Getting to Know: Analytics
Want to know more about the folks who call Enova home? We asked Enova’s Chief Analytics Officer Joe DeCosmo our five favorite “get to know you better” questions, and here’s what he had to say:
How did you come to work at Enova?
I’ve known of Enova for some time, as I had lost a few job candidates from my previous company to the Analytics team here over the years! I have also served on the Board of the Chicago Chapter of the American Statistical Association with Adam McElhinney since 2011, so when the Chief Analytics Officer position opened up, he contacted me about it. I’ve spent my entire 25-year career in analytics here in Chicago, mostly on the consulting side, so I was thrilled to get an opportunity to work at a company where analytics is truly at the core of the business.
What do you do at Enova?
I oversee the organization and use of data throughout Enova for analytics-driven decision making. I have six teams. The first is Data Services, which guides the collection and organization of our data from our front-end applications in order to be used by the rest of the business. Second, the Business Intelligence team takes that data and provides business reporting and data visualization for teams like Finance, Accounting, Compliance, Marketing, etc. Then I have our four Advanced Analytics teams: Credit Risk Analytics that builds all of our in-house risk and underwriting models; Fraud Analytics that analyzes and monitors our products for fraudulent activity; Business Analytics that works with our product teams to optimize product performance; and Marketing Analytics that works with our marketing teams to maximize customer acquisition and growth.
I’m also overseeing technology as our interim CTO, while we search for a permanent leader of this team. In that role, I manage about 200 folks across Software Engineering, Tech Ops, IT and Project Management. It’s been great fun working with our tech teams to make sure we continue to launch new products quickly, while continuing to deliver an excellent online customer experience and operate our current businesses as effectively as possible.
What’s the best part of working at Enova?
That’s easy — the people. Our value of Top Talent and Teamwork is evident in Analytics every day. I have the privilege of working with some of the smartest and most innovative people I’ve ever known, and it’s great to be at a place where there really are no limits to what someone can achieve. Folks are given the opportunity and responsibility to make a meaningful impact on business very quickly, and then given the tools and training to succeed. It’s very exciting to be at a place where capabilities and results — not position or politics — determine your career path.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I have to give two answers here. In a perfect world, I would spend the summers in Camden, Maine, and winters in Maui or Kauai, Hawaii. A lot of air travel, but it would be worth it!
What are your top three desert island must-haves?
1. My favorite White Sox baseball cap
2. A picture of my wife, our two daughters, and our dog, Macie
3. A big Swiss Army Knife