Strategic
Consulting Council
We realize that most organizations find it difficult to drive true transformation rapidly. We know that almost all organizations struggle to fully take advantage of the unique inflection point that we see today across a breadth of digital technologies – the transition from “technical feasibility” to business-empowering simplicity. We help solve those challenges rapidly with immediate returns for our clients.
Many organizations are overly focused on traditional processes and technology. They are burdened with inefficiencies and technical debt that drive inertia and make it difficult to transform. Even worse, the capabilities that can be harnessed to drive real financial and cultural improvement often exist but are underutilized or inefficiently operationalized within organizations. Our experience leading global organizations and working with numerous clients has helped us develop a proven, operational-based approach to successfully transform organizations with immediate and measurable results.
Our Core Strategic Consulting Portfolio:
Data to Insight to Action (DIA)
Empower business leaders with greater visibility and faster access to the data needed to drive organizational success.
Angler
Empower business leaders with greater visibility and faster access to the data needed to drive organizational success.
Propel
Rapidly identify a portfolio of opportunities within the organization to immediately leverage digital technologies and solve for business challenges.
RE:Ignite
Collaborate with existing Digital teams and Centers of Excellence to help them immediately become more efficient, to scale rapidly and to avoid future bottlenecks. Drive their success and help to refine and enhance their functional business case and operational model.
Center of Excellence Services
Whether it’s leadership or entire functional organization resourcing, our team can work as part of yours to become the active driver of transformation.
Strategy, Operating Models and Talent
Assess overall organizational effectiveness, objectives, capabilities and impact. Empower your teams with proven and comprehensive operational blueprints. Provide access to experienced leaders and talent.
Fractional and Interim CxO Services
Whether it’s providing critical leadership during executive search or providing extra bandwidth to focus on critical AI, Data or other Enterprise initiatives, our seasoned executives can provide immediate value to your organization.
Neeloy’s background is as a Vice President of Customer Experience and a CX leader with over 20 years of experience. He has helped companies execute on product strategies and drive transformation for hundreds of customers.
Neeloy has led pre-sales and post-sales teams at multiple companies which experienced 100% quarter over quarter growth, most recently at VCE where we took the business from $0 to >$1B full year sales in 4 years.
Neeloy has built global teams and provided both people and thought leadership, motivating key talent in a challenging macro-environment. He has a proven global leadership track record in IT, Business Operations, Procurement / Sourcing, Sales, Marketing, and P&L responsibilities.
Gary Cao
Senior Strategic Consultant
Gary has over 20 years of experience in corporate leadership roles, serving companies across industries as a top executive in data and analytics functions. Currently he is the enterprise analytics strategist at Chief Analytics Officer Advisory. As a serial founder of internal data analytics startups at 8 organizations, Gary contributed to the maturity journey at Akron Children’s Hospital, U.S. Venture, Cardinal Health, Equifax, Anthem, Express, Chase, and Bank of America.
Gary advises CEOs and Board of directors in strategic topics on data, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and making better decisions faster with higher confidence and accuracy. He also serves as fractional or interim Chief AI Officer or Chief Data and Analytics Officer.
He focuses on designing and implementing strategic roadmap on data, analytics and AI / ML, building an agile and learning team, creating best in class tech infrastructure, and delivering measurable return on investment within a specific timeframe.
Eli’s background is as a Chief Executive Officer and Board Member with over 25 years of experience and a career spanning start-ups and established companies operating in global markets. He has built and evolved companies in the technology space, including Enterprise IT, mobile solutions, and interactive media.
Eli is highly adept at providing strategic direction and guidance to team members to create a unified approach to achieving business goals while optimizing product & service delivery and maximizing customer success.
Todd Foley is Lydonia Technologies Chief Digital Officer and Chief Information Security Officer. Todd is responsible for Lydonia Technologies Automation, Business Consulting and Security Professional Service offerings. Todd is committed to bringing innovation to Lydonia’s strategic client partners to help them transform and thrive in the Digital Economy.
Todd has 20+ years of technical and professional services experience and his background has included working with a broad breadth of client environments and technical platforms as a professional services leader and business and management consultant specializing in M&A integration.
Previous Experience
Business Progress Automation, CEO
Leader of Business Process Optimization firm delivering Management Consulting and Robotic Process Automation solutions to strategic clients.
Dell Technologies, CTO
Dell EMC Distinguished Engineer, Dell Technologies Select Client Principal and CTO for Dell EMC’s Northeast Division. Focused on driving business outcomes for Dell strategic clients and partners and enabling business transformation leveraging Dell Technologies offerings.
Business and Technology Associates, President
Independent Professional Services Practice specializing in M&A integration and providing technical and business management services to global clients.
Technology Advisers, Technical Director
Technical Director for New England based Professional Services organization.
Xerox Connect, Principal Consultant and Professional Services Organization Manager
Technical Solutions for Fortune 500 clients and management of Northeast US client professional services delivery.
David is currently the CEO and Principal of Global Decision Science Enterprises, a digital transformation and analytics consulting firm serving Fortune 1000 companies. He is also the Founder of SEB Maxico AI, an AI startup firm focusing on developing patented AI solutions related to drones, pets, healthcare, and IoT.
