Customer success champion known for leading Oracle Cloud ERP innovation (SaaS, PaaS) for high-growth organizations. Adept at transforming company goals and objectives into successful outcomes through IT initiatives. Skillful at maximizing personnel potential through coaching, empowerment and accountability. Known for building long-term relationships with business and delivering above expectation for stakeholders.
MY LIFE STORIES
Below are some of my life stories that I hope would help you get inside me, my past, present and future.
EARLY CHILDHOOD, THE CITY UPBRINGING
A Comprehensive Approach
Born and raised in a big city of Bombay (aka Mumbai) but living in a 12’x12’ room (aka “Home”) was the foundation of my upbringing. Bombay, a metropolitan city, where millions of people travel each day, far from the homes in suburbs and small towns to work in the city to fulfill their dreams of a “decent living” gave me the first hand perspective of hard work and perspiration that goes into making ends meet for the working class family.
Watching people travel in a tightly packed trains, risking their life every day opened my eyes around hardship and struggle for the ordinary people. My dad worked 12 hours a day Monday through Saturday (and half day on Sunday) to ensure we had good education and food on the table. He instilled in me honesty, hard work and commitment as the principles of life. Ever since I started working at the age of 22, working hard to achieve the goals came naturally to me, along with integrity and responsibility.
10TH GRADE, THE TURNING POINT
Expert Guidance
10th grade was the turning point in my life. I stood 2nd in my school of 300 students at the board exam and I had never imagined I would get 83% (considered distinction with honors) in finals.
I had worked hard in 10th grade and this was the direct result of my hard work that I had never realized before. It opened up opportunity for me to pursue science major in one of the best colleges in Bombay that laid the foundation for a career in engineering.
Since then, I have realized that you can achieve any goal provided you dedicate yourself to it and work hard towards accomplishing that goal. I finished engineering in Electronics to steer my career in the right direction.
COMPUTERS
The Path to Success
I will never forget the day when a friend told me to pursue software programming as career with high prospects. This was a time when India was just entering the world of PC (personal computing), with de-regulation and open door foreign policy, and DOS (Disk Operating System)/Windows was making its way into the business world.
Finding a job in software programming was hard due to competition. After one year of job search, I found a programming job for a meagre salary. But I had opportunity to learn programming from a great coach. I soon mastered the art of programming (learnt 5-6 programming languages) and moved up the career in 8 years to become a project leader.
I was always looking to move beyond what I could do and never settled for less, and that helped get array of experience in IT that one day would take me overseas to the United States, the land of opportunities. I also honed skills of a leader and even earned nomination for the “Employee of the Year” award, which boosts my confidence like no other as it was my first recognition in professional life.
MASTERS, MY DREAM AND AMBITION
A Comprehensive Approach
In 2007, I was on a project at a big biotech company in Boston. Every week I walked past campuses of MIT and Harvard. The environment inspired me to go back to school and pursue higher studies in management (MBA) that I lacked to move in career. Life circumstances delayed my dream, but I never stopped dreaming.
Meanwhile, I furthered project management skills through PMP certification and learnings. My abilities got me promoted to Technical Manager Position at Oracle Corporation.
I am inspired by CEOs and executives that are like role models. In 2015, after my wife graduated from school, I rekindled my MBA dream at NIU. I also joined Toastmasters to improve communication skills.
My desire to learn new things keeps me going every day and has not stopped till this date. I joined NIU Executive MBA program in 2016 to fulfill my ambition. I graduated in 2018 with 3.9 GPA aka Magna Cum Laude.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THE PRESIDENCY
Expert Guidance
As I settled in Chicago in early 2000, I was drawn towards community service through the Indian community in Chicago called “Gandhi Samaj of Chicago” (GSC). They held 3-4 events each year that brought everyone together where we participated in social events, celebrated our culture and festivals. The organization also gave platform to kids and adults to perform in front of a large gathering (600 people) at its annual event.
In 2012, I had opportunity to join the committee of this organization as a Vice President. I was excited and nervous as I was never exposed to any group like this, but I was determined to make most out of this opportunity. I quickly learnt how to run a non-profit community organization (of 600 members) and 3-4 successful events.
Two years later, I decided to run for the President and lead the organization for 2014 and 2015. Under my leadership, I formed a team of 13 volunteers. We brought in many changes by adding community service program, bi-annual newsletter, a new website, online payment processing and a career planning event for high school kids to give them first-hand information on various careers.
This was the most satisfying experience of my life where I felt like I was giving something back to the community and making it stronger. It also helped draw on my leadership skills from forming a team, delivering my vision of GSC, managing events, considering others’ opinion and working like a cohesive team for a common goal.
We had 5 successful events each year and made some very good friends on the way and earned recognition for the good work from the community.
INSPIRING THE YOUTH OF THE FUTURE
The Path to Success
When I was the President of “Gandhi Samaj of Chicago” I tried to help young high-school kids choose right career by organizing “Youth Career Planning Seminar” that would bring professionals from the community to share their experience and insight of their profession. I tried to educate youth by bringing them as part of my committee as a youth secretary, so they could learn and become leaders of future.
Some time back one of the members of my youth team called me to thank me for the positive impact I had on his life and things he learnt from me.
To me it is our responsibility to guide and inspire the youth for a fulfilling career and life. We had 2 great events that benefited number of high school boys and girls trying to decide their careers.
ENGAGING AND ENRICHING - MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICE IN CHICAGO
President's Award from Gandhi Samaj of Chicago
LinkedIn Article:
I am profoundly honored and Thankful to the "Gandhi Samaj of Chicago" (GSC) for presenting me with the President's Award during their Annual Dinner Gala on 18th November 2018, in the presence of 600 members and prominent personalities. GSC, a non-profit community organization serving Chicagoland for 34 years, was started in 1984 by the immigrants from India with a mission to keep inherited culture thriving while assimilating into diverse society for the current generation and beyond. Today, it is one of the oldest and strongest community organization that brings people from all over Chicagoland together.
I was privileged to serve as the President (2014-15), Vice-President (2012-13) and Treasurer (2016-17) for 6 consecutive years. As a President, I had the vision to bring the new generation into the Samaj (community) and create vibrant future leaders. I wanted to bring technology to the members to build a more informed and inclusive community. With the support of my 12-member team, we started number of new initiatives that included launch of the new completely redesigned website (www.gandhisamajchicago.com), online membership processing and events management, and bi-annual community newsletter to educate, inform and create awareness with the members. In addition to the three events that were planned previously, we organized the Youth Career Planning Seminar for High-School kids to guide them on various careers, Community Service Day to help the needy by volunteering at the Feed My Starving Children center, Nursing Home facility, and Food Donation drive for the local food bank.
Within a short time, my team was able to make significant difference to the community within and around us, and it gave us immense satisfaction and motivation. My experience in IT, project management and team leadership, along with focus, dedication, teamwork and collaboration, we were able to deliver the best experience for everyone. At the same time the engagement made me proficient in marketing, finance and budgeting, event planning and management, communication and social media. The leadership ability to listen, engage and lead the community with various events helped make GSC one of the best communities in Chicagoland. This award was the testament of my contribution to making GSC stronger, more vibrant and create the foundation for the coming generation. My experience can be summarized in M. K. Gandhi quote, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” The journey has just started with continued service in various other non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association and Living Lands and Waters foundation.