EHS PARTNERS - Key Persons
Abe Wu - Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Abe has over 15 years of experience leading large-scale improvement initiatives at major corporations across numerous industries including energy, utilities, consumer goods, multi-site property management, aerospace and telecommunications.
Prior to joining EHS, Abe spent five years with McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles and Asia helping companies in the healthcare, energy, aerospace and entertainment industries develop and implement solutions to core strategic and operational issues. His work included improving purchasing and supply management operations, redesigning key business processes, developing market entry and growth strategies and restructuring business portfolios.
Abe began his career as a systems engineer with Boeing Aerospace Corporation and Systems Research and Applications Inc. He has also worked as a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation.
Abe has a doctorate and three additional degrees from Stanford University: a PhD in Political Economics (Graduate School of Business), an MA in Political Science (School of Humanities), an MA in Education (School of Education) and a BS with Distinction in Electrical Engineering (School of Engineering).
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Akeem has over 25 years of experience leading operational and strategic improvement projects. His consulting experience spans numerous industries including utilities, financial services, consumer goods, wireless telecommunications, commercial airline manufacturing, transportation and logistics and multi-site property management.
Prior to joining EHS, Akeem spent four years with McKinsey & Company, where he helped clients adapt to the transformational changes brought on by the mass adoption of the Internet and mobile communication.
Akeem spent three years at Citigroup as a corporate finance associate, advising clients on merger and acquisition transactions and helping to structure complex asset-backed securitizations.
Akeem earned his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and his MA in International Development Economics at Stanford. He earned his BA in Applied Mathematics at Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Andrew has over 20 years of procurement and supply chain experience in both consulting and industry with global organizations spanning several sectors including financial services, consumer goods, airlines, telecommunications, and energy. Andrew is an expert in developing and implementing sustainable procurement, supply chain and third-party risk management strategies and delivering transformation and cost reduction programs.
Prior to joining EHS, Andrew was a director in EY's Supply Chain & Operations practice in Sydney, Australia specializing in procurement transformation and third-party risk management working with some of Australia's largest banks and retailers. He previously held a senior procurement position in industry for Orica, leading their procurement function across North and South America.
Job Titles:
- Client Services Director
- Member of the Full Team
Ashley leads the operational components of the EHS program, including process logistics and management, project communications, data analysis and management, and ongoing implementation support. In addition, she is actively involved in the development of new orientation and training tools at EHS and ongoing systems development as well as involvement within the marketing and research activities of the Firm.
Prior to EHS, she designed and facilitated executive education courses on strategic change in large organizations for the consultancy of Pascale & Brown. During that time, she helped clients research and brainstorm alternative organizational models and improve employee and client feedback.
Ashley earned her BS in political science from Santa Clara University.
Brian has over 30 years of experience leading operational improvement and strategic consulting engagements, ranging across a number of industries, including financial services, utilities, transportation and consumer packaged goods.
As a co-founder of Tandon Capital Associates (TCA), he pioneered groundbreaking restructuring work in the banking industry in the early 1990s. While there, he led the retail banking practice area and developed modules for revenue generation. Prior to that, he worked with McKinsey & Company where he spent five years working in the New York and London offices serving clients in the financial services, pharmaceutical, publishing and auto industries, including J.P. Morgan, Chase Manhattan, Bank of Boston, Bristol Myers Squibb, McGraw-Hill, General Motors, Adidas and American Express.
Brian is also currently a co-owner and board member of Nightingale Nurses, a Florida-based travel nursing company. He serves on the boards of the Trustees of Reservations, a Boston-based conservation organization, and the Boston Public Market Association, which operates the Boston Public Market. He is a Trustee Emeritus of the Boston Ballet.
Brian earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Full Team
- Research Director
Drawing from over 20 years of experience in research, communications strategy and technology, Christina specializes in business intelligence and customized information for the firm.
Prior to EHS, Christina was Managing Director of Elia Intel, an executive intelligence firm working with C-suite clientele across industries. She also worked with the United Nations and internationally with NGOs on human rights projects in humanitarian emergencies in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bosnia Herzegovina. Her work included comprehensive analyses for economic development, notably for Jeffrey Sachs and the Millennium Project. As an original co-founder and CMO for technology platform Saambaa, she helped build the largest curated event database for publishers online.
Christina is the author of published works on media training for youth and has worked with the Ad Council in New York on governmental public service campaigns.
