MICHAEL PORENTA

Location: Puyallup, Washington | Phone: 734.255.4927 | Email: maporenta@gmail.com | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-porenta/

Creative, caffeinated, and unconventional data leader with 20+ years of experience scaling Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Engineering initiatives during pivotal industry transformations. Consistently delivers exceptional results by blending deep analytical thinking with imaginative solutions. Thrives in environments undergoing significant change, having successfully navigated digital transformations across mortgage, personal finance, telecommunications, media, and technology sectors. Passionate about leveraging AI and emerging technologies to unlock human potential and organizational success. Recognized by senior leadership for my distinctive ability to combine analytical precision with creative innovation during periods of rapid evolution.

CORE COMPETENCIES

  • AI & Emerging Technology Integration: Expertise in identifying practical applications for cutting-edge technologies; ability to translate theoretical AI capabilities into business-ready solutions; proficient in LLM implementation and synthetic agent development 
  • Adaptive Intelligence Architecture: Skill in designing flexible data frameworks that anticipate future needs; ability to enhance legacy systems beyond perceived limitations; talent for unifying disparate data sources into cohesive ecosystems 
  • Transformational Leadership: Capacity to navigate complex organizational change; ability to reposition data teams from service providers to strategic partners; expertise in cultivating high-trust environments that foster innovation 
  • Cross-Domain Problem Solving: Exceptional ability to blend analytical precision with creative thinking; talent for translating technical concepts across functional boundaries; skill in identifying unconventional solutions to entrenched problems 
  • Strategic Data Narrative Creation: Proficiency in converting complex data into compelling business narratives; ability to align analytics initiatives with broader organizational objectives; expertise in designing self-improving intelligence systems

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ROCKET LOANS (of Rocket Companies) — Detroit, MI (Remote)

VP, Head of Business Intelligence (March 2024 – March 2025)
Senior Director, Head of Business Intelligence (April 2021 – March 2024)

  • Orchestrated Complete Data Transformation: Transform it into a high-performing intelligence ecosystem supporting enterprise-wide decision making 
    • Cultivated a high-trust culture where analysts were empowered to solve problems autonomouslyDesigned and executed strategic migration from AWS to Azure cloud environment, creating a foundation for advanced analytics capabilities
    • Implemented Databricks and Unity Catalog to unify previously siloed data assets, enabling comprehensive lineage tracking and enhanced analytical capabilities
  • Defied Legacy System Limitations: Reengineered existing systems that leadership had deemed “unsalvageable,” enabling unprecedented business scaling 
    • Architected comprehensive funnel analytics that drove monthly origination volume 6x over four yearsDeveloped resilient data processes that allowed legacy platforms to perform at 3× their projected capacity
    • Positioned business to achieve the long-elusive $1B annualized origination milestone
  • Created AI Innovation Ecosystem: 
    • Established and led company-wide “AI Guild” to accelerate adoption of generative AI technologies
    • Engineered innovative Databricks+Slack integration that automated analytical delivery with AI-generated summaries stored as “memory flash” PNGs
    • Positioned organization for AI evolution through education initiatives and strategic pathfinding
  • Fostered Culture of Creative Intelligence: 
    • Championed “good trouble” philosophy where proactive problem-solving trumped permission-seeking
    • Facilitated cross-functional alignment between technology, security, and business stakeholders amongst Rocket Loans and the broader RKT community
    • Maintained dual focus on immediate business needs and long-term intelligence architecture
    • Balanced deep technical credibility with strategic business partnership at executive level

T-MOBILE USA — Bellevue, WA

Senior Manager, Business Analysis — T-Mobile for Business, Marketing (June 2019 – April 2021)

  • Architected comprehensive marketing analytics ecosystem during T-Mobile’s critical Un-carrier transformation phase
  • Built and led diverse analytics team (2 FTE; 8 contractor) that revolutionized TFB marketing performance visibility during T-Mobile’s ascent from #4 to industry leadership
  • Engineered Azure Data Factory implementation that transformed manual ETL processes into dynamic, intelligent workflows
  • Pioneered Salesforce data architecture for T-Mobile for Business marketing that scaled to become the enterprise-wide solution
  • Created innovative “Hilaratives” – data-rich leadership decks with strategic humor that drove engagement and executive understanding of complex marketing performance metrics

Senior Business Analysis Manager — Various Teams (July 2016 – June 2019)

  • Designed end-to-end automated web data solution that eliminated manual reporting while enhancing analytics depth
  • Developed merchandise calendar database that transformed daily standups from status updates to optimization sessions
  • Spearheaded organization-wide Power BI adoption, establishing visualization standards and automation through R scripts
  • Created and delivered Adobe Analytics curriculum that significantly accelerated analytical capabilities across multiple teams
  • Led cutting-edge initiatives in Data Democracy and Experimental Data Visualization (Metalhead) to help position T-Mobile as a forward-thinking analytics organization

PRIOR EXPERIENCE

MATISIA CONSULTANTS (now Unify Consulting) — Seattle, WA
Senior Consultant (2014 –16)

  • Delivered specialized analytics solutions for T-Mobile USA and Microsoft during significant digital transformations

THE SEATTLE TIMES COMPANY — Seattle, WA
Senior Manager, Business Intelligence (2013 –14)

  • Engineered paywall strategy achieving 70% increase in subscription revenue while maintaining traffic
  • Created comprehensive digital audience framework during print-to-digital transition

QUICKEN LOANS — Detroit, MI
Director of Analytics (2009 – 12), Team Leader (2005 – 09), Mortgage Banker (2004 – 05)

  • Led 35+ analysts during post-recession transformation, helping drive Quicken’s emergence as industry leader
  • Developed KPI framework with oversight of $200M+ marketing spend during volatile economic conditions

KINKO’S — Ann Arbor, MI
Assistant Branch Operations Manager (November 1999 – February 2004)

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES

  • Intelligent Data Ecosystems: Architected complete data environments using Azure (Data Factory, Databricks, Unity Catalog) and AWS (RDS, Dynamo) that enabled legacy systems to surpass designed capacity
  • Advanced Analytics Tools: Implemented innovative analytical solutions using Power BI, Excel, R, Python, and SQL that transformed raw data into strategic business drivers
  • AI & Generative Systems: Pioneered practical implementations of GPT-4 and other LLMs for code generation, analytical workflows, and synthetic agent development
  • Digital Experience Analytics: Leveraged Adobe/Google Analytics and Full Story to create comprehensive user journey analysis frameworks that drove conversion optimization
  • Creative Technology: Applied Photoshop, Illustrator, and multimedia tools to enhance data storytelling and executive communication

INTERESTS & PROJECTS

  • AI Experimentation: Continuously exploring emerging AI models, testing their capabilities, and identifying practical applications that deliver business value
  • Synthetic Agent Development: Researching and prototyping specialized AI agents for decision support, creative problem-solving, and enhanced productivity
  • Balanced Creativity: Maintaining diverse creative outlets including music performance, photography, film analysis, and outdoor exploration that inform my unique approach to analytical challenges