Port Houston modernizes HR, Finance, and Payroll with Workday and Strada

An interview with Charles Thompson, Chief Information Officer, Port Houston 

As one of the busiest ports in the United States, Port Houston embarked on a broader modernization initiative designed to improve collaboration, streamline operations, and create a single source of truth across the organization. At the center of that transformation was Workday, enabling Port Houston to bring together HR, Finance, Payroll, Procurement, and Strategic Sourcing on a unified platform.

The ultimate goal for Port Houston wasn't simply replacing legacy technology, it was undisruptive transformation delivering a foundation for future growth

The journey was ambitious. More than 15 legacy systems would be retired, organizational structures were evolving, and the transformation needed to be delivered without disrupting business operations. Through strong executive sponsorship, disciplined governance, and close collaboration with Strada and Workday, Port Houston successfully delivered a full-platform Workday go-live that now serves as the foundation for its next phase of growth. 

Building a foundation for “One Port, One Team” removing operational silos

The modernization effort was part of Port Houston's broader NXGEN ERP program, a multi-year initiative focused on breaking down silos, improving reporting, automating processes, and creating a more connected organization.  

Before Workday, data and business processes were spread across numerous systems and interfaces. Teams often worked with inconsistent information and disconnected processes, making it difficult to operate as a unified organization. For Charles, the vision was much larger than implementing new software. 

“Workday was the foundation for our transformation. This wasn't about replacing systems. It was about creating one source of truth, improving decision-making, and enabling One Port, One Team.”

Charles Thompson Chief Information Officer, Port Houston

The program was built around six guiding principles designed to unify the organization, simplify how people work, and create a stronger foundation for decision-making: 

• One Port Houston: Breaking down organizational silos and encouraging greater cross-functional collaboration, shared accountability, and faster decision-making. 
• User-friendly experience: Providing employees with intuitive tools that improve productivity, increase adoption, and reduce reliance on one-off support. 
• Ease of reporting: Improving access to trusted data and reporting capabilities so leaders can make faster, more informed decisions. 
• One source of truth: Creating a single platform for real-time information across HR, Finance, Payroll, Projects, Procurement, and operations. 
• Automated processes: Eliminating manual work and disconnected workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, and operational performance. 
• Stakeholder experience: Making it easier for employees, leaders, suppliers, and other stakeholders to access the information, policies, and services they need. 

Replacing complexity with a unified HR, Finance, Payroll and planning platform

Port Houston selected Workday as the platform capable of bringing together HR, Finance, Payroll, Strategic Sourcing, and future planning initiatives under a single architecture. 

Port Houston spent nearly four years evaluating options, reviewing vendors, and defining future-state processes before selecting both Workday and its implementation partner, Strada. Sixteen vendors participated during the evaluation process before the final decision was made. 

According to Charles Thompson, usability and process alignment were equally important criteria.

“Workday stood out because it aligned with the transformation we were trying to achieve. We needed a platform that could bring HR, Finance, and Payroll together through a single, intuitive experience. Equally important was finding the right implementation partner. Strada worked alongside us from the start, helping us navigate complexity, align stakeholders, and keep the transformation moving forward.”

Charles Thompson Chief Information Officer, Port Houston

The implementation ultimately replaced more than 15 legacy applications supporting HR, Finance, Payroll, Accounting, Procurement, Expenses, and Supplier Management.  

Delivering transformation with change management at the center of the organizations strategy

One of the most unique aspects of the project was that Port Houston was transforming both technology and the organization at the same time. 

Rather than treating change management as a separate workstream, executive leadership placed transformation at the center of the organization's strategy. The Executive Steering Committee met weekly, and the NXGEN ERP program became a strategic goal across the organization. 

Charles often refers to three principles that guided the transformation: 

• Don't move stupid forward 
• Learn, unlearn, relearn 
• One Port, One Team

These principles helped teams evaluate legacy processes critically rather than simply recreating them in Workday. 

“One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is recreating old problems in a new system. We challenged ourselves to learn, unlearn, and relearn. If a process didn't make sense before, we weren't going to move it forward just because technology changed.”

Charles Thompson Chief Information Officer, Port Houston

A partnership built on governance, accountability, and trust 

Delivering a transformation of this scale required more than software implementation expertise. 

Port Houston developed what Charles calls the Star of David Governance Model, designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and communication across all implementation stakeholders. The model brought together Port Houston, Strada, Workday, and consulting partners with equal voice and shared accountability throughout the program. 

A key differentiator was Strada's commitment to being physically present during critical project phases. Rather than relying solely on remote delivery, Strada teams worked alongside Port Houston during major milestones, payroll testing, cutover preparation, and go-live activities. The team also performed five complete payroll cycles before final sign-off to ensure readiness and minimize risk.  

“Port Houston is a relationship-driven organization. Strada understood that. They didn't just implement technology; they became part of the team. Having people onsite during critical phases made a significant difference to the success of the program.”

Charles Thompson Chief Information Officer, Port Houston

Achieving a successful Workday go-live and enabling future growth 

Workday went live in 2026, followed by a 45-day stabilization period and extensive hypercare support. The implementation was delivered on schedule despite organizational changes and the scale of the transformation. Today, Port Houston is already seeing benefits from the new operating model: 

• Faster access to information 
• Improved cross-functional collaboration 
• Greater visibility across HR and Finance 
• Simplified payroll operations 
• Better reporting and decision-making 
• A stronger foundation for future automation and optimization 

The transformation also positioned Port Houston to expand Workday capabilities further, including Adaptive Planning, which went live in June 2026.  

From go-live to growth into continuous improvement with Workday initiatives 

For Charles, go-live was never the finish line. The focus now is on continuous improvement, expanded functionality initiatives, adoption, and ensuring teams continue evolving within the new operating model rather than reverting to former ways of working. Port Houston's philosophy remains simple: live in the new world long enough to understand what's possible, then continuously optimize.

Advice for organizations on a similar journey 

Charles believes enterprise transformation requires equal attention to technology, people, governance, and culture. 

“Anticipate a winding road. There is no straight line and no universal playbook for success. Invest in the pre-work, expect change, build flexibility into your plans, and surround yourself with partners who are willing to solve problems alongside you.”

Charles Thompson Chief Information Officer, Port Houston 

 The transformation challenged Port Houston to rethink how work gets done across the organization. Rather than simply moving existing processes into a new system, teams embraced a mindset of learning, unlearning, and relearning, evaluating legacy ways of working, breaking down silos, and adopting more efficient, connected processes. Guided by the vision of One Port, One Team, the organization used Workday to create a single source of truth, strengthen collaboration across HR, Finance, Payroll, Operations, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing and build a culture focused on shared goals and better decision-making.  

For Port Houston, the transformation was not simply about modernizing technology, it was about creating a stronger foundation for collaboration, operational excellence, and long-term growth across the enterprise.