A Partner and Managing Director, David is an operational improvement performance expert specializing in on-site leadership of EHS programs. David focuses on generating sustainable performance improvement and significant financial impact at each EHS client. For over 25 years, David has provided his expertise in performance improvement and strategy to Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries, including defense, energy, financial services, healthcare and materials.
Prior to joining EHS Partners, he was the chief executive officer at Civitas Group LLC, where he led the firm providing strategic consulting services to companies in the defense and security sectors as well as to federal, state and local governments. Additionally, he spent four years at McKinsey & Company, leading broad efficiency enhancement projects across multiple commercial sectors.
David served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Homeland Security Council at the White House. He was the chief of staff to the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board and served as a principal in the development of the 2003 National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace.
David spent four years as a Special Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy, including leadership of a SEAL Team detachment during Operations Desert Storm and Provide Comfort.
David received his MBA from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business as a Palmer Scholar and his BA in mathematics from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Randall has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry as a successful business builder and passionate creator of high performing teams. Building on his major career experiences, including leading merger integration teams, starting and building new businesses, working with CEOs on turnaround strategies, and launching global brand campaigns, Randall now helps investors, leaders, and entrepreneurs navigate the dynamic insurance industry to find pathways for growth, to explore strategic opportunities, and to apply new, disruptive technologies.
Earlier in his career, he spent over two decades at Zurich Insurance Group, serving in executive leadership positions including COO and CMO; Randall led marketing, distribution, global growth strategy and regional management for North America and served on the Board of Directors. Prior to working at Zurich, Randall served as President of Continental Risk Management and as Chairman of Continental Risk Services in Bermuda, leading the merger integration team when they were acquired by CNA Financial.
Randall has served on the Board of Directors at Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York and Ronald McDonald House of New York. Randall and his wife also established a cancer research endowment at Penn State Hershey Medical School in honor of his father.
Randall earned a M.S. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a BS degree from American University.
Ed Dobosz - Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
- Partner
A Partner and Managing Director, Ed is an operational improvement performance expert specializing in on-site leadership of enterprise-wide programs. He focuses on ensuring the success and sustainability of the program's significant financial impact at each client. Over his nearly 30+ -year career he has been driving change in companies of all sizes across a wide range of industries including insurance, financial and information services, energy, retail, healthcare, aerospace and education.
Prior to EHS, Ed spent six years with McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles and Scandinavia, working with clients on initiatives for operational improvement, process redesign, R&D portfolio prioritization and M&A. Additionally, he led early-stage companies in roles as CFO and in strategy, focusing on profitable growth and successful leadership through the IPO process.
Ed is a PADI Divemaster, and the founder of an annual scholarship for grade school track and field students who show good character as well as talent.
Ed earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and BS in Electrical Engineering with highest distinction from Purdue University where he was awarded Phi Beta Kappa. He also completed studies at the University of Auckland, New Zealand as a Rotary Foundation Graduate Scholar.
Eric Holder - Founder, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Managing Director
- Partner
- EHS Partner and Managing Director
As the Founder, Partner and Managing Director of EHS Partners, Eric leads major projects for companies across a range of industries, bringing more than 30 years of experience working with companies in the U.S. and Europe. Eric spearheaded the development of the firm's approach, including its innovative financial and implementation planning systems and its proprietary Fulcrum system.
His expertise spans financial services, consumer goods, technology, manufacturing and distribution/logistics. This experience fueled the development of EHS' focused, results-oriented approach to business restructuring and operational improvement and the application of that approach across a variety of industry sectors.
Prior to founding EHS Partners, Eric was a member of the team at TCA that pioneered groundbreaking restructuring work in the early 1990s. Before that he was at McKinsey & Company, where he specialized in strategic turnarounds and restructurings for clients such as Citicorp, American Express, Shearson Lehman, RJR-Nabisco and AT&T, often in response to highly visible crisis situations.
Eric earned his MBA with distinction at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and his BS with high distinction in Electrical Engineering at the University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Managing Director
- Partner
- EHS Partner and Managing Director
A Founding Member of EHS Partners, Jason is a Partner and Managing Director with over 25 years experience leading performance and strategic improvement projects for companies in the United States and internationally.
He has extensive industry experience in various sectors, most notably banking, insurance, utilities and consumer packaged goods. In addition to his client work, Jason spearheaded the development of EHS' revenue enhancement approach and also co-directs work on the development of the firm's innovative financial and implementation planning systems.
