As founders, operators, and innovators, we are your partners.
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Blake Patton
Managing Partner, Engage & Tech Square Ventures
Blake Patton
Managing Partner
Blake Patton is the founder and Managing General Partner of Tech Square Ventures where he leads investments in enterprise software, marketplace, and platform technology companies. Under his leadership, the firm has invested in more than 100 early-stage companies and launched Engage, an innovative corporate innovation and enterprise startup accelerator program.
Prior to founding Tech Square Ventures, Blake was General Manager of the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech – named by Forbes as one of the “Top 12 Incubators Changing the World”. Prior to leading ATDC, he served as President & COO of Interactive Advisory Software and EVP of iXL, an internet services company that he joined through the acquisition of Swan Media and was part of the executive team that grew the company from startup to over $400 million in annualized revenue and an IPO. He started his career as an Associate at SEI Corporation.
Blake is an active leader in the technology community, serving on the boards of Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures (GATV) and High Tech Ministries. He also serves on the ATDC Advisory Board and is a former Chairman of Venture Atlanta and former Chairman of the Center for American Entrepreneurship. Blake is a part-time Professor of the Practice at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, where he teaches Entrepreneurial Finance.
Blake earned a Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering degree from Georgia Tech, where he was captain of the swim team. He was inducted into the Georgia Tech College of Engineering’s Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni, is a former Georgia Tech Alumni Association Trustee, and previously served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.
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Bill Nussey
Partner, Engage & Tech Square Ventures
Bill Nussey
Partner
Bill is a Partner at Tech Square Ventures where he supports the firm’s early-stage investments and oversees the growth of the Engage program and fund
Bill spent most of his career as a tech CEO. His first company, which he co-founded in high school, provided graphics software for early, text-based personal computers. His second company, Da Vinci Systems, was started out of his college dorm room and grew to serve millions of users across 45 countries. Later, he spent several years as a venture capitalist with Greylock. In 1998, he left the firm to become CEO of a portfolio company, iXL, which went public and grew to nearly $500 million in revenue. After iXL, he joined Silverpop as CEO. The company grew to nearly $100 million in recurring revenue and became a global leader in cloud-based marketing. In 2014, IBM acquired the company and made it the foundation of the IBM Marketing Cloud. Shortly after the acquisition, Bill was promoted to IBM’s VP of Corporate Strategy, helping the CEO and SVPs set IBM’s strategic roadmap.
In 2018, Bill co-founded Solar Inventions to commercialize a series of scientific breakthroughs for improving the manufacturing of solar cells and panels. He has spent his career in the tech industry, centered on go-to-market and customer experience, and over the last few years, he has focused on energy and sustainability.
Bill received a degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds several patents and has published three books.
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Taylor Chance
Director of Corporate Innovation
Taylor Chance
Corporate Director
With parents who met in corporate America and an older sister whose business idea made it on Shark Tank and Good Morning America, Taylor loves connecting with people to understand and help solve their pain points. While she originally thought that meant being a doctor, her upbringing gave her a natural talent of problem solving for C-suite executives.
After studying international affairs at The University of Georgia, Taylor worked for Gartner as a Senior Researcher and ran a non-profit called National Student Leadership, which focuses on equipping the next generation of student leaders through the idea of servant leadership. She brought that leadership framework to Marriott International where she served as a Senior Manager of Enterprise Strategy for the Global Loyalty Business, and at Atlanta-based management consulting firm, GXG.
Taylor is currently the Director of Corporate Innovation at Tech Square Ventures, where she’s responsible for building a world-class program at Engage that delivers accelerated innovation, learning, and networking opportunities to our Corporate Limited Partners and executives.
Outside of work, Taylor plays basketball and pickleball, collects children’s books, and frequently visits museums in admiration of their architecture and design. She has most recently served as a member of Women Shaping Shepherd, which is a group of women who collectively support patient programs at the Shepherd Center Foundation.
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Maddie Harper
Manager, Enterprise Accelerator Program
Maddie Harper
Manager, Enterprise Accelerator Program, Engage
Not many people have been exposed to entrepreneurship since they were in a stroller, but Maddie is an exception. Her parents run their own business as landscape architects, and her mom would take her to business meetings at a very young age, absorbing discussions around designing roads and public spaces in urban areas, introducing modern ideas to local governments and institutions. Her parents were not surprised when she started a side hustle in elementary school, selling homemade hair bows & jewelry during recess.
While attending Georgia Tech for a business degree, Maddie specialized in supply chain and operations, with a particular passion for product management. Her first internship was for Stackfolio, a machine learning-enabled online marketplace for loan trading and participation, where she spent three years in a variety of roles.
Knowing she wanted to sit in innovation between small startups and large corporations, Maddie joined Tech Square Ventures and is currently the Manager of the Engage Launch Program, which is a go-to-market accelerator, where she is responsible for operations and program support.
Outside of work, Maddie is going on adventures with her husband Tyler, raising her English Labrador Zeppelin, and playing bass guitar in her family band. She’s also a volunteer at Heartbound Ministries, which supports prison communities through faith-based programming.
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David Malloy
Associate,
Tech Square VenturesDavid Malloy
Associate, Tech Square Ventures
Born in Ohio and raised in Atlanta, David’s career has taken him there and back again, and he’s built communities along the way. When he attended The Ohio State University, he was the Communications Director at the Buckeye Social Entrepreneurship Program, which focused on building businesses that give back to the community. His love for networking with entrepreneurs led him to start an angel accelerator called the Buildternship Program that helped college students turn their ideas into venture-backable businesses and helped 20+ companies raise $1.5M in funding.
Bit by the startup bug himself, David started a feedback analytics company in the consumer intelligence space, which notably helped Duolingo implement a TikTok strategy to become the fifth most popular consumer brand on social media. He applied his early-stage experience to LOUD Capital, a leading Columbus-based venture firm, where he grew from intern to associate over a five year period, sourcing and executing deals in supply chain, healthcare, and B2B SaaS.
David moved back to Atlanta upon joining Tech Square Ventures as an Associate, where he’s focused on investing in companies out of the Engage funds, while supporting entrepreneurs in our portfolio.
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Scott Lopano
Partner,
Tech Square VenturesScott Lopano
Partner, TECH SQUARE VENUTRES
Scott is a Partner at Tech Square Ventures where he leads the investment team and co-investment network, while overseeing the internship and EIR programs at the firm.
Scott has had a passion for building high performing teams from a young age, where he was most often found on the soccer or football field. He attended The University of Pennsylvania where he studied Finance at Wharton and was the four-year starting punter & kicker for Penn Football. After three Ivy League championships and a few NFL tryouts, he hung up his cleats for a career in finance and joined the Investment Banking group at UBS in New York City. He covered insurance companies and banks and helped his clients raise $26B in preferred stock and debt capital during his time.
