1. From IT to Operations: Bryan J. Timm, previously a CIO at a fashion company called Vernon, Calif.-based BCBG Max Azria Group, says that IT is viewed as just a supporting division and is never looked at as a potential startergic role for the company. As a result his autonomy and creativity was restricted compared to the big boys in the company. "In all my IT roles, I was always pushing the idea that IT could make things better, but often that message fell on deaf ears. By moving into an operations role, there was a bigger chance of being able to make that happen," Timm says. Presently, Timm is a Chief Opearting Officer at Los Angeles-based fashion company Halston. Timm says that though it is a fashion industry, as a COO he has got different hats to wear. While relaunching a contemporary women's apparel brand, Timm was able to make many decesions like from chossing a third-party logistics provider to deciding what mobile platform to standardize on.