Prior to starting EHS Partners, Jason was a member of the team at TCA that pioneered groundbreaking restructuring work in the early 1990s. Additionally, he has co-instructed leadership training courses in the United Kingdom with renowned business author and professor, Richard Pascale.
Jason contributes actively to Youth Enrichment Services, a nonprofit that provides an outdoor development outlet for Boston's inner-city youth. Part of his passion for that program comes from being an avid skier and a triathlete participating in multiple races every year.
Jason earned his BA in economics and government from Colby College.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
As Managing Director, Jeff has worked across a broad range of industries including utilities, transportation, healthcare and retail. Along with client management and engagement, Jeff leads work on EHS client orientation and training tools.
Jeff has over 30 years of experience in information technology, marketing, human resources and sales in the consumer-packaged goods industry, having spent most of his career at Procter & Gamble using data and technology to drive sales and reduce costs. At P&G, he held several cross-functional roles, primarily within the Sales & Operations and Global Business Services organizations. Jeff's business development experiences with P&G include trade customers such as Kroger, Walmart, Albertsons and Costco; Jeff led North America Trade Advertising and created the Best Practice Program for Shopper Marketing.
He has also led Information Technology Innovation, including engagements with Silicon Valley Venture Capitalists and successfully directed several global IT teams responsible for business intelligence, retail sales, procurement, trade promotion management and e-commerce.
Jeff earned his MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management with an emphasis on Finance and Marketing. He graduated with highest distinction from Purdue University with a BS in Electrical Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
- Advisor to Nest
Jeremy has over 30 years of experience leading operational and strategic improvements, both as a line manager and as a consultant. He has operated in the pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing, automotive, entertainment, financial services, business services, corrections and media industries.
Prior to EHS, Jeremy worked in Price Waterhouse's change management and organizational design practice and shareholder value management practice. His performance measurement work included groundbreaking enhancements to the balanced scorecard. In Europe, he helped Johnson & Johnson introduce a variable, cash-based approach to factory management to replace an accounting-based system. In the U.S., he brought value-based management methodologies to the Walt Disney Company and developed a scorecard for Daimler Chrysler to gauge the effectiveness of its integration. Jeremy also had a 12-year career as an engineer officer in the British Army.
A former Director of British American Business Inc., Comp2Kids and the British Biathlon Union, Jeremy is an advisor to Nest and an accredited instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Jeremy earned his MA from Cambridge University in English Literature and Philosophy.
Jim Lahey - Managing Director
Since joining EHS Partners in 2000, Jim has led performance improvement projects in industries including insurance, consumer packaged goods, transportation, utilities and financial services. His over 40 years of business experience in leading edge improvement techniques has led to the development of EHS' "Deep Dive" process analysis and improvement tool, an innovative and streamlined approach to achieve dramatic performance results.
Prior to joining EHS, Jim served as Vice President of Total Quality and Customer Value for North American Van Lines (NAVL), launching and implementing their Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement process. He then partnered with EHS to augment that success and lead an enterprise-wide improvement project prior to the merger with Allied Van Lines.
Before his time at NAVL, Jim worked for over 20 years at Ingersoll-Rand, responsible for nuclear, military and commercial quality assurance processes. As Corporate Director of Total Quality Leadership, he drove overall product and service improvement to ensure the company's top positions in markets served worldwide.
Jim is a former member of the Board of Directors of British American Business.
Jim earned two technical Associate Degrees from Johnson College in Scranton, PA, earning his BSBA from Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. He was the recipient of Concordia's Academic Excellence Award.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
As Managing Director of EHS Partners, Jonathan specializes in leading enterprise wide operational performance improvement and restructuring programs at large public companies, including financial services, energy, healthcare, transportation and retail. He provides distinctive, hands-on leadership that brings out the best in large and complex teams and that has consistently led to significant new earnings at EHS clients.
Prior to joining EHS Partners, Jonathan was a Vice President at The Bellwether Group, a Los Angeles-based merchant banking boutique. While there, he counseled publicly traded companies on strategies for improving company valuation and performance, worked with entrepreneurs to build new businesses and raised capital for start-up enterprises. Additionally, he was a Manager with Gateway, Inc. where he was involved in extensively changing the company's operating model and spearheading strategic growth initiatives.
