Tim O'Connor Email & Phone Number

Monterey, California, Us

After Exemplars/Veritz was sold, I was recruited by Brentwood Associates to join a new executive team tasked with transforming this market-leading tech-enabled B2B and B2C company, which focuses on educational products and services from preschool to 5th grade. I lead our eCommerce business and channels, integrated AI marketing, web engineering, and business analytics.Developed and implemented an industry-leading integrated AI marketing, engineering, and analytics strategy that substantially grew new customers, lifetime value, top-line revenue, and EBITDA.Developed and launched an updated online platform, user experience, sticky services, and tech stack for eCommerce, achieving substantial growth and earning the title of #1 Early Education Online Superstore by Newsweek for five consecutive years (2020-2024).Led our initial launch into the Amazon channel as a third-party (3P) and then into a strategic first-party (1P) partnership with Amazon Education; it’s now a standalone business unit.

Monterey, California, Us

Took on an additional role at Excelligence, leading the acquisition of LifeCubby, a Childcare Center Management SaaS business. Successfully acquired and integrated the business, and subsequently merged it with Excelligence's online teacher training business, CCEI. In 2022, we sold LifeCubby to ProCare.

San Mateo, California, Us

American Innovation. World-Class Education. Redesigned K-12 education for curious, exceptional families.

Catching the startup bug again, I co-founded an online tutoring company, Exemplars (dba Veditz), which was named a Top 10 Startup by EDUCAUSE. We became the first EdTech company approved by the U.S. SEC to publicly raise equity via Regulation CF.Initially serving as the tutoring platform for Villanova University and four other universities, we discovered a meaningful niche and pivoted to create a marketplace for tutoring in 25 different sign languages, supporting the 70 million Deaf people worldwide. We built an innovative, first-of-its-kind sign language practice game using motion capture technology, and at the time of its acquisition by the European EdTech company T2C, we had users in 65 countries.

Growth consultant for private equity-owned portfolio companies from Bain Capital Ventures, Talisman Capital, and Vistria Group, as well as trendsetting VC-backed EdTech startups including DevBootcamp, Uversity, Courseload, and Ubiquity.

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

Together with La Salle University, co-founded an innovative non-profit aimed at increasing college graduation rates for educationally disadvantaged Latinos in California. This initiative, known as BUSCA, was recognized as a Bright Spot in Hispanic Education by the White House. During my time there, I also incubated Exemplars. After successfully raising seed capital, I exited BUSCA to pursue Exemplars full-time.

Following a long-time dream to start a company, I moved to Silicon Valley, were I was one of four executives at a Series A EdTech social venture and innovative accredited college, which Forbes named as one of the top 12 disruptors of 2013. Our goal was to make college affordable and accessible for educationally disadvantaged populations. Led marketing and enrollment services (sales) teams. Couldn’t find a sustainable path as a school and the company pivoted from being an education provider to an education SaaS platform and was subsequently sold to National University.

Made a conscious career pivot into EdTech to positively impact people's lives, focusing especially on educationally disadvantaged populations. At this private equity-owned online EdTech (accredited high school, middle-skills, and junior college owned by Sterling Partners), I led marketing, web engineering, and enrollment services. Over two years, we increased new customers / enrollments by 43% to approximately 80,000, reversing a 41% decline from the previous two years.

Norcross, Georgia, Us

Took on additional responsibilities leading product development and merchandising for the $1.5 billion packaging and supplies division.Developed and launched Respect™, a new environmentally friendlier private brand, that grew sales by 6% or $92 million in one year, achieving over 900 basis points in higher margins compared to our previous private brand Jan-San product portfolio.Increased EBITDA by 12% or $9 million annually within two years—when the total yearly EBITDA for Unisource was less than $75 million—through advanced price optimization across more than one million SKU/customer combinations.

Norcross, Georgia, Us

Part of the new executive team recruited by Bain Capital, to lead the turn-around of a $5 billion distribution business that was spun out of Georgia-Pacific.Led company-wide eCommerce strategy and channel, growing it from $60 million to $310 million over five years, achieving a 39% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Additionally, led marketing for the $1.5 billion packaging and supplies division.

Munich, De

Upon repatriating to the USA, took on the role of P&L leader for a $350 million electrical products and SaaS business. Improved the bottom line by $9 million through Six-Sigma methodologies, Design-to-Cost strategies, and the growth of our SaaS offerings.

Munich, De

Led worldwide marketing for Siemens eTransformation, which was the company’s top strategic initiative at the time. Additionally served on the Siemens CIO Managing Board, that oversaw the company's $5 billion annual IT spend and its global CRM, SCM, and PLM business processes.

Munich, De

Various marketing and product management roles focused on commercial building and hospital automation systems, products, and services.

Charlotte, North Carolina, Us

Various roles in sales, marketing, product management, and general management across commercial building, K-12, and industrial automation systems, products, and services.

Arlington, Virginia, Us

Served as a Combat Engineering Officer in the world's preeminent engineering organization. Roles included Platoon Leader, Company XO, Company Commander, Battalion S2/Intelligence, and Battalion S1/Personnel across active duty, National Guard, and reserve units. Service spanned from prior to the end of the Cold War through after the end of First Gulf War.

Mba

Army Engineering Officer, Civil And Combat Engineering

Ba, Communications