David most recently worked for Cigna/Evernorth for 15 years as their Enterprise Marketing, Technology, and Digital Analytics Leader. David also worked for 20 years at the General Electric Company and has held quantitative analysis leadership roles in various business units across several functions, including risk management and marketing internationally and in the US.
David has over 10 US patents or patents pending on business analytics algorithms. He is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt in Quality, the highest qualification within the Six Sigma Quality methodology.
David is the recipient of the 2023 AI100 Innovators Award. This prestigious annual award recognizes and celebrates the achievements of individuals and organizations that have made significant advancements in Analytics & AI in enterprises.
David also has nearly two decades of teaching experience, having held various adjunct academic appointments in statistics, international management, and quantitative analysis at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Columbia University in New York, New York University, City University of New York, and Cornell University have hosted these appointments.
David is a best-selling author with over 50 published research papers in peer-reviewed academic journals and has published five books. His research interests include how to analyze missing data, the cultural meaning of data, integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms into business, and many other topics related to quantitative analysis in business. He is working on a sixth book describing how to manage big data as an asset.
Kieran (MBA, MSc, BSc., PG Dip) is an intelligent automation and analytics expert with over 25 years of industry experience, Kieran has built automation programs, set automation strategy and led automation teams for multiple clients.
A published author, Kieran literally wrote the book on organizational digital transformation. He is a proven business leader with vast experience in business process, technology, analytics, program management, digital transformation and intelligent automation.
Kieran has helped businesses drive business and technology transformation programs using digital technologies across multiple sectors. His work has generated hundreds of millions of dollars of value for clients. He is a regular speaker on the international stage and has won copious industry business technology awards.
Ed Garabedian’s professional career includes 20+ years experience in technology and business process improvement. Ed is expert in Intelligent Automation, Analytics, Process Analysis, Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) and an accomplished trainer, evangelist and technical leader. His business experience includes strong background in multiple industry verticals, including Financial Services, Healthcare, Technology and Education.
Ed has a proven track record and unique ability to help clients scale and elevate the maturity of their offerings – including driving development process and capability optimization, improving testing and quality assurance capabilities, improving analytics operations and building truly scalable hyperautomation programs.
Russ is a seasoned financial services marketing and communications professional with over 30 years of B2C and B2B marketing expertise.
He has served as Head of Marketing at both the Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq having led IPO marketing for both exchanges for the largest IPOs including Snap, AXA, Blue Buffalo, AB&B and more…
Additionally, he has spent several years consulting for financial services and has marketed products and services across every industry.
Norm Simmonds’ professional career includes 25+ years experience in information technology and business management. During this time, he directed the IT function in both start-up situations and mature operations environments. His business experience encompasses multiple business models both domestically and internationally.
Norm Joined Dell/EMC in August 2008 initially engaged with the ASAP Network Remediation Program, drove the original ITSM program and consulted the Apptio cost transparency implementation team.
In 2012 Norm moved into the Enterprise Tools Team as product manager and drove the first automation deliveries and architecture.
In 2014 Norm joined the Digitization and Automation Organization and formed the Service Automation Delivery Team charged with delivering enterprise automation solutions and enablement.
In 2016 EMC merged with Dell and Norm was asked to lead the Dell Operations Automation COE which was expanded to include multiple automation delivery technologies. This team was charged with scaling automation capabilities across all the Dell business units thru the implementation of “democratized” development and delivery encompassing over 2 thousand deployed bots
Prior to joining Dell/EMC Norm held a variety of positions:
- Founder and managing director of ITWorx Singapore (Consulting Services)
- VP of Global IT and CIO for Cookson Electronics
- Managing Director – European region for Speedline Technologies based in Germany
- CIO for Speedline Technologies, a division of Cookson Electronics
- Director of Information Technology Kokusai Semiconductor Division of Hitachi
Norm holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Management Information Systems from Nichols College and graduated Magna Cum Laude
Kristina has 22+ years of experience in senior management roles in the hedge fund and financial services industry. Prior to Young America, Kristina was a Managing Director at IPC, Partner; Head of Onboarding and Business Consulting for Prime Services at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Partner; Head of the Transition Team at Merlin Securities and Partner; Head of Investor Relations at Connecticut Capital Management. Kristina received her BA in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tony Zupa’s background is as an Executive Vice President with over 25 years of experience. He has a proven global leadership track record in IT, Business Operations, Procurement / Sourcing, Sales, Marketing, and P&L responsibilities.
Tony has a a strong background in Strategic Business Development, Technology, Staff Development, Building & Maintaining Customer / Supplier relationships. He has demonstrated the ability to grow customer base by leveraging innovation and technology to create solutions that are aligned to business needs. He has deep industry subject matter expertise in the Financial and Energy Management vertical markets
Tony is an experienced high energy thought leader, change agent, builder of global businesses and cross functional teams. He has consistently exceed business commitments by leveraging key relationships with customers and suppliers, decisive critical thinking skills, and strong execution capabilities.