Summary
Trained as a scientist in Energy and Environment and the Natural Resources Industry, I'm highly strategic with an entrepreneurial drive in the private sector, and long-standing interest in sustainability and commitment to help corporations integrate biodiversity & CR into their business practices. As a serial social entrepreneur I have deep management, business development and strategic marketing experience in the private sector as well as NGO /NPO experience; collaborating with stakeholders about sustainability, biodiversity and environmental stewardship. Experienced in multiple industry sectors including trade finance, project finance, and financial services, resources, energy & environment, agribusiness, conservation, environmental strategies, high tech, management consulting, social entrepreneurships.
In parallel to running BGS Financial, I founded Canopy, a CSR consulting firm that focused on innovative environmental strategies to help conservationists attract recognition for their work, and help corporations reap the socio-economic benefits of species and wildlife preservation.
•Pioneered “green” and corporate responsibility & sustainability strategies, which provided corporations mechanisms to help preserve global bio-diversity and enhance their legacy.
•Re-engineered identity and value proposition for BGS Financial, transforming transaction-centric brokerage into strategic equity advisory practice, driving an increase of 65% in annual sales .
Winner of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories Energy and Environment Fellowship, I had the fortune to work in research. I was recruited into the private sector by a prestigious grain company to analyze world markets, analyzing the flows of capital between worldwide commodities. Working extensively with the EXIM and the OPIC tracking and analyzing emerging and financial markets, my work has taken me globally evaluating the economics of transactions and the subsequent growth patterns for investment.
In parallel to running BGS Financial, I founded Canopy, a CSR consulting firm that focused on innovative environmental strategies to help conservationists attract recognition for their work, and help corporations reap the socio-economic benefits of species and wildlife preservation.
•Pioneered “green” and corporate responsibility & sustainability strategies, which provided corporations mechanisms to help preserve global bio-diversity and enhance their legacy.
•Re-engineered identity and value proposition for BGS Financial, transforming transaction-centric brokerage into strategic equity advisory practice, driving an increase of 65% in annual sales .
Winner of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories Energy and Environment Fellowship, I had the fortune to work in research. I was recruited into the private sector by a prestigious grain company to analyze world markets, analyzing the flows of capital between worldwide commodities. Working extensively with the EXIM and the OPIC tracking and analyzing emerging and financial markets, my work has taken me globally evaluating the economics of transactions and the subsequent growth patterns for investment.
Specialties:
Briefly, my functional skills include: creating initiatives & developing new markets for companies, communicating value, differentiation, sustainability, strategic market management, strategic analysis, leadership, global growth strategies, international alliances, environmental strategies, solution selling, innovations and product development, corporate citizenship & environmental stewardship, Best Practices, customer relations
Founder/Board of Directors, MirraGeos, Inc.
Management Consulting industry
February 2009 – June 2010
Mirrageos provides sustainability analytics and solutions for the agricultural markets in the emerging low carbon economy.
We work with food companies, farmers, growers and the markets to provide an online system that tracks, measures & scores impacts – providing companies with baseline tools to manage production practices and increase their profits by pursuing sustainability.
We work with food companies, farmers, growers and the markets to provide an online system that tracks, measures & scores impacts – providing companies with baseline tools to manage production practices and increase their profits by pursuing sustainability.
Advisory Board Member , UC Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative
Academia
Advisory Board Member , Treevestors, Inc
Capital Markets industry
Advisor, Board of Trustees , Orangutan Land Trust
Non-Profit Organization Management industry
Chairman at SMAA
Alternative Medicine industry
April 2007
SMAA helps adult children of frail parents attend to their overwhelming needs. SMAA helps seniors enjoy moments of quality that transcends their need for physical care - providing cutting edge neuroscience services in the caretaking industry. I established SMAA after my mother came down with Alzheimers. SMAA is a result of my own personal experience and how I learned to help seniors with life threatening disabilities maintain a quality of life.
President & CEO at Canopy, Inc.
Environmental Services industry
June 1999 – 2007
Corporate Strategy and Operations - responsible for the development and management, from inception to implementation. Canopy is a environmental strategies company that helps corporations integrate sustainability into corporate operations and corporate social responsibility initiatives to lessen their environmental footprint. We did this by educating employees about the world's natural resources, and creating programs that connected companies with leading wildlife biologists throughout the globe.
Created strategic alliance with the IUCN ( the World Conservation Union) surveying the private sector to understand the potential for collaboration between the IUCN and corporations. These results were then incorporated into the IUCN's 10 year strategic plan.
Created strategic alliance with the IUCN ( the World Conservation Union) surveying the private sector to understand the potential for collaboration between the IUCN and corporations. These results were then incorporated into the IUCN's 10 year strategic plan.
Managing Director , BGS Financial
Investment Management industry
January 2002 – October 2008
Launched and oversaw the operations of one of the most innovative investment and financial services practices in the industry, redefining our mission from being a transaction oriented real estate finance brokerage to a professional practice, collaborating with CPA's, financial planners, equity advisors, trust advisors. Our social mission provided ongoing funds for education and conservation projects around the Bay Area.
Responsible for operations, marketing, positioning, relationships, public relations, sales, back office operations, customer acquisition and retention, innovation of new products, strategic alliances, branding, and profitability.
Implemented direct marketing initiatives and client acquisition/retention strategies that consistently produced annualized sales of $65-$75MM in financial services products.
Responsible for operations, marketing, positioning, relationships, public relations, sales, back office operations, customer acquisition and retention, innovation of new products, strategic alliances, branding, and profitability.
Implemented direct marketing initiatives and client acquisition/retention strategies that consistently produced annualized sales of $65-$75MM in financial services products.
Managing Partner at Saunders and Associates
Management Consulting industry
October 1989 – November 1999
Oversaw all operations for strategic marketing advisory services growing business to revenues of 1.3MM by providing positioning advice and orchestrating strategic alliances for a range of global clients including think tanks Nexus Asia, REITS, and private organizations.
Senior Advisor / Analyst at Grubb & Ellis Commercial
Commercial Real Estate industry
January 1985 – April 1989
Senior Director at Pivotal Strategies
Management Consulting industry
February 1985 – September 1986
Global Marketing Director, Marketing at Tandem Computers
Public Company ; 5001-10,000 employees ; TDM ; Computer Hardware industry
January 1981 – March 1984
Chief Economist , Pacific Internationnal Rice Mills
International Trade and Development industry
January 1978 – June 1981
Education
Stanford University / Wharton
continuiing education & Executive GSB
University of California, Berkeley
B.S., College of Natural Resource, Energy and Environment
1975 – 1981