Jonathan's early career was with McKinsey & Company in Dallas and Warsaw, where he was a member of the Corporate Finance and Strategy Practice. While at McKinsey, he developed the firm's first tools for understanding the impact of investor sentiment on companies' public valuations. Prior to McKinsey, he was a staff economist at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jonathan is a former member of the U.S. Triathlon Team and a qualifier for the Race Across America.
Jonathan earned his MPP in International Trade & Finance from Harvard University and is a graduate of the International Tax Program at Harvard Law School. He earned his BA with Special Honors in Government and Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Full Team
Jonathan is an experienced professional in the technology and professional services sectors with a focus on strategy, operations, and corporate finance.
Prior to joining EHS Jonathan spent 5 years at Akamai Technologies executing on a range of projects in cross-functional roles spanning strategy and operations. During his time at Akamai, Jonathan worked on quote-to-order transformation, data infrastructure improvement, product line rationalization, and pricing strategy. As part of his efforts in pricing, Jonathan earned his designation as a Certified Pricing Professional from the Professional Pricing Society.
Additionally, Jonathan worked as an Associate in corporate finance at Marsh & McLennan Companies and currently serves as a board member of an early stage start up in the CPG sector.
Jonathan earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School with a concentration in corporate finance, and his BA in economics from Gettysburg College.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Jonathan has over 25 years of experience leading and advising global businesses in a wide range of industries, including hardware and software technology, mobile and online services, natural resources, supply chain management, and artificial intelligence technology.
In addition to his broad expertise as a strategic, performance improvement and transactional advisor, he is a successful entrepreneur and a patented inventor of AI-based sporting event simulation technology; Jonathan founded Virtual Media Group, an interactive and artificial intelligence gaming company with operations in the US, UK and Ukraine. Previously, he was founder and managing director of The Bellwether Group - a Los Angeles based strategic merchant bank, providing senior level strategic and financial advisory services to leading technology companies in North America.
Early in his career, Jonathan was an associate principal at McKinsey & Company, developing strategies for leading technology and software companies, venture capitalists, private equity firms, and large industrial companies, primarily in oil and gas and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction).
Jonathan earned his MBA at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. He earned his BA at Duke University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Full Team
Kathleen, with over 30 years of experience in both the public and private accounting sectors, is responsible for overseeing the financial operations, tax and employee benefits of the firm.
She started her career with Ernst & Young as a CPA where she worked in both the tax and auditing departments. Prior to joining EHS, Kathleen most recently worked as the CFO of an international IT consulting firm.
During her career, Kathleen has taken the time to teach advanced accounting classes at Penn State, University of Cincinnati and Saint Elizabeth University.
Kathleen earned her MBA with a concentration in accounting at The Pennsylvania State University. She earned her BS in accounting at LeMoyne College where she currently serves on The Madden School of Business Advisory Board.
Kevin's focused skill set at EHS Partners is strategic sourcing, e-procurement and supplier- and organizational-development, coupled with extensive expertise in various spend categories including metals, plastics, packaging, outsourcing services and technology. He also manages EHS' internal systems development, ensuring the ongoing improvement of core proprietary tools.
Prior to joining EHS in 2010, Kevin was Director of Procurement at Birds Eye Foods, Energy East and Rochester Gas & Electric. He also provided best-practice thought leadership in supply chain and spend management as a Practice Manager at Ariba. Kevin started his career as a purchasing agent.
Kevin earned his BS in Business Management/Information Systems from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has also achieved Certified Practitioner of Supply Management (CPSM) and Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) designations.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Lance has over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, general/operations management, business development, and process improvement in industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and financial services.
Prior to joining EHS, Lance held a number of corporate roles with Ford Motor Company, General Electric, and Pratt & Whitney, including overseeing businesses in the United States, Australia, Italy, and Thailand. He spent over four years with McKinsey & Company, leading efforts in fixed capital productivity, cost reduction, asset rationalization, and maintenance reorganization. He also served six years as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Captain.
Lance earned his MBA in Finance and Operations Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Economics from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Full Team
- Client Services Analyst
While at Georgetown, Meghan worked on the Global Social Enterprise Initiative, through which she conducted research on the ability of social enterprises to impact economic mobility in the United States.
Meghan earned her BS from Georgetown University, where she majored in Culture and Politics in the Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Job Titles:
- Developer
- Information Technology Director
- Lead Architect
- Member of the Full Team
Michael is the lead architect and developer of EHS' proprietary system, Fulcrum. His broad range of expertise in software application development, database design and deployment of world-class hardware, security and information system infrastructures enables EHS to support clients' varied requirements.
