Our Team
Our team is comprised of highly experienced business leaders who have come together to serve Texas companies and our local economies by solving problems across functional boundaries. Collectively we have worked with thousands of businesses to remove the hurdles that block growth and impair profits. The diversity of our team provides many unique perspectives that we coordinate in a cohesive manner. With our combined talents and experience, we are a powerful force in the business of business improvement.
Jim Ratchford
Executive Director
Improving Lives
for more than 30 years
Robert E. Gardner
Chairman of the Board & Business Advocate
Planning for Unforeseen Risk
for more than 30 years
Darryl W. Haynes
Board President & Business Advocate
Improving Resource Management
for more than 30 years
Doug Taeckens
Board Member & Director of Partner Relations
Improving Global Sales Performance
for more than 30 years
Charles E. Payne (Chip)
Director of Executive Relations
Improving Leadership Success
For more than 20 years
Ritchie B. Norrell
Director of Finance
Improving Financial Performance
for more than 30 years
Karen Perkins
Director of Technology
Improving Processes and Client Relationships
for more than 20 years
Phil O. Reyna
Director of Human Resources
Improving Employee Engagement
for more than 20 years
Rich Sweeney
Director of Business Advocacy
Improving Leadership & Sales Training
for more than 30 years
Denis Alexander
Business Advisor
Improving Technical Team Performance
for more than 20 years
Tom Allen
Business Initiator
Improving Company Goals
for more than 30 years
Phillip Andrews
Business Advocate
Improving Business & Leadership Effectiveness
for more than 40 years
Mark Arciero
Business Advocate
Improving Company Performance Through Restructuring
for more than 30 years
Allen Andress
Business Advisor
Improving Operational Performance
for more than 30 years
Gabe Austein
Business Advisor
Improving Processes with Technology
for more than 5 years
Dana Battaglia
Business Initiator
Improving Leadership Success
For more than 20 years
Edwin Beall
Business Advisor
Improving Operational Transformation
for more than 20 years
Jack Beam
Business Advocate
Improving Business Performance
for more than 40 years
Brian Bingham
Business Initiator
Improving Risk Management
for more than 20 years
Stevie Dawn Blakely
Business Advisor
Improving Workplace Communication and Leadership
for more than 10 years
Douglas D. Box
Business Advisor
Improving the family-owned firm
for more than 30 years
Dan Bradbary
Business Advisor
Improving M&A Integration
for more than 20 years
Brandon Brumfield
Business Advisor
Improving Maximum Operational Value
for more than 10 years
Becky Busker
Business Advisor
Improving Accounting and Business Controls
for more than 20 years
Donna Clark
Business Advisor
Improving Organizational Development
for more than 20 years
John Cochran
Business Advisor
Improving Your Bottom Line
for more than 20 years
John Cravens
Business Advisor
Improving Comprehensive Wealth Planning
for more than 30 years
Tyler Dawson
Business Advisor
Improving Business Effectiveness
for more than 40 years
James Deets
Business Advisor
Improving Employee Compensation & Benefits
for more than 20 years
Kevin Dial
Business Initiator
Improving Supply Chain Value
for more than 20 years
Kenni Driver
Business Advisor
Improving Revenue and Results
for more than 30 years
Elyse Eriksson
Business Advisor
Improving Corporate Export Practices
for more than 20 years
Carl Forsythe
Business Advisor
Improving Business Transformation
for more than 30 years
Eric Gachelin
Business Advisor
Improving Organizational Effectiveness and HR
for more than 20 years
Chris Goade
Business Initiator
Improving Sales Leadership
for more than 30 years
Lisa Gunter
Business Initiator
Improving Banking Relationships and Solutions
for more than 20 years
Danny Hendrix
Business Advisor
Improving Business Effectiveness and Efficiency
