Executive Leadership

Dan started Project Leadership Associates (Project Leadership) in 1998, with the concept of offering senior-level consultants to manage, implement and lead mission critical IS projects to mid-sized firms at an affordable price. Today, Project Leadership has grown to more 140 employees, specializing in six core practice areas and continues to maintain a high growth rate. Prior to starting Project Leadership, Dan was one of three partners at the Chicago based Lotus Notes development firm of Workgroup Productivity Corporation. Dan's role as Chief Operating Officer was to organize the firm's national expansion and position the company for sale. Workgroup Productivity was sold in 1998 to Corestaff Inc., in a sale negotiated by Daniel Porcaro. Prior to Workgroup Productivity, Dan worked at Lansystems Inc. As part of the senior management team, he led the central division of the firm from 2 employees to over 50 in four years. Dan holds a degree in B.S. in Marketing from Northern Illinois University. Close

Bruce manages the Network Integration practice group at Project Leadership and is one of the original members of the Project Leadership team. Bruce has a strong operations and business background based on over 24 years of experience in a variety of positions. Prior to joining Project Leadership, Bruce was a partner and Chief Operating Officer at Courtesy Home Centers. Courtesy Home Centers was a $60 million dollar home improvement retail chain located in Illinois. The company was grown from one store to six locations over a 15 year period and employed over 700 people. Bruce also had positions at LanSystems (later Donnelley Enterprise Solutions) where he served in several management capacities including; Director of Project Management and Branch Manager. Bruce's group led all large-scale engagements for the central region. Bruce holds a B.S in Finance from the University of Arizona. Close

Dan heads Project Leadership's Legal Solutions practice group. This practice group delivers a variety of business operations improvement solutions with a heavy emphasis on information and records management, business continuity planning and CIO services/ IT performance improvement and ERP solution offerings. The practice also focuses on a full suite of business operations, litigation and IP practice solutions serving the legal and corporate legal markets. Through these service lines, Project Leadership provides strategic, management and business consulting services to the legal, professional services, financial services, education, manufacturing and distribution industries. Dan has over 24 years business and technology professional services experience and specializes in the management and delivery of quality assurance, business and technology strategy, organizational alignment, technology assessment, program management and business improvement of complex, multi-disciplinary business and information technology solutions. He also participates on the company's Board of Directors. Prior to joining Project Leadership, Dan was President and Managing Partner of Project Leadership Consulting, a pure play management consulting business until this entity was sold to Project Leadership in late 2002. Dan has held various positions as President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer at a variety of international public and private companies and law firms. He has developed and executed strategic, operational and tactical business plans delivering value in start-up, growth and turnaround situations. Dan's consulting experience stems from his 10 years at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and senior consulting positions at several Chicago based business and technology consulting firms. Dan holds a B.S. in Public Affairs from Indiana University. Close

Kevin manages the Small Business Services practice at Project Leadership. He uses his technical and strategic background to help clients wisely invest in technology solutions that best meet their business needs and strategic goals. Kevin strives to view Project Leadership's services from the client's perspective and add value to our consulting relationships through our wide range of services. Prior to joining Project Leadership Associates, Kevin ran his own technology consulting firm which merged with Project Leadership in 2001. He began his career working in public accounting where he was involved in all aspects of auditing and taxes covering various industries. After 5 years in public accounting, Kevin accepted a position as Chief Financial Officer and was later promoted to Executive Vice President where he was involved in all aspects of the business as well as directly overseeing the finance and information technology areas. Kevin has a degree in Accounting from Illinois State University and he is also a Certified Public Accountant. Close