Following UBS, Scott joined Tech Square Ventures to pursue a passion in building a firm, supporting entrepreneurs at the early stage, and investing in the future of the Southeast. Scott was the first hire and originally led all transactions at the firm, established the firm’s investment process, and built the infrastructure needed to scale.
With three young kids at home, outside the office you can find Scott between the soccer fields and trying out new cocktail recipes with his wife. He’s also an active member of the Atlanta startup community, sitting on the board of Venture Atlanta and helping founders at Atlanta Tech Village as a mentor.
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Joelle Fox
CFO & Operating Partner,
Tech Square VenturesJoelle Fox
CFO & Operating Partner, TECH SQUARE VENUTRES
Being raised in a highly competitive family, Joelle took her father’s experience playing minor league baseball for the Cubs, along with his time as a finance executive, and applied it directly to her own career in the business world.
After studying finance and accounting at the University of Tennessee, Joelle joined PwC as an auditor. Following nearly a decade at the firm, she transitioned into the world of startups, helping accelerate growth through M&A transactions. She joined iXL, an internet services company that grew to over $400M in annualized revenue and completed an IPO during the dot-com era. While there, she led financial due diligence on iXL’s 40 acquisitions, with her first acquisition target being Blake Patton’s company, Swan Media.
Looking to get into earlier stage startups, Joelle joined Velocity Medical Solutions which commercialized technology developed at Emory University in the oncology space. Sitting alongside a team of scientists, engineers and medical professionals, she was the first business-oriented person at the company. She helped lead the company’s growth to 30+ employees and an acquisition by Varian Medical Systems, where she worked post-acquisition.
Joelle joined TSV after a gathering with Blake, Bill Nussey, and other members of the iXL group whose relationships formed years ago. As CFO and Operating Partner, Joelle manages operations, treasury, fund administration and accounting, supports the investment process, and assists portfolio companies with financial and operating strategies.
Outside of work, Joelle likes to apply her competitive nature to fitness, travel and any adventures her friends and family want to pursue.
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Jason Kuo
Principal,
Tech Square VenturesJason Kuo
Principal, Tech Square Ventures
With a mom as a registered nurse, and a wife as an Emory physician, Jason has been surrounded by healthcare his entire life. After studying information systems at Carnegie Mellon, he applied his engineering background to various product roles at successful healthcare tech companies, before joining Patientco (acquired by Waystar) as one of the first product managers.
Following his time at Patientco, Jason completed his MBA at Emory and joined Citizens Bank, helping founders raise capital and navigating successful acquisitions as a healthcare-focused investment banker. From there, he started a legal tech startup to help international students navigate the complexities of building a life and career in the US, and after two years leading the company, joined Tech Square Ventures.
As a Principal on the investment team, Jason is responsible for sourcing and executing transactions, as well as growing portfolio companies post-investment, and is a Board Observer at Paccurate and DocStation.
Outside of work, Jason builds and rides bicycles (he used to race motorcycles), competes in marathons and triathlons, and spends time with his two kids and their Lhasa Apso.
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Jordan Greenberg
Associate & Chief of Staff,
Tech Square VenturesJordan Greenberg
Associate & Chief of Staff, Tech Square Ventures
Growing up in suburban Minnesota, Jordan developed a growing interest in technology and entrepreneurship at a young age, when his oldest brother moved to Silicon Valley to design computer chips at Intel. Jordan would spend his free time building circuits and learning how to code, with an aspiration of using technology to bring new ideas to life.
Since graduating with an engineering degree from Stanford University, and finishing his last year on the varsity swim team as a captain, Jordan has worked as an engineer at various venture capital and private equity firms, using data science to reimagine the traditional investment process. Previously, he’s been a Machine Learning Engineer at Vista Equity Partners, a Data Science and Investment Analyst at Norwest Venture Partners, and most recently a Data Science Consultant for General Catalyst.
Jordan joined Tech Square Ventures as an Associate and Chief of Staff, where he is responsible for investment activity and supporting the Managing Partner.
Outside of work, Jordan enjoys taking his dog to Fetch Park with his wife Ornella, and keeps his neighbors occupied by playing piano a little too late into the evening.
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Matthew Stevens
Entrepreneur in Residence,
Tech Square VenturesMatthew Stevens
Entrepreneur in Residence
Finding himself programming his first computer (a TI-99/4A) at 12 years old, Matt has always had an interest in technology. This led him to study computer science in college, but also delve into management to understand how he could apply his engineering skills to being an entrepreneur.
Matt used his skills, along with early professional experience as a programmer, to start, scale, and sell several successful businesses. He co-founded CENTEGIX, which was twice recognized by Inc 5000 as a Fastest Growing Company in America, before being acquired by Gauge Capital Partners. Prior to that, he co-founded Infrapoint, which provided cloud hosting and computing services, which subsequently sold to DC Blox.
Wanting to apply his operating background to early stage investing, Matt joined Tech Square Ventures as an Entrepreneur in Residence. He supports the firm’s new investments and advises portfolio companies on go-to-market acceleration and scaling for growth.
Matt spends his spare time with his family, mainly in outdoor activities, as well as volunteering in his local community through High Tech Ministries, Creative Destruction Labs and host of other nonprofits.
Engage’s Board is comprised of Fortune 500 Executives and proven Investors.
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Andrew Schlossberg
Chief Executive Officer, Invesco
Andrew Schlossberg
Invesco Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Schlossberg has been in the asset management industry since 1996 and has been with Invesco Ltd. since 2001. He has served in multiple leadership roles across the company’s businesses and locations. Prior to becoming President and CEO, Mr. Schlossberg served as Senior Managing Director and Head of Invesco’s Americas region. Prior to that role, he was based in Invesco’s UK office as Senior Managing Director, Head of EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), and Chair of the Board of Invesco UK Limited. Before the UK, he served as Head of US Retail Distribution and Global ETFs and was US Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Global Corporate Development. He has also held leadership roles in strategy and product development in the company’s North American Institutional and Retirement divisions. Prior to joining Invesco, Mr. Schlossberg worked with Citigroup Asset Management and its predecessors from 1996 to 2000. He currently serves on the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee of the Investment Company Institute.
Mr. Schlossberg earned a B.S. in finance and international business from the University of Delaware and a M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Mr. Schlossberg has spent over 25 years in the asset management industry in a variety of leadership roles and has obtained a wealth of knowledge regarding the company’s industry and significant leadership experience.
Mr. Schlossberg’s experience in Invesco’s EMEA region has provided him with a global outlook that adds value to both the Board and the management team.
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Ed Bastian
CEO,
DeltaEd Bastian
CEO, Delta
An 18-year Delta veteran, Ed Bastian was a central part of the team that led the airline from bankruptcy to its current position as the industry’s leader. Named Delta’s CEO in May 2016, Bastian is committed to putting Delta’s shared values of honesty, integrity, respect, perseverance and servant leadership at the core of every decision.
