Resume

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Updated: Oct 2025

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CRAIG HAMILL 

Technology Executive | IT Leadership & Strategic Innovation

SUMMARY 

Dynamic IT executive with 20+ years leading enterprise technology, digital transformation, and innovation across research, higher education, and logistics. Proven record aligning IT strategy to business objectives, modernizing cloud and on‑prem infrastructure, and delivering secure, scalable operations that enable growth. Adept at building high‑performance teams, establishing IT governance, and driving measurable outcomes in cost efficiency, reliability, and time‑to‑value. Deep technical breadth (Azure/AWS/GCP, identity & access, networking, data platforms, HPC) paired with strong business acumen and stakeholder engagement. Known as a change agent who bridges core IT execution with forward‑looking innovation (AI/ML, digital labs/twins, automation) to unlock competitive advantage.

CORE COMPETENCIES: IT Strategy & Business Alignment; Technology Roadmapping; Digital Transformation & Innovation; Enterprise Architecture; Cloud Infrastructure (Azure, AWS, GCP); Microsoft 365 & Entra ID (Azure AD); Cybersecurity & Compliance (NIST 800‑171, ISO 27001, SOC 2); Identity/Zero Trust; ITIL/ITSM & Service Delivery; Data & Analytics Enablement; Budgeting, Forecasting & ROI; Vendor & Contract Management; Program/Portfolio Management; Change Management; High‑Performance Computing (HPC); Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity; Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Leadership; Executive Communication & Stakeholder Management

EXPERIENCE 

UL RESEARCH INSTITUTES 

Director of Innovation, Technology & Knowledge Management 

Mar 2023 – Present 

Executive technology leader, accountable for IT strategy, modernization, security, and innovation programs enabling global safety science research.

Highlights: 

  • Strategic Innovation Leadership: Orchestrating the “Lab of the Future” program deploying AI/ML and extended reality (XR) solutions to modernize R&D for ULRI global safety science institutes and organizations. Pioneering advanced digital laboratory environments that accelerate innovation and collaboration across scientific teams. Instituted ITIL‑aligned service delivery improvements and knowledge management practices to raise service quality, transparency, and self‑service for researchers and operations.
  • Enterprise Transformation: Operational technology lead in UL’s divestiture to non-profit and for-profit entities. Built out new cloud and end-user infrastructures from the ground up by engaging leading service providers. Ensured a seamless separation of IT environments for 500+ employees with zero downtime, establishing a scalable foundation for both organizations’ future growth.
  • HPC & Infrastructure Modernization: Modernized research compute by deploying new high‑performance computing clusters and optimized infrastructure, increasing available compute capacity by ~200% and dramatically reducing runtimes for data‑intensive workloads. Defined multi‑year IT strategy and operating model aligned to business objectives: governance, portfolio management, budgeting/forecasting, vendor management, and risk/compliance practices (NIST 800‑171, ISO 27001, SOC 2).
  • Center of Innovation (COIN): Launched ULRI’s first Center of Innovation (COIN), an industrial metaverse lab that brings together cross-disciplinary experts and emerging technologies (IoT, XR, AI) in an interactive and immersive environment. This creative and research space has incubated multiple high-impact prototypes and fostered a culture of innovation enterprise-wide. Engineered a data first lab program (ELN, data fabric, AR/VR, digital twins) in partnership with Microsoft; improved remote collaboration, onboarding, and safety/compliance training through interactive visualization of lab environments.
  • Metaverse Safety Initiatives: In collaboration with the World Economic Forum, Microsoft and Accenture spearheaded ULRI’s efforts to advance safety in the metaverse through the Global Collaboration Village initiative. Lead research on XR user safety, contribute to policy development, advise product teams on safety-by-design, and collaborate on new technical standards to ensure safe, inclusive immersive experiences. 
  • Executive Technology Advisor: Serve as ULRI’s top technology executive on the institute’s senior leadership team. Shape high-level technology strategy and architecture on executive committees, champion cybersecurity initiatives, and steer multi-million-dollar R&D tech investments to align with the organization’s mission and risk management priorities. 

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO – PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MOLECULAR ENGINEERING Director of Information Technology 

Jul 2019 – Mar 2023 

Directed IT strategy, operations, security, and research technology for UChicago’s molecular engineering school; managed research and federal grant budgets and a cross‑functional IT organization supporting faculty, labs, and students.

Highlights: 

  • IT Strategy & Leadership: Led a comprehensive IT transformation for UChicago’s premier engineering school. Defined a new IT strategy and vision in partnership with university leadership, focusing on enabling and developing cutting-edge research. Managed a diverse IT team, modernizing technology lab solutions that supported growth in research output over four years. 
  • Cloud & Research Computing: Deployed an innovative hybrid cloud architecture combining on-premises HPC resources and research compute with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure). Provided faculty and researchers with on-demand computing and storage, reducing time-to-science from weeks to hours. This innovative process and flexibility drove rapid experimentation and collaboration on projects from core research in quantum computing to materials science. 
  • Cybersecurity & Compliance Excellence: Implemented a robust cybersecurity framework with advanced threat detection (CrowdStrike, Rapid7) and strict access controls. Achieved full compliance with federal and industry standards (NIST 800-171, ISO 27001), delivering the school a trusted environment for sensitive research data. Notably improved cybersecurity posture, eliminating major incidents and driving compliances with endpoint, identity, access control, monitoring and response. 
  • Service Improvement & Collaboration: Introduced ITIL-based service management to streamline incident and problem tracking and response. A new SharePoint intranet, connecting and collaborating internal communication and amplification. Helped drive user satisfaction to an all-time high by fostering transparency, self-service tools, and a culture of responsive IT management. 
  • Innovation Projects: Guided high-impact projects such as developing a Salesforce CRM to unify stakeholder relationships (students, alumni, partners) and implementing Mobile Device Management within school and partners. These initiatives streamlined operations and enhanced community engagement, positioning the school as a technology frontrunner within the university. 