Lee currently serves as Executive Vice President (TOLA - Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama) of Project Leadership Associates Houston office. Prior to joining Project Leadership Associates, Lee served as Principal/Chief Information Officer at Client Profiles Corporation based in Atlanta, GA. Before working at Client Profiles he was the Principal/Chief Information Officer at FirmLogic, L.P. In 1995, Lee was the co-founder of Enhanced Systems and Solutions (ESS), a leading integration firm serving the legal industry. He was a member of the ESS Board of Directors and the company's Strategic Planning Committee responsible for researching vendors and products to bring value to ESS E-Support and Web-based System Management Offerings. In 1999, ESS was recognized by the Houston Business Journal as the 2nd fastest growing private company in Houston. Prior to co-founding ESS, Lee specialized in law firm integration while employed with LAN Systems in Washington, D.C. Lee has presented on a number of topics including Database Administration and Database Tuning for iManage and Hummingbird, Storage Area Networking (Storage Virtualization), Security (Protecting Assets from the Outside), Information Lifecycle Management (Storage Networking), Server consolidation, Enterprise Active Directory design and Disaster Recovery/Business Continuance Planning. Lee's expertise in the areas of security, professional project management, computer technology, product knowledge and Disaster Recovery/Business Continuance consulting has earned him the reputation as a leader in the Information Technology industry. Close

Gaurav manages the Software Development practice group at Project Leadership. He previously co-managed the Business Intelligence practice within Project Leadership as well as co-founded NEXUS Consulting Group, a business intelligence firm that was acquired by Project Leadership in November 2005. Through his efforts as a thought leader and successful engagement manager, he is building the practice into a leading provider of custom software development consulting services on the Microsoft platform. Gaurav has presented on a number of topics including SharePoint and Application Integration, SharePoint in E-Discovery, Business Applications of SharePoint as well as other Business Intelligence related subjects. Prior to joining NEXUS Consulting Group, Gaurav was a senior manager at james martin+co (now Headstrong), where he specialized in process and project management. A major focus area was the development of both custom and package information systems for Fortune 500 corporations. His prior experience as a consultant at Price Waterhouse and Greenbriar & Russell provided him with additional industry and functional experience. Gaurav has an M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business. He also holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. Close

Steve manages the Business Intelligence practice group at Project Leadership. He previously co-founded NEXUS Consulting Group, a business intelligence firm that was acquired by Project Leadership in November 2005. Steve has worked with clients across a number of industries and functional areas performing technology planning, business analysis, design/architecture, project management, facilitation and training. Prior to joining NEXUS Consulting Group, Steve was a principal at Headstrong (formerly james martin+co). During his seven years at the firm, he worked with a variety of clients as a consultant, project manager and account manager. He was also a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly Coopers & Lybrand) in Chicago. His consulting assignments have included work in data warehousing, business intelligence, tool-based development, package integration, and structured methodologies. Steve has an M.B.A., with distinction, from DePaul University's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. He also holds a B.A. in Economics and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame. Close

Bob Zagotta is the co-Practice Group Leader for Project Leadership's Business Strategy Execution Group. As the creative force behind this group, Bob works with company executives to develop and implement planning and strategy execution processes and tools that help demystify organizational change. Bob's ability to design and facilitate results-driven group sessions has been instrumental to success in helping its clients define strategy, develop business plans and implement measures to align company culture. He is notably adept at leading teams of senior executives in translating business ideas and strategy into manageable and measurable business plans. Prior to joining Project Leadership, Bob was a partner and co-founder of Fourth Floor Consulting, Inc. which was acquired by Project Leadership in 2007. Bob has over twenty years of experience in strategy, risk management, merger and acquisition implementation and business process reengineering. As a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bob played a pivotal role in building its Strategic Risk Services practice from a "startup" service line to a highly successful business. Bob designed the practice's core methodologies, service offerings and training and technology tools while also leading some of the practice's most high-profile engagements. Bob's industry experience includes consulting engagements in financial services, professional services and telecommunications. Before helping build the Strategic Risk Services practice, Bob was a Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers, Center for Excellence for Total Quality and Change Management, where he managed several successful client engagements. Prior to this role, Bob began his career as an engineer and TQM facilitator in a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award-winning organization. In this role, Bob became one of the first people in the organization to implement team-based management structures, quality management approaches and statistical process control. Bob has a BS in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. He is an active member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and currently serves as an officer and board member for the Chicago Chapter. In his free time, Bob enjoys playing guitar and writing songs, beach volleyball and mountaineering. Close

