Rick A. Morris, Project Manager in Hoover, AL, United States
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Rick A. Morris

Verified Expert  in Project Management

Project Manager

Location
Hoover, AL, United States
Toptal Member Since
August 13, 2020

Rick has consulted for numerous clients in a wide variety of industries including financial services, entertainment, construction, nonprofit, hospitality, pharmaceutical, retail, and manufacturing. He is skilled at strategy, leadership, team development, communications, planning, and making dreams come true. Rick has worked for over 300 organizations from small startups to Fortune 10 companies and has a passion for team development, strategy, and leadership.

Project Highlights

Predictive Analytics for Clinical Research Outsourcing
Designed an algorithm that significantly transformed the process of resource planning, enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness.
Agile Transformation Rescue
Executed numerous transformation rescues on behalf of organizations that engaged coaches proficient in the methodology, yet faced impediments in addressing their organizational obstacles at a larger scale.
PMO and PPM Development
Approached by a Fortune 10 organization to conduct an assessment of a previously unsuccessful CA PPM implementation, as well as to enhance their project management methodologies.

Expertise

Work Experience

Founder and Owner

2009 - PRESENT
R2 Consulting, LLC
  • Established a consulting firm with the primary objective of promoting best practices in project management and agile delivery, driven by a strong passion for excellence.
  • Successfully executed over 150 PMO and PMO technology implementations, leveraging leading solutions such as Microsoft Project, CA PPM, Primavera, HP, and others.
  • Implemented project management offices, policies, and procedures for over 40 clients to improve project management effectiveness.
  • Contracted to speak worldwide on project management practices based on original books.
  • Led the RFP process to replace a project/portfolio management system for a major bank, saving 40% YoY in software licenses and $300K in efficiency gains.
  • Developed a global project and portfolio management system with Info-Tech to enable organizations to effectively report and understand resource utilization and portfolio data, enabling informed decision-making.
  • Revamped a pharmaceutical company's CA PPM system that had previously failed with five different vendors. Successfully completed the project within six months.
  • Implemented a successful PMO for an insurance company during a period of rapid growth. Developed key procedures for project selection and tracking, leading the company from a 200-person organization to one of the largest technology insurers.
  • Implemented a PMO and CA PPM for a large auto parts retailer, leading the business process re-engineering effort that resulted in $500 million in savings.
  • Consulted an advertising firm to streamline operations and implemented a PMO. The PMO saved $10 million in operational costs and became the key stakeholder in maintaining the organization's strategy.

President

2006 - 2009
Highmark Technology
  • Recruited to establish a specialized practice centered on PMO development, technology assessments, and business process re-engineering, my contributions have been instrumental in driving successful outcomes.
  • Assumed the complete P&L responsibility for Highmark Technology, managing a robust portfolio of over 20 projects and a staff of 15, resulting in sustained profitability for over three years of operation.
  • Conducted successful training, assessments, and implementation of the CA PPM platform for prominent organizations, including Atlanta Public Schools, Florida Fish and Wildlife, Jefferson County, Altec, Sonic, Healthways, and many others.
  • Created a joint venture with New Horizons called the IT and Project Management Academy. Spearheaded the training for project management and ITIL courses. Maintained a consistent trainer rating of 8.5 or above out of 9.
  • Implemented PMO and CA PPM for a county government. Successfully stopped a derailed project, saving taxpayers over $10 million, thanks to PMO policies.
  • Implemented a PMO and developed a platform for a healthcare company, resulting in completing the project five months ahead of schedule and achieving year-over-year efficiency gains of almost $3 million.
  • Led business process re-engineering for a home building company, reducing average build time from 110 to 88 days through effective project management. This led to an explosive growth of 8x+ revenue gains.
  • Developed and deployed a business intelligence platform for a commercial construction company using SQL and .NET with Telerik Controls, resulting in a 50% reduction in manual reporting efforts.

Senior Project Manager

2005 - 2006
CA
  • Successfully managed the installation of Netegrity products at Synovus Financial Corporation. Overcame staffing and resource issues through effective relationship building, honesty, and an unwavering commitment to success.
  • Delivered leadership and project management training while installing, configuring, and implementing the CA PPM system for Saks Incorporated and Alfa Insurance Company, demonstrating expertise in project management, training, and implementation.
  • Improved the BrightStor implementation for Isle of Capri Casinos, restoring customer confidence in CA through effective communication and problem-solving.
  • Successfully restored customer confidence in CA through excellent customer service and communication with Southern Farm Bureau, AmSouth Bank, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Viking Range Corporation.

