Christopher Lazzaro
SVP, Chief Information Officer at Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Kevin Hopper
In my 35-year career as a leader and executive, I’ve known a small number of individuals whom I would excitedly join in any endeavor. In professional sports, there are individuals who create an excitement when you learn they are now leading your team. When the news is announced, a palpable excitement is felt throughout the entire community. But if we look at these individuals, it is rarely the education, credentials, or title of the individual that creates the fever. It is something else and I wish I could put it into words. These leaders just don’t fit a mold. They have the ability to see, perform and look at things in entirely new, fresh, and unexpected ways. You think or even say out loud
Mike Prickett
As the founder and CEO of a SaaS company serving the wholesale power industry, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to work with Chris extensively for over half a decade. My experiences with Chris have covered the entire spectrum of multiple complex enterprise software engagements, from RFP to implementation and daily operations. In every capacity that we've worked together, Chris demonstrates extensive experience and skills, and uses them to envision and create systems that fully account for the needs of his organization in both the immediate term and future. Further, I've observed a unique ability to attract, engage, and lead talent across every demographic, from young millennials to deeply experienced principals. He knows how to connect people with a mission, coach them to develop the necessary skills, and position them to be successful. Chris possesses awareness and deep understanding of the business, technical, and human needs of an organization, and the ability to lead people to envision and build that future. Chris is a proven leader with no ceiling as to where he can take an organization.
Kevin Hopper
In my 35-year career as a leader and executive, I’ve known a small number of individuals whom I would excitedly join in any endeavor. In professional sports, there are individuals who create an excitement when you learn they are now leading your team. When the news is announced, a palpable excitement is felt throughout the entire community. But if we look at these individuals, it is rarely the education, credentials, or title of the individual that creates the fever. It is something else and I wish I could put it into words. These leaders just don’t fit a mold. They have the ability to see, perform and look at things in entirely new, fresh, and unexpected ways. You think or even say out loud
Mike Prickett
As the founder and CEO of a SaaS company serving the wholesale power industry, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to work with Chris extensively for over half a decade. My experiences with Chris have covered the entire spectrum of multiple complex enterprise software engagements, from RFP to implementation and daily operations. In every capacity that we've worked together, Chris demonstrates extensive experience and skills, and uses them to envision and create systems that fully account for the needs of his organization in both the immediate term and future. Further, I've observed a unique ability to attract, engage, and lead talent across every demographic, from young millennials to deeply experienced principals. He knows how to connect people with a mission, coach them to develop the necessary skills, and position them to be successful. Chris possesses awareness and deep understanding of the business, technical, and human needs of an organization, and the ability to lead people to envision and build that future. Chris is a proven leader with no ceiling as to where he can take an organization.
Kevin Hopper
In my 35-year career as a leader and executive, I’ve known a small number of individuals whom I would excitedly join in any endeavor. In professional sports, there are individuals who create an excitement when you learn they are now leading your team. When the news is announced, a palpable excitement is felt throughout the entire community. But if we look at these individuals, it is rarely the education, credentials, or title of the individual that creates the fever. It is something else and I wish I could put it into words. These leaders just don’t fit a mold. They have the ability to see, perform and look at things in entirely new, fresh, and unexpected ways. You think or even say out loud
Mike Prickett
As the founder and CEO of a SaaS company serving the wholesale power industry, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to work with Chris extensively for over half a decade. My experiences with Chris have covered the entire spectrum of multiple complex enterprise software engagements, from RFP to implementation and daily operations. In every capacity that we've worked together, Chris demonstrates extensive experience and skills, and uses them to envision and create systems that fully account for the needs of his organization in both the immediate term and future. Further, I've observed a unique ability to attract, engage, and lead talent across every demographic, from young millennials to deeply experienced principals. He knows how to connect people with a mission, coach them to develop the necessary skills, and position them to be successful. Chris possesses awareness and deep understanding of the business, technical, and human needs of an organization, and the ability to lead people to envision and build that future. Chris is a proven leader with no ceiling as to where he can take an organization.
Kevin Hopper
In my 35-year career as a leader and executive, I’ve known a small number of individuals whom I would excitedly join in any endeavor. In professional sports, there are individuals who create an excitement when you learn they are now leading your team. When the news is announced, a palpable excitement is felt throughout the entire community. But if we look at these individuals, it is rarely the education, credentials, or title of the individual that creates the fever. It is something else and I wish I could put it into words. These leaders just don’t fit a mold. They have the ability to see, perform and look at things in entirely new, fresh, and unexpected ways. You think or even say out loud
Mike Prickett
As the founder and CEO of a SaaS company serving the wholesale power industry, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to work with Chris extensively for over half a decade. My experiences with Chris have covered the entire spectrum of multiple complex enterprise software engagements, from RFP to implementation and daily operations. In every capacity that we've worked together, Chris demonstrates extensive experience and skills, and uses them to envision and create systems that fully account for the needs of his organization in both the immediate term and future. Further, I've observed a unique ability to attract, engage, and lead talent across every demographic, from young millennials to deeply experienced principals. He knows how to connect people with a mission, coach them to develop the necessary skills, and position them to be successful. Chris possesses awareness and deep understanding of the business, technical, and human needs of an organization, and the ability to lead people to envision and build that future. Chris is a proven leader with no ceiling as to where he can take an organization.
