1.
Creating a
Data Driven Culture
July 28, 2016

2.
Agenda
• Who is Graybar?
• What is a Data Driven Culture?
• Who is Graybar D&A?
• Mode 1 Analytics
• Mode 2 Analytics
• Driving Change

3.
Who is Graybar?
• HISTORY
• Founded in 1869 by inventor ElishaGray and entrepreneur Enos Barton
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Gray_and_Alexander_Bell_telephone_controversy
• Incorporated asGraybar Electric Company, Inc. on Dec. 11, 1925
• One of the largest employee-owned companies in North America since 1929
• OUR BUSINESS
• Graybar is a leading North American distributor of electrical, communications and data networking
products and a provider of supply chain management and logistics services. We primarily serve the
construction market, the commercial, institutional and government (CIG) market, as well as the
industrial and utility markets.
• Through its distribution network and value-added services, including kitting and integrated
solutions, Graybar is helping its customers to power and network their facilities with speed,
intelligence and efficiency.
• LOCATIONS AND PEOPLE
• Through a network of more than 260 locations across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico,
our 8,250 employees serve more than 130,000 customers. Our corporate headquarters is located in
St. Louis, Mo.

4.
Rankings and Recognition
• No. 445 on the 2015 FORTUNE 500 ranking of America’s largest
companies
• On the FORTUNEWorld’s MostAdmired Companies list for the 14th
consecutive year (2015)
• No. 66 on the Forbes America’s Largest Private Companies list (2014)
• Named one of theTopWorkplaces in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Nashville,
Southern Connecticut and St. Louis (2015)
• On the InformationWeek 500 annual ranking of the best and
brightest business technology innovators for the 12th consecutive
year (2014)

5.
A Data Driven Culture

6.
The #1 Killer of Trust in Data

7.
The #1 Killer of Trust in Data

8.
The #1 Killer of Trust in Data
Bias

9.
A Data Driven Culture
 Executive Sponsorship
 Educate on the significance of data
 DevelopTrust with the Data
 Governance is not an event with a conclusion
 Let the data determine the result – remove Bias
 “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story”
 Iterate quickly – Fail Fast – Learn Fast
 Not only is it okay to fail, but it is imperative to achieving success
 Understand the objective
 “Just in Case” reporting
 Watch out for the shiny new toy
 Know where you want to go before deciding which technology will get you
there
 The “Real-Time Data” quandary
 Determine the business impact?
 Don’t go it alone – Partnerships drive success
 Hortonworks,TDK, Datum, SAP, Platfora, LaunchCode

10.
Graybar
Data and Analytics

11.
Graybar D&A
Charter and Priorities
• Charter:
• The Graybar Data & Analytics team has been established to develop and sustain an
environment that promotes Actionable Insights for all levels of the organization and
related ecosystem.
• Priorities:
• Establish a platform for the design, development and release of consumable data that
provides consistency across all lines of business
• As a result, strengthen theTimeliness and Accuracy of the data being consumed
• Establish a governance model that allows for agility in the field while protecting
Graybar’s Systems and Data so as to not disrupt daily operations
• Innovate, Innovate, Innovate
• Fail Fast to charter a sustainable course
• Find Graybar’s Value in everything we do

12.
Graybar D&A Organization
• Data Management
• Data source ingest and consume
• Innovation strategies for storage and compute
• Governance
• CorporateAnalytics – Mode 1
• Analytics for the Graybar Consumer (internal)
• Data Discovery – Mode 2
• Advanced Analytics and Data Science
• Consumption of all types and sources of data
• Data Monetization
• System Design andArchitecture
• Cloud and On-Prem integrations
• Upgrades, Updates, Service Packs, etc.
• Licensing Administration
• UI/UX Design

13.
Graybar D&A Org Chart
Dir. Business
Information
Mgr. of Data
Mgmt.
Data
Warehouse
Developer
Developer
3rd Party Off
Shore
Development
Corporate
Analytics
Lead Business
Analyst
3rd Party Off
Shore
Development
Shadow IT
Mgr. of Sys. &
Architecture
Senior
Administrator
Mobile
Development
Portal
Development
UI/UX
Development
Mgr. of Data
Discovery
Business
Analyst
Hadoop
Developer
Data Science
LaunchCode
Shadow IT

14.
Collaboration Hub
• Development and ongoing management of data and
tools to answer the immediate and long term needs
of the Graybar Business Community.
D&ATeam
Business
Functional
Teams Field Leads
Collaboration
Hub

15.
D&A Landscape
SAP BWSAP ECC
HANA
HANA Live
PlatforaHortonworks
Hadoop
HANA
IoT
Google Analytics
Coremetrics
TM1
Excel
SAP
Business
Objects
Tableau
Access
Excel

16.
Mode 1 Analytics

17.
Corporate Analytics
Mode 1
• Focus on operational and transactional analytics that are consumed
repetitively on a fixed time frame for Graybar’s internal consumers.
• Primary technologies include SAP, Business Objects andTableau

18.
Mode 2 Analytics

19.
Data Discovery
Mode 2
• Analytic processes focused on disparate, most times very large data
sets that are utilized by both internal and external Graybar
consumers.
• Primary technologies being utilized include Hadoop and Platfora.
Hypothesis: By monitoring and managing the data
related to specific end points, i.e. lighting, switches,
HVAC, etc., GBE will have the opportunity to increase
service levels to both suppliers and customers.
Source
Analytic
End Point
Sensor

20.
Driving Change

21.
Driving Change
 Start at theTop, build from the Bottom
 Support comes from results
 Kill the Bias!
 Understand that it is everywhere
 Expect Resistance
 Embrace it
 Welcome the Challenge
 Everyone has a voice
 TTWWADI – Status Quo
 Be proactive to prove the new way
 Embrace “Shadow IT”
 Without them, you will not achieve your objectives
 UnderstandValue
 Many times Perception vs. Reality
 Execute through Collaboration
 Stop trying to under-promise so you can over-deliver
 Work on your Sales Skills
 You will need to sell to be successful

22.
Thank you
To improve is to change,
So to be perfect is
To have changed often
Winston Churchill
Dan Sherman
Dir. Business Information and Innovation
dan.sherman@Graybar.com