Board of Directors 2018 - 2019 Election 

Ron Backmann, Humana

Campaign Statement

I will work to ensure diverse participation across the Oracle ecosystem.

Biography 

Currently a strategic thought leader and tactical go-to person for high priority efforts at a Fortune 100 company. Starting as a tape jockey, 28 years of experience and advancement in IT across multiple industries leveraging multiple database and development technologies with an emphasis on Oracle-based solutions since 2001.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

Helpful, Actionable, Inclusive, Accepting, Informative, and Useful!

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

The opportunity to serve the community that has given me so much, especially by working to foster “cross pollination” of Oracle technologies.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

A track record of approachable, can-do, and idea meritocratic leadership.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

Right now, the communities surrounding Oracle technologies seem insular. I would strive to help ODTUG and its conferences break down these barriers by advocating for opportunities that span technologies and communities.

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Danny Bryant, Accenture Enkitec Group

Campaign Statement 

As a current ODTUG board member, I seek your support in re-election to the ODTUG Board of Directors.

I have been a member of ODTUG for several years, serving in varying capacities, most recently as vice president for 2017 and chairperson for the 2016 (Chicago) and 2017 (San Antonio) Kscope conferences.

I have met many of you over the years, sharing a slice of pizza after a hard day sorting clothes, landscaping, or cleaning up a playground for children not as fortunate as us. My dedication to these demonstrates a style of leadership that shows commitment to the entire spectrum of ODTUG activities. I believe these efforts build community and are pervasive across the ODTUG community, and support connections between our members, promoting personal and professional growth.

I hope that you are enjoying your ODTUG journey as much as I am mine. I am asking for your vote for re-election to the ODTUG Board of Directors.

Thank you!

Biography

Oracle ACE Director Danny Bryant is currently an infrastructure principal at Accenture Enkitec Group, focusing on core database and infrastructure technologies. Prior to joining Accenture, Danny spent 10 years in the public sector leading performance management initiatives for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to managing support teams for Oracle ERP systems for a large city in the US. Before spending time in the public sector, Danny was a senior engineer with Andersen, LLP, where he focused on business process re-engineering.

A speaker and blogger on Oracle technologies, Danny holds the rank of Estagiario in Capoeira, practices JKD, and scuba dives. He currently serves as VP of ODTUG and is the VP of the GaOUG in Atlanta, Ga. Danny is from Durham, NC, but grew up in Atlanta. He received a BS in computer science from Georgia Tech, and resides in Atlanta with his wife and children.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

Community of Oracle professionals developing networks, educating, and sharing experiences.

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

I am currently up for re-election, so the opportunity to continue to help guide and direct the organization.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

Several years of experience within ODTUG leadership from conference chair to board of directors. Understanding of the DB/Dev community and technologies. Relationships with Oracle product management.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

I would like to continue to work toward realizing growth in the DB/Dev Community.

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Gary Crisci, General Electric

Campaign Statement 

I am seeking your continued support to serve on the ODTUG Board of Directors.

For the past two years I have been a member of the board, and this past year I have served as treasurer of the organization.
I believe that consistency in the financial stewardship of an institution is extremely important. During my first year on the board, I served on the finance committee with Tim Tow to learn the job. This year, as treasurer, I have directed the organization’s finance committee, along with an audit, and the annual tax filing. I have become very familiar with ODTUG’s financial requirements and believe I am the right individual to continue in this role.

In addition to my expected responsibilities as treasurer, I have also been focused on improving the way ODTUG performs its financial planning and reporting. Through our relationship with Oracle, the board has procured licenses to utilize Oracle EPM products, including EPBCS. My goal is to implement EPBCS for ODTUG to manage the group’s finances more efficiently and at a lower cost. It is important to me to see this project through and I hope I can count on your backing.

Beyond the treasury role, I continue to participate in various other board activities, including participating in the ODTUG Kscope conference, representing ODTUG at Oracle user group summits, and hosting community meetups.

I would like to thank you very much for your consideration and continued support.

Biography 

Gary Crisci is a director and treasurer for ODTUG. He is also a senior financial systems leader, and an Oracle ACE, with 20 years of experience, specializing in EPM software.

During his career, Gary has held various finance and IT positions working for companies such as Siemens, Morgan Stanley, and General Electric. He is a principal architect for GE where he has led the company’s enterprise standard chart of accounts adoption and the global EPM shared service deployment. Gary is now responsible for GE’s EPM cloud adoption roadmap.