for more than 30 years
Harold Hickey
Business Advisor
Improving Operational Alignment & Implementation
for more than 20 years
Larry Hiney
Business Advisor
Improving Operations & Financial Health
for more than 20 years
Judy Hoberman
Business Advisor
Improving Sales and Customer Relationships
for more than 30 years
Phyllis Hoffschwelle
Business Advisor
Improving Business Growth
for more than 20 years
Lawrence Howorth
Business Advisor
Improving International Trade and Development
for more than 20 years
Ken Huffman
Business Advocate
Improving Business through Advanced Tax Strategies
for more than 20 years
Mitch Johnson
Business Initiator
Improving Business Performance
for more than 30 years
Beth Jones
Business Advisor
Improving Employee Engagement
for more than 30 years
Joe Keever
Business Advisor
Improving Business Optimization
for more than 20 years
Don Knudsen
Business Advocate
Improving Revenue and Profits
for more than 30 years
Dorothy Kuhn
Business Advocate
Improving Accountability and Leadership
for more than 20 years
Sanjay Kalluvilayil
Business Advisor
Improving Strategy Execution and Value Creation
For more than 30 years
Jimmy Keene
Business Advisor
Improving Business Success via Strategic Insights
For more than 20 years
Lynn Krebs
Business Advocate
Improving Property Tax Savings
for more than 20 years
Ray Li
Business Advisor
Improving Operational Transformation
for more than 20 years
Todd Lowe
Business Advisor
Improving Manufacturing Operational Excellence
for more than 20 years
David Manchee
Business Advisor
Improving Recruitment of Critical Talent
for more than 40 years
David Marlow
Business Advocate
Improving Companies Value
for more than 30 years
Luiz R. Mendes
Business Advisor
Improving Operational Processes
for more than 20 years
Doreen Milano
Business Advisor
Improving Collateral Performance
for more than 30 years
Darryl Miller
Business Advisor
Improving Organizational Processes
for more than 30 years
Mark Mitford
Business Advisor
Improving Talent and Performance Management
for more than 20 years
Ron Mitori
Business Advocate
Improving Profitability and Processes
for more than 30 years
Mariann Montgomery
Business Advocate
Improving Business Transitions
for more than 20 years
Mark Neace
Business Advisor
Improving Marketing Outcomes
for more than 20 years
Jim Pancero
Business Advisor & Speaker
Improving Sales & Sales Leadership
for more than 40 years
Donna Pankotai
Business Advisor
Improving Corporate Risk Management
for more than 30 years
Valerie Pelan
Business Advisor
Improving Leadership & Business Execution
for more than 30 years
Robert Pene
Business Advisor
Improving Marketing, Business Building & Turnarounds
for more than 40 years
Gary W. Phillips
Business Initiator
Improving Operational Performance
for more than 20 years
Dave Rettig Sr.
Business Advocate
Improving HR Management
for more than 30 years
Claude Smith
Business Advisor
Improving Manufacturing Processes
for more than 20 years
Betty Schnaufer
Business Advocate
Improving the Exit Process for Business Owners
for more than 20 years
Chuck Scoville
Business Advocate
Improving Business Process Transformation
for more than 30 years
Hajo Siemers
Business Advisor
Improving Profit & Growth
for more than 30 years
Yoram Solomon
Business Advisor
Improving Culture of Innovation
for more than 20 years
David Steed
Business Advisor
Improving Sales and Marketing Results
for more than 30 years
Clayton Stockdall, Jr.
Business Advisor
Improving Bottom Line Results
for more than 30 years
James J Talerico, Jr
Business Advisor
Improving SMB Performance and Exit
For more than 30 years
Michael (Mike) Topa
Business Advisor
Improving Value Creation
For more than 20 years
Roger Tremblay
Business Advisor
Improving Recruitment of Critical Talent
for more than 40 years
Paul Trippett
Business Advisor
Improving the Bottom Line
for more than 20 years
Sean Usman
Business Advisor
Improving Profitable Growth
for more than 10 years
