Jean K. Holley, Executive Vice President & CIO Tellabs

BS Computer Science & Electrical Engineering, 1981

Jean K. Holley, 45, is executive vice president and chief information officer at Tellabs. In this role, Holley is responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise-wide strategic information technology plan. She directs all production application processing, application support and technical services for telecommunications networks at Tellabs.

Holley joined Tellabs in April 2004. Before joining Tellabs, Holley was the first CIO to lead and support global information technology (IT) operations for USG Corp. Prior to this, Holley served in various management capacities for Waste Management and its subsidiaries. She integrated the core business with mergers and acquisitions and established an IT systems operations/support strategy that aligned business and operational goals. Prior to this, Holley filled a series of positions with increasing responsibility at Digital Equipment Corporation.

Holley holds a Master of Science degree in computer science/engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Holley has served as vice chair for the Illinois Institute of Technology, Rice Campus executive board of overseers, and chairperson for Northern Illinois University, College of Engineering and Engineering technology executive advisory board, and board member of the University of Missouri at Rolla, College of Mines and Metallurgy. In addition, Holley serves as a board member for Giant Steps of Illinois, a school for children with autistic spectrum disorders.

In 2004, Holley received an honorary professional degree from her alma mater the University of Missouri at Rolla. In 2002, Holley received the Spotlight Award from the Chicago Software Association recognizing her leadership for an ERP implementation. She was listed by ComputerWorld as one of the top 100 CIOs in 2002, and in 2000 Holley received the CIO of the Year award from the Association of IT Professionals (AITP). In 1997 she was recognized as the outstanding woman leader in business and professional work by the YWCA. She was also the 1997 recipient of the award of merit from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) located in Chicago.

Holley and her husband reside in the Chicago area and have 3 children.