Michael Strand Email & Phone Number

Wisconsin, United States

We founded Sinapse Global on a passion to give back. With our years of experience, including mine in business and non-profit leadership, we knew our combined skills could contribute something unique to the world. “Sinapse” reflects our purpose: to be a connector that brings people and ideas together for positive change.Our approach combines specialized expertise in consulting and a holistic, systems-thinking perspective. We’re here not only to consult but to create sustainable solutions that bridge gaps and empower people and organizations. We’re adaptable, innovative, dependable, and deeply committed to seeing every project through with integrity and care.

Wisconsin, United States

I am engaging with people, leaders, and organizations across the United Stated via speaking, consulting, encouraging, challenging, and teaching in one-on-one, small-group, and public settings. The overarching goal is increasing global awareness and engagement.

Sarajevo, Federation Of Bosnia And Herzegovina, Bosnia And Herzegovina

As "Zamjenik izvršnog direktora", my responsibilities included teaching conversational English to professionals in government and business. Additionally, I envisioned, connected, coordinated, and presented seminars on business topics. This was in-conjunction with Global Leadership Partners (see Volunteering). I engaged with local private startup and government organizations to impact individual and societal well-being.

Sarajevo, Federation Of Bosnia And Herzegovina, Bosnia And Herzegovina

I made a mid-career transition to expand and explore other aspects of life: learning a language, culture, and professional role. I studied the language, culture, history, cuisine, geography, and everyday life of multi-cultural Sarajevo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. As I immersed myself, I sought and developed opportunities to positively impact the people.

Greater Milwaukee Area

I was recruited to the newly formed Data and Analytics: Strategy and Architecture team. I envisioned, led, and performed technical and business analysis of data model process and tool migration with the outcome of improved definition and governance of data assets across the enterprise, impacting 30+ departments. I led and coordinated an in-depth security review of a cloud data platform implementation involving multiple teams. I coordinated an analysis of purchased marketing data for the organization in conjunction with data scientists.

Greater Milwaukee Area

During 2017, the Company went through a reinvention, recognizing that "the best must get better." Digital Disruption, FinTech, and Data Driven were driving ideas. During this time, I refreshed old and learned new skills including use of cloud architecture (AWS), Kafka (Confluent), Linux, MySQL, Github, PowerBI; and experimented with MongDB, neo4j, Amazon EC2, Redshift, Neptune, and Aurora among other technologies.Organizationally, I transitioned from engineering to the Product Owner role of an agile team. I consolidated two agile teams (one onshore, one offshore) and synchronized the teams' delivery cadence. My team delivered the first cloud-based services delivered by our division.

Greater Milwaukee Area

I led the team with responsibility for the enterprise-wide view of information design, management, and usage. I provided thought leadership in information architecture, focusing on data management, analytics, and business intelligence, including areas of research, strategy formation and realization, project oversight, governance, and advocacy. I embraced the challenge of leading with the breadth funding proposals of $8 million annually, project engagement and oversight, governance, and advocacy. The discipline included technologies and techniques related to (at varying levels of maturity) visualization, decision management, prescriptive and predictive analytics, big data (Hadoop, Spark), and cognitive computing (artificial intelligence).

Greater Milwaukee Area

Responsible for several initiatives and engagements from an Information Architecture perspective for the enterprise, including setting technology direction for specific tools, and engaging in design of information storage and usage in multiple business areas, as widely divergent as optimization of workforce staffing, to sales and planning, to controllers.Conducted research and authored strategy for organizational design of business intelligence / analytics teams. During this period, I held a seat in the International Institute for Analytics (IIA).Led a cross-functional team in a rapid design and deployment of a compensation system for a very high-profile, though poorly-defined, business need. Delivered a system and process in 4 months.Engaged in research of many technologies, including leading a technical team through proof of concept of real-time data integration technology, leading a team for hands-on research / proof of concept of cognitive computing / artificial intelligence (AI) technology for use in call center interactions (an early 'chatbot') Authored a strategy to define the landscape of analytic technologies, demonstrating both realized technology fit and technology gaps / opportunities, which was used across the enterprise to understand the space, and drive direction for the company.

Milwauk

Responsible as lead BI engineer for a division's business intelligence needs. Also led the technical development and implementation of the compensation system I immediately prior had designed from business team Project Manager perspective, specifically from the business rule implementation and compensation business intelligence perspectives.

Greater Milwaukee Area

Led a team which designed a compensation system for a new product line. Conducted data analysis work on regulatory data related to investment credentials. Developed a business intelligence strategy for the business area.This was a defined one-year move to a business function, outside of IT function.

Greater Milwaukee Area

As lead engineer, responsible for design and direction of a CRM implementation related to sales for credentials and commission compensation. Led a global development team. Also continued work on reporting portals.

Greater Milwaukee Area

Responsible for design and development of large-scale extranet reporting portals, and related web-based business intelligence reports.

Greater Milwaukee Area

Responsible for development and support of a user interface application, consisting of a three-tier client-server system, utilizing Visual Basic, C++ server and router, and a relational database.

Waukesha, Wi

See Volunteer section below for more information.

My responsibilities included mainframe-based development; support of an early client-server system; design and support of an early datawarehouse-style system.

Master Of Arts, Christian And Classical Studies

Graduated Summa Cum Laude Goal: to join the conversation of the “Great Tradition” of classical, Western literature, how this impacts our.

Master Of Arts, Religion

Graduated Cum Laude Goal: to be self-aware of my faith, and the interaction between faith and all of life.

Bba-Mis, Business And Management Information Systems

Activities and Societies: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Beta Gamma Sigma, University BandGraduated magna cum laude

Education record