PMO Manager

2003 - 2005
AmSouth Bank
  • Recruited to spearhead the Wealth Management Project Office with the objective of providing strategic leadership and training to a team of project managers and establishing a standard methodology to ensure successful project delivery.
  • Delivered a remarkable 97% project success rate, outperforming the industry standard of 31%.
  • Championed, researched, and implemented Six Sigma quality initiatives throughout wealth management, which led to increased efficiency and productivity.
  • Created a comprehensive project management information system that facilitated streamlined project tracking, management, and reporting.
  • Managed and mentored eight project managers and maintained a portfolio of 79 projects in the first year.

Executive Consultant

1999 - 2003
Xerox Connect
  • Recruited to provide troubleshooting expertise on several high-profile projects by analyzing and identifying the source of project failures and creating effective solutions.
  • Assigned to turn a failing software development project around. The project technology includes Documentum, Java, Jive, and Log4j. I created a new project plan and reset customer expectations while managing day-to-day development tasks.
  • Assigned to solve an Eli Lilly support center project problem. I collaborated with Eli Lilly's executive management to establish a proper infrastructure and realign project personnel for maximum efficiency and productivity.
  • Developed seminars for upper management on the creation of standard operating procedures and service-level agreements for the Protective Life Insurance Company.
  • Revitalized Promus (Hilton) Hotels' infrastructure of PCs and printers by coordinating equipment, configuration centers, and 15 installation teams worldwide, resulting in monthly revenues of $1.5 million.
  • Rescued a failing GE project by developing and creating standard operating procedures and service-level agreements for GE's transformer manufacturing plant in Shreveport, LA.
  • Served as the project manager for the 5-state 65-branch Lotus Notes Rollout project, including coordination of site surveys, network and cabling installation, and software integration. Completed the project one month early and under budget.
  • Assisted with developing, selling, and managing vendor relationships for internet bill presentment and payment practice. Developed C-level presentations and defined processes and procedures in both the sales and management environment.
  • Implemented SOPs and SLAs for a national project involving the installation of high-speed internet access to hotels and apartment buildings. Managed vendor relationships and supervised over 45 staff members.

Project Manager

1996 - 1999
GE Capital IT Solutions
  • Recruited to provide technical project management expertise. Managed every aspect of the 5,000 PC, 350-server network covering a four-state area for AmSouth Bank, with annual revenues of $10 million.
  • Authored a database to track and control every order from order entry to invoice resolution and manage SAP, customer satisfaction reports, dispatches, open issues, quality dashboard reporting, product tracking, service metrics, and more.
  • Developed work instruction manuals covering quality initiatives and installation services, including OS/2, NT 4.0, CM/2, and Lotus Notes.
  • Created process-reengineering strategies to improve customer satisfaction and quality metrics.
  • Successfully managed every phase up to 35 separate projects per year. Served as primary liaison to customers.

Network Specialist

1996 - 1996
Technology Service Solutions, Inc.
  • Served as team leader for AmSouth Bank project, including negotiating with alliance partners to develop the scope of work, pricing structure, risk management, execution, and quality control.
  • Installed technology for 200 of the 290 bank branches.
  • Effectively maintained a multi-platform network for Alabama Department of Revenue.

Predictive Analytics for Clinical Research Outsourcing

Designed an algorithm that significantly transformed the process of resource planning, enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness.

I created a software solution that utilized resource segmentation and real-time metrics to optimize staffing levels in a highly competitive market. This system established fundamental principles of project management and estimation, resulting in a streamlined process for users to input data and enable the software to determine appropriate staffing levels. Additionally, the system recommended scheduling visits based on expected work volume. Its implementation allowed the organization to establish market dominance in a highly competitive, fixed-price industry. The project was awarded "Project of the Year" by a large company and was a significant contributing factor in the division's acquisition.

Agile Transformation Rescue

Executed numerous transformation rescues on behalf of organizations that engaged coaches proficient in the methodology, yet faced impediments in addressing their organizational obstacles at a larger scale.

