John James O'Brien, CRM

Current

Interntional Relations Committee at ARMA International
Partner & Managing Director at IRM Strategies
Associate Partner at S4K Research AB

Founder & Partner at Garden Oaks Fine Accommodation

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Past

Director, Government Records Service at Hong Kong SAR Government
President, Board of Regents at Institute of Certified Records Managers
President & Chief Strategist at Interactive Strategies, Inc.

Regent for Certification Maintenance, Board of Regents at Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM)
Manager, Information and Records Management at Ministry of Social Services
Manager at Government

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Education

Royal Roads University, Canada
University of Victoria

Recommended

2 people have recommended John James

Connections

188 connections

Industry

Information Services

Websites

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Summary

25+ years combining multi-sectoral internal leadership and external consulting & education roles. Seasoned executive/directorate manager of enterprise-wide services with expertise in knowledge, change & records management. Experienced in:

* finance & admin: budgeting incl. operations / projects to 42 mil. CAD; business continuity planning; presentation to Cabinet committees; management of multiple responsibility centers; outcome-based evaluation;

* human resources: competency-based hiring / termination; performance planning / review; conflict resolution; litigation support; talent development; FTE justification / allocation; negotiating union - management agreement to establish a new classification;

* information & records management: policy; multimedia, Web 2.0, intellectual capital mapping; IT / User interface / functional reqs / classification systems; retention, storage, vital records / disaster planning, manuals, micrographics, media conversion;

* facilities: relocations, mergers, 'built-to-suit' projects for climate controlled, high security repositories; disaster recovery;

* equipment & supplies: saving 4+ million CAD in annual recurrent costs by establishing horizontal collaboration, implementing records retention plans and negotiating procurement credit for release of non-standard equipment to off-set replacement cost; region-wide deployment;

* program renewal:
- created comprehensive, integrated records management branch serving multi-disciplinary, sensitive program areas;
- analyzed content management needs;
- restructured Hong Kong’s Government Records Service for better positioning toward electronic records management;

* facilitation / presentation services (undergraduate, graduate, vocational education; conferences, corporate event speaker);

* compliance evaluation (legislation, policy, standards including ISO 9000, ISO 15489); access, privacy & ethics; conflict resolution; strategic / tactical project management.

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Specialties:

Certified Records Manager, 20+ years progressively responsible roles in complex, multicultural and multi-sectoral environments
Co-author, Knowledge Resource Management model, International Journal for Intellectual Capital and Management (2009)

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Experience

Interntional Relations Committee

ARMA International

(Information Services industry)

2007 — Present (2 years )
Partner & Managing Director

IRM Strategies

(Management Consulting industry)

January 2006 — Present (3 years 11 months)

My focus is on developing knowledge resources, people & information, in technology enabled environments. As Asia's only Certified Records Manager, I bring a senior management perspective that is tempered with a practical understanding of how to get things done.

Firstly, the focus is on the current state and identification of opportunity to save money. Concurrent assessment of content and meaning informs security and knowledge sharing strategies. It's not about selling new technology--it's about optimizing the existing investment. I assess intellectual capital assets and provide services to build a knowledge-focused organization through effective use of recorded information resources with attention to quality improvement and change. within a context of accountability, decision support and risk management.
Associate Partner

S4K Research AB

(Privately Held; Information Services industry)

2006 — Present (3 years )

In association with S4K Research, in sync with IRMS' focus on supporting sustainable capacity in client organizations, I support managers and key potentials in multinationals to face specific business challenges by delivering business cases and articles selected to meet agreed performance management needs for the target workforce.

A truly cost effective service, we deliver relevant (!!!) content tailored to support performance objectives across medium to large populations. Clients include Tetrapak, HBOS, Royal Mail, etc. Metrics guide selection from top sources, and provide client with data on usage for evaluation. Even in these tough times, clients in Scandinavia ad the UK are renewing, with reach into north America for the first time. I am testing the Greater Asia market.
Founder & Partner

Garden Oaks Fine Accommodation

(Real Estate industry)

August 1990 — Present (19 years 4 months)

Initially a hospitality business, I established a boutique inn providing serviced suites for visitors to Victoria, British Columbia in a hilltop, Edwardian manse. My role: overall management, sales and marketing, website design and execution; oversight of property and grounds restoration.

