 |
January 08, 2003
Callahan Named As 2003 Premier 100 It Leader By Computerworld
Dennis Callahan, Guardian EVP & CIO Recognized for Creative, Innovative Approach to Align IT Department with Business Strategy
New York, NY -- January 8, 2003 - The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY today announced that Dennis S. Callahan, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, has been recognized by IDG's Computerworld, the weekly newspaper for IT leaders, as one of the business world's Premier 100 IT Leaders. The award honors individuals who have creatively applied technology to execute their organizations business strategy.
The Premier 100 IT Leaders award, now entering its fourth year, recognizes exceptional technology leadership, innovative approaches to business challenges, and effective execution of comprehensive IT strategies. Callahan will be honored In February at the Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Callahan was selected from hundreds of nominees based on those leaders who most closely matched Computerworld's Leadership Index, a set of characteristics that describes business and technology people who guide the effective use of IT in their organizations. Other award winners include leading IT executives from corporations such as Bayer Pharmaceutical, Circuit City Stores, Inc., Dow Chemical Company, and MasterCard International.
"IT leaders are responsible for a wide variety of initiatives that are vital to business -- ranging from customer service to security assurance to a cost-effective supply chain," said Maryfran Johnson, editor in chief of Computerworld. "Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders highlight an elite class of technology thought-leaders who truly practice what they preach about using IT to creatively solve business problems and enable new services."
Callahan, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, joined The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America in the fall of 2000, reporting to the CEO. As Chief Information Officer, Mr. Callahan's responsibilities include running an Information Technology division of over 400 people with a budget of more than $115 million, E-Business, and Business Process Outsourcing. Appointed as Executive Vice President in 2003 his responsibilities have increased to include Building Services. Mr. Callahan has received industry-wide recognition for his accomplishments at Guardian, recognized by The CIO Forum Financial Services as one of the "Top 25 Financial IT Executives of 2001-2002" and honored by Information & Technology magazine as one of the "Elite 8" senior IT executives in the insurance industry. He currently serves as Chairman for The 2002/2003 CIO Forum Financial Services.
"In Dennis Callahan's two plus years with Guardian, he has transformed IT from an expensive support area to a strategic asset to our businesses," notes Dennis J. Manning, CLU, ChFC President and CEO, Guardian.
At Guardian, Callahan has imprinted his vision and executed a successful realignment of IT and the business units. He has also led IT to deploy technology to leverage customer information across the organization, developed concrete, forward-thinking initiatives that support revenue growth, and instituted much-needed controls and policies that maximize returns on investments and bring down expenses. The changes he has brought have been as broad as they have been deep, and represent new approaches to the organizational structure as well as a new philosophy.
Callahan along with the other Premier 100 IT Leaders will be listed in the January 6, 2003 issue of Computerworld and online at www.computerworld.com. The issue includes several feature articles summarizing the challenges IT Leaders expect to face in the coming year including managing the IT workforce, improving core systems, vendor management, and aligning technology projects with business goals.
About Guardian
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) is the fourth largest mutual life insurance company in the United States. As of December 31, 2001, Guardian and its subsidiaries had $34.3 billion in assets. Founded in 1860, Guardian is listed among Fortune magazine's top 500 businesses—and in 2002 was ranked once again as one of the top 10 most admired life and health companies in Fortune's "America's Most Admired Companies" list. With 5,500 employees, over 2,700 financial representatives and 100 agencies nationwide, Guardian and its subsidiaries protect individuals, businesses and their employees with life, disability, health and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), mutual fund and annuity investment products, and trust services. More information on Guardian can be obtained at: www.guardianlife.com.
About Computerworld
Computerworld is the only integrated media company focused exclusively on the information needs of IT Leaders - those who manage and implement technology in Global 2000 organizations. The company's flagship weekly newspaper - along with its Computerworld.com Web site and conference series for IT Leaders - form the U.S.-based hub of the world's largest (58-edition) worldwide IT media network. Publishing since 1967, Computerworld has been recognized numerous times by Folio: Magazine and the Computer Press Association as the best computer newspaper, and was named to the "Media Power 50" in 2002 by Crain Communications' BtoB Magazine. Winner of more than 70 print and online editorial awards since 1998, Computerworld has a newspaper circulation of 202,000, a total print audience of 1,846,000 (according to IntelliQuest CIMS v.9.0), and an online audience of 800,000 unique monthly visitors (according to DoubleClick). Breaking news and resources for IT Leaders are available at www.computerworld.com.
Computerworld is a business unit of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research and event company. IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers and offers online users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world through IDG.net (www.idg.net), which comprises more than 330 targeted Web sites in 80 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168 computer-related events worldwide, and IDG's research company, IDC, provides global market intelligence and advice through 51 offices in 43 countries. Company information is available at www.idg.com.
| |