For many years Gary has been an advocate for the ODTUG community, volunteering in various roles and earning a number of recognitions including:

• ODTUG Director and Treasurer
• ODTUG EPM Communities Manager
• ODTUG Kscope Business Content Track Lead
• ODTUG Kscope Vendor Chair
• President of the ODTUG Hyperion SIG - 2010, 2011
• Best Speaker Award winner - ODTUG Kscope 15/16
• Co-author of Developing Essbase Applications
• Oracle OpenWorld Presenter

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

Spectacularly fantastical, awesome group that's full of Oracle user goodness!

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

I love ODTUG. I love the people and I love what the organization does for others. I have benefited greatly from my involvement with ODTUG, both personally and professionally. I feel it is my duty to serve and ensure ODTUG remains a strong and vibrant user community that members can benefit and learn from.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

I bring a useful mix of functional and technical perspectives, along with extensive ODTUG experience. I've held many positions within ODTUG, and this will be my second term on the board of directors. I plan to continue leveraging my skills to provide sound management principles to the organization.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

This term I am focused on improving the way ODTUG manages its finances. I will be implementing Oracle EPBCS for Financial Planning and Analysis at ODTUG. This project will save ODTUG money by making the process of producing our financial statements easier. We will also benefit from a more robust forecasting system that will ensure we are using our community's funds as efficiently as possible to produce the best content for our members and conference attendees.

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Natalie Delemar, EY

Campaign Statement

I have had the privilege and pleasure of serving on the ODTUG Board of Directors for the last four years. In addition to attending every ODTUG Kscope since 2008, I have served you, my fellow ODTUGers, in numerous roles including content chair, conference chair, vice president, and now president. I am beyond grateful for the chance to drive our user group forward, and with your help I will continue that good work.

It has always been my vision to make ODTUG Kscope the universal Oracle user conference. Kscope17 was the best Kscope yet, in my humble opinion, in diversity and quality of sessions and hands-on labs, unparalleled networking events, and phenomenal opportunities to provide feedback and interact with Oracle product management and development. Beyond ODTUG Kscope, we have moved to better serve you through meetups, leadership training, and increasing outreach to all of us.

Like you, I love ODTUG. I love the knowledge sharing it stands for, our uniquely special conference, and meeting peers who are passionate about their work and Oracle technologies.

If re-elected, I will continue to apply my passion, enthusiasm, and appetite for volunteer work. My goals are expanding our learning opportunities through new and innovative approaches such as digital learning and scholarships; strengthening our regional presence; and continuing our mission of education and service to all Oracle communities. I have big plans for ODTUG and want to serve you again. I solicit your vote to make that happen.

Biography 

Natalie Delemar is a consultant and EPM architect with Ernst & Young who has worked with Essbase since 1999 and Planning since 2007. Prior to becoming a consultant in 2010, she held roles as an Essbase developer, Hyperion administrator, and Hyperion systems manager for multiple customers. Natalie has been a volunteer with ODTUG since 2008 and served as ODTUG Kscope12 and Kscope13's EPM/BI content chair, co-chaired Kscope14, was Kscope15 conference chair and vice-president. Natalie currently serves as president of ODTUG Board of Directors.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

The best Oracle user group in the world. Ever. Really.

What is your motivation for joining the ODTUG Board of Directors?

Our world is changing in terms of both technologies and generations and ODTUG must change with the times. ODTUG's relevancy requires embracing new technology in the form of cloud, robotics, IoT, and AI. To continue to grow we must attract, recruit, and embrace the millennial generation with their new perspective and needs. I can see that future and I want to be part of the team that leads ODTUG there.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

Passion. A strong work ethic. Vision. Any one of these attributes is necessary; all are required. I believe I have all three.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

For ODTUG to survive, it must move in new directions while not losing touch with what we are and what we've been. If elected, I will work together with the rest of the board of directors to include all of ODTUG in meeting market and technology shifts and continuing the unparalleled education, networking, and fun that is ODTUG.

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Roel Hartman, APEX Consulting

Campaign Statement

I have been attending and presenting at ODTUG Kscope conferences since 2007. This has resulted in a vast amount of knowledge, and also—even more important—a huge number of friends from all over the globe. I want to see ODTUG grow and spread this community feeling even more! My experience as an attendee, presenter, and content lead has provided the foundation to be a director. Next to that, my personality and (global) network will be beneficial to the whole board and organization. In 2016, I served on the board of directors in a limited term for a director who stepped down due to a career change. This has allowed me to have unique insight into all the things that are going on in and around the ODTUG organization. As the train was already rolling full-steam ahead, I tried to lend a helping hand wherever I could.

