“IT makes up about one eighth of the company and covers a lot of areas, but by far our biggest area lies in development,” he says. “When we build, we can customize solutions to give ACUITY's employees and agents exactly what they want, and that has been our competitive differentiator.”

For the past several years, Ruffalo and his team have focused on designing and implementing ASIST, ACUITY's next-generation, Web-based policy processing system. According to Ruffalo, ASIST has allowed more than 98 percent of ACUITY's personal lines new business and 80 percent of commercial lines transactions to come into the company electronically.

“We've put a lot of energy into real-time tools that are Web enabled,” Ruffalo says. “With the help of ASIST, policies are automatically rated, underwritten, and issued, and a completed electronic policy is delivered back to the agent within seconds.”

In addition to upgrading and rolling out ASIST in other lines of business, Ruffalo expects to focus on three areas within the next 18 months: increase the company's online portal pipeline; create tools to improve precision pricing; and develop systems that are available 24/7.

“We have a strategic set of projects focused on increasing our portal pipeline,” Ruffalo explains. “We want to enhance our brand awareness electronically with customers and potential customers.”

As for precision pricing, Ruffalo and his team are developing tools and capabilities that can create a price point tailored specifically to an individual.

To better meet customers' expectations, Ruffalo knows he needs IT systems that are available around the clock. “One of the things that keeps me up at night is making sure we have systems that are highly available and highly responsive,” he says. “You could have one of the best products out there, but if it takes a system twice as long to give you the answer you need, then you are setting the stage for losing market share.”

To address this issue, IT developed transaction guidelines for strategic Web-based applications and is monitoring each one to make sure it meets or exceeds expected performance.

When Ruffalo began working at ACUITY in 1980 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, IT was considered a cost center. That changed when now CEO Ben Salzman joined the company as vice president of IT and helped IT get a seat at the table. “Once IT became part of the executive team, collaboration took a huge step forward,” Ruffalo contends.

Today, ACUITY's enterprise technology committee, which is composed of Salzman, Ruffalo, and two business vice presidents, examines every piece of technology and how it fits in with the company's strategic goals. In addition, Ruffalo chairs the company's project management steering committee, which discusses all projects over a defined size to determine their viability and priority level.

“IT is really regarded as a key enabler here,” Ruffalo says. “Over the years, my role has progressed from selling the advantages of technology to problem solving to driving projects and finally to positioning IT as a strategic differentiator.”

Which is just the kind of change one hopes for during the course of a career in IT.

Sharon Baker is a freelance business writer based in Charlotte, N.C.