Clinton A. Alston
Associate Emeritus

As President of Alston and Associates, LLC Clint's clients included such leading firms as Charles Schwab and American Express. He is also a retired Ernst & Young LLP Partner. After his retirement from E&Y in 1998, as an early Series B investor, he accepted a position as Vice President - Customer Services for Cyclone Commerce, Inc., a leading eCommerce and B2B Internet security software vendor. Clint re-retired in April of 2001 from this position.

His 30-year career with E&Y included many National and International management roles, including: National Director Year 2000 Services, National Director of Technology Services, and South/West Region Financial Services Industry Revenue Team Leader.

Prior to these positions, in 1988 he transferred to London where he founded and was the first Managing Partner of Ernst & Young's European Consulting Group and, concurrently, Managing Partner of the management consulting practice for the UK firm. Prior to his move to London, he was National Director of Information Systems Consulting for the US firm.

While at Cyclone Commerce, he had responsibility for all activities that touched a customer, except for the Direct Sales function. These included: Technical Sales Support, Professional Services, Customer Education and Training, and a 24x7 Customer Technical Support function.
His area of specialization is Governance and Management of large business process re-engineering programs, systems development and package implementation projects and information technology management turnarounds.

Relevant Experience:
Clint has almost 40 years experience in consulting and information systems management. Prior to rejoining Ernst & Young in 1983, he was Corporate Director of Information Systems for Philips, the Dutch electronics company. At Philips, he was responsible for developing and implementing information management strategies and plans to integrate their manufacturing, distribution, and financial management systems around the world. In 1982, Philips’ worldwide information systems and communications budget was more than $1 billion.

Clint has been responsible for more than 100 major consulting projects for national and international clients. Some of his more significant engagement experience includes:

• Year 2000 Program Management advice at the Board of Directors/CEO/CFO level for over 20 major organizations, including Charles Schwab, Bank of America, Delta Airlines, The Coca Cola Company, Duke Energy, Farmers Insurance, Nissan, Ford Motor Company, American Express, Swiss Bancorp, and TRW.
  
• Project Director for Ernst & Young’s worldwide Audit Innovation effort. This project completely redesigned E&Y’s audit methodology. The project utilized leading edge techniques focusing on technology-enabled, business process re-engineering. As a result of this project, E&Y completely restructured its worldwide information technology and knowledge management infrastructure. The new Audit Innovation methodology is now implemented throughout the world.
  
• Project Director for an engagement to define an information technology strategy for one of the largest construction companies in the world. Current and future information needs were defined for each of the eight individual companies included with the overall corporate structure. An architecture for meeting the requirements was developed, including specific recommendations for hardware, software, communication, and a recommended organization and management structure.
  
• Project Director for a series of projects aimed at helping a major US manufacturing firm integrate a $2 billion acquisition of three separate European white goods companies into their worldwide operations. The project included 23 countries in Europe with a total IS budget of approximately $50 million.
  
• Project Director for a series of projects for the largest British oil company. The projects were performed in support of a major effort designed to replace all existing decentralized systems and technology with a new technology and applications architecture, which would be consistent throughout Europe. Much of the work was performed directly for the Chief Executive Officer. The project involved the most advanced technology platforms currently available, including Oracle DBMS, UNIX, UNIFACE, client-server concepts, etc.
  
• Project Director for the implementation of a package handling all back-office financial and operational functions for the largest credit card company in the world. Over 1,700 travel offices were involved and the system processed 250,000 transactions per day. The final system was implemented on-time and on-budget and was one of only 2 successful world-wide implementation projects for the company.
  
• Project Director for the development of an information technology strategy for the largest retail food store chain in the world. The resulting strategy described four basic architectures necessary to support the organization in the future.
  
• Project Director for a management review of the information services division of a large US-based, international oil company. The review concentrated on examining the planning and control processes used by executive management of the company to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the information management function in supporting corporate objectives. Major changes in the planning process were implemented as a result of the project.
• Project Director on a project to develop an information technology strategy for one of the largest chains of acute care hospitals and extended care facilities in the country. The strategy included evaluation of several technology alternatives with a specific recommendation for each alternative. In addition, the plan projected implementation and operating costs and defined an organization structure for the information management function.
• Project Director for a management review of the entire international division of the largest bank in Dallas. The review was conducted for the Chairman of the Board of the bank and involved all international banking functions. The project resulted in substantial changes to the organization of the division and to new systems and procedures.
• Project Director for the design and implementation of an inventory management system for a major distributor of pipe, tubing, and other oil field materials. The scope of the system includes entry of all inventory transactions through the posting of their financial impact. Substantial cost data was maintained to enable the company to utilize various inventory valuation methods.
• Project Director for a President’s review of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate’s total information management function. Forty-five major divisions were reviewed.
  • Project Director for the design and implementation of an integrated financial management system for one of the largest land development companies in the Western United States. The project involved the definition of a new chart of accounts, design of new income and expense reporting forms, computer systems design, and clerical training.
• Project Manager for an engagement analyzing the information technology strategy and programs for a major group of non-profit religious hospitals in Southern California. The project developed specific definitions for financial and operational information requirements and evaluated the systems in operation, and those in the process of being implemented, in terms of their ability to meet the defined requirements. Significant changes in the direction and organization of the information management function were recommended as a result of the project.
• Project team leader in the design of an integrated court automation/information system for the Administrative Office of the Courts of the California Judicial Council. The objective of this project was to provide system analysis support to develop a plan for an integrated court automation/information system that would maximize the economical and effective use of automated techniques in the internal administration and control of municipal and superior court operations. The basic design developed during the conduct of the project has been implemented in the California court system.
• Project Director for a US Department of Justice contract to provide financial management with technical assistance to selected state planning agencies (SPA's). The primary objectives of this project were to achieve the:
  - Definition and implementation of accounting and financial management systems for monitoring grants and Part B funds expended by the state planning agencies;
  - Design of accounting and reporting systems and cash management procedures for both sub-grantees and SPA’s; and
  - Implementation of sound organization and management practices.
• Project Director for engagements to develop comprehensive five-year criminal justice information system plans for Kentucky and Tennessee. The plans included data base security and privacy schemes, as well as detailed implementation programs.
  

Education:
Clint holds a B.S. Degree from the University of Colorado. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member in good standing of the AICPA.