPRESTONMCCARTY

Karen Preston McCarty Resume / (831) 786-0989 /

kmdd8e86@westpost.net /
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karenprestonmccarty