Founder & CEO of the Alpha IR Group, a niche investor relations (IR) consultancy, focused on small- and mid-cap retained clients and large-cap company project support. While Ashton Partners is now a part of IR folklore, a piece of its spirit lives on in the Alpha IR Group. Like Ashton, Alpha IR stands for high quality, value-added service; thought provoking thought leadership; and high-touch, senior level strategic counsel.

In 2010, I was promoted to a SMD and my role with FD (rebranded with parent company’s name, FTI Consulting, in 2011) then shifted to running North America’s Industrials Sector. As a sector leader I was tasked with running one of the larger sectors for FD’s North America group, and my focus was on talent management and global marketing, branding and networking within the Industrials arena.

Initially led the financial and operational integration of Ashton Partners into Financial Dynamics (FD) after Ashton was acquired in October of 2007. Performed all of the prior responsibilities of Ashton Partners, as well as all CFO duties during the transition. Completed our earnout in half the time expected and then fully integrated our group into the Capital Markets Segment of FD. At that point, my responsibilities moved to running FD’s full Chicago office, which included Capital Markets (i.e. IR), Corporate Communications, and Crises services. My specific roles beyond a full slate of client responsibilities included heading up the regional HR function, driving local branding and networking, budget building and management, being a member of FD’s North America matrix leadership, etc.

Co-founder of Ashton Partners, which was the premiere strategic investor relations (IR) firm in the industry over our decade long history. The firm grew every year of its existence from two to almost 60 people and eventually included offices in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco. My responsibilities in relative chronological order included: • Building all of the firm’s initial research and deliverables that formed the foundation of all our strategic IR programs;• Developed and drove all of the operational responsibilities of the company, the most important of which was our HR function as we developed some of the best young IR minds in the industry;• Selling and more importantly, servicing nearly half of our small- and mid-cap partners/clients through strategic counsel and proactive tactical support. Clients included: CEOs, CFOs, IROs, CorpComm heads and Board of Directors; • Other: opened and ran our greenfield Boston operation (7 people within two years); co-ran our direct sales and marketing efforts; developed numerous thought leadership papers around the IPO process, Guidance Policies, Transparency in IR Communications, etc.

Was a key senior member of CDA Equity Intelligence’s IR consultancy, which Thomson bought in 1995 in an effort to bring strategic IR consulting to its surveillance practice. Also, founded and ran the division’s small-cap technology marketing and consulting efforts.