Now, I seek your support as a full-term elected member of the board so that I may become even more involved by heading a standing committee and serving a full two-year term. I am really looking forward to making a difference and helping the organization continue to move forward. 

Don’t hesitate and vote for Roel!

See http://www.roelforodtug.com for more details. You can even sign up as a supporter!

Biography 

Roel started a long time ago using Oracle RDBMS 5, Oracle Forms 2.3, RPT/RPF and Oracle*Case 4.5. For the past few years he focuses mainly on Oracle Application Express.

Roel has been a speaker at UKOUG, OOW, Collaborate, ODTUG Kscope, and a number of local Oracle User Groups. Within ODTUG he acted as the APEX Content Lead for the ODTUG Kscope14 and Kscope15 conferences and was a member of the ODTUG Board of Directors in 2016.

He keeps an (APEX-related) blog on http://roelhartman.blogspot.com. In June 2009 Roel received an Oracle ACE award and in August 2010 he was appointed as Oracle ACE Director. Roel is a co-writes of the Expert Oracle Application Express and Oracle Application Express for Mobile Web Applications books.

Roel is director at APEX Consulting in The Netherlands.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

ODTUG, the most vibrant community in the Oracle ecosystem.

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

I have been attending and presenting at Kscope conferences since 2007. This not only resulted in a vast amount of knowledge, but also—and even more important—a huge number of friends from all over the globe. ODTUG is for the community, by the community. And I want to see ODTUG continuing and spreading this community feeling even more!

What attributes do you bring to this position?

My experience as an attendee, presenter, content lead, and interim director provide a solid foundation for a full-term director. Next to that, my personality and (global) network can be beneficial to the whole board.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

My principal goals are twofold, but in line with each other:

The first is to create more cross-boundaries interactions. I think both ODTUG and its members (and Kscope attendees) could benefit from more cross-border activities. EPM, Essbase, BI, APEX, and Database do have an overlap—and we should benefit from the vast amount of knowledge that’s available on the “other side.”

The second one is to create more local initiatives. I am a huge fan of local initiatives. The meetups that ODTUG members are organizing are a great way to meet fellow ODTUGers with a similar interest area. That definitely should continue! But wouldn’t it also be great to meet fellow ODTUGers from another interest area and learn from each other? So, I think cross-boundary meetups should be added to the list!

Please visit http://roelforodtug.com for more details and to sign up as a supporter!

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Eric Helmer, Mercury Technology Group

Campaign Statement 

Fellow Oracle users, I seek your support to continue to serve the Oracle user community with your vote for ODTUG Board of Directors. I have been involved in the user community for many years—from speaking at the old Hyperion Solutions conferences to participating in local user-group meetings and conferences throughout the country. In recent years, I have actively served on the OAUG Hyperion SIG. As a long-standing SIG board member, I meet frequently with the board and Oracle. As a voice for the Hyperion user community, I am responsible for helping develop policies and programs related to Hyperion representation within the OAUG. I also assist and coordinate high-quality content, speakers, and education. I bring a tremendous amount of experience in serving the Oracle user community though volunteer work, free educational webinars, blogging, and contributions to trade magazines and Oracle Technology Network. As an Oracle ACE Director, I have a unique ability to get first-hand information on Oracle product roadmaps, a deep-rooted network of Oracle product managers, and a voice in influencing product direction on behalf of our community. I continue to believe in the long-standing culture of giving back to the user community that has given me so much. I believe the time is now to seek promotion to the parent ODTUG board, where I feel I can do even more, spanning all Oracle products, alongside my peers, to help everyone advance their skills, knowledge, marketability, and careers in this ever-so-tight user community.

Biography

Oracle Ace Director Eric Helmer has provided technical IT services for many of the Fortune 500 in every aspect of Oracle implementations including global architecture/design, installation/configuration, backup/recovery, high availability, and customized IT educational services. He has been involved in leading most of Oracle’s largest EPM/BI implementations in its history with projects throughout the US, England, Ireland, India, UAE, Singapore, and Thailand.

Eric leads an extensive global privately managed cloud organization specializing in Oracle Business Analytics system hosting, administration, maintenance, and rapid response on-demand helpdesk services.

