Information Technology Advisory Services
Company: CW & Associates
Email: carlfwilson@aol.com
Phone: 301-346-3046
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Charter Member, Business Advisors Consortium
Carl Wilson is a turnaround CIO and business leader with a career that spans more than four decades and multiple industry segments. Carl launched his career as a computer operator and is now recognized as a world-class CIO who led technology for national and global companies. Currently, Carl develops emerging talent as a CIO coach and mentor, in addition to actively serving on several corporate and advisory boards.
Expertise
For each industrially diverse company and its executive teams, Carl’s turnaround strategy is to apply technological innovations that lead to major system and product transformations. His goal is to bring his experience in executive and technology leadership to individuals and businesses alike—helping others to realize success.
Background
As Executive Vice President and CIO of Marriott International, Inc. from 1997 to his retirement on March 31, 2011, Carl used leading-edge technology to advance the global presence of this $13+ billion company with 3,600 hotels across 70+ countries. A thought leader and visionary, he established the IT organization as a business partner while aligning the technology function with aggressive profit goals. He redefined traditional ideas to produce positive change in every functional area of Marriott’s global operation. Through a keen ability to coach and develop individuals and groups, Carl’s management philosophy created cohesive, loyal teams that worked toward challenging and exciting corporate objectives. Viewing the world as a community, he built top-producing executive teams while establishing consensus with cross-cultural staff operating globally.
From 1992 to 1997, Carl served as CIO and Vice President of Information Resources for Georgia-Pacific Corporation, where he standardized disparate systems during a period of multiple acquisitions. Carl’s guidance led to the design and implementation of a unified, enterprise-wide structure. His fiscally-responsible executive and technological foresight led to cost reductions, process improvements, and increased production—driving exponential growth for this global forest products company.
Accolades
Awarded for his contribution to business and the global IT community, Carl has received multiple recognitions, including his induction into the CIO Hall of Fame in 2007, as well as “CIO 100” from CIO for 16 years and “InformationWeek 500” for 12 consecutive years. His IT management led Marriott International to win “Best Places to Work in IT” (2003 to 2010), in addition to “Top 12 Green IT Companies” (2008 to 2010) and “Best Practices in Business Intelligence” (2008) by Computerworld.
Affiliations
Carl is a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Executive Program (M.E.P.), and also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University. He sits on the Board of Directors for Global Exchange Services, Inc. and Front Range Solutions, Inc. He is currently an Advisory Board Member for the Center for CIO Leadership, Stryve Advisors, LLC, and Imagine If, Inc. In the past, Carl served multiple years on the AT&T Executive Customer Advisory Council, IBM Board of Advisors, Oracle CIO Advisory Board, and Hewlett-Packard CIO Advisory Board.