Mike Llerandi

I’m a senior sales and business development leader with 35+ years of experience in the field of Information Technology. A native of the Chicago area, I graduated from Stanford University in 1986 with Bachelor and Masters degrees in Industrial Engineering, and am currently Director of Partnerships at Red Canary, a leader in cybersecurity solutions headquartered in Denver. My wife Val and I have lived in Crested Butte since 2020.

How did you discover Western?

When we’d visit the Gunnison Valley from the Front Range, my initial exposure to Western was that it was “that group of buildings over there” as we drove in on Highway 50. Since moving to Crested Butte in 2020, I continue to be impressed with the number and caliber of people I met who are connected to Western – students, faculty, and alumni.

What are some of the highlights of your career?

My entire career has been in the field of information technology, and the pace and degree of change from the mid-1980s to today has been fascinating to witness. Highlights of my journey include being actively engaged with some of the world’s most successful companies during both the Y2K transition and the buildout of the Internet infrastructure at scale.

What most excites you about your field?

Since my first exposure as an undergrad, I’ve loved how statistics and probability provided insights into complex processes that were often counterintuitive. Being able to find those elusive “signals in the noise” has become a central part of the most successful business models of our time, turning huge amounts of data into actionable insights by applying newer technologies that include data science and machine learning.

What is your favorite thing about the Gunnison Valley?

The wide open spaces to play with incredible views!

Courses Taught:

• CSCI 3022 – Intro to Data Science with Probability and Statistics