With over 25 years of experience, Michael has held CIO and IT Director roles at various nationwide high-transaction financial services companies where he spearheaded and implemented long-range strategic IT initiatives. He specialized in the development of best-practice, service-oriented applications and cost-effective, secure and scalable IT platforms that drive clients toward operating cost reduction and substantially improved performance.
Michael served as an Officer in the United States Navy for six years and is a Gulf War Veteran.
Michael earned his BS in Computer Science from the United States Naval Academy.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
As Managing Director, Peter has led client work for EHS across a range of industries from financial services to utilities. To every client engagement he brings over 25 years of experience in performance improvement.
Prior to EHS, he focused on process change, business growth and integration strategies at various Southern California consumer goods and technology companies including The Wonderful Company - a $4 billion company with brands including FIJI Water, POM Wonderful and Conexant Systems - a large semiconductor provider. In addition, he was the President and CEO of CardioCura - a mobile cardiovascular CT service company - working to grow the company from inception.
Peter spent nine years with McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles and London working with clients on operational improvement and process redesign in broad set of industries including healthcare and aerospace/defense.
Peter earned his MBA at the Anderson School at UCLA; his MS in Electrical Engineering at USC; and received his BS in Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
Shawn has over 30 years of experience leading teams in both executive and consulting roles. Prior to joining EHS, he was the CEO of Spring Education Group, which he built to be the largest network of private schools in the country. Prior to that he was COO of Public Storage (NYSE: PSA) leading all US retail operations for the largest self-storage REIT in the world. Earlier in his career he was also President of Teleflora, the largest network of independent florists in the world. As a consultant, in addition to his EHS experience, he worked at McKinsey & Company as an engagement manager. During his tenure as a consultant, he has worked with clients in banking, consumer goods, chemicals, and industrial services. Shawn started his career as an officer in the United States Army leading combat engineer units and left active duty with the rank of Captain.
Shawn earned an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a BS in Civil Engineering from The United States Military Academy at West Point.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
- Leader of Strategy
Steffen McKernan is an experienced leader of strategy, post-merger integration, and operational improvement efforts in the financial services, technology, and entertainment industries. Steffen started his career at McKinsey & Company and his professional experience ranges from leading profit improvement efforts at Fortune 1000 companies to shepherding a start-up nanotechnology company from conception to full operation including multiple rounds of financing. He has over $1 billion in M&A and technology transaction experience in Asia, the Middle East, Canada, and the US. Steffen's EHS projects include Union Bank of California, Mellon Financial, PNC Bank, Heinz, Bank of America, Giant Eagle and others.
Steffen holds a PhD in Physics from Princeton University and a BS in Engineering Physics from the University of California, Berkeley where he was one English class away from a BA in Scandinavian Literature.
Tammy has been leading EHS' B2B marketing since 2007. She leverages her 25+ year career experience through coordinating and supervising internal and external professionals in the development and implementation of marketing and other business development programs and initiatives.
She is an experienced marketing professional and account manager, having worked for both Fortune 500 companies and boutique professional services firms. Before Tammy joined EHS, she spent ten years in Account Management for a major international advertising agency as well as serving as director of marketing for an international technology consulting firm.
Tammy earned her BA in biology from Mount Holyoke College.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Full Team
- Partner
A Partner and Managing Director who joined EHS in 2000, Tom leads broad performance improvement initiatives for Fortune 1000 companies in industries ranging from consumer-packaged goods to utilities to financial services, and more. He has over 35 years of business experience, including extensive work in sales and marketing, business leadership and consulting.
Tom honed a broad skill set in sales and marketing, business management and organizational development as an operating manager for over 25 years. These skills and his hands-on approach help EHS' clients achieve significant performance improvement and drive earnings and growth. Tom is involved in all facets of EHS' practice, specifically its revenue execution and growth and continuous improvement applications.
Prior to joining EHS, Tom was responsible for businesses owned by golfer Jack Nicklaus, including worldwide licensing and endorsement entities, golf schools and family entertainment centers. Under his management and oversight, Nicklaus brands and licensed products grew to become one of the world's largest businesses inspired by a single athlete. Tom began his business career as a sales representative with IBM.
Tom serves on the board of Champions Community Foundation, a nonprofit that provides independent shared living and other services to young adults with physical disabilities.
Tom earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and his BS in mathematics at Bucknell University.