Numerous agile coaches possess certification and a comprehensive understanding of the Agile methodology. Nonetheless, during the implementation phase, due to limited practical experience, some coaches encounter difficulties in navigating through the implementation challenges. Consequently, organizations may become frustrated with their substantial investment and the disruption caused to their staff without yielding anticipated rewards. In contrast, I have effectively coordinated and executed transformation initiatives at scale, resulting in the delivery of tangible business outcomes.

PMO and PPM Development

Approached by a Fortune 10 organization to conduct an assessment of a previously unsuccessful CA PPM implementation, as well as to enhance their project management methodologies.

Conducted an exhaustive examination of the existing practices and evaluated the status of the implementation. Subsequently, I developed a comprehensive roadmap for a new release, along with business process re-engineering initiatives. The outcome of the project encompassed a substantial savings of $18 million, stemming from inadequate processes and practices that were not generating optimal value. Moreover, I succeeded in rescuing the $5 million investment in the implementation and facilitated the establishment of a more advanced project management office.

Business Process Re-engineering for Residential Construction

Successfully reduced the construction timeline for custom homes from 110 to 88 days.

I collaborated with the entire organization to spearhead a comprehensive business process re-engineering initiative, which included designing a streamlined process to optimize contractor labor. For instance, instead of summoning a plumber for a single house, the new process involved calling them for three houses. As a result of these efforts, the subdivision, consisting of 115 homes, was completed almost a year earlier than expected. This achievement resulted in record-breaking profits and a surge in the company's growth trajectory.

Policy Structuring for Startup Development Company

Implemented cost-effective productivity strategies in a tech startup, leading to successful acquisition in three years.

Recruited by a small startup to prioritize their focus on developing a minimally viable product and devise funding strategies for additional functionalities. The company aimed to create a novel platform catering to advertising agencies, which led to its acquisition within three years of its inception.

Business Process Re-engineering for Healthcare Company

Introduced CA PPM and authored innovations that generated yearly savings of $5 million.

Collaborated with a 50-member PMO to identify areas of inefficiency and designed and implemented automated processes, reports, portlets, and workflows to streamline operations. This culminated in the development of an algorithm to measure the effectiveness and expenses associated with meetings, leading to the elimination of over $5 million in unnecessary meetings. This allowed for the redirection of saved time toward revenue-generating tasks.

Large Scale Rollout for Hospitality Company

Devised novel approaches to project rollout, significantly reducing travel expenses and overall costs by 85% on a fixed-price project.

Tasked with a two-phase project rollout comprising a technology audit and implementation. The initial plan involved visiting all sites twice. I streamlined the process by integrating audit and implementation on the same trip, with an allowance for revisits to 25% of the sites. However, only 15% of sites required revisits, and 85% of the sites were successfully completed on the first trip, saving $17 million in costs and labor on a fixed-price contract.

PMO Restructure for Hospital

Revamped and eliminated redundant processes and reports for a major hospital, resulting in staff realignment and $2 million in savings.

Collaborated with senior executives and the existing PMO to revamp project selection and management protocols. Identified over 35 inefficient reports and introduced automated dashboards, freeing up nearly 150 hours of labor each week. This allowed the team to allocate more time to strategic initiatives such as risk mitigation and planning.

Mobile App Project

Rescued a failing personal development app project, leading a team to rewrite and launch the app within six months.

Implemented a successful onboarding for over 200,000 users within the first six months of launching an app, followed by doubling the team size and tripling the development output with a 50% reduction in cost per story point through project controls. Consistently increased velocity and reduced cost per story point for 15 consecutive sprints through coaching and implementing world-class processes and procedures.
2001 - 2003

Bachelor's Degree in Business and Management

Kennedy Western University - Augoura Hills, CA

SEPTEMBER 2021 - PRESENT

Certified High Performance Coach

High Performance Institute

NOVEMBER 2018 - PRESENT

SAFe Consultant

Scaled Agile Framework

MARCH 2018 - PRESENT

Certified Human Behavior Consultant

Personality Insights

JUNE 2017 - PRESENT

PMI - ACP

Project Management Institute

MARCH 2017 - PRESENT

Certified Agile Scrum Master

ScrumStudy

MARCH 2006 - PRESENT

ITIL

Pink Elephant

JUNE 2002 - PRESENT

Project Management Professional

Project Management Institute

OCTOBER 2000 - PRESENT

Six Sigma Green Belt

GE

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