Overview
Art Thomas first began his association with the iSchool in the Spring semester of 2001, teaching “Managing Information Systems Projects” (now IST645), which he has taught almost every semester since. More recently, he has also taught the graduate Information Management program capstone course “Strategic Management of Information Resources” (IST755) during MayMester. At the Undergraduate level, he has taught "Global Financial Systems Architecture" (IST302) and "Managing Information Systems Projects (IST445).
Since 2008, Art has served on the J.P. Morgan Chase Partnership Curriculum Project Team, where he has contributed instructional design research and led the development of courses for the interdisciplinary Global Enterprise Technology (GET) program. His course IST302, “Global Financial Systems Architecture”, was one of these, and he also incorporated large-scale, global project management best practices and challenges to further enhance the existing project management curriculum consisting of IST445 and IST645.
As a practitioner, Art is Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Counterpoint Holdings, L.L.C., an IT consultancy formed in 1992. In this role, Art has managed many IT projects for corporations, and assisted more than 20 area school districts in IT projects involving long-range planning, procurement, implementation and support. Having made a special arrangement with 3M Corporation, he co-founded LightYear Institute, Inc. in 2005 to develop and offer beginner-level 3M certification classes in fiber-optic data network technology. His course, entitled "Fiber-optic Data Networks" has been provided to students at several educational institutions and businesses, and has been accepted by the Electronics Technicians Association International (ETAI) as an appropriate course to prepare students for the ETA Fiber-optic Installer Certification.
Previously, Art’s career included IT positions ranging from Programmer to CIO, and he has held positions in Corporate Training ranging from Training Specialist to Chief Learning Officer. He has served organizations in Manufacturing, Banking, Insurance, Education and Government, and his work has taken him from North America to Europe and the Middle East, where he led two projects for the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman.
Art earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport with emphases in both Social Science and Computer Science. His Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree in Curriculum Development and Instructional Media is from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation/Instructional Systems Design and Management is also from SUNY Buffalo. He has developed and taught numerous seminars, workshops and presentations, including semester courses at the American Institute of Banking, Niagara University and SUNY Buffalo.
Art is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), and is certified by 3M Corporation in fiber-optic network systems design and installation. He is also Co-founder and Chairman of the National Board of Directors of Gliding Stars, a charity operating in 9 cities across four states that provides disabled people of all ages recreational opportunities through lessons in adaptive ice skating.
Art and his wife Helen maintain a residence in Camillus as well as one on Helen’s family farm in Wyoming County, where they produce maple syrup products.