Stephen D. Email & Phone Number

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Us

Senior advisors specializing in complex financial and operating situations. We are partners to attorneys, board members, investors, portfolio managers, executive teams, and stakeholders navigating business distress and complexity. Direct email is Stephen [@] algongroup.com.*My advisory and interim management-related consulting work is now with Algon. All strategic and operational program interventions remain part of Scramble Systems.

Hands-on interventions for middle-market and enterprise clients facing distress or urgent change.Client work: Global CPG manufacturer, a metal fabricator/manufacturer, a defense technology firm, a trucking/ transportation business, a 100,000+ member national governing association, a medical services provider, as well as enterprises TIAA, Manulife, Fidelity, and Microsoft.

Supported VP of Product in devising multi-stakeholder strategy and execution plan. Developed OKRs to impact $1B+ of revenue over 3 years.

Engaged by consulting firm to co-lead a merger exploration between two $25M+ organizations. Provided decision support and strategic analysis for executive teams; delivered virtual and in-person work sessions for executive teams to collaboratively craft strategic rationale and navigate the merger process.

Ground-up COO/CFO for early-stage edtech marketing startup founded by seasoned entrepreneur/investor through $2.5MM seed round.⧫ Recruited to build finance and operations backbone.⧫ Drove and managed funding process. Led buildout of pro forma financials, budgeting, investment collateral, and coordination resulting in over-subscribed $2.5MM seed round. ⧫ Jointly set strategic North Star and OKRs.⧫ Developed product/service roadmaps and partnerships with institutions focused on helping students land jobs and find meaningful career paths amid pandemic. ⧫ Oversaw HR responsibilities, including hiring 9 new team members.⧫ Provided weekly Board updates with CEO.⧫ Transitioned role to new EVP.

Jointly engaged by senior secured creditor and debtor to lead transportation/logistics carrier through bankruptcy. Exited Chapter 11 in Dec. 2018 with new CEO and bolt-on acquisition.⧫ Secured $3MM DIP facility from PE financial sponsor.⧫ Implemented 90-day plan to right-size fleet and headcount to generate near-term cash, reduce liabilities, and absorb 70% decrease in annual revenue, from $22MM. ⧫ Constructed 13-week cashflow budget, MORs, and daily/weekly/monthly reporting protocols and internal controls to manage severe liquidity constraints and deploy DIP financing.⧫ Increased unit economics by 10-30% profitability on new cargo bids, restructured unprofitable contracts, and favorably resolved dispute with global manufacturer to collect $225K.⧫ Served as point-person for dozens of creditors, attorneys, and customers while steering marketing/diligence efforts for anticipated asset sale to a PE-sponsored trucking company.

Facing a $400M+ contingent liability, I was engaged by Board of this 100,000+ member association to develop and execute 60-day operating plan as organization entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy and re-initiated search for new President.⧫ Supported Board, bankruptcy counsel, CFO, and comms team into and through early stages of Chapter 11 filing. ⧫ Reconstructed multi-department, $30+MM budget model from GL for program-level use.⧫ Provided guidance on MOR and bankruptcy report/filings.⧫ Introduced strategic planning and daily reporting functions to division leaders. ⧫ Managed transition to monthly cashflow budgeting.

Raised Series B funding, completed spin-out & commercialization of SBIR-funded defense technology platform.⧫ Key member of $5MM Series B fundraising team.⧫ Modeled Use of Proceeds and 3-year budget plan for DoD procurement and go-to-market strategy for multi-year R&D budget supporting the NGSW program exceeding $370MM, with an estimated $1.5B expected to field 250,000 systems over 10 years.⧫ Supported CEO in planning and execution of strategic priorities, operational decisions and implementation, and structuring strategic partnerships with leading industry partners. ⧫ Focused the product management plan/process leading up to the submission to the Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) and other mission-critical business milestones.⧫ Audited and co-piloted reconstruction of overly-complex capitalization table.

Overhauled cost structure, refocused sales team on profitability and pipeline, & restored a team culture of accountability.⧫ Developed and managed the strategic execution of the stabilization plan.⧫ Implemented cash-management reporting procedures to reduce monthly expenditures by 80% in 4 months—from as high as $2MM down to $400K—and eliminated over $1MM of unprofitable revenue.⧫ Rescued a critical $1MM contract with a prime defense contractor resulting in immediate working capital savings of $450K and collecting $225K in revenue with an additional $100K+ consideration upon contract completion in Q1 2018.⧫ Restructured $20MM in liabilities to $10MM in coordination with ownership, counsel, and creditors.⧫ Established clear 2018 revenue and profitability targets and focused sales team on selling core competencies using a new bid process.

