Jim Kleinsmith

Technology Officer & Digital Transformation Leader

I align technology strategy with business objectives to drive innovation and growth. With 15+ years of IT leadership, I specialize in building high-performing teams and scalable technology infrastructures while striving to have some offline interests that don't require technology.

Jim Kleinsmith

Leadership Philosophy

How I approach technology leadership and team building

People First

Technology succeeds when teams thrive. I invest in continuous learning, psychological safety, and career growth to build resilient, innovative teams.

Strategic Vision

Aligning technology initiatives with business objectives to create competitive advantage and measurable results.

Executive Partnership

Bridging the gap between technical teams and C-suite through clear communication and data-driven decision making.

My Leadership Journey

Over my career, I've developed a leadership style that balances technical depth with industry acumen. My approach combines:

  • Servant leadership principles with a focus on removing obstacles for teams
  • Data-driven decision making balanced with human intuition
  • Continuous learning culture with dedicated innovation time
  • Transparent communication at all organizational levels
  • Agile Practices Accountability

Leadership Metrics

5x

Team productivity increase

~95%

Employee retention rate

$28M

Cost savings through optimization

4.5+/5

Satisfaction Ratings

Technical Expertise

Strategic technology domains where I drive transformation

Enterprise Architecture

Designing scalable, secure architectures that support business growth while optimizing costs.

TOGAF Microservices Cloud Native API-first

Digital Transformation

Leading organizations through technology modernization while maintaining operational continuity.

IoT Automation Legacy Modernization Agile DevOps SDLC AI/ML

Cloud Strategy

Developing hybrid and multi-cloud approaches that balance performance, security, and cost.

AWS Azure GCP Proprietary

Cybersecurity Leadership

Implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect assets without impeding innovation.

Zero Trust SOC 2 HIPAA Medicare CMS DOH NY, OH, PA Medicaid NY, OH NIST CSF

Data Strategy

Creating data-driven organizations with modern analytics and governance frameworks.

Data Lakes BI Data Governance ML Ops

Career Experience

My leadership journey through the years

IT Manager - Director

2024 - Present

Cotton Bay Corp. | Niagara/Buffalo NY

IT leadership and guidance for the numerous technology functions and partners of the Cottonbay group of companies.

Digital Transformation Cloud Strategy Team Scaling AI Adoption

Information Technology Consultant - IT Technical Analyst

2022 - 2024

Capital Blue Cross | Harrisburg PA

Transformed engineering culture to agile/DevOps, reducing time-to-market by 60%. Established technical career ladder that improved engineer retention by 35%. Led migration to cloud-native architecture saving $2.8M annually.

Agile Transformation DevOps Cloud Migration Talent Development

IT Consultant / Technologist

2021 - 2022

EmergenceTek Group, Inc. | Buffalo, NY

Built and led cross-functional teams delivering enterprise SaaS solutions. Implemented CI/CD pipeline reducing production incidents by 75%. Established architecture review board that improved system reliability.

SaaS CI/CD Enterprise Architecture Team Leadership

IT Manager, AVP

2020 - 2021

M&T Bank | Buffalo, NY

Managed three agile teams building financial services platforms. Introduced test automation framework reducing regression testing time by 80%. Mentored 15 engineers with 5 promoted to leadership roles.

Agile Leadership Test Automation FinTech Mentorship

IT Manager, Core Integration

2015 - 2020

Caresource | Dayton OH Remote

Managed three agile teams building financial services platforms. Introduced test automation framework reducing regression testing time by 80%. Mentored 15 engineers with 5 promoted to leadership roles.

Agile Leadership Test Automation FinTech Mentorship

Solutions Architect

2013 - 2015

Willcare | Buffalo NY

Managed three agile teams building financial services platforms. Introduced test automation framework reducing regression testing time by 80%. Mentored 15 engineers with 5 promoted to leadership roles.

Agile Leadership Test Automation FinTech Mentorship

IT Manager

2003 - 2013

Fidelis Care | NY Buffalo / NYC

Managed three agile teams building financial services platforms. Introduced test automation framework reducing regression testing time by 80%. Mentored 15 engineers with 5 promoted to leadership roles.

Agile Leadership Test Automation FinTech Mentorship

Industry Insights

Thought leadership on technology trends and leadership

AI Strategy

Techtarget Network

December 2024

Breaking down the cost of cloud computing in 2025.

Read Article >3 min read
Remote Leadership

Journal of Strategy & Innovation

May 2025

The impact of artificial intelligence on digital enterprise innovation.

Read Article >3 min read
Cloud Cost Optimization

Firstbase.com

April 2025

The 2025 IT Hardware Tariff Landscape Strategic Guide.

Read Article >3 min read

Let's Connect!

I'm always interested in discussing technology leadership opportunities, collaboration, and partnerships

Contact Information

Email

jmk@kleinsmith.com

Phone Service

(716) 584-1234

Location

Buffalo, NY

Learning & Speaking Engagements

I'm always eager to speak to groups on topics of experience or interest including:

  • The Future Landscape of Enterprise Systems Architecture
  • Building High-Performance IT Teams and Their Motivations
  • AI Adoption Strategies for Traditional Enterprises & Manufacturers
  • Tips & Advice for Geographically Dispersed Teams

Send Me a Message