Partners
Suzanne Gonsalves, Human Resources
Suzanne is a senior Human Resources executive with a proven track record as an influential and approachable leader, coach and mentor with extensive experience in start-up and large corporate environments. For over twenty years, she has partnered with business leaders to build and sustain cultures of accountability and create organizations that attract and develop strong talent and empower high-performing teams. Through multiple mergers and acquisitions, she has played significant roles in the integration of systems, processes, cultures and human capital. With her expertise in leadership development, performance consulting, talent acquisition and management, and strategic organizational development, Ms. Gonsalves has consistently led teams that successfully execute upon the company’s strategic plan, delivering success for the business and individual stakeholders. Most recently, Ms. Gonsalves was the Senior Human Resources Leader for Vertice, the Wholesale Mortgage Originations business of Wells Fargo (previously Wachovia’s Corporate and Investment Banking division). Prior to this, Suzanne was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for American Mortgage Network. Ms. Gonsalves has also held progressively senior HR roles including Vice President of HR at Long Beach Acceptance and Assistant VP of HR and various specialist roles in Compensation and Employee Relations at American Residential Mortgage Corporation (AMRES). Ms. Gonsalves graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) earning her Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology with a Business emphasis.
Mike Netter, Sales
Mike Netter has over 29 years of experience in the commodity products distribution industry, working in senior Sales, Business Development, and Marketing positions. Most recently, he served as Regional Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Staples, a $27B office products distributor. Specializing in new business development and strategic offerings, Mr. Netter managed an account team that developed global distribution contracts with some of the largest corporations in the world. Prior to Staples, he was a key component in building both mainframe systems and pricing programs that determined profitability for Corporate Express, integrating various electronic commerce distribution systems into supplier procurement and marketing programs. Specializing in developing strategic approach to both consumption and controlling profitable demand, using electronic catalogs, Mr. Netter became well known in his industry for developing and creating specialized and innovative systems that allowed for true supply chain leveraging.
Steve Friedberg, PR/Corporation Communications
Steve Friedberg is a veteran public relations strategist, with roots in journalism. The winner of three Emmy awards for his investigative reporting as a television news reporter, Steve has been a PR practitioner for more than a decade. He blends experience from both the agency and corporate perspective, having served as Corporate Communications Director for two startup firms, one of them publicly traded. He has also served as Vice President, Public Relations for a Philadelphia-based agency. As part of his work, Steve has developed and maintained a significant list of contacts with industry, business and consumer media reporters. His clients have been placed in leading outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, InformationWeek, CNN Headline News, Washington Post and more.
Norris Mackey, Sales Operations
Norris Mackey has more than thirteen years of experience with Sales and Operations management positions in the technology industry. Most recently, Mr. Mackey oversaw worldwide sales and distribution operations for Newton Peripherals, LLC, a Boston-based computer peripheral development and manufacturing company. Since 1997 he has built his experience in this field working for ETi Solutions, Maxwell Technologies' I-Bus Division, BakBone Software, and Andataco Corporation, where he has held positions of Warehouse Operations Manager, International Sales Representative and Senior Account Executive. His military background has endowed him with integrity, a natural leadership ability and great attention to detail.
Michael Brainard, Government Regulations/Compliance
Michael brings more than 30 years of experience in successfully guiding medium to large corporations through the maze of the government contracting business, helping his clients win awards, perform successfully, control costs, and reduce claims. Michael's expertise covers Government Contracts Management and Administration, Government Compliance Programs, providing counsel on Government business, legal, and contractual matters, Federal Acquisition Regulation, Cost Accounting Standards, and other Government procurement regulations, implementing business management systems that are both compliant and profitable. He has successfully completed scores of audits with repeated approvals of his systems and processes, with an approach to the government client that is transparent, following the rules and regulations, to engage the government in win-win fashion.
Angie Aller, Salesforce implementor
Angie comes with an international background, having started her career in Salesforce.com more than 7 years ago in Europe.
Angie has a lengthy record in specializing in the implementation of salesforce.com assuring automation simplicity. Working primarily with small to medium size companies, allowing her clients to achieve company needs and milestones by conducting business systems analysis and reviews, data modeling, process flow modeling, and process re-engineering. Having worked with many companies during their growing pains, Angie understands the importance of project scoping and a time sensitive delivery.
Robert Gronski, Channel Sales
Robert Gronski has 27 years of Executive strategic and tactical sales and channel management experience. With an emphasis on cutting edge technology, his expertise includes merchandising, margins and marketing strategies, developing Retail, Distribution, VARs, and OEM channels. Mr. Gronski has successfully brought over 180 products to market working with companies ranging from startup to Fortune 500 companies as they entered into their perspective channels, dramatically increasing market awareness, channels of distribution and sales revenue.
