Mark B. Thomas Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

Provide professional consulting services with organizations to evaluate their Business Continuity Program and Technology Disaster Recovery readiness to minimize processing risks associated with cyber-attacks and major processing failures that could impact normal business operations.Extensive Experience: With over 45 years in technology leadership roles, we specialize in corporate resilience.• Strategic Vision: Develop and implement long-term IT strategies to bolster organizational resilience• Crisis Management: Design and execute crisis management strategies to ensure operational continuity• Cybersecurity Expertise: Establish comprehensive cybersecurity frameworks to safeguard corporate assets• Disaster Recovery Planning: Create robust disaster recovery plans to mitigate operational impacts• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to industry standards and regulations to minimize risks• Vendor Management: Assess and manage service providers to meet resilience requirements

Melville, New York

Primary responsibilities included the develop, directing, and coordinating IT resiliency management across the Health System which included enhanced cyber recovery, operational and strategic risk mitigation solutions. Primary responsibilities included the management of Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity and Crisis Management supporting the technology division.Major Achievements:• Managed IT Disaster Recovery IT Business Continuity and IT Crisis Emergency Preparedness Program• Led the implementation of Zerto continuous data projection platform supporting application recovery in Microsoft Azure and Google cloud environments enabling recovery times from days to minutes • Developed the application repository to support effective recovery planning across the Health System• Ensured technology resilience was engineered into all critical processing environments• Implemented a governance program for application recovery testing, technology assessments and risk reviews • Eliminated Sungard external recovery dependencies implementing recoverability capabilities within the cloud• Conducted risk assessments and vulnerability analyses to identify potential threats in existing recovery strategies• Managed departmental responses needed for internal, external audits and regulatory bodies • Ensured overall program governance and alignment to internal recovery and security policies to reduce risks• Provided leadership and confluence with Information Security, Infrastructure and Applications ensuring operational resiliency was designed and implemented across processing platforms

Primary responsibilities included the global management of business continuity for 16 offices. Management responsibilities included: Overall Crisis Management, Red Cross Life Safety program, Technology governance, Business / Technology testing program, Recovery Facility Management, Client due diligence reviews and internal audit coordination. Supported Vendor risk reviews, BCP software tools and budgets for departmental staff. Was a member of the BCP Steering Committee and Data Center Steering Committee providing strategies and new direction supporting an effective recovery program. Major Accomplishments:• Implemented an overall global crisis management program• Engineered strategy and implemented a global notification system • Implemented situational awareness software (NC4) providing security surveillance • Engineered and implemented application inventory process to support processing dependency mapping within systems and business units providing real time risk management capabilities• Completed risk assessments for all core infrastructures and critical processing systems ensuring recovery capabilities were meeting user recovery requirements• Engineered and implemented dedicated recovery space in Krakow and India• Managed overall BCP testing program supporting data center failover testing, staff relocations globally to internal and external recovery facilities, notification testing and office crisis exercises• Provided technology guidance to support new co-location data center • Maintained governance program for Business and Technology ensuring plan updates and key application recoverability• Supported major events Hurricane Irene/Sandy, Boston Bombing/Manhunt, Earthquakes, Snow storms and various international incidents resulting in no processing impact to the Firm

Primary responsibilities included the overall strategy, development and deployment of a resilient enterprise for all technology processing platforms in the Americas region. Major Accomplishments:• Mitigated processing risks in core technology platforms supporting critical business units• Provided relationship management with business leaders providing oversight for business continuity • Established a testing and governance program reducing processing risks and improving relationships• Implemented software tools to enhance risk reporting, crisis management and continuity planning• Developed strategy and implemented a crisis management program for Americas region• Designed and implemented an alternate relocation facility supporting Business Continuity• Managed the testing and validation of disaster recovery plans, facilitating realistic simulations to evaluate their effectiveness

Responsible for the strategic development and implementation of four globally deployed Crisis Management Centers required to improve risk mitigation capabilities for business processing, people safety, facilities and technology.Major Accomplishments:• Enhanced incident response capabilities by deploying global Crisis Management Centers• Implemented an enterprise wide emergency notification system for 50 thousand employees• Implemented situational awareness software monitoring for over 200 global facilities • Engineered and installed backup satellite communications for voice, internet and video • Pioneered long range physical security program that centralizes monitoring capabilities, procedures and incorporates continuity of operations globally

Designed and launched the first Enterprise Business Continuity program, which became the global standard for managing processing risks for the firm. Responsibilities included working with business and technology leaders assessing processing regulatory risks while implementing long-term strategies to ensure continuity of operations globally. This program strengthened our internal processing and operational procedures to meet current regulations while reducing exposures globally.Major Accomplishments:• Performed single points of failure studies on key facilities and supporting technology infrastructures identifying business operational risks and implementing strategies to close gaps • Implemented a global BCP strategy and planning process that captures critical business processing, dependent technologies, people and relocation sites • Developed and implemented quarterly management scorecard reporting to assess risk globally • Developed and implemented an application inventory system linking business processing to supporting technology environments, providing the ability to manage global risks• Implemented business continuity planning software supporting over 2,000 users • Provided leadership in the Crisis Command Center during the September 11th tragedy supporting people accountability, communications to employees and key processing decisions keeping the firm in business during the first 3 days

Managed and developed programming teams supporting Partners Tax, Legal, Controllers and the Services Division. Responsibilities included all aspects of application programming, user support, ongoing maintenance and production support.Major Accomplishments:• Developed specialized tax systems needed for partnership returns• Designed an electronic based imaging system supporting 10 years of tax returns• Implemented the first PC based e-mail system for the Firm• Implemented a new General Ledger and Accounts Payable system for the Firm

Developed and implemented an online processing inventory system that mapped programs and files associations for the IBM mainframes using DB2. This application enabled staff to track firm processing across multiple system environments required for internal audits, impact risk assessments and to assist with analysis in order to improve overall system performance.

Managed the data center with a staff of twenty five and was responsible for daily processing, vendor relationships and the overall facilities supporting processing.Major Accomplishments:• Managed data center operations and all day to day production processing supporting the Firm• Provide overall leadership for the processing conversion to a larger mainframe environment• Designed, planned and implemented the first official data center for Goldman Sachs• Coordinated recovery efforts during a major flood and confirmed our backup strategy• Provided overall leadership for the conversion from the Burroughs to IBM

Software engineer and benchmark specialist for the New York Financial District supporting the Federal Reserve Bank, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Dime Savings Bank. Responsible for software testing, client interfaces and technical training.

Bs, Management / Communications

Graduated with Honors

Aas, Information Technology

Education record