Steven Bressler

Management Consultant & Fractional CIO at Strategic Technology Management, Inc.

Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself

Located on the East Coast of the United States I am a technology and operation executive with experience managing complex global businesses and technical environments for Pharma/Biotech/Healthcare, Financial Services, Media, and Publishing.  

Previously led business transformations, cloud migrations, product launches/commercialization, acquisitions and divestitures around the globe.  

What path have you taken to your current position? 

My career began at JP Morgan Chase where was recruited from New York University for an executive management program and subsequently held a number of technology management positions at Chase including, Vice President of Systems and Vice President of Technology Cyber Risk Management.  

Over the years leadership positions (i.e., CIO, COO, etc.)  held at various organizations.

Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?

My vision was never to hold any specific position; the vision was to be a member of a successful team and a mentor for my peers.  The plan was always to look at the business goals and objectives and forge a path forward.  

This road has led me to continued success in my career.  

Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?

I was blessed to work with brilliant individuals early in my career who were selfless in sharing their wisdom and guidance.  I feel extremely passionate about mentoring since it has had such a profound impact on my career.

How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?

Technology leaders of the future need to realize that there is no “IT” and “the business”, IT is part of the business and needs to operate hand in hand with other members of the C Suite.  

In today’s environment, IT touches every aspect of an organization and needs to seamlessly support secure, reliable operations.

What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?

Future IT leaders will need to be more versed in multiple disciplines.  Just as we expect our CFOs to understand basic IT and security concepts, we need our future IT leaders to understand Finance, Marketing, Manufacturing, etc.   

Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?

At this stage in my career, I want to continue to enable businesses to excel and mentor the next generation of IT leaders.  

The future is bright for society, and it is an honor to work to assist companies to realize their full potential.

What advice would you give to aspiring technology leaders who are just starting their careers?

As the parent of aspiring technologists, the advice I share with my children as well as all who will listen to me is the same.  

First master your current skillsets, next learn the business operation, third review, understand and apply (when appropriate) emerging technology and finally rinse & repeat.  

"First master your current skillsets."

What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in your career so far, and how did you overcome it?

One of the largest challenges I faced in my career was entering the global environment without a full understanding of the differences (i.e., cultural, business processes, regulation, etc.) between operating in the United States and the rest of the world.  

Again, I was blessed to have mentors who pointed out some of the nuances and I quickly began a student of the world to ensure compliance with global expectations.

How do you measure and communicate the value and impact of technology initiatives to other business leaders and stakeholders?

Technology leaders are no longer in the background working on “stuff”.  We must communicate the value and impact of technology initiatives to other business leaders and stakeholders.  The US SEC as well as other government bodies expect the Board of Directors to understand and address potential IT Security risks.  

Technology leaders need to be well-versed in security, compliance, finance, etc.  True leaders should be able to articulate the hard and soft impacts of business/technology initiatives.

A big thank you to Steven Bressler from Strategic Technology Management, Inc. for sharing his journey to date.

If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.