Kevyn Claerhout, Promotional Sales
Kevyn Claerhout is a 23 year veteran of the promotional markets industry. His business experiences include Product Management and Channel Sales in the promotional markets arena, Product Review and Assessment, Partner Development, Product Introduction, Product Sell-Thru management, Distributor sales incentives, and Trade Show management. Kevyn's background excels in the introduction of high tech products into a $19B industry, with strong relationships with the top 50 suppliers and distributors that offers any new product instant visibility and success.
Adam Baker, Finance
Adam Baker is an experienced investment banker with expansive knowledge in corporate finance, with proven leadership in sourcing, structuring, and closing financings. Mr. Baker began his career as a licensed broker, later co-founding Avalon Partners, an investment banking firm located in Southern California. Most recently, served as Head of Business Development with La Jolla Cove Investors for the last five years, where Adam was credited with closing a $33 million dollar funding, La Jolla Cove's largest funding to date. Adam is a member of the La Jolla Rotary Club and is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations in San Diego County. Mr. Baker holds a bachelor degree in Finance from San Diego State University and has held Series 7 Registered Representative and Series 66 Registered Investment Advisor investment industry licenses.
Charla Heimer, Finance
Charla Heimer has over 15 years of experience in accounting, internal auditing and finance. She has successfully implemented and streamlined corporate accounting departments to implement internal controls and cash flow management processes. She has consulted in various industries, including Real Estate Investment, Property Management, General Contracting, Law Practices, Health Care/Medical Practices, Website/Software Companies, and Entertainment Franchises & Facilities. Ms. Heimer has held numerous Financial Controller positions, most recently with eRealty Companies, where she managed $150M of privately funded national capital investments and was responsible for the finance investment return reporting, capital funding requirements, and financial underwriting of new acquisitions and dispositions with an in-house legal team. When she was with IHP (Institutional Housing Partners) she was also responsible for portfolio investment reporting and auditing to CalPERS, Prudential Insurance and General Motors. As an Internal Auditor with the San Diego Padres she was responsible for overseeing and verifying revenue reporting to the City of San Diego and the Major League Baseball. Ms. Heimer holds a BA and MBA from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the IMA (Institute of Management Accountants).
Ray Drasnin, PR
Ray Drasnin is seasoned public relations professional with more than 20 years of agency experience and a strong entrepreneurial background. In 1989, Drasnin founded Drasnin Communications; a national public relations firm based in San Diego, and in 2002 launched Foundation Makers, a marketing firm targeting professional athletes. His firm has managed many high-profile clients including Debbi Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies, American Express, General Electric, Eisenhower Medical Center, Hang Ten, Ken Blanchard, DC Shoes and many others. In 2005, Drasnin Communications merged with another nationally-recognized agency to become The Domino Group, and in the same year, Foundation Makers expanded its reach beyond professional athletes to establish non-profit foundations for businesses, municipalities and families. Drasnin has been nominated for Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year and Brooks Brothers' Man of the Year, and has donated hundreds of hours of service to promote small business and entrepreneurship. A frequent speaker at marketing seminars, universities, business groups and associations, Drasnin has also served on a number of boards including the Salvation Army and the Young Entrepreneurs Organization. He is an active board member of the San Diego Wholesale Credit Association and the San Diego Executives Association.
Rodney Rumford, Social Media
With more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, Rodney is a true visionary, having authored books on New Media & Business Blogging. His websites have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Business 2.0 and numerous Associated Press & Reuters articles. His sites have also been featured in the acclaimed "For Dummies" series of books. He has held senior level management positions in Fortune 100 companies and startups in the areas of Engineering, Project Management and Business Development. He has developed several Web-based services for Widgets, RSS, Blogging, Content Syndication, Video Aggregation and Podcasting. He launched the first ever Audio & Video Podcasting ASP Web site on the Internet prior to the naming of the technology. He has been helping clients with Social & New Media for several years, and has developed software solutions in the areas of Widgets, Applications, RSS, Content Syndication, Blogs, Audio & Video Podcasting, Video Aggregation and PPC Advertising. Rodney has also been involved with the Facebook f8 platform since its launch.
Robbie Hoffner, Finance
Robbie Hoffner is a senior financial professional with 7 years of experience in the Financial Planning and Analysis departments of several publicly traded corporations including Abbott Laboratories, Elan Pharmaceuticals, and most recently, Sequenom. During the course of his career he has been responsible for the financial planning, forecasting and analysis of organizations with annual operating budgets ranging from $60M to $300M with between 200 to 2,000 employees. In addition to his corporate experience, Mr. Hoffner has provided financial consulting services to several entrepreneurial ventures to facilitate their capital formation process. Mr. Hoffner holds an MBA from the nationally-ranked Entrepreneurship Program at San Diego State University and graduated with a BS in Accounting and Finance from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University.