Michael Hearn

“Never mistake activity for achievement” – John Wooden My professional journey began at Georgia Tech, where I was fortunate to work closely with two inspirational people: Fred Allvine, a marketing professor who impressed on me a committed work ethic and focus on personal excellence; and Jim Dull, the long-time Dean of Students, who inspired me first-hand as a truly respected person and campus leader. Following my Chicago MBA - and building on my passion for problem-solving - I began my consulting career, primarily spent with a KPMG spin-off that grew from 50 people to over 1,600. It was rewarding to work with a diverse client base, helping customers to identify, prioritize and solve meaningful opportunities and challenges. Every day required an objective mindset, measured in terms of value delivered. It introduced me to regular interactions at the CXO level, and the importance of organizing and presenting my message across a wide audience in a focused and professional manner. Leveraging my project expertise, I partnered with our senior leaders to build and deliver project management and consulting skills training to our entire global team. When I joined Fleetcor in 2008, I never expected to stay as long as I did. As a member of the core CIO team, I contributed daily as FLT grew to become a global payments S&P 500 firm. My diverse responsibilities covered both project management and financial management, and I worked daily with teams across the globe. I was particularly fortunate to work directly with our CEO, Ron Clarke, who was laser focused on the importance of creating shareholder value, identifying and communicating measurable priorities and the absolute necessity of effective time management. He set an incredibly high bar for those around him – no excuses - and every meeting and interaction was a learning opportunity. His focus on measurement led to my transition into a more financially-focused role, where I was the key driver in the OCIO for the full financial lifecycle. In 2019, I began a personal journey resulting in a 200+ pound weight loss (including ten half marathons last year in 7 states, toward a goal of all 50 states). In candor, I had also reached a point professionally where I was ready for a change – five CIOs in twelve years – but given the rising pandemic, elected to remain. When I did leave in mid-2021, I was ready for a change and was fortunate to take a well-earned sabbatical to recharge and refocus. My life’s lesson - outcomes and results matter, not activity – let’s talk if I can help you with your journey.