VALS 2008
Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Roland R. Thornton
Executive VP, Wholesale Markets
Qwest Communications, International
Roland Thornton is the executive vice president for Wholesale Markets at Qwest Communications International, a position he has held since 2004. He is responsible for sales, service, carrier relations and operations for Qwest’s wholesale business serving competitive local exchange carriers, multiple system operators, incumbent local exchange carriers, independent telephone companies, international service providers, Internet/enhanced service providers, interexchange carriers, national service resellers and wireless service providers.
Mr. Thornton has spent more than 30 years in the telecommunications industry. Prior to his current role, Mr. Thornton was senior vice president of customer service operations for Qwest’s Wholesale Markets. He has held several other senior management positions including those of vice president, interconnection services for SBC; vice president, customer operations for Ameritech; and co-founder of the consulting firm Acquired Knowledge, Ltd.
Mr. Thornton graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in business administration. He completed graduate studies at the University of Illinois in the Master of Information Systems program.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the Food Bank of the Rockies and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce and, in 2007, joined the board of Rotary International. He belongs to the Rotary Club of Denver, and he is also a member of the World Council Committee.
Corporate Panelists
Harold Tinkler
Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
In 2003, Harold J. Tinkler became the first chief ethics and compliance officer for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte & Touche USA) and its U.S. subsidiaries (the Deloitte U.S. Firms). A 39-year veteran with the organization, Harold’s appointment followed 23 years as a partner in key supervisory and leadership roles. Today, Harold oversees the development and execution of the ethics policy for Deloitte & Touche USA and its subsidiaries, providing guidance and directing resources. These resources include an ethics “helpline” that is available to personnel, clients or vendors to assist with questions and reports about ethics and professional behavior.
Prior to his appointment as chief ethics and compliance officer, Harold was managing partner for Deloitte & Touche LLP’s audit practice in Connecticut, as well as senior technical partner for that practice. He also served as an audit partner in its Tri-State practice, headquartered in New York City.
Harold serves on the professional ethics committee of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, is a member of the board of directors for the Ethics and Compliance Officers Association and is the lead partner in overseeing the Deloitte U.S. Firms’ registration with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. His areas of professional experience include the technology, manufacturing and service sectors.
Along with his leadership and client service accomplishments, Harold is actively involved in his community. He has served as a board member of the Better Business Bureau of New York, the Child Guidance Center, the Inner-City Foundation, the United Way of Stamford, and the Wilton (CT) YMCA. He also has been a member of the Junior Achievement Blue Ribbon Panel for Ethics Education. Harold holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Hunter College in New York.
Keith Darcy
Executive Director
Ethics & Compliance Officer Association (ECOA)
Keith T. Darcy, Executive Director of the Ethics and Compliance Officer Association (ECOA), has combined a 30 year career in the financial services industry with his profession as an educator and his lifelong involvement in business ethics, corporate governance and organizational leadership. The ECOA is the largest organization of ethics and compliance practitioners with over 1,250 members worldwide. The ECOA counts among its member companies more than 62% of the Fortune 100, with ethics officers serving in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
In addition to his responsibilities at the EOA, Darcy currently serves on the board of directors of E*Trade Bank, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and chairs the Governance Committee. In addition Darcy is Chairman of the Board of the Better Business Bureau Foundation, where he chairs the Audit Committee.
During his career in financial services, Darcy served as Executive Vice President and a member of the Office of the President of IBJ Whitehall Bank & Trust Company (IBJW), NYC, formerly the J. Henry Schroder Bank & Trust Company. Earlier, Darcy helped a major securities firm establish the first Ethics Office among Wall Street firms in conformance with standards promulgated by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. For fifteen years he was a senior executive at Marine Midland Bank, N.A. (now HSBC) where he headed both consumer banking and corporate finance groups and was a key advisor to the President of Marine Midland Bank, NY. Darcy also served as Chief Executive Officer of IGM, an insurance company jointly owned by General Reinsurance Corporation and Frank B. Hall & Company, and served as CEO of a related derivatives trading company.
Darcy teaches Ethics & Leadership in the Executive Programs at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Darcy is also a Teaching Fellow at the R.H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, Executive-in-Residence at Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY and an Executive Fellow of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College in Waltham, MA. He previously served as Associate Dean and Distinguished Professor of Business at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
Darcy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University's College of Business, an MBA from the Hagan Graduate School of Business at Iona College, and has done additional post-graduate study at New York Theological Seminary.
Recent Graduates in Industry
Jordan Olivero - CCU Class of 2005
Senior Business Operations Strategy Consultant
IBM Corp.
A student volunteer at the inaugural VALS conference in 2002, Jordan Olivero now supports IBM’s client at the U.S. Department of Defense Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Program Office, where he leads LSS projects, strategic communications, and manages the training program. Lean Six Sigma is a proven process improvement methodology that combines fundamentals from lean manufacturing and Six Sigma practices—resulting in better quality, faster. Prior to helping improve the Pentagon’s business processes, Olivero supported a client by developing business strategy and RFID solutions to optimize global supply chains. Internally at IBM, he leads business development for the World Development Initiative.
IBM rated Olivero among the top contributors for 2006 and 2007, including two performance awards for significant contributions to revenue. Recently, he was selected as an alternate for the IBM Corporate Service Corps, a competitive corporate version of the Peace Corps designed to spark socio-economic growth while developing global leaders at IBM. Since joining IBM, he has unlocked career opportunities for several other CCU graduates.
Olivero graduated from CCU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a minor in leadership, and was recognized by the University with the School of Business Outstanding Senior Award. As a student, he served as director of outreach ministries, president of the ODK Leadership Honorary, and led the snowboarding ministry. Currently, Olivero leads a men’s small group in Washington, D.C., advocates for Living Water International and, since traveling in East Africa, has helped establish the Last Well Movement. This June, he and a team of young men will climb the highest peak in Europe to raise funds toward diminishing the water crisis in Liberia.
J.D. Sicilia - presenting Jordan Olivero
Director
Department of Defense, Lean Six Sigma Program Office
A member of the Senior Executive Service, J.D. Sicilia was appointed as director of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Program Office on September 30, 2007. The DoD LSS program office is tasked to oversee and direct the largest, most complex Lean Six Sigma deployment ever attempted: driving DoD-wide LSS activities, ensuring best business practices, rigorously tracking results, providing training, and assisting in establishing and growing DoD programs. As director, Sicilia also serves as the senior executive to CCU alum Jordan Olivero.
Prior to joining the Office of the Secretary of Defense staff, Sicilia was the LSS deployment leader for the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he served as a master black belt for LSS and exercised central management and oversight of all training, education, certification, and related activities. Sicilia also served for 21 years in the United States Army, retiring from active duty as a lieutenant colonel. During his military career, he conducted operations in military intelligence, infantry, armor, special forces, and special mission units.
Faculty Panelists
Tamara Hannaway, Associate Professor of Economics and Public Affairs
Dr. Gary Ewen, Associate Professor of Management and Leadership Studies
Dr. William Mesa, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Management