Developed operational backbone ahead of expansion into the new Boston HQ for Boston-based consumer packaged good (CPG) food innovation lab at critical growth stage.⧫ Key initiatives included cost management systems, recruiting/hiring (20+ hires), ingredient supply/procurement operations, team performance (developed KPI approach), HR compliance, IT management, vendor management, contract negotiations, and strategy.

Evanston, Il, Us

Led the 10-week venture-building summer intensive with The Garage at Northwestern. This venture accelerator supported 10 early-stage venture teams launching startups. The experiential-based curriculum takes teams from idea to MVP, while developing students as both leaders and founders. Teams are mentored by a cross-section of Northwestern's and greater Chicago's renowned entrepreneurs, investors, and startup domain experts.Each Wildfire team receives initial non-dilutive seed funding and is then eligible to showcase and pitch their startups to an audience of Northwestern students, faculty, mentors and partners for a prize pool of $10,000 non-dilutive capital. Visit thegarage.northwestern.edu to learn about the stellar Garage team and programming.

Cambridge, Ma, Us

One of the most accomplished and engaged collegiate gymnastics club programs in the country. I oversaw athletes' safety and development while keeping the team motivated and accountable in workouts and competitions. This program convenes hard-working, earnest, and neurodiverse student athletes of all kinds (undergrad to post-doc) and ages (from 17 to 50+ y/o). Our team achieved numerous national NAIGC accolades and recognitions during this tenure. Team members grew MIT's scholar-gymnast community, hosted competitions, and successfully challenged dominant cultural sport norms leading the way for new approaches, such as the Decathalon (competing both traditional Men's and Women's events).

Washington, Dc, Us

Global financial services firm with an emerging market focus across power, oil & gas, telecom, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. Services ranged from strategic business planning to coordination with global private and public capital sources and stakeholders. Involved in a diverse portfolio of international projects:⧫ Raised $25MM for a hydropower plant roll-out in Latin America.⧫ Co-authored Mmamabula (Botswana) power station project report for Ministry of Minerals, Energy, & Water.⧫ Advised public company deploying teleco infrastructure and data center networks in the Togolese Republic.

Bethesda, Maryland, Us

$200MM private equity fund focused on control buyouts of underperforming companies with revenues of $25-150MM. Executed turnaround and growth plans for select portfolio companies of underperforming low-to-mid market companies. ⧫ Deployed aggressive cost-reduction program to rescue $60MM camper trailer manufacturer with Operating Partner and management.⧫ Overhauled employee compensation plan for newly acquired $81MM, 700-person Florida-based media clearing house.⧫ Audited, reconciled, and monitored 7 companies’ monthly/quarterly/annual reporting against performance targets. ⧫ Involved in day-to-day operations and enterprise value-building projects, while assisting with due diligence and new acquisition efforts.

Richmond, Va, Us

Middle-market investment bank closed an aggregate of 44 M&A transactions valued at $3B in 2007. Focused on driving deals to close across full M&A/capital raising lifecycle.⧫ Modeled LBO, DCF, and ad-hoc analyses; prepared pro forma projections for buy/sell-side engagements, client pitches, confidential information memoranda, and management presentations.⧫ Served as primary contact for deal and diligence execution for 7 transactions, ranging from $15-500MM, across managed services, CLECs, technology commercialization, regional service providers, and engineering services.⧫ Built robust go-to-market operating plans for the sale of a mid-market wireless broadband network operator. ⧫ Achieved 2nd most profitable group per capita across i-banking platform in <2 years.

Growing up in my grandfather's children's shoe store, I experienced the value and vibrancy that local businesses brought to our community. Local Focal was a credit card reward affinity program founded to help local mom-and-pop businesses in America's small towns and cities more effectively compete against big box retailers and franchises. Unwound business in 2005 and made investors whole. Joined an investment banking team.

Founded while a high school student in 1999, the Center remained in operation until 2009. Our founding team rallied community teens to take action on the issues ranging from inclusion to community governance. The Teen Center was my proverbial lemonade stand.The Abington Youth Center (AYC), founded in 1999 as "The Underground," was the first youth-run, youth-led teen center of the Abington community, located outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The center was awarded the prestigious $50,000 Josten's "Our Town" grant in 2001.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Finance And Operations

Economics