Don Robinson is an Executive Vice President with Project Leadership and the co-Practice Group Leader for Project Leadership's Strategy and Execution Group. He is particularly skilled in large-scale merger and acquisition integration, strategy formulation, and enterprise measurement approaches that provide executive teams visibility into the progress against their business strategy. Prior to joining Project Leadership, Don was a partner and co-founder of Fourth Floor Consulting, Inc. which was acquired by Project Leadership in 2007. Don has over 20 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategy, quality systems, and manufacturing management. As a Principal at Pritchett & Associates, Don helped grow a successful, national merger and acquisition consulting practice. On the delivery side, Don has led integration engagements on merger deals that ranged in size from $50 million to $10 billion and in a variety of industries. Don is co-author of After the Merger, The Authoritative Guide to Integration Success, published by McGraw Hill. Don has also written several articles that have appeared in Merger & Acquisition Journal, HR Magazine, and HR Professional, and has provided commentary for CIO and Fortune magazines. Don is actively involved in the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and serves as the co-chair of the Program Committee for the North Texas Chapter board. He is also an instructor for the Business Leadership Center at the SMU Cox School of Business in Dallas. He holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Dallas. In his free time, Don enjoys golf, spending time at the ballpark, and the occasional whitewater-rafting trip. Close

Mike is responsible for sales, marketing and corporate development initiatives at Project Leadership and participates on the company's Board of Directors. Prior to joining PLA, Mike was founder and CEO of Catalyst Management where he advised management teams, boards, and private equity funds on strategic initiatives to drive operational excellence and profitable growth in the professional services market. Prior to founding Catalyst, Mike was the President of Legal Services at Integreon, a leader in outsourcing services aimed at the legal, financial services and corporate markets. Mike joined Integreon through CBF Group, where he was CEO and sold the company to Integreon in February 2007. Prior to CBF Group/Integreon, Mike was Senior Vice President; Strategy & Business Development for Bowne's outsourcing division, Bowne Business Solutions (BBS), a $300M technology and outsourcing company. Prior to BBS, Mike held senior operating roles including the launch of a legal information technology outsourcing division at Donnelley Enterprise Solutions, a $125M R.R. Donnelley spin-out that went public in 1997. Mike began his career at Eastman Kodak Company and Kodak Imaging Services where over an eight year period he held sales and management roles in Kodak's $1B, B2B systems and outsourcing divisions. Mike has a BBA in Finance and Marketing and completed an Executive M.B.A. program in Product Development from MIT's Sloan School of Business. Mike is also an active advisory board member at both non-profit and for profit entities. Close

Susan heads the Human Resources and Administration Departments at Project Leadership. During her time here, she has created and grown these departments to support a nationwide staff. Her experience includes all areas of Human Resources Management, especially Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance/Diversity, Staffing, HR Development, Compensation and Benefits, Health/Safety/Security and Employee Management and Labor Relations. She has also achieved the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification. Prior to joining Project Leadership, Susan was an Assistant Vice President for a national recruiting agency specializing in the financial/credit services industry. During her time there, she established a highly successful Chicagoland base of operations serving the Midwest region. Susan was also a partner in an international food science business for over 8 years. With over 20 years of business and operational experience, coupled with her understanding of Project Leadership's complex environment, Susan is uniquely qualified to lead in this function. Close

Steven Getto is the Chief Financial Officer of Project Leadership Associates with responsibility for the Finance and Accounting functions of the company. He has more than 20 years of accounting, finance and strategy experience in both public and private companies. In previous positions Steven has been the Controller of Inforte Corp., a public IT consulting firm and the International and Acquisitions Controller for Red Prairie Corporation, a private supply chain software company. Steven spent seven years working overseas for British, French and Japanese companies. Steven has B.S. in Finance from Syracuse University and qualified in the UK as a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. Close