Credentials
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Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology
MIT Sloan Executive EducationJun, 2022- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.
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United States
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Utilities
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300 - 400 Employee
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SVP, Chief Information Officer
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Nov 2022 - Present
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Vice President of Software Engineering
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Jan 2022 - Jan 2023
I've had the wonderful experience of guiding AECI's technology organization through twenty years of growth from a small, embedded team to an 80-person, product management organization providing SaaS products to other utilities. In my current role, I am responsible for product management, engineering, and operations of all business and member-facing technology solutions.
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Managing Director, Software Engineering
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Jan 2018 - Apr 2022
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Senior Manager, Energy Technology
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May 2013 - Dec 2017
I had the honor of leading teams who had the incredible responsibility of providing the mission-critical Operations Technology (OT) and Energy Technology (ET) that keeps the lights on for four million customers across the Midwest. These systems allow six utilities to safely and reliably operate a power grid that includes eight wind farms, nine power plants, regional hydro dams, twelve control centers, and 5000 miles of high voltage transmission line.
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Manager, Energy Technology
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Jun 2010 - Apr 2013
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Development Team Supervisor
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Feb 2006 - May 2010
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Software Architect
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Aug 2002 - Jan 2006
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MetaMythic
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Computer and Network Security
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Founder, Head of Product
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May 2014 - Present
I've led an incredible team at MetaMythic to create innovative employee engagement methodologies and learning products that have helped many critical infrastructure organizations build and sustain a strong employee culture of cyber-security. I've led an incredible team at MetaMythic to create innovative employee engagement methodologies and learning products that have helped many critical infrastructure organizations build and sustain a strong employee culture of cyber-security.
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Southeast Energy Exchange Market
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United States
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SEEM Market Platform Architect
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2020 - 2022
Organized and led the definition and creation of the technology platform for the new Southeast Energy Exchange Market. The SEEM market optimizes the integration of variable wind and solar power into member utilities by facilitating sub-hourly, bilateral trading, allowing participants to buy and sell power close to the time the energy is consumed, utilizing available unreserved transmission. The market is comprised of 20 entities in 11 states serving 32 million customers with more than 160,000 MWs. Under the charter of the SEEM Board, I organized and provided executive leadership to 70 members across the founding utilities to develop market platform specifications, evaluate platform developers, and perform final negotiations with selected vendors. Once the market was designed and vendors selected, I designed the implementation structure and plan and supported the implementation project manager through go-live. We exceeded the expectations of SEEM Board by providing 1) high alignment across fifteen disparate utilities on all critical design, operations, and partner decisions, 2) platform go-live in eighteen months (at least two years faster than typical energy markets), and 3) $5M under initial cost estimates. Show less
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Easy Access Hunts
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United States
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Sporting Goods
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Venture Chief Product Officer
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Mar 2018 - Nov 2018
Acted as virtual Chief Product Officer for Easy Access Hunts during their initial growth and fund-raising stage until they selected a full-time CPO/CTO. Hired the team to develop the initial web and mobile platform with offer/bid system to connect land owners to hunters. Coached CEO and leadership team to build a sales-focused, product-oriented mindset in the company that resulted in EAH being awarded funding and acceptance as one of four startups in the eFactory Accelerator program as well as winning the 2018 Spin66 Pitch Pit contest. Show less
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Drury University
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United States
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Higher Education
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400 - 500 Employee
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Adjunct Professor of Computer Information Services
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Jan 2006 - May 2011
Helped the Breech School of Business CIS Chair build the university's first business-centric technology program. Co-created this new CIS program from the ground up, co-developing program vision, writing an innovative Ruby-on-Rails programming curriculum, teaching classes, and selecting additional faculty. Helped the Breech School of Business CIS Chair build the university's first business-centric technology program. Co-created this new CIS program from the ground up, co-developing program vision, writing an innovative Ruby-on-Rails programming curriculum, teaching classes, and selecting additional faculty.
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Principal Technology Architect
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Oct 2003 - May 2010
Member of a team of technologists who share a passion to enable enterprise strategy through leading-edge technologies. - Built the software operating the largest independent dog registry in the world, resolving the strategic risk of their legacy system. - Built a business intelligence infrastructure to enable a new services strategy at a Fortune 500 banking IT services company; - Created multiple-leading edge technology solutions. Created early interactive applications using Kinect and touchscreen technology for several large event centers. Show less
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Full Stack Developer
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Jul 2002 - Jul 2003
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Education
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2022 - 2022
MIT Sloan School of Management
Business Administration and Management, General -
2002 - 2004
Drury University
MBA, Business Administration -
1998 - 2002
Pensacola Christian College
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
Community