Under Bastian’s leadership, Delta is focused on operating the nation’s most reliable and customer-centric airline, expanding its global footprint, and striving to become the airline of choice for the next generation of travelers.
Bastian joined Delta in 1998 as Vice President – Finance and Controller and was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2000. He left Delta in early 2004 and became Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Acuity Brands.
He returned to Delta six months later to become Chief Financial Officer and lead Delta through its restructuring. In 2007 Bastian was appointed to serve as Delta’s President, from where he oversaw Delta’s commercial and international functions and strengthened Delta’s financial foundation through innovation, debt reduction, revenue growth and bolstering the airline’s global network.
Prior to joining Delta, Bastian held senior finance positions at Frito-Lay International and Pepsi-Cola International. Bastian started his career with Price Waterhouse where he became an audit partner in its New York practice.
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Paul Brown
Co-Founder and CEO,
Inspire BrandsPaul Brown
Co-Founder and CEO, Inspire Brands
Paul Brown serves as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes nearly 32,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, Rusty Taco, and SONIC Drive-In restaurants worldwide. Inspire is supported by more than 650,000 company and franchise team members. In 2021, its brands achieved $30 billion in global system sales, making Inspire the second largest restaurant company in the United States.
Prior to founding Inspire, Brown was Chief Executive Officer of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc.
Arby’s turnaround “can be attributed to Brown’s vision and leadership,” according to Fortune. As CEO, he launched several transformative initiatives across the brand’s global system with a focus on innovation, including: introducing a new brand purpose, Inspiring Smiles Through Delicious Experiences®; unveiling a visionary restaurant design that increases energy efficiency; launching a team member training program that is centered on goal setting; and fostering a unique approach to product development that reinforces the brand’s We Have The Meats® marketing.
Prior to Arby’s, Brown served as President of Brands and Commercial Services of Hilton Worldwide. The global hospitality company is comprised of ten brands including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hampton by Hilton, and Home2 Suites by Hilton. Brown was the company’s global leader for brand management, product standards, marketing, sales, pricing, e-Commerce, loyalty programs, franchise relations, and information technology.
Brown also previously served with Expedia, Inc., the world’s leading online travel company, as President of Expedia.com and Expedia’s Partner Services Group. Prior to Expedia, Brown was a partner at the McKinsey & Company. Based in London, he was a leader of the firm’s global travel and hospitality practice and served clients across the travel, hospitality, and retail sectors. Brown has worked with InterContinental Hotels Group as Senior Vice President of Global Brand Services and was responsible for global sales, reservations, the Priority Club loyalty program, e-Commerce, and purchasing. He was also a Manager for The Boston Consulting Group in the firm’s Chicago and Atlanta offices.
For his leadership, Brown was named by Business Insider in 2019 as one of the 10 People Transforming Retail. He was also named the 2018 Norman Award recipient by Nation’s Restaurant News, a 2018 Silver Plate honoree by IFMA, the 2017 Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business, and a 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year in Retail and Consumer Products in the Southeast by EY. In 2020, Brown became a member of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council.
Brown is chairman of the board of directors of Neiman Marcus Group and a member of the board of directors of FOCUS Brands, Inc. He is also active in the community, serving on the boards of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Georgia Tech Foundation, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee.
Brown is an alumnus of Georgia Tech where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in management. He also received an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Master of Engineering Management from the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is currently a Fellow with the Culinary Institute of America and has served as an executive-in-residence at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.
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Angel Cabrera
President,
Georgia TechAngel Cabrera
President, Georgia Tech
Ángel Cabrera is the 12th president of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Cabrera came to Georgia Tech on Sept. 1, 2019, after serving for seven years as president of George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia.
A top-10 public research university in the U.S., Georgia Tech has outstanding programs in business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and the sciences. With 40,000 students and more than 170,000 living alumni who work in business, industry, and government throughout the world, Georgia Tech has become internationally recognized for the quality of its educational and research programs.
Under his leadership, more than 5,700 members of the Georgia Tech community contributed to a new 10-year strategic plan that launched in November 2020. The plan is grounded on a new mission statement that reaffirms Tech’s commitment to “developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.”
As the president of Georgia Tech during the Covid-19 pandemic, he is leading the Institute through one of the most critical times in its history to prioritize the health and safety of the Tech community and to develop innovative solutions to combat the disease.
Under his leadership at GMU, the university accounted for more than half of all enrollment growth in Virginia, increased student outcomes, and joined the top tier of research universities in the Carnegie Classification. From 2004 to 2012, Cabrera served as president at Thunderbird School of Global Management, now part of Arizona State University. Between 1998 and 2004, he was dean of IE Business School in Madrid.
As a business educator, Cabrera has played a key role in advancing professional ethics, internationalization, and corporate social responsibility. In 2007, while serving as a senior advisor to the United Nations Global Compact, he was the lead author of the “Principles for Responsible Management Education” (PRME). A United Nations–supported initiative that advances sustainable development through management education, PRME has now adopted by more than 800 schools around the world. He is also a co-founder of the University Global Coalition, a global network of universities working in partnership with the United Nations in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
He’s been named a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, a “Star of Europe” by Businessweek, a “Henry Crown Fellow” by the Aspen Institute, and a “Great Immigrant” by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He has received honorary degrees from Miami Dade College and Universidad Politécnica of Madrid.
Cabrera serves on the boards of the National Geographic Society, the Atlanta Committee for Progress, the Bankinter Foundation for Innovation, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
Cabrera earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Georgia Tech, which he attended as a Fulbright Scholar. He also holds a telecommunications engineering degree (B.S. and M.S. in computer and electrical engineering) from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He has published extensively in academic journals and has been featured or quoted in leading media around the world.
He is married to management scholar and Georgia Tech classmate Elizabeth. Their son Alex is a recent Georgia Tech graduate and currently a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University. Their daughter Emilia is a senior at Harvard University. Cabrera is the first native of Spain to serve as president of an American university.
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Dan Cathy
Chairman,
Chick-fil-ADan Cathy
Chairman, Chick-fil-A
As CEO of one of the nation’s largest family-owned businesses, Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy represents the next generation of leadership for the Atlanta-based fast-food chicken restaurant chain founded by his father, S. Truett Cathy. Eager to incorporate his own skills and talents into the business, Cathy has taken an unconventional, yet personally and professionally rewarding approach to Chick-fil-A leadership.
With a firm handshake and kind smile Dan T. Cathy, chairman and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A, greets a family in a restaurant dining room saying, “Hi. I’m Dan. I work in customer service.”
