San Diego, California

Paul J. Gschwendtner

Senior Technology & Digital Transformation Leader
Certified AI Professional  ·  SaaS Commercialization & eCommerce

"Build with purpose, lead with clarity, and deliver with accountability."

131% Software Revenue Growth
12+ SaaS/PaaS Products Launched
70% Fulfillment Time Reduction
213+ Manual Hours/Week Eliminated
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Paul J. Gschwendtner

About Me

Turning Complexity Into Measurable Impact

20+ years delivering end-to-end digital transformation across biotech, consumer electronics, and enterprise technology.

I specialize in turning internal complexity into customer-facing value — through cross-functional alignment, smart automation, and a relentless focus on measurable outcomes.

At Illumina, I led the company's transformation from a hardware-only model to a scalable digital products business. That meant commercializing internal tools into SaaS and PaaS offerings, launching self-serve eCommerce with real-time activation, and integrating SAP, Salesforce, Zuora, and SnapLogic to automate the entire quote-to-live process.

Before Illumina, I held senior roles at Sony Electronics and GE — building B2B/B2C eCommerce platforms from scratch, leading large-scale system migrations, and managing cross-functional teams across high-impact IT and digital initiatives.

I hold a Harvard Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management and a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Penn State, along with multiple AI and technology certifications.

💡 Digital Product Commercialization

Connecting pricing, packaging, and delivery into one seamless motion — turning technical infrastructure into customer-ready solutions that sell, renew, and scale.

🔗 Cross-Functional Execution

Creating clarity early, aligning stakeholders, and maintaining momentum through delivery. Outcomes over ownership — even navigating legacy systems and shifting priorities.

⚙️ Systems Thinking

Designing workflows that anticipate handoffs and automate repetitive steps — creating sustainable solutions that reduce errors and accelerate delivery at scale.

Experience

20+ Years of Delivery

From startup-style launches to global enterprise transformations across biotech, consumer electronics, and industrial technology.

Illumina
Senior Manager – Digital Products & eCommerce
Jul 2020 – Present  ·  San Diego, CA  ·  5+ years

Led commercialization of Illumina's digital product portfolio, managing a cross-functional team of analysts, developers, and consultants to drive scalable SaaS/PaaS revenue growth and self-serve eCommerce adoption.

  • Drove 131% software revenue growth by integrating software offerings with hardware instruments and consumables sales
  • Commercialized 12+ SaaS and PaaS digital platforms including self-serve eCommerce with real-time activation
  • Cut fulfillment time by 70% and eliminated 213+ manual hours per week through end-to-end automation (SAP · SFDC · Zuora · SnapLogic)
  • Achieved 20%+ eCommerce self-service adoption among existing software customers
  • Empowered marketing and sales with enhanced analytics and reporting capabilities
Illumina
Manager – IT & Digital Platforms
Oct 2012 – Jul 2020  ·  San Diego, CA  ·  ~8 years

Held multiple leadership roles — Technical Program Manager, Product Owner, Lead Analyst, and Developer — across 20+ IT and cloud software projects in close collaboration with R&D and commercial teams.

  • Launched Illumina's first cloud-based genomics analysis and storage platform
  • Built the first eCommerce system with credit card and PO functionality and launched the global customer portal (MyIllumina)
  • Led Zuora implementation as the primary platform for SaaS subscription billing
  • Key QA Lead on a global SAP ERP rollout from Oracle JD Edwards; led ServiceNow implementation for ITSM and HRSD
  • Independently designed and deployed a global visitor management system across 10 international sites
Sony
eCommerce Manager
Jun 2012 – Oct 2012  ·  San Diego, CA
  • Led process refinement for core business and IT teams managing Sony Electronics' eCommerce platform
  • Delivered a scalable, modernized eCommerce infrastructure supporting increased transaction volumes
Sony
Project Lead & Senior Analyst
Mar 2007 – Jul 2012  ·  San Diego, CA  ·  5+ years
  • Won the Consumer Fulfillment Award for building Sony's B2C eCommerce platform — enabling direct-to-consumer sales for the first time
  • Launched and led Sony's North America B2B eCommerce platform as system lead analyst
  • Managed eProcurement punchout integrations with Disney and CBS; led a smooth data center migration
GE
Business Systems Analyst
Aug 2006 – Mar 2007  ·  Erie, PA
  • Led IT enhancement project supporting ~$500M in potential savings via a new wheel sheet specification program
  • Facilitated eServices supporting GE Transportation maintenance and repair operations
GE
Systems & Support Analyst
Jul 2004 – Aug 2006  ·  Erie, PA  ·  2+ years
  • Provided technical support for system-critical applications across 12,000 users in 45+ field sites (US, Canada, Mexico)
  • Wrote SQL scripts for Oracle DB updates; served as PM and lead IT owner on multiple web-based application enhancements

Skills & Certifications

Core Expertise

A blend of strategic leadership and hands-on technical depth across enterprise systems, digital commerce, and AI.

Digital Transformation
SaaS Commercialization
Process Automation
Enterprise Systems (SAP · SFDC · Zuora)
eCommerce Platforms
AI & Generative AI
Cross-Functional Leadership
Product & Program Leadership
Business Process Improvement
Data & Systems Integration
Stakeholder Management
Team Leadership & Mentoring

Licenses & Certifications

AI Professional Certificate Google
Generative AI Leader Google
Artificial Intelligence Practitioner Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AI Fluency Framework & Foundations Anthropic
Anthropic Claude 101 Anthropic
Prompt Engineering for AI Vanderbilt University
Advanced Data Analysis Vanderbilt University
Generative AI: Working with Large Language Models LinkedIn
LinkedIn's AI Academy LinkedIn
Software Life Cycle Management Certified Illumina
HIPAA Certified Illumina
AI Agents & Azure AI Microsoft
Cryptocurrency Certified FutureMoney

Education

Academic Background

Business strategy + technology foundations from two institutions with a track record of academic excellence.

Harvard University
Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management

Core focus on Technology Leadership · Maintained 3.7 GPA while working full-time

Penn State University
B.S. in Management Information Systems (MIS)

Dean's List · Computer Science with Business, Finance & Management core · Co-founder & President/Treasurer of campus MIS Club

Recognition

Honors & Awards

🏆
Consumer Fulfillment Award
Sony Electronics  ·  2009
Awarded the organization's Consumer Fulfillment Award for playing a critical role in building B2C and B2B eCommerce platforms that enabled Sony to sell products direct to consumers for the first time.

Giving Back

Volunteer Experience

Community involvement across housing, hunger relief, youth education, and peer mentorship.

HopeBuilder
Habitat for Humanity International
Social Services
Volunteer
Feeding America San Diego
Disaster & Humanitarian Relief
Volunteer
Junior Achievement of San Diego County
Children & Education
Peer Mentor
Penn State University
Black School of Business Mentoring Program

Let's Connect

If you're navigating a complex digital transformation, scaling software offerings, or driving operational efficiency for measurable impact — I'd love to connect.

paulgsch@gmail.com LinkedIn Profile San Diego, CA