When blueprints start to smolder, true leaders draft new ones on the fly. In this episode, former architect turned Wawa CIO & SVP John Collier reveals how his background in design thinking has helped him make split-second judgments when even the most unforeseeable crises hit. From war-room gut-checks made in the dark to culture-defining decisions that outlast the chaos, John shares hard-won tactics for IT leaders who want a real seat at the table — and who want to be ready when all eyes turn to them.
At Wawa, John is responsible for establishing the strategic direction for Wawa’s expanding technology and business services. He leads technology strategy, development, implementation and ongoing operations for Wawa, Inc.
Guest Bio:
John Collier is the SVP and CIO at Wawa, Inc., a chain of more than 1,000 convenience stores located in 8 states across the eastern US and the District of Columbia. John came to Wawa in October 2017 as the VP and CIO, to lead Wawa’s information technology team. At Wawa, John is responsible for establishing the overall strategic direction for the company's expanding technology and business services. Prior to joining Wawa, John worked as CIO for TracFone Wireless, Inc. And before TracFone, John spent 5 years with Walmart Stores, Inc. in positions as Global Chief Architect and Intellectual Property Management and Monetization.
Time stamps:
01:06 - About John
06:00 - Oh the horror!
20:56 - Don’t be in the sequel
23:24 - Building cross-functional communication
31:08 - How to embrace design