Last Friday, we hosted a Virtual Think IT Panel Event and had a one on one with Marc Kermisch. A huge thank you to Marc Kermisch, Global CIO at CNH Industrial for sharing his story and knowledge with the group. Thank you to everyone who joined us as well!
Growing up, Marc moved around a lot. How did moving around growing up shape who you are today?
Living in different parts of the country there are different cultures, so it forces you to adapt to the new normal in that country. As you move into new cities you have to put yourself out there. It’s important to be proactive and take the risk of getting to know someone new. Also, keep in touch with the friends that you’ve made in the previous locations you lived in. You learn different things from all the different experiences you’ve had, and it teaches you to form new relationships. Moving around showed Marc the value of relationships.
Going into college, what were your dreams?
Marc wanted to be a surf bum which potentially led to him wanting to be a marine biologist. From there he wanted to maybe be a nurse or physical therapist until he got to the science classes. Once he realized how challenging they were, he chose to be an English major. This degree has been more beneficial to him even in IT than not. He taught himself how to program which led him to his first job. He got his first job through a connection through his wife which was programming at a start-up.
How has starting your career in startups at an early age benefited your career?
Marc was given the opportunity to be a manager at a young age due to him working for a smaller start-up. If he was at a big corporation, he doesn’t think he would have been given this opportunity. He also got to try sales, which was one of the most impactful opportunities in his career. He had to think about the process and structure of what his company created and sell it to a customer. Marc thinks that IT leaders should go through some kind of sales training.
What are pivotal times in your career that have brought you to where you are now?
After his sales job, Marc went back into project management. He was trying to play both sides of the business, which is when he realized he needed to pick a lane. His old boss told him that you cannot play both sides. Marc’s passion was bringing technical solutions to the business which is why he chose to go down the IT route.
Marc has had multiple jobs over the years which can sometimes hinder people’s opportunities for other jobs. Each job change has a story so when moving on to different jobs, it’s important to be clear about your objectives and goals. It’s better to pick up the phone to new opportunities than to not pick up the phone at all.