Cathy has been defining his role in “customer service” for more than 40 years — even before officially joining Chick-fil-A, Inc. in 1970. As the eldest son of one of the most influential restaurateurs of the last century, Cathy has dedicated much of his life to building upon his father S. Truett Cathy’s pioneering vision to care for people by providing food and customer service that exceeds expectations.
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Dave Dase
Head of Investment Banking SE Region, Goldman Sachs
Dave Dase
Head of Investment Banking SE Region, Goldman Sachs
Dave Dase is head of the Investment Banking Division’s Southeast Region and has primary responsibility for clients in the Southeast as well as the media, information services, internet, telecom, and sports sectors.
He is a member of the Firmwide Commitments Committee and a member of the Investment Banking Services Captains Group. Dase has served as co-head of Client Coverage for the Technology, Media, and Telecom Group. Previously, he was a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate Groups. Dase joined Goldman Sachs in 1994 and was named managing director in 2003 and partner in 2012.
Dase is a member of the Executive Committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, a member of IoT.ATL, a program that intends to increase the region’s tech sector, and a member of Cornell University Council.
In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of New York City Outward Bound. Dase has served as an adjunct professor at Cornell University, teaching a course on corporate finance and investment management. Dase earned a BA in Economics from Cornell University, where he played varsity football and baseball, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Kevin Dehoff
President & CEO,
Honeywell Connected EnterpriseKevin Dehoff
President & CEO, Honeywell Connected Enterprise
Kevin Dehoff serves as President and CEO of Honeywell Corporate Enterprise (HCE). He leads our efforts in software innovation, including IoT solutions, data analytics, and new business development, leveraging Honeywell’s heritage along with IoT technologies to solve our customers’ toughest challenges.
Kevin joined Honeywell in 2019, bringing almost 30 years of experience in strategy-based transformation and performance improvement across the Industrials, Technology, and Aerospace & Defense sectors. He previously served as President, Productivity Solutions and Services at Honeywell, where he led global growth and innovation for Honeywell’s mobile computers, printers, data capture devices, and software solutions, helping industries across the globe achieve operational excellence.
Prior to Honeywell, Kevin was a Senior Partner and Practice Leader in McKinsey & Company’s global Aerospace and Defense Sector where he supported strategic business transformations and led a wide range of performance and operating excellence initiatives. He also served in additional consulting roles, including Vice President and Global Practice Leader of Engineered Products & Services for Booz & Company.
Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering, both from Lehigh University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
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Marty Flanagan
Chairman Emeritus, Invesco; Chairman of Engage
Marty Flanagan
President & CEO, Invesco; Chairman of Engage
Martin Flanagan has been a Director and President and Chief Executive Officer of Invesco since August 2005. He is also the chairman of Engage Ventures and a Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Invesco Funds (the company’s U.S. open and closed-end fund companies).
Flanagan joined Invesco from Franklin Resources, Inc., where he was President and Co-Chief Executive Officer from January 2004 to July 2005. Previously he had been Franklin’s Co-President from May 2003 to January 2004, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer from November 1999 to May 2003, and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1993 until November 1999. Flanagan served as Director, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer of Templeton, Galbraith & Hansberger, Ltd. before its acquisition by Franklin in 1992. Before joining Templeton in 1983, he worked with Arthur Andersen & Co.
Flanagan earned a B.A. and B.B.A from Southern Methodist University (SMU). He is a CFA charterholder and a certified public accountant. Flanagan serves on the board of governors and as a member of the executive committee for the Investment Company Institute, and is a former chairperson. He also serves as a member of the executive board at the SMU Cox School of Business and is involved in a number of civic activities in Atlanta.
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Kim Greene
Chairman, President and CEO, Georgia Power
Kim Greene
Chairman, President & CEO, Georgia Power
Kim Greene was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of Georgia Power in 2023. She leads Georgia Power in serving its 2.7 million customers across the state. The company is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s leading energy providers.
Prior to her current position, Greene served for five years as chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company Gas. In this role, she ensured the delivery of clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas to more than 4.3 million utility customers in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia, and to over 600,000 retail gas customers served by SouthStar Energy Services in 10 states. In addition, she oversaw the nonutility businesses that deliver value through energy-related products and services, wholesale gas services and gas midstream operations, including gas pipeline investments and storage and fuels.
From 2014 to 2018, Greene served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Southern Company, where she was responsible for systemwide operations including generation, transmission, engineering & construction services, commercial operations and fuels, system planning, environmental affairs, and research & development. Additionally, she was responsible for Southern Power, which owns and operates more than 12,000 MW of generating capacity in 15 states, and Southern Wholesale Energy, which markets the retail operating companies’ surplus generating capacity to the wholesale market.Greene began her career at Southern Company in 1991 as an engineer designing equipment for fossil and nuclear power generation stations.
She spent eight years at Southern Company subsidiary Southern Energy Inc., now NRG, working in finance, structuring, trading and asset management. She later spent four years leading Southern Company’s investor relations, corporate finance, financial planning, treasury and risk management groups as senior vice president of finance and treasurer.In 2007, she joined the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which provides electricity for 153 local power companies serving 10 million people in Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states, as well as directly to 58 large industrial customers and federal installations. She spent five years serving in executive roles at TVA, including chief financial officer; group president, strategy and external relations; and chief generation officer.
Upon returning to Southern Company in 2013, Greene assumed the role of president and chief executive officer of Southern Company Services, where she was responsible for the company’s shared services business units, including information technology, human resources, supply chain, marketing services, as well as wireless telecommunications provider, Southern Linc, and wholesale fiber optic network provider, Southern Telecom.
Greene currently serves on the Board of Directors for Valero Energy Corporation and Metro Atlanta Chamber and on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Research Alliance and Morehouse School of Medicine. Previously, she served on the Boards of the American Gas Association and the Electric Power Research Institute, serving as chairman of both organizations, Gas Technology Institute and Energy Insurance Mutual. Greene is also a member of The Atlanta Rotary Club.
A strong advocate for STEM education, Greene has served on the board of advisors for the University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering, the University of Tennessee Department of Finance, Advisor and Practitioner Scholar for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Master’s Degree in Advanced Safety Engineering and Management and advisor for FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) – a robotics program whose mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders.
Most recently, the Atlanta Business Chronicle named Greene as one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs. In 2022, she was awarded EEI’s inaugural Thomas F. Farrell, II Safety Leadership and Innovation Award by her industry peers for her significant contributions to improving safety in the utility industry. She is a member of the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, a recipient of the University of Tennessee’s Distinguished Alumna Award and the University of Tennessee’s Nathan W. Dougherty Award, the most prestigious honor bestowed by the College of Engineering. She was also named POWER-GEN’s 2015 Woman of the Year.
