David Barron
Principal

TRADITIONAL BIO
David is a technology leader with over 23 years of experience in technology and management consulting and in industry. He helps organizations use technology to support business success, and he has delivered solutions for strategic technology planning, custom solutions, data integration and warehouses, and business relationship management. He focuses on building relationships that bridge technology and business stakeholders in organizations.
David has worked with a variety of firms, ranging from entrepreneurial to large-industry environments, and has experience with several industries, including publishing, media, manufacturing, information products, and boutique retail. Prior to joining Thought Ensemble, David held senior management roles at Dex Media, where he led teams responsible for enterprise architecture and for evolving business-technology execution. In his earlier career (including time with BSG Consulting and e2i), he delivered CRM solutions and engineering management platforms to national clients, as well as strategic technology planning.
David has been a small-business owner, and he has both a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.

Learner, Analytical, Input, Responsibility, Achiever

Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ESTJ)
THOUGHTFUL BIO
Logic, math, science, and technology always came naturally to me. In college though, just as I was jumping into my electrical engineering program, unusual circumstances led me into a partnership owning and operating a retail sporting goods business at the same time. That dual experience over the next several years opened my eyes to business in a new way, and it shaped the direction I took my career.
After school, I went into technology consulting, where that blend of perspectives served me well. I’ve always loved challenges and problem solving, and I was applying my technical skills in very practical ways to very real business problems. As I advanced into IT Strategy and Enterprise Architecture roles, I really enjoyed working alongside technology and business executives to address large challenges where the opportunities, risks, and solutions were meaningful and impactful in very tangible ways across organizations. It was very satisfying to help make those leaders successful.
A friend of mine likes to say, “To solve any problem, just give me three smart guys and a whiteboard.” While I can’t guarantee this approach works for everything, I think the imagery of it captures the style of problem solving I love to do. What excites me about Thought Ensemble is having a group of peers that are also passionate about this same type of personal, engaged, and collaborative problem solving. I’m impressed every time I see it, both among ourselves and with our clients.
Some of my favorite challenges involve:
- Delivering strategies and practical roadmaps that serve the interests of both technology and business leadership
- Organizing and presenting complex information, data, and scenarios such that leaders can make actionable decisions
- Working with executives to evaluate new enterprise initiatives and the impact across business groups
- Collaborating on new product and service concepts by bringing insight and thinking into technology implications
David’s Thoughts
Conducting Business
I recently enjoyed a concert (the 2017 Honors Junior Performance) at the famous Carnegie hall, and somewhere during one of the pieces I found myself concentrating intently and trying to discern the points at which specific instruments came into and out of the...
Breaking News – Innovation Requires Breaking a Sweat
“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas Edison I like to think of myself as an “outdoors” guy, and I have spent a lot of time in the sun over the years, running and riding my bike. As I’ve matured, I find myself more aware of...
Detours Ahead in Data Intelligence Strategy
“Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine.” - Peter Sondergaard, SVP at Gartner Research Data is awesome. More specifically, what some companies are doing with data today is awesome. We’re seeing advances ranging from powerful...