About Brandes Consulting   John Brandes, Principal Consultant, the firm’s founder and a technology industry veteran is an accomplished independent business and technical professional. John has extensive project management experience providing creative and comprehensive end-to-end solutions over an impressive project portfolio. Accomplishments include diverse cross-functional assignments in Information Technology, Business Process, Client Support, Education, Financial Services, Retail, Product Management and Manufacturing. Expertise includes organizing and managing projects from conception to completion, while meeting cost, quality and time-to-success goals.  John founded Brandes Consulting in 2002 to share his practical experience and ability, and to apply best practices for the benefit of business and technical organizations of diverse types (including information technology, financial services, high technology, medical products, traditional manufacturing, and food and consumer products). John’s objective is to solve client problems and provide added value using effective project management techniques. Client benefits include rapid technology transfer and time-to-market for products and processes.   John’s significant accomplishments have been achieved while working in diverse industries for premier companies. Most recently, John has worked in the RSA Security World Wide Information Technology organization as an IT Consultant Program Manager and Business Consultant. Responsibilities have included portfolio management, planning, direction and execution of IT deliverables for high-value cross-functional programs. John was a key senior contributor during EMC Corporation’s (information storage systems hardware & software) historic high growth period during the 1990’s ($782M revenue in 1993 to almost $9B in 2000). John held many significant roles with progressive responsibilities and helped drive the profitable business transition to major software product provider.   Previously, John worked in various new product introduction and manufacturing engineering roles for Stratus Computer (fault tolerant computers), Bose Corporation (consumer electronics), and Cincinnati-Milacron (machine tools). John earned EMC’s highest Product Management Excellence Award, numerous EMC achievement and performance awards, and the Stratus Computer Significant New Product Achievement award.  Additional engagements have included project administration for TJX (retail), project consulting for UNFI (food services), information technology project management for State Street Corporation (a financial services custodial company), business process definition and change management for Fidelity Investments (a financial services and human resources services outsourcing company), planning and managing customer software platform migration programs for SkillSoft Corporation (an educational software services provider), development and implementation of a materials change management control system for Old Mother Hubbard (a food products manufacturer), and providing business process advice to the WPI BEI (a medical technology licensing office and a biotechnology institute). John has prepared and delivered Project and Operations Management courses for the WPI Graduate Management Program (MBA) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.   John received his MBA from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) with a Management of Technology concentration. He also holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire.