Mark Showers
CIO
Monsanto

Mark currently serves as President of Mark E Showers Advisory Services, Inc (MESAS), a Technology and Management Consulting firm. Prior to that, Mark spent more than 25 years at Monsanto Company where he retired as Chief Information Officer. As CIO, he had primary responsibility for the strategic direction of the company's information technology resources along with the operations of information technology functions on a day-to-day basis. These global responsibilities included Commercial, R&D, ERP, Architecture, Infrastructure, Security and Operations. Before becoming Monsanto CIO, Mark held several senior IT roles including IT Director for Ceregen, Monsanto’s biotech business (95-97); Division CIO for the Agriculture Division (98-00); and VP of Enterprise IT that included global infrastructure, architecture, ERP, R&D and operations (01-04).

Mark is active in the St. Louis community as Chairman of the St. Louis Coalition for Information Technology, board Chairman for the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC) and as a member of the Innovate St. Louis board. Mark also serves on the CIO Advisory Board of Sierra Ventures, a Silicon Valley based venture capital fund. In addition, Mark serves on several academic advisory boards including the External Advisory Board for the McDonnell International Scholars Academy at Washington University, the Foundation Board of Directors at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, the External Advisory Board for the School of Business at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and the IT Enterprises Advisory Board at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

In 2007, Mark was named as one of the Premier 100 Leaders in Information Technology by Computerworld Magazine. In 2008, Mark was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.

The Monsanto IT organization received many external awards during Mark’s tenure as CIO. Of particular note was receiving the Computerworld Top 100 Places to Work in IT for 3 consecutive years (#13 in 2008); CIO 100 Awards (2006, 2008); Emerging Technology Category Winner – InformationWeek Most Innovative Companies 2008, ASUG – Americas SAP User’s Group - Large Company Impact Award 2007, Top 12 Green IT Companies; and Best Company for Blacks in Technology (2008).

Mark holds undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Chemistry from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, a Masters Degree in Physical Chemistry from Washington University and an Executive MBA from the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.