A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Greene earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering science and mechanics from the University of Tennessee, a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a master’s degree in business administration from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Greene also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
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James Hannan
EVP - Industries
CEO - Enterprises,
KochJames Hannan
EVP & CEO, Koch Enterprises
As Executive Vice President and CEO for Koch – Enterprises, James Hannan is responsible for oversight of Georgia-Pacific, Guardian®, Invista, Molex, and Koch Industries’ acquired interest in Infor, and for driving transformational change and knowledge sharing among these and all Koch companies. Previously, he led one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, pulp, paper, cellulose, nonwovens, building products and related chemicals as CEO and President of Georgia-Pacific.
Hannan’s career with Koch Industries began in 1998 in the mineral services unit as Chief Financial Officer prior to being named president of INVISTA Intermediates. He joined Georgia-Pacific in 2005 as Chief Operating Officer, and was promoted to CEO and President in 2007. He returned to Koch in 2017 in his current role. Hannan serves on the boards of Koch Industries, Georgia-Pacific, Guardian®, Invista, and Molex.
Hannan is involved in numerous community organizations in the Atlanta area as well as business organizations nationally. He has worked closely with the Atlanta Police Foundation and actively serves on the Atlanta Committee for Progress. Hannan is currently on the boards of the Georgia Research Alliance, Woodruff Arts Center, The Commerce Club, and the educational foundation board for California State-East Bay.
Originally from Connecticut, Hannan grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and where he attended California State University-East Bay (formerly California State University, Hayward) and received a Bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting.
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Richard McPhail
CFO & EVP,
The Home DepotRichard McPhail
CFO & EVP, The Home Depot
Richard McPhail was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Home Depot in September 2019. He is responsible for the planning, analysis, and management of the Company’s financial performance, business investment, and capital allocation. His corporate finance responsibilities include financial reporting and operations, commercial financial services, internal audit, investor relations, treasury, and tax.
Prior to his current role, McPhail served in senior executive roles at The Home Depot in strategic planning, financial planning, business development, real estate, international financial management, and as the primary finance partner to all main commercial functions.
McPhail joined The Home Depot in 2005. Previously, McPhail was executive vice president of corporate finance with Marconi Corporation plc in London, England. McPhail also held positions with Wachovia Securities and with Arthur Andersen.
McPhail serves on the executive committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and is a member of the board of trustees of Odyssey Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta and The Westminster Schools.
McPhail earned Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and in Business Management from North Carolina State University, and a Master’s degree in business administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
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John Murphy
President and Chief Financial Officer ,
The Coca-Cola CompanyJohn Murphy
President and Chief Financial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
John Murphy is President and Chief Financial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company. He oversees Global Ventures; Platform Services; offline-to-online (O2O) digital transformation; Customer and Commercial Leadership; and Finance and Strategy. Murphy is also responsible for representing the company with multiple stakeholders, including investors, lenders and rating agencies.
Murphy began his career with Coca-Cola in 1988 and has held a variety of leadership, general management, finance and strategic planning roles around the world.
From 2016 to 2018, Murphy served as president of the company’s Asia Pacific group, with responsibility for operations in the group’s five business units. He was also responsible for the company’s Bottling Investments Group, primarily focused on key markets in Southeast and Southwest Asia.
Murphy served as president of the South Latin business unit from 2013 to 2016 and as president of the Latin Center business unit from 2008 to 2012.
Murphy is a member of the boards of Coca-Cola FEMSA and The Coca-Cola Foundation. He is on the board of trustees of the Woodruff Arts Center and co-chairs, with his wife Talia, the University of Georgia’s Parents Leadership Council.
Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Trinity College in Dublin and a diploma in professional accounting from University College in Dublin. He qualified as a chartered accountant of the Irish Institute of Chartered Accountants.
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Blake Patton
Managing Partner, Engage & Tech Square Ventures
Blake Patton
Managing Partner
Blake Patton is the founder and Managing General Partner of Tech Square Ventures where he leads investments in enterprise software, marketplace, and platform technology companies. Under his leadership, the firm has invested in more than 100 early-stage companies and launched Engage, an innovative corporate innovation and enterprise startup accelerator program.
Prior to founding Tech Square Ventures, Blake was General Manager of the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech – named by Forbes as one of the “Top 12 Incubators Changing the World”. Prior to leading ATDC, he served as President & COO of Interactive Advisory Software and EVP of iXL, an internet services company that he joined through the acquisition of Swan Media and was part of the executive team that grew the company from startup to over $400 million in annualized revenue and an IPO. He started his career as an Associate at SEI Corporation.
Blake is an active leader in the technology community, serving on the boards of Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures (GATV) and High Tech Ministries. He also serves on the ATDC Advisory Board and is a former Chairman of Venture Atlanta and former Chairman of the Center for American Entrepreneurship. Blake is a part-time Professor of the Practice at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, where he teaches Entrepreneurial Finance.
Blake earned a Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering degree from Georgia Tech, where he was captain of the swim team. He was inducted into the Georgia Tech College of Engineering’s Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni, is a former Georgia Tech Alumni Association Trustee, and previously served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.
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Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson
President Emeritus,
Georgia TechDr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson
President Emeritus, Georgia Tech
Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson was the eleventh president of the Georgia Institute of Technology. In this capacity he oversaw a top ten public research university with more than 21,500 students and research expenditures of more than $730 million.
Throughout his career, Dr. Peterson has played an active role in helping to establish the national education and research agendas, serving on numerous industry, government, and academic task forces and committees. A distinguished scientist, Dr. Peterson was selected in 2008 by President George W. Bush to serve on the National Science Board through 2014.
Dr. Peterson was born September 1, 1952, in San Francisco, California, and earned undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics as well as a Master’s degree in engineering from Kansas State University. He earned his doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University.
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Candice Saunders
President and CEO,
WellStar Health SystemCandice Saunders
President and CEO, Wellstar Health System
Candice L. Saunders is president and CEO of Wellstar Health System, based in Marietta, Ga., and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). As president and CEO of one of the largest and most integrated health systems in Georgia, Saunders provides leadership for the 25,000 team members that oversee the health and well-being of people and communities across the state.
Saunders, who began her career as a critical care nurse, joined Wellstar as president of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in May 2007. As a result of her experience and strong leadership, she was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer for Wellstar Health System in 2013. In 2015, she assumed the role of president and CEO.
Saunders has built her career around improving community access to vital healthcare needs, implementing new care models and programs to address consumer health issues, and integrating health delivery processes to improve operational efficiencies and enhance the patient care experience. From the boardroom to the operating room, and across Wellstar Health System, Saunders is a champion for delivering world-class healthcare for every person, every time.
