Leadership Team Spotlight – USOSM Chief Information Officer Chad Ehmke

Information technology is a fast-paced, complex and ever-changing field. Savvy businesses who want to stay competitive know they need strong IT leadership to help thwart rising cyber threats, keep everyone up-to-date on and compatible with the latest technology, create and install custom-designed software to drive value, and much more. Thankfully, USOSM and its partner practices have USOSM Chief Information Officer Chad Ehmke, leading the charge.

“We assist USOSM and our partner practices with everything technology related from computer and phone systems to cyber security, rewiring and cabling, enterprise systems, reporting solutions, tech vendors and everything in between,” explains Chad. “Precision, communication and collaboration are essential for everything we do. It’s not about doing something to someone or even to their tech, it’s about collaborating with them to find and implement the best solution.”

Chad is a seasoned IT executive, with more than 30 years of experience helping companies to drive value through technology. One way Chad helps drive value for USOSM partners is by protecting them from cyber threats. For example, a few years ago, right before Thanksgiving, there was a ransomware attack in the Denver market that came through the MSP. It affected dozens of practices in the area, including a USOSM partner practice.

When briefed on the situation, Chad and his team immediately sprang into action, bringing in clean servers and other tech to get the practice back in business quickly. While other practices took weeks to recover, the USOSM partner practice didn’t miss a beat – they didn’t lose any surgical days or have to reschedule patients.

During his career, Chad has implemented a complete spectrum of technology-driven systems for a wide variety of companies, encompassing complex global ERP, customer relationship management, digital marketing, retail POS solutions and business acquisitions and consolidation. He held a number of executive IT positions prior to joining USOSM, including CIO for Sally Beauty Holdings, Centex Home Building, Yum! Restaurants International and Carlson Restaurants Worldwide.

In addition, he was a senior vice president of retail solutions for Protivix Business Solutions and an executive partner for Gartner. Chad began his career as an advisory marketing representative at IBM Corporation and holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Iowa State University.

Chad adds, that while IT as a whole is complex and ever-changing, there is a simple concept that remains the same regardless of the project – the little things can make the biggest difference.

“You know that story, for the want of a nail,” Chad asks. “‘For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For the want of a horse, the rider was lost, and so on. I think that’s really applicable to what we do. Often, something that seems small or insignificant can have tremendous, unforeseen consequences. So no matter what we’re working on, we have to stop and think through all the possibilities, and communicate them effectively.”