Barry West, president of the Mason Harriman Group in Washington, D.C., and 35-year veteran of the information technology field, will give a free public presentation at Northern Michigan University. He will discuss leadership as the key ingredient for today’s business executives. West is returning to his alma mater as the executive in residence for the NMU College of Business. His talk will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Huron Room of the University Center. A reception will follow in the adjacent Erie Room.

West recently joined Mason Harriman Group, an IT management consulting firm. He previously served as chief information officer at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), where he oversaw all IT policy, cyber security, infrastructure operations and business modernization. Other past positions include chief information officer/deputy chief management officer for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; executive vice president for S.E. Solutions Inc.; cabinet-level chief information officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce; chief information officer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service; and deputy director for the U.S. General Services Administration-Office of Electronic Government.

West graduated from NMU in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in information systems. He also holds a master’s, executive master’s and executive doctorate from three other institutions. He was the keynote speaker and honorary doctor of business degree recipient at NMU’s May 2015 commencement.

For more information, contact the College of Business at 227-2900.