If you ask Paul Heller, the CIO of Vanguard, to describe his IT organization, most likely he'll say one word: "Awesome!"

One might say that Vanguard, a mutual fund company that manages more than $900 billion in assets for 19 million customers, has created its own IT vanguard. The 2,600-person, in-house IT team, supplemented by 300 contractors and 500 business-unit professionals involved in IT, built 70 percent of the applications, and purchased the remainder of them from large software suppliers. The highly centralized IT organization aligns functionally and strategically, not physically, with each of the major business units.

During his 23-year career with Vanguard, Heller, who became CIO in 2006, has held many leadership positions which have included driving revenue and managing technology. But, Heller says, he loves being at the intersection of technology and business. "To lead a business, you need to understand and appreciate the value of the technology being used." And, given the mere four-percent employee turnover rate that IT enjoys, it's obvious that his organization appreciates his leadership.

Join us for a conversation with Vanguard CIO Paul Heller, about the strategies and issues at work 24/7 in a company where IT is at the core of business success.

Resources

The Vanguard Group| Paul Heller: "Simplifying the Mutual Fund Maze with Technology"

Techniques for Measuring IT's Effectiveness

Bio

Paul A. Heller is Vanguard's chief information officer, responsible for overseeing all aspects of Vanguard's use of technology to provide high-quality, cost-effective services for Vanguard shareholders. Mr. Heller joined Vanguard in October 1984 and has held leadership positions in the company's corporate, institutional, and retail divisions. Prior to becoming CIO, he was responsible for overseeing Vanguard's core retail business that provides service to approximately four million clients with over $150 billion in assets. Mr. Heller earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and economics from Tufts University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host