The Oracle Corporation awarded Eric the title of Oracle ACE Director in 2009 and he has been spotlighted in Oracle Magazine, Oracle Profit Magazine, and Oracle Technology Network. He is a long-standing champion and volunteer for Oracle user groups and has served on SIG boards for the Oracle Application Users Group (OAUG) and is a frequent contributor to Oracle Developer Tools User Group (ODTUG).

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

People who care about each other’s careers in Oracle Solutions.

What is your motivation for joining the ODTUG Board of Directors?

Gratitude. Twelve years ago, when I was starting out my career using Oracle solutions, user groups allowed me to build a network of friends and colleagues that helped me find opportunities, solve problems, and grow my career. I would not be where I am today without those who selflessly helped me along the way. I believe it is my duty to give back to the community that has given me so much . . . and it will bring me tremendous pleasure to do so. Serving on the ODTUG board will give me the ability to serve all users on a larger scale than my previous board positions on special interest groups (SIGs). I hope to preserve the true spirit of the original user groups by fostering a community that helps each other, unifies together, and advances each other’s careers. Those are our core values.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

Proven experience helping and fighting for the Oracle user community. I believe it is the job of user groups like ODTUG to arm themselves with leadership that will represent unbiased fact-based perspectives in real-world situations on behalf of the user community—and be a strong, influential force for needed change within Oracle. My designation as an Oracle ACE Director, my online influence, and my personal relationships with back-end product developers and managers give me an avenue that ODTUG members can leverage to have their voice heard and have their issues addressed.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

Absolutely. I’d like to help ODTUG be completely diverse across all user types. My mission would be to ensure all user groups in ODTUG are fairly represented, not just the product majorities. My secondary mission would be to help oversee and regulate corporate influence of this organization. In my opinion, we need to make sure that corporate sponsorship is a healthy contribution and marketing and privacy is kept in check. Finally, we must continue to evolve and innovate for the next generation of users . . . creating easily searchable and immediately available content outside of just recorded webinars.

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Andrew Jorgensen, MindStream Analytics

Campaign Statement

I am asking for your vote in this year’s ODTUG Board of Directors election. It's a pleasure to continue to be part of the ODTUG community and serve on the board. My personal goal is to help ODTUG continue to grow as a community through events, networking, e-learning, and thought leadership in the Oracle technical space. Being involved in the BI and EPM space from the early days of IMRS and Hyperion has given me a strong sense of community. I have served that community as an Oracle ACE and president of the OAUG Hyperion SIG, and by speaking at multiple conferences such as OOW, Collaborate, Kscope, and many others. Beyond just being a career, I consider it home; a home that I will continue to build upon. Thanks for voting for me to help achieve that goal!

Biography

Andy has 25 years in the performance management and analytics space. Formerly CEO of Pinnacle Group Worldwide and twice an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company, he is now senior partner at MindStream Analytics. Andy is an Oracle ACE and also the former president of the OAUG Hyperion SIG. He brings organizational leadership and best practices in growing a strong technical community. Additionally, Andy sits on the boards of several technology companies such as Suralink and COVR Healthcare.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

The community of great technical resources and content for Oracle users.

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

I’ve been helping the Oracle Hyperion Community for over 25 years.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

Leadership on several other boards/SIGs, great marketing and communication skills.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

Increase awareness and membership of ODTUG through education and content.

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Peter Koutroubis, ERPA

Campaign Statement 

It is with great passion and enthusiasm that I respectfully submit my application to serve on the ODTUG Board of Directors. Over the years of attending, presenting, and networking within the community, my desire to give back and contribute to the community has grown steadily. My interest in serving on the ODTUG Board of Directors stems from my life-long work and passion in working with people in the Oracle technology arena.

I have over 19 years of experience working in Oracle technologies, promoting and advancing services in Oracle applications, data warehousing, business intelligence, and big data. I have experience in bringing together multi-sector partners and voices from the community to promote leading practices in Oracle technologies throughout the US and Caribbean. Those who have worked with me can attest to both my passion and involvement in technology collaboration at the local, state, and national levels.

Through my experience as a hands-on consultant and provider of Oracle consulting services, and by serving on technology user-group boards, I have gained insight and a deep understanding of the many challenges and opportunities that user groups face. Moreover, I believe that for user groups to remain relevant and vital, they must be publicly engaged so that they are heard and understood. We must effectively tell the stories of the many people we serve in so many ways that contribute to the quality of content and services that ODTUG has historically provided and that is envied by other technology user groups across the country.