Under Saunders’ leadership, Wellstar has been recognized as a leader in safety and quality measures, and as a great place to work. She served on the American Hospital Association (AHA) Board of Trustees and as chair of AHA’s Regional Policy Board (RPB) for Region 4 from 2018 – 2020. She has been recognized by numerous organizations for her leadership and has been named to Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women Leaders, Georgia Trend Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Georgians, and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEOs lists. She has been honored as one of The 25 Most Influential Atlantans by The Atlantan Magazine, one of The Atlanta 500 and a Woman of Distinction by Atlanta Magazine, Healthcare Champion by the National Association of Female Executives, and was a recipient of the W. Daniel Baker Leadership Award by the Georgia Hospital Association.
Saunders has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and master’s degrees in business administration and health services administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She and her husband Don live in Cobb County and have two adult sons.
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Jeff Sprecher
Chairman & CEO, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE); Chairman of the NYSE
Jeff Sprecher
Chairman & CEO, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE); Chairman of the NYSE
Intercontinental Exchange is a Fortune 500 and Fortune Future 50 company. ICE was formed in 2000 and Jeff Sprecher has served as the Chief Executive Officer since May 2000 and as Chairman of the Board since November 2002.
Sprecher acquired Continental Power Exchange (CPEX), the predecessor company to ICE, in 1997 to achieve his vision of an open, transparent electronic energy marketplace. Under his leadership, ICE has evolved from operating an energy market to a network of exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, clearing houses and information services customers rely upon to invest, trade and manage risk across global financial and commodity markets.
Sprecher has led numerous strategic initiatives that have enabled ICE to expand from a single asset class – energy – into a broad range of asset classes today. In addition to expanding through acquisitions, Sprecher has led numerous organic growth initiatives to modernize markets. ICE developed the first cleared OTC energy contracts (2002), built the first new major clearing house in the U.K. in over a century (2008) and launched the world’s leading clearing houses for credit derivatives (2009).
Sprecher’s leadership has been recognized by Business Week, Institutional Investor and a number of other publications. In 2006, ICE’s stock was named the best one-year performer by The Wall Street Journal and continues to be recognized for its growth strategy by being named to the 2017 inaugural Fortune Future 50. Sprecher was named Best CEO for Brokers, Asset Managers and Exchanges in Institutional Investor’s annual poll for 2019 and in years prior.
Sprecher is involved in a number of civic initiatives. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber; is a Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Trustee; and is on the Board of Directors for the Buckhead Coalition, The Commerce Club and Atlanta Committee for Progress.
Raised in Wisconsin, Sprecher earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
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Alex Taylor
Chairman & CEO,
Cox EnterprisesAlex Taylor
President & CEO, Cox Enterprises
Alex Taylor is responsible for Cox Enterprises and its three major subsidiaries: Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and the Cox Family Office, as well as corporate functions including financial operations, human resources and administration. Taylor serves on Cox Enterprises’ board of directors and is the great-grandson of James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898.
During his nineteen-year career at Cox, Taylor has held numerous positions within the company. Taylor previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Cox Enterprises, where he had oversight of the company’s three subsidiaries, as well as its long-term growth and investment plans. He also served as Senior Vice President of field operations for Cox Communications, the company’s broadband and cable division. As Executive Vice President of Cox Media Group, he oversaw its largest television, radio, newspaper and digital properties, and led the creation of the company’s first cross-platform newsroom.
Taylor is a board member of the Food Well Alliance and PATH Foundation, a member of the Carter Center Board of Councilors, and a former board chair of American Rivers. He received his Bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt University, where he now serves on the board of trust.
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Carol Tomé
CEO,
UPSCarol Tomé
CEO, UPS
In 2003, Carol Tomé joined the UPS Board of Directors and currently serves as chief executive officer. Before joining UPS, Tomé served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Home Depot, Inc., one of the world’s largest retailers. She joined the company in 1995 as Vice President and Treasurer.
Tomé began her career as a commercial lender with United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo) and then spent several years as Director of Banking for Johns-Mansville Corporation. Prior to joining The Home Depot, Tomé was Vice President and Treasurer of Riverwood International Corporation.
Tomé serves as a trustee or board member for a number of organizations including Grady Hospital Foundation, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Sovos Brands and GIA Partners. She is also a member of The Committee of 200, The Buckhead Coalition, The Business Roundtable and The Business Council.
A native of Jackson, Wyoming, Tomé holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Denver.
Chosen by their CEO, each Executive Board member is a trusted senior executive designated to serve as their company’s lead representative on the platform. These executives help open doors for our founders and are critical to the success of the engagements within their companies.
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Chaouki Abdallah
EVP for Research,
Georgia TechChaouki Abdallah
EVP for Research, Georgia Tech
As Chief Research Officer, Chaouki Abdallah provides overall leadership for the Institute’s $1 billion portfolio of research, economic development and sponsored activities, including the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), eleven interdisciplinary research institutes (IRIs), and related research administrative support units. He also serves on the executive committee of the Council on Research for the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU), the executive committee for the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR), and the advisory committee for the Center on Measuring University Performance (MUP).
Since Abdallah assumed the role of Executive Vice President of Research, the Institute took occupancy of Coda, a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use facility in the heart of Tech Square, designed to create opportunities in interdisciplinary research, commercialization, and sustainability. Under his leadership, Georgia Tech also recently launched the “Commission on Research Next,” a process that will map a comprehensive future for research at Tech.
Abdallah came to Georgia Tech from the University of New Mexico, where he served as the university’s twenty-second President, Provost, and Executive Vice President for academic affairs, as well as department chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department. During his tenure, Abdallah oversaw long-range academic planning and efforts to improve student success, as well as retention-achievement and graduation achievement rates. Abdallah’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, national laboratories, and various companies.
Abdallah began his college career at the Faculté d’ingénierie of the Université Saint-Joseph in Lebanon, then obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree from Youngstown State University in 1981, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1982 and 1988, respectively.
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Chuck Adkins
Chief Information Officer,
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ICE)Chuck Adkins
Chief Information Officer, New York Stock Exchange, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)
Chuck Adkins is Chief Information Officer at New York Stock Exchange, Inc (NYSE: ICE). He is responsible for information technology systems including end-user computing and collaboration tools, IT service management, enterprise ITIL policies and workflows, telephony and video conferencing, application performance monitoring and alerting, and enterprise-wide cybersecurity tools supporting Intercontinental Exchange and its subsidiaries.
Chuck plays a key decision-maker in ICE M&A integrations ensuring secure and efficient post-acquisition operations. Major acquisitions include those of Ellie Mae, Interactive Data Corporation, New York Stock Exchange, and New York Board of Trade.
Chuck holds Bachelor’s degrees in Physics from the College of Charleston, Electrical Engineering from Clemson University and an MBA from the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.
