Implementing Data Platform for Bridging Data Gaps

Dawn Drewry, Chief Information Officer at Monogram Foods

Dawn Drewry, the Chief Information Officer at Monogram Foods, brings with her expertise in data-informed decision-making and process improvement. With experience in various IT roles, including IT operations, vendor management, outsourced services, and leading strategic programs, Drewry has worked with several organizations. She has a proven track record of implementing technology or process changes and aligning people to it through strategic plans.

How would you describe your career journey so far, and what are your key responsibilities at Monogram Foods? 

I have worked in numerous roles with different organizations. I started off working with Honeywell as an IT professional, from there I moved to Hewlett Packard. Hewlett Packard gave me a lot of opportunities to expand my industry knowledge in application development, infrastructure, data, project management, vendor management, and enterprise architecture. After working with Hewlett Packard for nearly a decade, I joined Tyson Foods, and explored ways of using emerging technology for the food industry and advanced data analytics for process automation. I joined Monogram Foods as the Chief Information Officer in 2022.

Monogram Foods is a privately held private label provider and co-manufacturer of food products. Since its inception in 2004, the company has grown exponentially exhibiting 30 percent growth annually. 

Making necessary technological advancements and strategies to stay ahead of the competition is where I come and am able to use my past experience and learned skill  to help. As part of this role, I also analyze latest trends in technology and how it can be adapted for enhancing Monogram’s infrastructure, cyber security, and data analytics.

Please shed some light on the major challenges that you encountered while working for Monogram Foodsfrom an IT perspective, and how have you addressed them?

Many companies today have siloed technology, application landscape, and processes that can lead to data isolation. As a fast-growing company based on high customer demand, Monogram Foods had a strategic plan to improve all processes. To enhance coordination and achieve better outcomes, we need to implement methods that enable sharing of information within business ecosystems. One major challenge that most companies fail to recognize is the importance of people in the equation. While implementing newer technologies and processes to drive revenue, it is crucial to have business ownership of the data and processes in place to align employees towards the changes and make technology a team sport.

“Many companies today have siloed technology, application landscape, and processes that can lead to data isolation. To enhance coordination and achieve better outcomes, we need to implement methods that enable sharing of information within business ecosystems.”

In the era of Industry 4.0, where autonomous machines are becoming prevalent, Monogram is focused on connecting data, processes, and ecosystems with prescriptive and predictive analysis to drive ROI. Our team is working tirelessly to build a new data platform on MS-Stack using Azure, Synapse, and Purview to accumulate data assets and democratize data to unlock the value of data for every team member.

How do you plan to implement a technology change by aligning people toward it?

I consider implementing a new process and helping people to adopt the change as a company-wide effort. For example, if a new process is implemented to enhance cybersecurity, it is necessary to ensure that our team members understand the reason behind the change. We have used storytelling to share real life cyber scams to make every employee, executive, and leader aware of the potential risk and how to take preventative measures. This aligns with our focus on team member safety in that we are informing them about safety outside of the workplace, and keeping our company safer at the same time.

In addition to partnering with various teams to implement changes and improve IT transparency and accessibility, we also have an IT investment council that includes members of the executive leadership team. This council helps us remain compliant, build a more resilient infrastructure and ensure that IT is enabling the top business priorities.

In light of your experience, what will be your advice to fellow peers in the industry?

We need to cultivate a curious mindset towards the new developments happening around us. During my time as a student at the University of Arizona, the university unveiled a marketing campaign called “Wonder.”  Basically, it had various slogans regarding innovation and  “wonder makes us…”Basically, it inspires us all to think about the art of possibility, and it has inspired me to keep a curiosity mindset to be more innovative, creative, and collaborative. In today's world, where everything is available at our fingertips, it is crucial to remain curious about the challenges and trends and to stay informed about new technologies that can bring about transformational change within our organizations.