Gordon is a Partner and National Solution Group Leader for the Enterprise Windows Deployment Group. With over 15 years of technical and business development experience, Gordon has performed in various roles as consultant, lead architect, and manager. Gordon has been instrumental in the building of the Enterprise Windows Deployment Group at PLA, and has helped several customers architect and implement desktop solutions across their organization. These solutions have helped streamline the deployment and management of the desktop and server environment while tremendously reducing costs. As National Solution Group Leader, Gordon is responsible for the delivery of PLA's Windows deployment consulting engagements while helping customers successfully architect and develop deployment roadmaps. Gordon holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the City College of New York (CCNY). Close

Jay is a Partner and one of the founding members of Project Leadership Associates. Jay has over 15 years in Information Technology where his experience covers all aspects of integration and design specializing in desktop operating systems, software distribution and Citrix. In addition, Jay's expertise also covers mid-level development skills to design or fine tune various scripting languages, Visual Basic apps and VBA macros. Over the last several years Jay has focused his experience on assisting customers with migrations from previous desktop operating systems such as Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 to Windows XP and Vista. Jay has presented on a number of topics including software distribution, desktop optimization and group policies. Jay has a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Devry University and holds technical certifications with Autonomy iManage, Microsoft and Citrix. Close

Neil is a Partner and one of the founding members of Project Leadership Associates. He has been an ongoing participant in developing the strategy and growth of PLA since its inception. Neil has over 16 years experience in the IT industry and over 13 years in professional services. He has been responsible for drawing and maintaining many of PLA's flagship clients. Neil primarily participates in high profile accounts and projects serving in roles ranging from Technical Lead to Project Manager. Neil has background and technical certifications in many areas including Microsoft (Active Directory, Exchange, desktops, and applications), CheckPoint, Cisco, Novell, and many more. Prior to PLA, Neil spent 2 years as a Senior Systems Engineer at Donnelley Enterprise Solutions, LANsystems Division and also served as a Senior Support Analyst at United Parcel Service. Neil holds a B.S. in Information Systems from DePaul University. Close

Don is a Partner at Project Leadership Associates responsible for managing the national Communication and Collaboration Solution Group. Don has been with PLA for over seven years and has worked in the IT and consulting field for over 15 years. Over his 15 year IT career Don has focused on directory services, messaging platforms and unified communications solutions. Don has been responsible for the national growth of his solution group and responsible for developing a very strong working relationship between PLA and Microsoft, resulting in PLA recently being awarded Microsoft's Central Region Partner of the Year. Prior to his career in IT, Don was an Operations Manager for CSX Intermodal a global transportation company. In this role, Don was responsible for day to day railroad operations managing the on-time arrival and departure of freight for key customers like the United States Post Office and UPS. While working for CSX Intermodal, Don attended Northwestern University for a degree in Business Management. Close

Tom is a Partner at Project Leadership Associates and also serves as the Director of Business Development for the Managed Solutions Group. Tom has been with PLA for over ten years in various roles as Senior Consultant, Managing Consultant, and Operations Manager. With over 16 years of technical and business development experience, Tom uses his background to help clients plan and manage technology to meet their business needs. Tom has played an integral part in building the Managed Solutions Group at PLA, and has helped expand and deliver PLAs services by working with strategic customers. These services have helped customers reduce overhead, advance their technology, and plan for the future, while reducing costs. Prior to working at PLA, Tom was Regional Sales Manager for Bryant Electric, Business Development Manager for LaSalle/Talman and a former business owner. Close

Andrew is a Partner and Technical Specialist in the Business Intelligence Practice Group. He has over 18 years of experience in Information Technology and over 10 years in Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. Andrew has led the delivery of professional services across multiple industries and technology platforms. Andrew has deep technical skills in and around Data Warehousing. As a technical specialist, he possesses expert level skills in Data Modeling, Reporting, Data Transformation, Data Architecture, and Web deployment of BI solutions. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa. Close