William Hagood
Testimonials
Services
Experience
Testimonials
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I've had the pleasure of knowing William for over 10 years, and I've witnessed firsthand his exceptional
talent and dedication. When we first met, he was a highly skilled network and security engineer...
Field CTO/CXO | Technologist & Strategic Advisor | Enterprise Architecture & Digital Transformation
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I've had the privilege of working under a leader who truly leads from the front. William never asks his
team to take on a challenge he wouldn't take on himself. Whether it's tackling urgent issues, na...
Information Security Analyst I
✓ Verified
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I had the privilege of working with William Hagood during my tenure as Director of Technology Operations. For 14 years, William served as the Infrastructure Manager, reporting directly to me, and he c...
Director of Technology Operations | IT Leader with 30+ Years of Expertise in Infrastructure | Information Security | ERP Solutions & Data Center Management | Driving Innovation Across the Americas
✓ Verified
Experience
William Speaks
Professional Speaker
Feb 2026 - Present
Led by William Hagood, a seasoned technology executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Innov8Execs, William Speaks sits at the intersection of technology strategy, leadership, and execution. With nearly two decades of real-world experience modernizing organizations, guiding private-equity growth, and leading transformational initiatives, William brings frameworks that are practical, actionable, and immediately usable—not theory.
Audiences don’t just leave inspired. They leave equipped.
What William Brings to the Stage
Technology as a Business Driver
William reframes technology conversations from “How much will this cost?” to “What measurable outcomes will this deliver?” using proven frameworks like the Digital ROI Scorecard to align funding, accountability, and results
Functional Technology® Thinking
Attendees learn how to weave technology into the DNA of the business—moving IT from an isolated function to a revenue-enabling system that accelerates growth and competitive advantage
Leadership That Endures
Beyond systems and strategy, William challenges leaders to build organizations that thrive without them. His servant-leadership-driven “Architecture of Endurance” equips leaders to create legacy, succession, and sustainable impact
Ideal Audiences:
Executive and leadership conferences
Industry associations
Private equity and portfolio company events
Manufacturing, distribution, and operations-focused audiences
Leadership development and strategy
Why Event Planners Choose William
William is known for high energy, executive-level clarity, and the rare ability to translate complex ideas into practical, repeatable actions. His sessions consistently drive engagement, spark executive-level dialogue, and leave audiences leaning forward—not checking out.
Our Lady of the Lake University
Advisory Board Member CX
May 2025 - May 2026
INNOV8EXECS
Fractional CXO (CIO, CTO)
Feb 2025 - Present
I deliver fractional, interim, and virtual CIO/CTO services to manufacturing and distribution companies and private equity firms, focusing on three core outcomes:
Reduce Costs | Increase Profitability | Reduce Risks
Through strategic technology leadership, I help organizations eliminate redundant systems, optimize operations, and make informed technology investments that directly impact the bottom line.
Core Services:
M&A Technology Leadership
Due diligence assessments that identify hidden risks and value creation opportunities
Post-acquisition integration that minimizes disruption while capturing synergies
Technology consolidation that eliminates duplicate systems and reduces operating expenses
Manufacturing & Distribution Technology Strategy
IT/OT convergence for modern manufacturing operations
ERP optimization and legacy system modernization
Technology roadmaps that support operational excellence and scalability
Private Equity Technology Advisory
Investment lifecycle support from due diligence through exit preparation
Portfolio company technology assessments and value creation planning
Risk mitigation strategies that protect enterprise value
Industry Focus:
I specialize in manufacturing and distribution environments where technology complexity creates both operational challenges and strategic opportunities. For private equity firms, I serve as a trusted technology advisor who speaks the language of business outcomes.
My Approach:
Technology should serve your business strategy, not complicate it. Whether conducting due diligence, leading post-merger integration, or developing technology roadmaps, my focus remains constant: delivering measurable results that reduce costs, increase profitability, and minimize expensive risks.
RS Americas
Senior Manager of Technology & Infrastructure
May 2017 - Present
Lead global IT operations, infrastructure, and security initiatives, aligning technology with business goals to enhance performance, scalability, and cost efficiency.
- Spearhead the migration to Azure and Intune, achieving 15% annual cost savings and improving global IT efficiency through Microsoft Tenant consolidation.
- Direct the transition to a self-managed disaster recovery strategy, saving $500K annually and improving recovery point objectives (RPO) by 40%.
- Enhance enterprise security by deploying Prisma Access VPN and Palo Alto firewalls, strengthening remote access and reducing vulnerabilities.
- Perform fiscal analysis of CapEx and OpEx budgets, identifying cost-saving opportunities while maintaining the resilience of critical IT systems.
RS Americas
Supervisor, Systems Support
Oct 2013 - May 2017
Led IT architecture redesign and infrastructure improvements, driving enhanced system reliability and operational efficiency.
- Improved system uptime by 40% through IT architecture redesign and resource optimization.
- Built fault-tolerant and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring 24/7 system reliability and scalability.
- Boosted service reliability by 25% and compliance accuracy by 40% through network redundancy enhancements and infrastructure standardization.
- Managed Palo Alto, Cisco, and Meraki systems, aligning technology solutions with business goals while mentoring a team of System Administrators.
RS Americas
System Engineer
Dec 2010 - Oct 2013
Designed and implemented infrastructure solutions to enhance system reliability, security, and performance.
- Improved system performance by 20% through seamless ERP migration and enhanced user satisfaction.
- Strengthened cybersecurity by migrating to Palo Alto Firewalls, reducing vulnerability exposure by 40%.
- Centralized administrative operations using innovative applications and standard operating procedures, cutting processing time by 25%.
- Delivered $750K in annual savings by transitioning to a cost-effective telecom service through strategic procurement.
OM
Omnicom Management Services
Senior Network Administrator
Aug 2007 - Dec 2010
Managed corporate network infrastructure, enhancing system reliability, security, and scalability for enterprise operations.
- Reduced security vulnerabilities by 35% through proactive monitoring, audits, and the migration to Palo Alto Firewalls.
- Achieved a 25% reduction in operational costs by optimizing Microsoft Server environments and implementing virtualization strategies.
- Upgraded server infrastructure and VMware environments, boosting virtualization management efficiency by 30%.
- Supported 1,200 users and 75+ network nodes, ensuring consistent performance and minimizing downtime.
FMC Technologies
Network Administrator
Jul 2000 - Jul 2007
Designed and maintained network infrastructure, enhancing system performance, reliability, and scalability for enterprise operations.
- Achieved 99.99% uptime by implementing and monitoring a Cisco-based network, improving performance metrics by 25%.
- Migrated to a Microsoft Active Directory infrastructure for 500+ users, increasing service reliability by 20%.
- Upgraded VMware environments, boosting virtual machine performance by 40% and implementing business continuity planning.
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Innov8Execs
Fractional CIO/CTO
- Present
Provided Fortune 500-level technology leadership, helping businesses optimize technology spend and accelerate growth.