Mark Allen Earnest
Chief Operating Officer / Co-Founder, Instrumental Identity
[#] +1 833 IDM-HELP x704 | [@] [email protected] | [>>] LinkedIn
Executive Summary
Identity and Access Management executive with 20+ years architecting enterprise IAM solutions for Fortune 500 companies, universities, and healthcare organizations. Co-founded and scaled Instrumental Identity into industry-leading consultancy specializing in SailPoint, Oracle, and cloud identity platforms. Led 50+ major implementations with proven track record of on-time, under-budget delivery.
Key Achievements
[>>] Co-founded and scaled Instrumental Identity from startup to industry-leading IAM consultancy
[++] Led largest higher education IAM migrations in North America (4-university, 50,000+ user implementations)
[$$] Architected Fortune 100 retail chain’s complete identity governance transformation
[OK] Delivered 50+ enterprise implementations with proven track record of on-time, under-budget delivery
Core Competencies
Identity Platforms
SailPoint IdentityIQ/ISC • Oracle Identity Manager • Okta Workforce Identity • ForgeRock OpenIDM/OpenAM • Microsoft Entra • midPoint
Identity Technologies
SAML • OAuth • SCIM • PKI • Federation • Multi-Factor Authentication • Privileged Access Management
Development & Integration
Java/J2EE • Python • JavaScript • REST/SOAP APIs • Custom Connector Development • BeanShell
Cloud & Infrastructure
AWS • Microsoft Azure • Active Directory • LDAP • Oracle Cloud • Linux/Unix Administration
Professional Experience
Instrumental Identity — Palmerton, PA
Chief Operating Officer / Co-Founder | November 2011 – Present
Built and scaled specialized IAM consulting firm from startup to industry leader serving Fortune 500 companies, major universities, and healthcare organizations across North America.
Recent Major Engagements (2024-2026):
- Public Energy Company: Leading SailPoint modernization and cloud migration strategy
- Land Grant University: Architecting comprehensive identity governance redesign with Azure SSO/MFA integration
- R1 State University, Texas: Delivered large-scale Microsoft Identity Manager to SailPoint migration (50,000+ users)
Selected Client Achievements:
R1 State University, New Hampshire (January 2021 – July 2023)
- Architected Oracle Identity Manager to SailPoint enterprise migration
- Built custom user interfaces and workflows for helpdesk operations
- Developed multiple custom connectors for higher education requirements
Fortune 500 Hotel Company (December 2017 – December 2021)
- Led restructuring of identity management team and high-level strategy
- Evaluated and upgraded OIM/OAM environment from 11gR1 to 11gR2ps3
- Developed comprehensive AWS migration strategy for identity infrastructure
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP — Pittsburgh, PA
Manager | October 2008 – October 2011
Architecture lead for enterprise Oracle Identity Manager and Oracle Identity Analytics implementations. Managed engagements for Fortune 100 retailers, global telecommunications companies, and major healthcare providers. Contributed to firm winning Oracle Titan Award recognition.
Key Projects:
- Fortune 100 Retail Chain: Led OIM/OIA implementation with custom UI development
- Global Telecommunications Company: Designed highly available Weblogic cluster architecture
- Fortune 500 Utility: Developed multi-year IAM program roadmap and infrastructure design
Entology Inc. — Bedminster, NJ
Principal Consultant | October 2006 – October 2008
Delivered 12+ Oracle Identity Manager and Access Manager implementations. Built practice reputation that contributed to firm winning Oracle Titan Award recognition and eventual PwC acquisition. Led implementations for major grocery chain, telecommunications companies, and pharmaceutical organizations.
The Pennsylvania State University — University Park, PA
Lead Systems Programmer | February 2000 – October 2006
Original member of university’s Emerging Technologies group. Technical lead for pioneering implementations of Shibboleth federated identity, enterprise SSO, and secure P2P file sharing systems. Developed first production Shibboleth identity provider deployment in higher education.
Certifications
SailPoint: IdentityIQ Advanced Provisioning • IIQ Implementation • IIQ Basics
Oracle: Identity Governance Certified
ForgeRock: OpenIDM Implementation • OpenAM Implementation
Hitachi: Password Manager 11 Certified
Education
The Pennsylvania State University — University Park, PA
Computer Science and Information Systems
References and detailed project portfolio available upon request