Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Carnegie Mellon University

New York University

CEO - Grittopia LLC  -  Host - In Search of Lost Mojo podcast show  -  Human Performance Coach  -  Professor  -  Speaker  -  Venture Advisor

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Grittopia is on a relentless mission to unlock the secrets of lifelong high performance on demand through human analytics and performance coaching, early-stage start-up advising and investing, and inventive content development:Grittopia Human Analytics and Performance optimizes the performance of professionals in ultra-high stakes jobs and organizations by combining the cutting edge of technology, exercise science, nutrition, mental agility, and other advancements to guide cycles of productivity, creativity, focus, decision making, and recovery.  Grittopia Ventures advises and invests in early-stage ventures focused on athletics, adventure, and achievement for active adults over the age of 50.Grittopia Media originates and produces a wide variety of content highlighting the accomplishments of 50+ masters including audio, video, books, and social media.  Home of In Search of Lost Mojo podcast show.

Grittopia, LLC (www.grittopia.com)

Adjunct Professor

Founded in 2012, Diamond Kinetics is a Pittsburgh-based company focused on bringing motion data and analytics to players of all ages and skill levels, and their coaches, in baseball and softball. Building upon intellectual property developed at both the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh, they’ve combined engineering talent, innovation and a fanatical passion for sports to create the most cutting edge motion analysis and skill improvement tools available.My role is to provide the company's founders, fellow board members, and other advisors with insights, advice, and recommendations to accelerate its growth trajectory in a variety of areas including strategic positioning, market definition, product development, and venture investing, and to perform required corporate governance activities.

Diamond Kinetics

Member Board of Directors

AlphaLab Gear (<a href="http://alphalabgear.org">alphalabgear.org</a>) is a Pittsburgh-based hardware and robotics incubator and a program of Innovation Works, one of the nation's most active seed-stage investors.Venture mentors provide portfolio companies with a wide-variety of advice and support as part of a comprehensive set of services including education sessions, membership at TechShop, and facilitated introductions to venture investors.Mentorship companies:'15-'16:  Carbon Freight (<a href="http://carbonfreight.com">carbonfreight.com</a>) builds more durable air cargo products that last longer with lower tare so that airlines and logistics companies can carry more cargo while producing fewer emissions.'14-'15:  Piecemaker Technologies (<a href="http://piecemaker.com">piecemaker.com</a>) is a company that empowers retail stores to create customized inventory, on-demand using it's proprietary "Factory in a Store" system based on 3D printing technology. This approach allows consumers to design their own products using a simple touchscreen kiosk and then watch them made right in the store. CNBC named their customizable products “top trending of 2014”.

AlphaLab Gear

Venture Mentor

Launched in 2016, the Young Transatlantic Innovative Leaders Initiative Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) of the U.S. Department of State and is supported in its implementation by The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).YTILI empowers young European and Eurasian entrepreneurs and innovators with the tools, networks, and resources they need to turn ideas into action and grow successful enterprises. The program is also a vehicle for building a transatlantic network of leaders that can more fully contribute to an ongoing policy dialogue to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems and opportunities for innovation.Mentors are serial entrepreneurs, connectors, and investors based in key U.S. cities who share their knowledge, connections, and personal experiences to empower the YTILI Fellows to start and scalesuccessful ventures.

German Marshall Fund of the United States

Mentor--Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI)

Founded in 2012, Diamond Kinetics is a Pittsburgh-based company focused on bringing motion data and analytics to players of all ages and skill levels, and their coaches, in baseball and softball. Building upon intellectual property developed at both the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh, they’ve combined engineering talent, innovation and a fanatical passion for sports to create the most cutting edge motion analysis and skill improvement tools available.My role is to provide the company's founders and board with insights, advice, and recommendations to accelerate its growth trajectory in a variety of areas including strategic positioning, market definition, product development, and venture investing.

