Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Organizations rarely fail for lack of ideas. They fail when strategy, people, operations, and execution fall out of alignment. For more than 25 years, I've built organizations, developed leadership teams, and helped businesses navigate defining moments—from rapid growth and acquisitions to transformation and crisis. As Founder and President of Evans Larson, I built a multi-million-dollar strategic advisory firm from the ground up—creating new business units, developing leaders, designing operating models, and integrating capabilities that helped Fortune 500 companies, public corporations, private equity-backed organizations, nonprofits, and multi-billion-dollar enterprises navigate growth, acquisitions, transformation, and crisis. Following the sale of the firm, I brought that builder's mindset into enterprise marketing leadership, rebuilding the North American marketing organization for a billion-dollar hyper-growth company before investing in and helping scale an AI data visualization startup. The common thread throughout my career has been building—and rebuilding—businesses, leadership teams, and operating capabilities that enable organizations to grow, adapt, and create lasting value. Areas of Leadership • Enterprise Transformation • Building High-Performing Organizations • Growth Strategy • Executive Team Development • Operational Excellence • Strategic Planning & Communications • Data Science, Analytics & Performance Measurement • Digital Transformation & Technology Modernization • Crisis Leadership & Executive Communications • Post-Acquisition Integration • Change Leadership Experience • 25+ years leading growth and transformation • Founder & President of a multi-million-dollar strategic advisory firm • Built specialized business units spanning strategy, data science, AI, digital transformation, strategic communications, crisis management, analytics, and technology • Recruited, developed, and led multidisciplinary leadership teams • Partnered with boards, CEOs, executive leadership teams, and business owners • Managed budgets from $15K to $50M with P&L ownership and recurring revenue growth • Led initiatives impacting organizations from dozens to thousands of employees Selected Business Outcomes • Increased conversion rates by 29% year over year • Delivered 23% year-over-year lead growth through integrated growth strategy • Modernized commercial operations and technology ecosystems to improve executive visibility, decision-making, and operational efficiency • Introduced and scaled AI-enabled operating protocols
Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer strategizing growth from seed to Series A funding for data visualization company that transforms complex and scattered marketing data into visual, actionable insights for executives and business owners. Responsible for increasing subscriptions by 8-10% a month; managing current B2B, B2C, and D2C subscribers, including international companies; global associations, commercial developers, retailers, higher education systems, and non-profit organizations. Responsibilities include leading development and design teams, garnering subscribers' feedback, and communicating with VCs.
Director of Americas, leading marketing, led rebuilding, restructuring, and synchronizing Americas’ marketing team for the region’s three, $200M+ business units. Successfully oversaw marketing needs for eight M&As in three business divisions. Key Accomplishments: ▪ Increased lead generation 23% YoY for Americas region (Canada, US, Mexico). ▪ Increased marketing productivity by 25% within six months. Grew and built cross-functional collaboration with six departments; revitalized the company’s digital marketing management systems, data analysis program, and multichannel communications. ▪ Established and grew relationships with EMEAA sales, marketing leadership and teams; drove strategies for global marketing alignment.
Founded, grew, and sold a successful business consulting and communication agency enjoying YoY revenue increases of up to 17% for over a decade. EL featured four primary divisions: 1) Business Communication for Growth, 2) Crisis Mitigation and Recovery, 3) Omnichannel Publishing, and 4) Data Science and Visualization. Sold EL in Q1 2022. Key Accomplishments: ▪ Counsel to C-level and senior leadership in union communication, crisis management, business growth, organizational comms, union negotiation communication, marketing programs, change management initiatives, marketing operational effectiveness to increase productivity, data audits, updates, integration, and analysis. ▪ Responsible for crisis mitigation for national and international clients, averaging 3,000 locations a month. Managed immediate alerts and in-event responses to multi-month, post-event recovery and rebuilding programs. ▪ Crafted a culture of curiosity, learning, people-first, and laughter valued by countless employees and clients, many of whom were 15+ years with the firm.