Nova Southeastern University’s Chief Information Office Name One of Nation’s Top 100

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla.– January 28, 2014 –

Nova Southeastern University is proud to announce that one of its own, Tom West, M.B.A.,  was recently named one of America’s top 100 CIOs by IDG Enterprise. West, NSU’s vice president of Information Technology, joins others from across the country in being recognized in the Premier 100 Awards Program.

The Premier 100 Awards Program honors those CIOs who explore new and innovative ways to incorporate technology to drive business results. West was honored as someone whose work has had a positive effect on Nova Southeastern University. In his role, he provides the University with the technological resources to support teaching, learning and research.

Tom West, M.B.A.

“Providing an information technology foundation for a large and complex university like Nova Southeastern University can be a very daunting task indeed,” said NSU President L. George Hanbury, Ph.D.  “Tom has provided a clear vision that has helped meet NSU’s goal of providing state-of-the art technology for its students, faculty and staff. He’s very deserving of this recognition.”

As CIO, West is specifically charged with leveraging technology to support strong student-centered administrative systems; advancing the University’s research and mission; empowering faculty teaching, knowledge production and technology transfer; and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the university’s operations. During his tenure with NSU, West has successfully managed the IT infrastructure of one of the country’s largest, not-for-profit institutions of higher learning while continually seeking innovative solutions to IT challenges and identifying and implementing the latest, most effective computer solutions.

According to IDG Enterprise, some of the criteria used to identify a Premier IT leader include, but are not limited to:

• Identifies strategic opportunities provided by IT;
• Thinks beyond short-term tactical needs to long-term strategic goals;
• Ties technology and innovation to specific business needs and goals;
• Takes calculated risks but has contingency plans in place;
•  Learns from failures and uses these experiences to improve IT processes and services;
• Creates a positive and rewarding work environment for employees;
• Encourages staff to be innovative and come up with ideas;
• Compares best practices with peer companies;

West will be featured, along with the other honorees, in the February 27^th, 2014 issue of Computerworld and on its Website (computerworld.com) and at the Premier 100 IT Leadership Conference, scheduled for early March in Tucson, Arizona.

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About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic, fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels.  NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with an enrollment of 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields.  NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification.  For more information, please visit www.nova.edu. Celebrating 50 years of academic excellence!

Media Contacts:

Julie Spechler | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5348 (office)
954-593-3361 (cell)
julies@nova.edu

Vera Mandilovitch | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5309 (office)
954-882-3570 (cell)
vmandilovitch@nova.edu