Expanding through partnership to real estate acquisition and property management was a logical next step. In 2002, I relinquished my direct role to focus on acquisition and design projects. Property management, grounds keeping, housekeeping and tenant services are smoothly functioning for a number of residential suites in three Greater Victoria districts. We have an excellent team.
Director, Government Records Service

Hong Kong SAR Government

(Government Administration industry)

November 2002 — October 2005 (3 years )

Selected from among international candidates and brought to Hong Kong to lead a transition away from traditional paper-based archives and records management to undertake the challenge of technological change and electronic records management (ERM). Achievements include:
- policy framework and service delivery enhanced
- organizational restructuring completed
- pilot of enterprise-wide ERM solutions designed and launched
- taxonomy standards for ERM launched and underway
- strengthened preservation of historical records
- examined outsourcing opportunities
- introduced outcome-based performance evaluation
A richly rewarding experience on many levels, ultimately, post-colonial civil service retains a very traditional culture that is not in sync with my systems-thinking approach and expectations for satisfaction through achievement in my life-time. So, I declined the offer of a second contract and have returned to the private sector.
President, Board of Regents

Institute of Certified Records Managers

(Information Services industry)

January 2001 — December 2003 (3 years )

Established the ICRM's first online database and content management system as the foundation of automating various Institute functions to reduce volunteer workloads, improve consistency in customer service and expand Institute capacity. Transitioned board practices from a bi-annual focused to quarterly and then ongoing progress, establishing the first online board forum and to increase decision-making between formal board meetings.
President & Chief Strategist

Interactive Strategies, Inc.

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Management Consulting industry)

April 1996 — October 2002 (6 years 7 months)

Created an independent consultancy to improve business outcomes through managing organizational, human and information resources; provided change, business analysis, taxonomy and data content retention planning, performance and change management services, adding Executive Coaching to augment consulting services in 1998.

Within the mission, projects represent a wide range of experience. Project ambits include: province-wide health system development; workload reduction and automation of continuous improvement in province-wide school accreditation; advice to private, public and non-profit leaders on ethical and legal issues arising from information collection, use and disclosure; evaluation of electronic records management solutions; project planning, facilitation, research and analysis to implement change within business, government and non-profit organizations.
Regent for Certification Maintenance, Board of Regents

Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM)

(Information Services industry)

January 1999 — December 2001 (3 years )

Evaluated and re-engineered the certification maintenance process to streamline processing, improve consistency in evaluation by strengthening governance and moving to an evidence-based practice. Proposed and implemented expansion of contracted services to enable the Regent role to focus on quality customer services. Established one-to-one communications with all members to support transition to a more stringent certification maintenance program.
Manager, Information and Records Management

Ministry of Social Services

(Management Consulting industry)

1989 — 1996 (7 years )

Conceived, built and then led an enterprise-wide program for systematic management of corporate information resources including electronic, paper, audoi/video tape and other record types. Supported the Deputy Minister and Executive Committee with forward looking positions on information management relative to introduction of Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. Achieved a tripling of the planned Treasury Board allocation to government (as a whole) through my work in forecasting the administrative and operational implications of this legislation.

As Acting Director, Administration, reduced annual costs by 4.2 million CAD by applying records management concepts to space and accommodation management. Additional savings were realized through targeting content to specific needs of recipient groups.
Manager

Government

(Government Administration industry)

1976 — 1996 (20 years )

Earlier roles: procedural services manager; systems analyst & project manager; records appraisal archivist and taxonomist, training development officer, public information officer, heritage site/artifact interpreter, etc.

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Education

Royal Roads University, Canada

MA LT , Leadership, learning communities, administration, consulting, training, change , June 1997 — August 1999

Masters Project: "Factors of Influence" explored leadership attributes of under-recognized populations within organizations.

Activities and Societies:

Member, MALT II Cohort, Royal Roads University
President, Slavonic Studies Club, University of Victoria, Canada
University of Victoria

BA , Slavonic Studies , 1973 — 1982

Colleagues have pondered my undergraduate choice - but it made sense fora bright fellow with an eye on an academic career. Life happens, and I left school as a result of a family crisis, becoming a mainstay and support, that both delayed completion of my BA and helped me find the focus for an excellent finish at uni. My MA followed some years later--something I recommend for opportunity to inform study with life experience.

Activities and Societies:

President, Slavonic Studies Club
First Dom'ra, Victoria Balalaika Orchestra
Design lead, Russian Department Slavonics Club activity marketing
Scholastic achievements recognized with the President's Award for a Returning Student (which may suggest an earlier uni performance filled with way to much fun and far too little focus - guess I redeemed myself!)

Additional Information

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Websites:

John James O'Brien, CRM’s Interests:

Organizational cultures and change process, learning and discovery, diversity and orientation, canoing, hiking, net-surfing, theatre and "the arts". I played Alto Dom'ra in the Victoria Balalaika Orchestra for 11 years. I enjoy designing living spaces and gardens, creating www.gardenoaks.ca to play in this area. Painting, drawing, writing and architectural design give me balance. My partner and daughter ground me. Currently experiencing life from our bases in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Victoria.