Strategic Advisor

Full-time faculty member of the Heinz College and affiliated with both the School of Public Policy and Management and the School of Information Technology.Teach graduate level electives in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Design Thinking, Supply Chain Management, and Optimizing Human Performance.Executive education for companies in a variety of industries including management consulting, pharmaceuticals, media and publishing, and health <a href="http://care.www.heinz.cmu.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/faculty-details/index.aspx?faculty_id=209">care.www.heinz.cmu.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/faculty-details/index.aspx?faculty_id=209</a>

Associate Teaching Professor

TACSI (<a href="http://www.tacsi.org.au">www.tacsi.org.au</a>) aims to identify and support innovative ideas, methods and people that will contribute to and accelerate positive social change throughout Australia.  It provides a variety of services and leads numerous initiatives including direct funding for innovative projects, training for social entrepreneurs, and working with consumers and service providers to co-design solutions to address unmet social needs.Selected by the Premier of South Australia to be part of the inaugural board of directors.  Responsibilities included selection of executive leadership, establishing governance mechanisms, and providing direct support for start-up activities.

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation

Founding Board Member

Principal executive officer of Carnegie Mellon's international graduate campus. Enrollment increase of 20%-30% per year throughout tenure and achieved financial sustainability objectives.Extensive international travel and work experience throughout countries in the Middle East, India and the subcontinent, Asia, and Latin America, and Western Europe.Managed high-level government and corporate relationships at state and national levels.Overall responsibility for operational and financial performance, marketing, student recruiting, and academic and research development.www.cmu.edu.au

Carnegie Mellon University-Australia

Executive Director

Led the university's global initiatives in social innovation and entrepreneurship including curriculum development, field projects, and applied research.

Director

Courses taught:  Manufacturing Strategy, Supply Chain Management, Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, History of the Nonprofit Sector, numerous custom Executive Education sessions

Lead establishment of a pioneering private operating foundation providing seed capital and direct support for a select portfolio of earned-income and socially innovative ventures.   Founded first-of-its-kind nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting selected social enterprise ventures from design through implementation and ongoing management. Modeled after leading venture capital, consulting, investment banking, and product design firms.  Nationally recognized as a model for regional social enterprise development. Board member of the Coordinated Care Network, a globally recognized social enterprise, and the Social Enterprise Alliance, North America’s leading membership organization for advocates, investors, and practitioners of nonprofit earned-income initiatives, and Advisory Board member of The Forbes Funds, a Pittsburgh-based foundation focused on capacity building, applied research, and leadership development in the nonprofit sector.

Pittsburgh Social Enterprise Accelerator / Social Innovation Accelerator

CEO / President

Lead team of national charities and global technology service providers in defining strategy and development approach for comprehensive database to serve victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack.Developed global business and organizational strategy to orient the world’s largest technology product and services company around industry-focused solutions.Evaluated key IT architecture components, technology vendors, and implementation partners for a new joint venture providing risk management products and services to B2B marketplaces.Developed a comprehensive digital media strategy for a global media conglomerate and managed the implementation of an initiative to offer consumers secure, copyright-protected digital music.Lead initiatives to generate new revenue streams and reduce IT infrastructure costs after the merger of a diversified global media conglomerate and a leading Internet access / technology provider.

McKinsey and Company

Senior Consultant

Created organization to evaluate emerging e-commerce technologies and assess acquisition candidates.Line responsibility for staffing, web development, financial analysis, and operational execution.Developed acquisition/alliance management process generating 20 viable candidates in less than 60 days.

ProcureNet

Director-Strategic Alliances and Business Development

Developed, for a specialty chemical company, a comprehensive logistics strategy to reduce operating costs and leverage new technology investments.Managed an initiative to redefine IT management and support strategies for a global hospitality company.  Acted as the interim Vice President of Client Services to facilitate senior leadership transitions.Conducted applied research on technology and corporate agility, strategic capability building, and introduction strategies for emerging e-commerce technologies.

The Concours Group

Managed, for the Alaskan operations of a global energy company, an initiative to reduce overhead costs and reallocate funds to enable growth objectives. Lead an engagement to select and implement an enterprise-wide technology solution to support global change initiatives for the largest domestic provider of private label OTC pharmaceuticals.Directed, for a start-up European consumer products company, an effort focused on redefining its electronic channel strategy and implementing core business processes and technologies.

Arthur D. Little

Manager

Co-managed design of a “greenfield” manufacturing facility and technology architecture for a global consumer products company launching a new medical products venture.Managed an engineering team developing product assembly and component tracking software systems.Created an organization of senior manufacturing engineers and technicians to provide high-tech components to a start-up supercomputer company.  Managed a multi-functional team responsible for implementing advanced manufacturing methodologies such as Just-In-Time and Six Sigma in start-up production lines.

Tim Zak