SANDHILL CONSULTING GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- FOUNDING PARTNER
- Partner
- Senior Operating Executive from Golden Books
Bryce (Skip) Boothby is a broad gauged, senior operating executive from Golden Books, Quebecor World, ModusLink, Celestica and Lulu.com. His global multi-industry experience spans printing, publishing, internet commerce, discrete manufacturing and global services for clients Cisco, Sun, Sony, HP, Microsoft, Research In Motion, Palm and Motorola. Skip excels at building high performing management teams, focusing on core strengths and initiatives, improving financial performance, revenue stream enhancement, operating discipline, aligning organizational structure, and implementing technological change.
Mr. Boothby is typically engaged to help solve specific issues, for 1-3 year periods. Advice, leadership, governance and interim management for companies offering eCommerce, Fulfillment, After-Market Services, Reverse Logistics, Returns Management and reCommerce.
Cary brings over 26 years of graphics, prepress, film and paper printing experience to Sandhill Consulting Group. As a Senior Technical Consultant, Cary will assist clients with prepress services such as graphics file creation, digital proofing, digital plate making, printing and pressroom support. Cary's corporate career includes Hoffmaster/Creative Converting, Innoware Paper, Chesapeake Consumer Products, and Curwood, Inc. Recently, Cary planned, implemented, and managed a complete in-house digital prepress dept at Innoware Paper.
Job Titles:
- FOUNDING PARTNER
- Founding Partner / Interim Executive / CEO Communications & Content Product - Market Strategy Media Education
- Interim Executive / CEO / Communications & Content / Product - Market Strategy / Media
- Senior Publishing Executive and General Manager
David Rust has been a senior publishing executive and general manager with a successful record of creating, re-imagining, and launching media products with units of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Pearson, Scholastic, School Specialty, Golden Books, and Rand McNally. He's been successful in consumer and school markets, and in identifying crossover opportunities between the two. His media expertise ranges across books and print, audio and video, toys and games, websites and mobile apps. He was also a pioneer in bringing DEI (diversity-equity-inclusion) considerations to educational publishing and ed tech, and his most recent leadership role was GM of the Learning unit at Hispanic Information & Telecommunications Network/HITN. Today he reflects that sensibility as he takes on writing, editing, and creative team management assignments in communications and content development.
Job Titles:
- PRESIDENT
- Interim Leader / Marketing & Sales
Elisa makes company visions a reality. Elisa has over 30 years in the Global Consumer Packaged Goods Industry and has worked for companies including Kellogg's, Coca-Cola, Contempo Colours and Federated Dept. Stores.
Elisa joined Sandhill Consulting Group in 2009 and became Partner in 2010. As a consumer packaged goods leader and senior consultant, Elisa focuses on meeting her client's needs and helps them deliver strong business results. Her area of expertise includes Strategic Planning, Business Development, Innovation, Licensing and Retail.
Job Titles:
- CONSULTANT
- Senior Executive
- Operations & Logistics
Fan (Frank) Liu has been a senior executive in global sourcing purchasing in a broad array of consumer products. Fan has demonstrated success in joint-venture manufacturing and sourcing office startup. Fan has been worked for Tapper (Subsidiary of Hallmark), American Greetings, Colorbok, Darice, Swell Machinery (International joint-venture manufacturer), and Land Zone Corp.
Areas of expertise include global sourcing strategy, global operation & leadership, supply chain maintenance, vendor management, manufacturer auditing & social compliance, oversea sales & marketing, and M&A Consulting.
Job Titles:
- ADVISOR
- CEO
- President
- Senior Executive
- ADVISOR / CEO President Consumer Products Marketing Strategy / Process, Turnarounds & Divestitures
- Interim Executives CEO / Marketing & Sales
Frederic (Rick) Contino is a highly successful CEO/President and senior executive with broad experience in consumer products. He has lead key turnarounds at several well known firms, including Midwest-CBK Div of Blyth, Playcore (AMEX), Newell Divisions-Anchor Hocking Plastics,Plastics Inc., Anchor Hocking Glass, Mirro Cookware, Hamilton Beach and International Silver. Rick has a diverse background in public and private company environments including broad based responsibilities, demonstrable achievement in successful corporate equity transactions, restructuring and turnarounds, and complete operating responsibility for companies in a variety of industries and channels of trade.
