Compass Rose International (formerly Global Orphan Prevention) uplifts young women in the Denver region who are facing acute mental and emotional health challenges, many experiencing anxiety, depression, and at risk of suicide. Our Colorado Retreats equip young women with tools to discover internal wisdom, fostering confidence through achievements, and imparting real-life business skills for autonomy, resilience, and independence. -- helping them find their "True North." In Nepal, our INpowerment Center for Girls now houses and nurtures 40 full-time girls in the heart of the country's foremost child sex and orphanage trafficking district, providing them with equal access to education and leadership opportunities.

Previously doing business under Zama Advisory Services (Zama is the Mayan word for “sunrise” or “new beginning”), I provide advisory services to CEOs and/or owners of companies facing challenging periods of growth and change, particularly businesses that are “in transition” and/or in need of experienced executive leadership to help develop or refine their strategic and capital formation plans, with a focus on the change management essential to positioning the business for accelerated growth and equity appreciation. Recent clients have included a Denver-Boulder hospitality group with several highly-recognized restaurants, for whom I helped launch an heirloom wheat, stone milling operation, and a Denver-based publicly-traded cannabis company offering peripheral services and products across multiple states.

Gamma2 Robotics was an early stage developer of autonomous mobile robots for security providers and end-users seeking a reliable, cost-effective physical presence to observe, report, detect and deter threats such as intruders, suspicious or changed objects, gases, heat and humidity and to collect data utilized to mitigate risk. Prior to my arrival over $5 million had been invested in the development of a prototype which garnered significant industry attention but was still not ready for commercialization. While we raised an additional $1 million during my brief tenure, our complex capital structure presented a major obstacle for strategic and institutional investors. Without necessary funds for further development, the business ceased operations in January 2018.

A portfolio company of Z Capital Partners (a Chicago area private equity firm with over $2 billion of capital under management), Mrs. Fields Famous Brands ("Famous Brands") owns and manages two category-defining, iconic brands: Mrs. Fields Cookies and TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt). With over $43 million in corporate revenue, Famous Brands markets and distributes its products through a global network of over 750 franchise locations (which generate $250 million in revenue), a B2C and B2B gifting operation based in Salt Lake City, and numerous licensing arrangements.

Security Associates International, Inc. ("SAI"), the predecessor to CastleRock Security, was a financially-strapped $40 million, 300 employee, security alarm services company providing monitoring and other services to residential customers nationwide. After initially joining SAI as CFO, I engineered an asset purchase in late 2008 of the business by CastleRock Security (a new entity formed by a private equity firm), which then asked me to serve as President and CEO. As CEO, I restructured the senior management team to better leverage individual talents and experience, transitioned the business (vendor relationships, customer and dealer communications, licensing) to the new entity, refined process and procedure, and implemented further expense/cost reductions to preserve cash in a non-growth environment – while positioning the company for future growth or sale.

Coherent Technologies, Inc. was a $35 million, 200 employee, federal government contractor and developer of classified, high-performance, laser radar-based remote sensing systems. I was recruited as CFO to help lead a $75 million sale of the company (five months after joining) to Lockheed Martin Corporation at valuation multiples well above industry norms. For the subsequent 18 months I served as Director of Business Operations for the surviving line of business within the Space Systems Division of Lockheed Martin, guiding post-acquisition integration activities.

Gonzales Consulting was a $15 million, 260 employee, minority-owned federal government contractor providing emergency communications and IT support services to various agencies. Our major customer was the US Dept. of Homeland Security. As COO, I managed all internal administration (finance/accounting, contracts, human resources), project management and business development.

New Global Telecom was a fast-growth, 400 employee wholesale international long-distance service provider whose revenues grew from $3 million to $200 million in three years. Hired as SVP/CFO to help reposition the company as a facilities-based, globally integrated telecommunication company, I led the evaluation, negotiation and closing of acquisitions in Venezuela, Hong Kong and Los Angeles and the formation of a joint venture with an India-based telecom company. I closed a $33 million private equity round with private equity investors and a $25 million receivables-based line of credit during a very difficult financing environment.

Carlisle Holdings was a $1.2 billion diversified holding company controlled by the former chairman of ADT, Ltd. (see below), for which I sourced, evaluated and negotiated acquisitions for its commercial landscape division.

UltimateCom was a six-month old, 26 employee start-up company when I joined, formed to provide high-speed, wireless Internet access to small and mid-sized businesses. I dissolved the company when we failed to raise necessary private equity capital to drive execution of business plan, after heavy personal investment alongside wealthy outside investor.

ADT Security was a $2 billion, 10,000 employee provider of security alarm services at the time of its acquisition of Alert Centre (see below). As a member of a six-person senior team, I helped lead ADT through the implementation of a reengineering of its organizational structure to drive growth along “lines of business.” As SVP of Field Service (1/97-9/97), I guided five regional vice presidents in directing the activities of 2,000 technicians/customer service reps providing field service operations to 1.8 million customers throughout the U.S. As SVP of Dealer Development & Acquisitions (1/96-1/97), I oversaw the launch and management of ADT’s independent “authorized dealer” program and acquisition activities, turning a stagnant dealer program into the fastest growth segment of ADT, tripling the number of dealers and increased monthly production of new customers by 600% in less than a year. I also closed strategic and “fold-in” acquisitions of alarm service companies with aggregate revenues of $60 million. I left ADT following its $6 billion merger with Tyco International.

Alert Centre was a $60 million, 600 employee provider of security alarm services to residential and commercial customers nationwide. After advising the investor group through bankruptcy reorganization, I joined as EVP/CFO at request of investor group to partner with new CEO in leading the company through a post-bankruptcy organizational rebuild, operational turnaround, an initial SEC registration statement and a merger with ADT Security. I managed all corporate planning, acquisitions and divestitures, shareholder relations, and other administrative functions; was active in the development of its diverse growth and consolidation strategy; and was instrumentally involved in the $150 million merger with ADT Security Services in December 1995 at a per-share price that was more than six times the price of 12 months prior, garnering a ranking as the #1 performing Colorado-based public company stock in 1995.

Market Street Capital was a personal investment company through which I also served as President/CEO of Alert Funding Partners, Ltd.; as President/CEO of Phoenix American Alarm Affiliates, Inc.; and as Managing Partner of Barnes Johnson & Associates, a specialized investment banking firm providing corporate finance, M&A, and strategic planning services to middle-market security alarm companies.