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Dave Dobis
Principal Consultant at Consilium Data
Professional Background
Dave Dobis is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in management, consulting, and information technology. His career spans over several decades, during which he has held numerous influential positions, contributing to both the public and private sectors. Currently serving as the Principal Consultant at Consilium Data, Dave utilizes his valuable expertise to drive data strategies and optimize organizational performance. He has a proven track record of success in managing complex projects and fostering innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency.
Dave's impressive experience as the Chief Data Officer at California Polytechnic State University illuminated his capability in overseeing institutional data governance, data quality management, and data analytics initiatives. With a focus on integrating data-driven decision-making, he was instrumental in shaping the strategic vision for the university's data landscape. In this role, he worked collaboratively with faculty and administration to promote data accessibility and analytical capabilities across various departments.
Before his role at Cal Poly, Dave served as the Chief Operating Officer for University Development, where he played a key role in enhancing organizational capabilities and streamlining processes to boost fundraising efforts and enhance alumni engagement. His leadership in this capacity significantly advanced the university’s development programs, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to education and community service.
Prior to his tenure at California Polytechnic State University, Dave was the President of Dobis & Associates, LLC, where he managed a consultancy that provided strategic insights and operational support to various organizations. His entrepreneurial spirit is a testament to his adaptability and forward-thinking approach to consulting.
Over the years, Dave has held numerous executive roles in different companies, showcasing his dynamic leadership and strategic insights. His experience includes high-level positions such as Vice President at both Preferred Systems Solutions and AMERICAN SYSTEMS, as well as Director of Operations at NCI, Inc. In addition, he has served as a Program Director at L-3 Communications and as a Senior Program Manager at Capital One, where he played integral roles in leading teams and driving innovative projects.
Dave’s military background as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy has further enriched his leadership abilities, instilling a strong sense of discipline, strategy, and commitment to teamwork. His military experience, combined with over two decades in the corporate sector, enhances his capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage overarching operational strategies.
Education and Achievements
In terms of education, Dave Dobis's academic background is both robust and diverse. He graduated from Churchill High School before pursuing higher education at some of the most reputable institutions. He earned a Master’s Degree in Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia, where he honed his skills in advanced data management and technology applications in business settings. Additionally, Dave holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from the State University of New York at Albany, a degree that reflects a well-rounded education designed to cultivate critical thinking and effective communication.
His academic foundation in liberal arts, paired with specialized training in technology management, reflects his diverse approach to problem-solving and strategic planning. This unique blend of skills enables Dave to effectively connect with both technical and non-technical groups, creating a harmonious collaboration that drives organizational success.
Notable Achievements
Throughout his career, Dave Dobis has achieved numerous milestones that reflect his dedication to excellence, leadership, and innovation. His strategic insights as a Chief Data Officer have led to the successful implementation of data governance frameworks at California Polytechnic State University, significantly improving data management practices institution-wide.
In his role as COO of University Development, he was pivotal in revitalizing fundraising initiatives, leading to unprecedented increases in donor engagement and support for the university. This transformative impact is indicative of his ability to drive measurable results and enhance institutional effectiveness.
Moreover, as a consultant, Dave has helped various corporations and universities adopt best practices in data management and operational optimization, further solidifying his reputation as a thought leader in the domain of information technology. His ability to navigate complex challenges while fostering collaboration has been a hallmark of his consulting approach.
Throughout all these experiences, Dave has remained committed to leveraging technology and data to empower organizations and guide them towards achieving their strategic objectives. His work is characterized by a focus on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in both the public and private sectors, demonstrating the significant impact of his contributions over the years.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.