Areas of expertise include strategy and business plan development, communication skills, leadership, staff motivation and significant experience dealing with major domestic and international customers. Excellent understanding and knowledge of consumer products, value chains, financial statements and equity markets.
Job Titles:
- CONSULTANT
- Executive
- Strategy Development
George Hamilton is a seasoned executive in the consumer products industry having served in executive leadership positions in numerous multi-national public and private companies including CEO of Global Home Products LLC, and President of several consumer goods companies within Newell Brands Inc., including Anchor Hocking Specialty Glass, Lee Rowan, Rubbermaid Europe s.a. and Goody Products Inc.
George also has extensive experience in corporate governance having served on the boards of several public and private companies in a wide array of industries including Trachte Building Supplies Inc, Air Canada Corp., Anchor Glass Container Corp., Formica Corp., Global Home Products Inc., Sylvania Lighting International Inc. and others.
George has significant expertise in strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, turnarounds, financial management, executive team building and corporate governance.
Job Titles:
- CONSULTANT
- Information Technology
- Technology Leader
Jim Stiller is a seasoned technology leader with over 35 years of IT experience with a focus in the Architecture, Infrastructure, and Operations domains. He has extensive experience delivering technology strategies and business solutions to leading global companies including the Financial Services, Insurance, Technology, Manufacturing, and Banking sectors. As a senior IT leader, he has a successful track record of developing innovative cloud solutions, which bring competitive advantages, drive out costs, and deliver operational excellence.
Job Titles:
- ADVISOR
- Interim Executive / Operations & Logistics
John Rice has completed assignments with Fortis Plastics, InnoWare Paper Inc and InnoWare Plastic Inc, and several others, providing expertise in supply chain/logistics, operations and general management. He has also recently served as an executive coach.
John has over 25 years of executive level experience with a variety of companies including Dematic, SalesLink(CMGI), EPAC Technologies, Miles Kimball Company and Western Publishing Company.
Job Titles:
- CONSULTANT
- Marketing Innovation / Product
Kris Tarantino has over 20 years in the Global Consumer Products Industry, with a licensing expertise, and a focus on kids. She has worked for both corporate and family-owned companies, including Western Publishing/Golden Books, Anagram, and Movado. Most recently she's embraced the children's publishing world as an Author. Kris' knowledge and skills cross over several industries, including toys, arts & crafts, books, balloons, and fashion watches.
Kris joined the Sandhill Consulting Group in 2022. Her area of expertise includes Marketing Innovation, Product, Licensing, and Creative Direction-largely centered around the trend-driven business of kids.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- FOUNDING PARTNER
- Senior Executive
- Interim Executive / CEO / General Management / Investment
is a seasoned chairman/CE0 and senior executive with experience at several well known firms, including American Greetings, Contempo Colours, Western Publishing and Pictionary/Games Gang. Nick has high growth, organic growth, acquisition growth and turnaround experience with over a dozen assignments, including firms in the areas of consumer products, OEM production, social expression and party goods, and service firms.
Nick has led several high growth and new product ventures over his 25-plus year career in fields including multimedia publishing, toys and games, music, arts and crafts, flexible packaging, food service, home decor, paper & plastics, commercial printing and consumer advertising. Nick has led over a dozen acquisitions and divestitures and is highly experienced working with private equity firms and family controlled businesses in addition to his work in publicly traded enterprises.
Job Titles:
- ADVISOR
- Coach
- Interim Executive / CEO / Executive Coaching / Recruiting
Richard (Rich) Longabaugh has extensive experience as both a coach and mentor as well as an operating executive. For more than five years he has served as an Advisory Board Chair for Vistage Worldwide during which he was a coach and mentor for more than 20 CEO's, business owners and executives. He also has more than a dozen years of retained executive search work in manufacturing, finance, secondary and higher education.
Rich has held a number of executive leadership positions dealing with diverse workforces in retail, health care and education. His roles include Executive Director of the $2 billion Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and the Interim Provost of the Nashotah House Theological Seminary.
Job Titles:
- ADVISOR
- Branding
- Sandhill Advisor
Rob has over 22 years in the area of design and has worked with global brands in the Food and service industry, professional sports, software and technology, fashion, education and healthcare. As a senior creative leader, Rob has lead design teams across the globe delivering award winning websites, print and online campaigns.
As a Sandhill Advisor Rob is able to advise clients through transformative design of branding, digital experiences and maximizing online e-commerce conversions.