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CU*Answers today announced it has launched a new virtual CIO service under the AdvantageCIO brand. The new service provides a range of focused services designed to assist organizations of all types with strategic level technology planning, budgeting, and management.

The brand is co-led by David Wordhouse and Matt Sawtell. David is VP of Network Technologies at CU*Answers, with ten years’ experience leading that firm’s network technology efforts alongside Jody Karnes, 18 year veteran and CIO of CU*Answers, also a contributor to AdvantageCIO efforts. Matt Sawtell, AVP of Managed Technology Solutions and ten year veteran of CU*Answers has a deep understanding of the relationship between business and technology and has worked directly on client technology initiatives of all kinds during his tenure. David and Matt also head up CU*Answers Network Services, a managed technology services brand of CU*Answers.

Services include executive and board-level strategic technology planning sessions, technology budgeting and forecasting, technology assessments, information systems risk assessments, IT policy development, business continuity planning, technical resource development and coaching. Each service is tailored to the demands of the client and has specific deliverables for the engagement. Some services such as risk assessments and technology plans feature recurring updates to keep them fresh and relevant.

“Technology in and of itself isn’t necessarily a strategy,” explains Wordhouse, “but leveraged properly it can make the difference in how effectively, affordably, and quickly, a business can achieve its plans. AdvantageCIO is about understanding your organization and plans and aligning technology to serve those plans, not the other way around.”

A virtual CIO service, the offerings are designed to be used on demand when needed and long term contracts are not required, but are available.

“We are very excited about this new service,” says Matt Sawtell. “We’ve seen tremendous need for these services consumed on demand without a costly full time employee, or to augment an existing position running into bandwidth issues. Our engagements are not just talk, we deliver specific materials and well documented plans so our clients have an actionable document they can take forward into their board rooms for long range business planning.”

David and Matt have already performed many engagements for clients in the financial services, manufacturing, and public services verticals. Wordhouse continues, “Every business that wants to run more effectively needs these services. Even though technology is becoming commoditized in nature, leveraging technology to good effect still requires planning and understanding. That’s what AdvantageCIO is all about.”

For more information or to schedule a consultation please contact AdvantageCIO at sales@AdvantageCIO.com or at AdvantageCIO.com.