William M. Velez

About William M. Velez

As an international 4X Chief Information Officer (CIO), I bring 29+ years of experience leading strategic business and digital transformations in highly regulated public, private, and PE-owned companies. My expertise spans strategy development, operations, cybersecurity, compliance, and risk management across enterprises with employees. Renowned as a down-to-earth, technical leader who \"speaks human,\" I am also an influential strategist and expert in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, including SOX, GLBA, HIPAA, PII, and SSAE 18 SOC 1 and 2 audits.Born in Puerto Rico, my diverse executive and operational background has been shaped by living, building, and scaling companies within the U.S, Puerto Rico, and various Latin American countries. This experience has equipped me to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, business models, and technology/security protocols while fostering cross-cultural relationships. These insights enable me to develop strategies with a comprehensive global market perspective.Beyond executive leadership, I am passionate about advising and giving back at the board level. I currently serve as an Advisory Committee Member, guiding strategies to achieve financial targets and addressing immediate remediation issues while overseeing non-compliance risks. I also served a 3-year term as Board President for the CIO Council of South Florida, where I led the organization in funding STEM scholarships.Leadership Highlights:• IPO Success: Led the implementation of an online solution integral to the successful IPO of Intermex Wire Transfer (NASDAQ: IMXI), contributing to IPO positioning, SEC filings, and authoring sections of the S-4 document.• Business & Digital Transformation: Transformed a brick-and-mortar company (IMXI) with retail locations by adding a digital channel, diversifying revenue, and driving organic growth, significantly impacting the IPO valuation.• Revenue Growth: Developed a technology strategy that grew a company’s revenue by $90M and led another to $60M in incremental sales growth through a new proprietary Point of Sale (POS) system.Notable Achievements:• MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania• Board President, CIO Council of South Florida (20••••21)• 2023 South Florida \"CIO of the Year\" ORBIE Award Winner

Experience

1. Chief Information Officer (CIO)

   HEICO

   Aug 2024 — Present · Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL, US

   HEICO Corporation (NYSE: HEI) is a $4B technology-driven aerospace, industrial, defense, and electronics company headquartered in Hollywood, FL. Their products are essential components in large commercial and military aircraft, as well as various industrial turbines, targeting systems, missiles, and electro-optical devices.

Education

• University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

  Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), Major: Telecommunications

  1991 — 1997

• University of Pennsylvania

  Master of Arts (MA) in International Studies with Honors, Major: Latin America and Portuguese

  2004 — 2006

• Colegio Nuestra Señora de Lourdes

  High School

  1991

• The Wharton School

  Master of Business Administration (MBA), Major: Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management

  2004 — 2006

Skills

• Pmo
• Integration
• Pmp
• Leadership
• Governance
• Business Process Improvement
• Management Consulting
• Sharepoint
• Saas
• International Business
• Business Analysis
• Information Technology
• Team Leadership
• Foreign Languages
• Outsourcing
• Cloud Computing
• Strategy
• Consulting
• Strategy Development
• Security
• Enterprise Software
• Enterprise Architecture
• Business Process
• Business Process Re-Engineering
• Strategic Planning
• IT Management
• Management
• Business Intelligence
• Healthcare Information Technology
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Process Improvement
• Software Project Management
• Vendor Management
• Project Management
• Pbm
• Software as a Service (Saas)
• Information Security Management
• Business Transformation
• Pharmacy Benefit Management
• Healthcare IT