REDWOOD LOGISTICS (formerly Strive Logistics) 

Senior IT Manager 

Sep 2011 – Jun 2019 

Scaled enterprise infrastructure and security through high‑growth expansion from regional 3PL to national provider; partnered closely with software teams to architect and engineer proprietary TMS platforms and customer‑facing systems.

Highlights: 

  • Enterprise Infrastructure Build-out: Engineered and managed Redwood’s IT infrastructure through a period of rapid expansion (grew from a regional 3PL to a national logistics provider). Designed resilient networks and virtual server clusters supporting 5 office hubs and 3 data centers, achieving 99.99% uptime for critical logistics platforms and customer-facing systems. 
  • Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity: Established a comprehensive Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity program with live replication across sites and regular failover drills. Successfully protected the business from multiple potential outages (e.g., weather events) with zero data loss, safeguarding millions in revenue. 
  • Operational Efficiency & Cost Control: Streamlined IT operations and vendor management, saving ~$500K through negotiated contracts and cloud optimizations. Introduced ROI-driven project planning and tight cost controls, contributing to profitable growth. 
  • Team Leadership: Cultivated a strong IT team and collaborative environment. Mentored junior engineers into leadership roles and fostered close alignment with software development teams – accelerating deployment cycles and boosting product innovation for the company’s proprietary TMS (Transportation Management System). 
  • Security Enhancements: Led company-wide security upgrades including network segmentation, endpoint encryption, and enhanced monitoring. These efforts significantly reduced vulnerabilities and ensured compliance with industry best practices, instilling greater client confidence in Redwood’s IT systems. 

Additional Experience: Systems engineering and IT management roles at Loyola Press, Bonded Collections, and Rosalind Franklin University (2003–2011). Early career includes IT support and project engineering internships. 

 

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS 

DePaul University – M.S. Business Information Technology, 2014 

Western Michigan University – B.B.A. Computer Information Systems, 2002 Continuing Education & Training 

Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management – Technology & Innovation Fellowship (2025)

New York University (NYU) School of Professional Studies – Artificial Intelligence Strategy Masterclass 

ITIL v4 Foundation Certification 

COUNCILS & MEMBERSHIPS 

  • Contributor and Advisor, World Economic Forum – Connected Future Initiative (2024–Present)– Contributing expertise on digital public infrastructure and global collaboration frameworks, with an emphasis on equitable and sustainable technology development. 
  • Contributor and Advisor, World Economic Forum – Global Collaboration Village (2023–Present)– Guiding the development of WEF’s metaverse-based collaboration platform and focusing on digital collaboration practices, inclusive infrastructure strategy, and sustainable virtual communities. 
  • Member, Forbes Technology Council – Invitation-only community for senior technology executives recognized for business impact, leadership, and innovation. Contributor of thought leadership articles and insights. 
  • Member, Chicago Innovation – 2025 Fellow, Ageless Innovators Mentorship Program; Judge for Illinois Student Invention Convention.
  • Ambassador, Gartner Peer Community – Recognized contributor and thought leader shaping executive-level discussions on enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and innovation strategy. 
  • Member, Gartner C-level Communities – Exclusive peer network for CIOs/CTOs/CISOs to collaborate on strategy, technology transformation, and enterprise leadership. 
  • Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science – (AAAS)
  • Member, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) – Active participant in the global community advancing technology for humanity, with engagement across computing, AI, and engineering domains. 
  • Member, SIM Chicago & AITP Chicago – Actively engage with Fortune 500 CIOs and senior IT leaders through panels, forums, and strategic discussions, contributing through leadership in innovation, digital transformation, and enterprise technology.

SELECTED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, PANELS & PODCASTS 

  • University of Chicago “IT Matters” Series — Topics: Quantum Computing (Jan 2021) and PME Technology Strategy (Dec 2022) 
  • Automox Webinar: “For Fix Sake: IT Trends Set to Shape 2023” (Jan 2023)
  • Podcast Guest: “The Data Diva Talks Privacy” (Episode 141, July 2023) 
  • Oracle Industry Lab Workshop (Interactive Roundtable): “No De-Risk, No Reward” (Sep 2024) 
  • Oracle Industry Lab Workshop (Case Study): “Mapping Your Digital Product Experience Across the Ecosystem” (Sep 2024) 
  • AI Ethics Forum: Oakton Community College & Evanston Township High School (Mar 2025) 

● Frost and Sullivan – Technology Council Executive Series – “Implementing Innovation – Ideation, Incubation, Culture, and Scaled Impact” (Mar 2025)