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Molly Aeck
Vice President Customer Solutions, Georgia Power
Molly Aeck
Vice President, Georgia Power
Molly Aeck is the Vice President for Customer Solutions at Georgia Power Company. She works with Southern’s operating businesses to integrate and commercialize these innovations and supports the origination and development of new business ventures. Molly played a key role in creating Energy Impact Partners, the $1B venture fund in which Southern is a founding partner and chairman. She has been recognized by Public Utilities Fortnightly Magazine for her impactful work in the utilities industry.
Molly is a Fulbright Scholar with a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from Columbia University. In 2004, she received a Sustainable Energy Fellowship from Stanford to lead renewable energy research and consulting for the Worldwatch Institute. She spent the next 15 years working in clean energy project development and technology investing for EcoSecurities, Allotrope Partners and Southern Company.
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Jack Anstey
Managing Director,
Goldman SachsJack Anstey
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Jack Anstey is a Managing Director in Goldman Sachs’ Technology, Media & Telecom investment banking group focused on the Software sector.
Based in New York, Jack advises on a broad range of transactions including M&A, initial public offerings, debt and equity financings, and activism defense. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Jack was a corporate attorney at leading Australian law firm Blake Dawson. Jack earned B.Com and Law (first class honors) degrees from Monash University in Australia.
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Hank Capps
EVP, Chief Information and Digital Officer,
Wellstar Health SystemHank Capps
EVP, Chief Information and Digital Officer, Wellstar Health System
Dr. Capps is the Executive Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Wellstar Health System. In his role, Dr. Capps is responsible for advancing the system’s digital strategy to reimagine and enhance the consumer healthcare journey and experience, while evolving and optimizing the not-for-profit company’s operational technology-based platforms, processes, and partnerships.
Prior to joining Wellstar, he led transformational work as the Chief Digital Health and Engagement Officer for Novant Health as the system rapidly accelerated non-traditional growth and next-generation quality powered by innovative technology. Dr. Capps has led numerous digital innovations over his career including the launch of Novant Health’s first online patient experience, pioneering virtual care, development of Community Voice (an online community of engaged consumers helping design future care), implementing a novel real-time online appointment digital platform, launching multiple new companies, and launching the first and longest route medical supply drone operations in the United States.
Prior to his most recent role, Dr. Capps served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Novant Health Medical Group and the Novant Health Physician Network during a time of rapid from over 400 locations to over 600 locations with revenue increasing from 700M to 1.2B. During that time, the physician enterprise had nation-leading quality, patient experience and team member satisfaction. Dr. Capps also served as Chief Medical Information Officer of the Novant Health Medical Group during the implementation of Epic. Novant Health was awarded the prestigious HIMSS Ambulatory Stage 7 Award at the time doubling the number of the locations in the world with that recognition and later the HIMSS Davies Award.
Dr. Capps has been a national thought leader on patient experience, consumer engagement, technology, and innovation speaking on many national stages. He has been a practicing family medicine physician for over 17 years. Dr. Capps received his undergraduate degree from Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC and his medical degree from ECU Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, NC.
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Matt Cincera
V.P. of Software Engineering, Delta
Matt Cincera
Delta V.P. of Software Engineering
Matt is responsible for Software Engineering at Delta, which includes all customer-facing technology (delta.com, the Fly Delta mobile application), servicing technology (airport customer service, automation/AI, customer call center/reservations technology), operations technology, and corporate technology. Additionally responsible for driving scaled technology efficiency and productivity opportunities and driving a software engineering culture within Delta.
Before joining Delta, he was the Chief Digital Officer for AIG, including management of AIG.com and associated internet properties, mobile applications, digital strategy and innovation, and the AIG intranet. Prior to his role as Chief Digital Officer, he served as the Sales, Service, and Security Platform and Delivery Executive. In this role, he drove the implementation of an enterprise-wide testing capability and led the global delivery vendor program.
Matt also held numerous leadership roles at Bank of America and Motorola. At Bank of America, he led the Consumer Payments Technology organization and was the COO of the Customer Segments Technology organization. He also managed the online banking platform, drove several consumer technology product launches, including BankAmeriDeals ®, and managed several transition programs in support of bank M&A efforts both for the online & mobile team and for the information and analytics organizations. At Motorola, Mr. Cincera was the Manager of Internet Solutions within the semiconductor division, responsible for operational support and developing the division’s Internet capabilities. Motorola’s other leadership assignments included supporting global final manufacturing systems, customer relationship management, business-to-business transactions, and product marketing.
Matt graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he majored in Electrical Engineering, with an emphasis in Computer Engineering, and is a certified Six Sigma Blackbelt and is an author/co-author of multiple patents.
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Matthew Guffey
Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer, UPS
Matthew Guffey
Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer, UPS
Matt Guffey is currently the Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer for UPS. His responsibility encompasses enterprise strategic planning to drive short and long term growth goals. He’s leading the building and execution of UPS’s “Better not Bigger” strategy and responsible for transformation and modernization opportunities to fuel growth and business profitability. His team oversees high priority strategic initiatives, working directly with the global business units.
Matt started his UPS career in 2000 as a Marketing Specialist in Decatur, Illinois. With 20+ years at UPS, Matt has worked in Marketing, Sales, and Operations which has provided him a unique breadth of perspective. His integrated experience allows for both a customer centric and global approach to his strategic decisions.In his previous role as the President of US Marketing and SMB Strategic Growth Imperative, Matt’s responsibilities included US District Marketing, Segment Marketing, Customer Experience, Our Fastest Ground Ever, and the Small and Medium Business Strategy.
Matt has served in a variety of roles with increasing responsibility both domestically and internationally. His focus has been on managing customer behaviors that directly impact revenue and profit within targeted industry verticals.
In 2013 Matt broadened his global Marketing perspective while working in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Nordics. He led the growth efforts and fashioned the UPS value proposition within targeted industry verticals to enable growth for small, medium, and global companies. He supported the creation of the UPS communication strategies to boost subject matter experts in exporting, drive customer experience, and increase UPS’s presence in the European market.
He returned from the United Kingdom in 2015 as the Senior Director of International Marketing and transitioned to the Vice President of Global Segments, where he led a team that created global solutions which streamlined supply chains for UPS customers in high tech, automotive, professional services, and the industrial product verticals.
Currently, Matt leads the organizational Strategic Growth Imperatives that drive growth today and into the future. Understanding the market dynamics, customer needs, and competitive landscape allows Matt and his global team to create strategies that facilitate UPS to continue to deliver what matters most.
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Mark Lewis
VP of Strategy & Corporate Development, Cox Enterprises
Mark Lewis
VP of Strategy & Corporate Development, Cox Enterprises
As a VP of Strategy and Corporate Development for Cox Enterprises, Mark Lewis is responsible for growing and diversifying the company’s portfolio of companies.
Lewis joined Cox in 2018 from Google, where he was a Senior Director in the Business Operations and Strategy team. Lewis spent seven years working with leadership teams in Google and Alphabet’s Other Bets, including Capital G, Fiber, Nest, Sidewalk Labs, Verily, Waymo, and X. Lewis also led work to operationalize the Alphabet structure.