Biography

Peter Koutroubis is the senior vice president of operations for ERP Analysts and Oracle Platinum specialized on Business Analytics and Big Data. Peter serves as the over-reaching company Business Analytics program director. He has 19 years of Oracle consulting services experience, including 14 years of experience in data warehousing, and 8+ plus years of functional OBIEE and Oracle BI Applications experience with 5+ implementations of OBIA in higher education organizations. Peter is a veteran of the US Navy having served with distinction in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield where he was awarded a Navy Achievement, an Armed Services Expeditionary, and National Defense medals. ACS, Athens, Greece and Florida International University, BA International Business.

Peter is an A-lister having been invited to speak numerous times at Oracle OpenWorld, ODTUG Kscope, BIWA Summit, HEUG Alliance, and various regional HEUG conferences.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

The premier global Oracle user group for leading-edge technology.

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors? 

I want to give back to the community that has contributed to my personal and professional growth in the Oracle arena.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

I bring accountability, creativity, marketing expertise, Oracle DWH/BI expertise, organization skills, and sociability.

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member? 

My principal goal would be to drive growth in ODTUG memberships and maintain ODTUG’s relevancy in a market where content is readily available everywhere and the strength is in the community.

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Vince Tran, Vertical Edge Consulting Group

Campaign Statement 

As I considered running for an ODTUG board position, one thought kept crossing my mind: I have been fortunate to benefit from the ODTUG leadership and membership through my professional development. I now believe that it is time to give back to my valued community.

With more than 12 years of EPM product knowledge and experience and 20-plus years of managing corporate IT projects, I am confident that my skills and expertise will be an asset to foster effective growth in the technology environment. I have a strategically minded focus, and value the collective input of a team. As your board member, one of my goals is to adhere to and champion the ODTUG governance so that our membership benefits from advancing opportunities to serve them and others in the Oracle community.

If elected, I promise to take my role and responsibilities seriously. I look forward to taking a lead role in our collective effort to devise actionable strategies that we execute with success. Such success will allow us to exceed our goals to benefit our membership.

I pride myself on being an effective communicator with integrity and the ability to balance and appreciate differing input. Know that, should you entrust in me the privilege of serving on YOUR board, I promise to work diligently to ensure through vision, growth, goal planning, and change, that we remain constant in our core value of “users helping users.” I look forward to being YOUR voice as a member of the ODTUG board.

Biography 

Vince has 20+ years of corporate and consulting experience with a strong concentration and success in enterprise-wide implementation and project management including 12+years of EPM-specific experience. As an Oracle Certified Implementation Consultant (Essbase, Planning and Planning & Budgeting Cloud Services) and PMI certified project manager, Vince has overseen, architected, and implemented 20+ Enterprise Performance Management Systems for numerous companies in a wide-range of industries to be used for budgeting, reporting, and analysis. As vice president of operations for a consulting firm, Vince is responsible for the management of the company's consultants and the delivery of excellent and quality project results.

Vince has been a presenter/speaker on various Oracle EPM products at local user group settings such as NTxHUG, FLOAUG, and MOAUG, as well as at national conferences including Collaborate, ODTUG Kscope, and Oracle OpenWorld. Additionally, Vince has presented webinars on EPM products including webinars for the ODTUG webinar series.

Questions

If you could describe ODTUG in 10 words or less, what would they be?

Thinking globally. Assisting locally. Growing the Oracle User Community.

What motivates you to join the ODTUG Board of Directors?

After being on the receiving end of the ODTUG benefits, I am ready to share my expertise, experience, relationship-building skills, and energy to facilitate the growth and continued success of the Oracle User Community.

What attributes do you bring to this position?

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, I have acquired skills and attributes that would serve our membership positively. Some of these include:

· Strategic vision and the ability to prioritize to foster growth for ODTUG
· User involvement
· Productive relationships with Oracle
· Technical and relational industry knowledge
· Passion for the industry
· Leadership and wisdom
· Strong sense of stewardship
· Commitment to and respect of bylaws and board responsibilities
· Ability to communicate effectively and to understand differing views
· Team player

Do you have a principal goal you would like to achieve as a board member?

My goal is to have an impact on steering ODTUG to a sustainable future by enhancing the organization’s footprint in the Oracle community, as well as make sure the organization has adequate resources to grow membership and advance its core mission.

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