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The Business of IT
F E A T U R E  
Where The Gloves Come Off

  July 8, 2002
  By David Joachim


>> continued from previous page

Brent Zempel, CIO
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  In this article
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Introduction
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Bahram Akradi, CEO
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Brent Zempel, CIO
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Wesley Bertch, Director of Software Systems
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Robert Mendel, Director of IT Operations
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Gary Lien, Systems Architect
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Jud McKee, Director of Network Operations
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Next Steps
• At Work: Runs Life Time's IT organization.

• At Home: 37 years old. Married, three children. Hobbies include golf and motocross

• Alma Mater:: Still pursuing college degree; says he "should be finished by 2015."

• How He Got Here:

1995 to 1996: General management (Life Time Fitness)
1988 to 1995: Independent sales and management consultant
1986 to 1995: Self-employed photographer
1984 to 1987: Personal trainer, club manager and salesperson

• Mouthing Off:

MMS' greatest business challenge: "Developing the business case and ROI supporting the conversion from the legacy system."

Toughest moment during development: "Convincing an all-Microsoft shop that we were going to be converting, developing, implementing and maintaining our core system using unfamiliar technologies."

MMS is important to Life Time Fitness because: "The system's flexibility, scalability and ease of use allow us a variety of options when developing new strategies, whereas the old system dictated what we could and couldn't do. MMS also gives us a quicker, much more accurate, real-time look into our business conditions."

If only I had a bigger IT budget, I would: "Invest in R&D, technical and communications training and more time off for the team."

I work at Life Time Fitness because: "It's an extremely aggressive multibusiness company that is focused on changing people's lives in a positive manner."


start top  Bahram Akradi, CEO Wesley Bertch, Director of Software Systems 

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