Tim Humphrey

RESEARCH TRIANGLE – Tim Humphrey, a veteran executive with deep ties to the Triangle who also is an inventor and an NC State graduate, is IBM’s new Senior State Executive for North Carolina.

Humphrey joined IBM in 1997. He succeeds Fran O’Sullivan, who is retiring after holding that position for three years. O’Sullivan had been a senior technology leader with both IBM and Lenovo. The two are pictured above in an IBM “selfie.” O’Sullivan is on the left, Humphrey on the right.

IBM also confirmed that Humphrey is the first African American leader for the RTP campus as well as North Carolina.

Both O’Sullivan and Humphrey moved to Lenovo when IBM sold its RTP-based personal computing division to Lenovo in 2005.  Humphrey rejoined Big Blue in 2011.

“Tim Humphrey will be taking the roles of Senior Location Executive and Senior State Executive,” Doug Shelton, director of IBM Corporate Relations, told WRAL TechWire.

“Aside from this new role, Tim is Vice President, Chief Data Office in Finance & Operations..”

IBM noted the changes in North Carolina leadership in an internal announcement made on Tuesday.

Shelton also pointed out that Humphrey, who graduated from NCSU in 1996 brings in-depth knowledge of the Triangle and the state outside of his IBM responsibilities.

“He has a long history of being involved in the RTP site; just a few of the many initiatives and events he has led include the Employee Charitable Contribution Campaign (ECCC), Steppin’ Up: IBMovin@RTP, and the 5K Family Day.,” Shelton explained.

“He is also very active in the community, serving on the boards for Wake County Boys & Girls Club and University of North Carolina’s World View, as well as spending countless hours volunteering and mentoring.”

According to his LinkedIn profile, Humphrey is an inventor, having been awarded several patents for software, multi-touch, messaging, and battery technologies.

Humprhey notes that he “currently lead the development, deployment, [and] commercialization of analytics solutions for IBM’s internal operations and deliver operational readiness for acquisition integrations & divestitures.”

He has “led several supply chain functions ranging from strategy to operations” and has “directed globally-dispersed software teams driving design, development, test, and launch of cutting-edge products.”

Humphrey also has “defined and implemented effective product architecture, development, testing, quality improvement, and support strategies.”

IBM employs several thousand people at its campus in RTP and across North Carolina.