Prior to Google, Lewis worked for The Boston Consulting Group in Chicago where he led a wide range of strategy and corporate development projects, mostly in the Industrial Goods and Consumer Products sectors. Lewis also worked for Ernst & Young Management Consulting in London.
Lewis holds a MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science & Management from the University of Nottingham UK, where he was a Ford Scholar.
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Donie Lochan
Chief Technology Officer, Invesco
Donie Lochan
Chief Technology Officer, Invesco
Donie Lochan is Managing Director, Chief Technology Officer, and Global Head of Technology for Invesco, overseeing strategy and execution for Invesco Technology. He was previously the global head of information technology strategy, innovation, and planning.
With the support of the global Invesco Technology team, Lochan is guiding Invesco into a new digital- and data-driven era, with a focus on delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life. Collaborating with senior technology leaders and business partners, he develops and oversees implementation of the strategic technology roadmap to support Invesco’s investment capabilities and help drive revenue and profit growth. He champions the value of a strong, unified organization, and his strategic vision embraces emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, blockchain, and the “internet of things”, which are redefining the rules of the financial and asset management industries.
Lochan has a background in organizational transformation, with a focus on wealth and investment management in domestic and international settings. Prior to joining Invesco in June 2015, Lochan served as head of corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions for LPL Financial. Before that he was a partner with Bain and Company, a global strategy consulting firm.
Lochan earned a BSc degree with first class honors in mathematics, statistics and computing.
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Mike Locker
VP, Strategic Business Development,
The Home DepotMike Locker
VP, Strategic Business Development, The Home Depot
Mike Locker is the Vice President of The Home Depot’s Strategic Business Development group where he is responsible for enterprise strategy and corporate development activities. Mike joined The Home Depot in 2015 and has held roles of increasing responsibility including Director – Strategic Business Development and Divisional CFO of Installation Services business.
Prior to joining The Home Depot, Mike worked as an investment banker advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt capital financings and corporate board advisory services. Mike had a fifteen year career advising clients at Goldman, Sachs & Company, Raymond James & Associates and TM Capital Corp. Mike began his career as a CPA in the Financial Assurance Division at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University, a Masters in Accounting from the University of Florida and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University.
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Dan Lynn
Chief Commercial Officer,
Inspire BrandsDan Lynn
Chief Commercial Officer, Inspire Brands
Dan Lynn serves as Chief Commercial Officer of Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 32,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC Drive-In restaurants worldwide.
Lynn oversees demand generation, digital retail, guest product management, and customer marketing for each brand. He also leads the development of Inspire’s comprehensive data & analytics functions, enabling each brand to leverage analytics and data science to drive competitive advantage and long-term growth.
Prior to Inspire, Lynn co-founded ZUZU Hospitality, a successful revenue platform for thousands of independent hotels across Asia.
Prior to founding ZUZU, Lynn worked for Expedia Group and led strategy and analytics for the North American business. He went on to launch Expedia in 13 new countries and served as CEO of AirAsia Expedia, and then head of APAC and Emerging Markets for Vrbo (an Expedia Group company).
Before joining Expedia Group, Lynn worked in McKinsey’s London office, where he served global companies in the travel and hospitality industries.
Lynn is an alumnus of the University of Oxford, where he received a Master of Arts in Economics and Management. Lynn is a native of the United Kingdom.
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Knox Massey
Executive Director,
Invest GeorgiaKnox Massey
Executive Director, Invest Georgia
Knox Massey is Executive Director for the Invest Georgia Fund and the Invest Georgia Program. He has served in this position since the inception of the program in 2014. Both the Program and the Fund were created by legislation passed in the Georgia General Assembly in 2013. The Invest Georgia mission is to fund, build, and grow innovative Georgia companies and Georgia-based entrepreneurs. Doing so helps to create new innovations, new entrepreneurs, and new employees within Georgia.
The Invest Georgia Fund has received allocations from the State of $50,000,000 since 2014. Currently, the Invest Georgia Fund has thirteen Georgia-based venture capital or private equity funds in the portfolio. These thirteen funds have helped to fund and create seventy-two Georgia-based companies where two thousand, three hundred sixty Georgia-based employees now work.
Prior to Invest Georgia, Massey was Executive Director of the Atlanta Technology Angels, head of the SE sales division at AOL (sold to Time Warner), head of New Media advertising at WestWayne (now 22squared), and SE sales at the New York Time Regional Newspaper Group (sold in 2011).
Massey holds an MBA from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.
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Ron McMurtrie
Chief Commercial Officer,
Honeywell Connected EnterpriseRon McMurtrie
Chief Commercial Officer, Honeywell Connected Enterprise
Ron McMurtrie is responsible for driving organic growth and expanding voice of the customer (VOC) by enhancing Honeywell Connected Enterprise’s global sales and marketing capabilities. Prior to Honeywell, Ron held numerous marketing and sales leadership roles within the digital space.
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Michael Patrick
External Research & Development, Chick-fil-A
Michael Patrick
External Research & Development, Chick-fil-A
Michael currently works in Innovation at Chick-fil-A, Inc., leading the External Research & Development Team; in this role, his team is responsible for building relationships across the venture ecosystem to identify start-ups with solutions to address business challenges and accelerate innovation. Michael is the former founder of Thanks Geoffrey, a technology enabled home service company. In his prior roles, Michael was Vice President of Marketing for Carroll Organization, a real estate private equity firm. Additionally, Michael worked for Goldman Sachs, Investment Management Division. He played basketball at the University of Georgia graduating with a degree in Marketing. He also earned his MBA in Finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Michael, his wife Brittany and their four year old twins live in Chamblee, Georgia.
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Mark Westfall
Chief Services Officer,
The Coca-Cola CompanyMark Westfall
Chief Services Officer ,The Coca-Cola Company
Mark Westfall is chief services officer for The Coca‑Cola Company. Westfall oversees a global organization that provides support for finance; procurement; supply chain and technical; marketing and public affairs, communications and sustainability; people; workplace; security; value delivery; and legal. Westfall is also a board-elected vice president of the company.
Westfall has worked at The Coca‑Cola Company in various positions since 2009. Most recently, he served as chief procurement officer, where his organization managed more than $35 billion in annual spend and was a key partner in the company’s selection of WPP as its global marketing network partner in 2021.
Previously, Westfall worked in the office of former Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent and led mergers and acquisitions in Eurasia and Africa.
Prior to Coca‑Cola, Westfall had a multi-year career with Anheuser-Busch in corporate strategy, including leading a team responsible for strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions and advanced financial analysis for the CEO, strategy committee and business unit leaders.
Westfall holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.