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Partners
Paul Schaus, President & Managing Partner
Paul Schaus brings to his position as President of Catalyst Consulting Group, more than twenty five years of bank management and bank consulting experience within the financial services sector.
Prior to forming Catalyst Consulting Group, Paul was Executive Vice President for an international consulting firm, where he built the firm's highly successful strategy and project management bank consulting practice. His move into the consulting world was preceded by a position as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for a regional bank in Washington, DC.
His direct experience within the financial industry includes strategic planning, bank management, acquisition integration, retail banking, deposit operations, item processing, finance / accounting, information technology and loan operations. Paul was responsible for European operations for a US financial institution, served as Chief Financial Officer for a regional bank, divisional Senior Vice President for a multi-state bank holding company, and was an executive officer for two de-novo bank organizations. Paul’s interest in banking grew from a position he held at a DC area institution while attending college.
Over the past ten years, Paul has consulted with numerous commercial and savings banks both large and small, credit unions and financial services firms both domestically and internationally. He has been quoted within industry publications such as American Banker and Bank Technology News, and is an experienced professional speaker.
Paul graduated from the University of Maryland and from PCBS Graduate School of Banking, specializing in Corporate Banking. Paul is on the board of directors of the Southwest Business Financing Corporation, a private, non-profit corporation that arranges long-term business loans under the SBA 504 loan program.
Alan Riegler, Partner & Senior Consultant
Alan brings to his position, as Partner and Senior Bank Consultant, more than thirty years of senior banking executive and consultant experience. Alan is an acknowledged expert in financial services technologies, operations and services including outsourcing, software selection and implementation. Alan has comprehensive experience as management consultant responsible for sale and delivery of information technology and business transformation projects and a proven ability to manage diverse teams of business, technical, operations and vendors to profitably deliver consulting projects.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Alan was founder of a successful bank advisory consulting firm, A M Riegler Associates of Pasadena, California. Before forming A M Riegler, Alan was a Principal of Ernst & Young, where he was a senior member of the management consulting practice with responsibility for client engagements in planning, technology and business process improvement. Director – Financial Services Industry Practice at Price Waterhouse where he was an executive consultant for clients in the financial services, information technology and outsourcing industries. Managing Director at Alex Sheshunoff Management Services where he was responsible for all Management Consulting Services to the community banking market. Alan’s positions in banking include CIO at Leader Federal followed by a move to First Horizon Corporation as a Vice President – Manager of Systems Development & Planning.
A few of Alan’s accomplishments include: Executive advisor for the creation of Program Management Office for Retail Banking Subsidiary including Project Management Methodology, tools and Reporting. Program Manager for three projects for International Investment Management Firm – Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity; Software License Compliance; Security Risk Assessment and Remediation. Managed the development of technology strategy, solution definition, LOS vendor evaluation and selection; implementation planning and Program Management through Pilot for largest Reverse Mortgage provider. Performed Branch Process Improvement project for mid-sized retail bank Conducted branch operations review. Identified improvements for a Mortgage Originator, resulting in a substantial reduction in application processing time and significant operating cost savings. Completed business requirements review of outsourcing proposal and contract for mid-sized data center operations. Created structure, approach and led evaluation for Regional Bank’s outsourcing for all technology and item processing operations resulting in cost savings, including a significant asset purchase. Participate throughout contract negotiations. Completed Feasibility Analysis for Bank Operations and Data Center Outsourcing.
Alan earned a Juris Doctor from Salmon P Chase College of Law (Northern Kentucky University), a MBA in Business Administration from Xavier University and Bachelor of Science in Operations Research from Case Western Reserve University.
William Fitting, Partner & Senior Consultant
William (Bill) Fitting brings to his position as Partner and Senior Bank Consultant, more than thirty years of executive operations experience in the financial services industry. Bill’s background includes several of the industry’s largest institutions, including SunTrust Bank, M&T Bank, and Bank of America, where he managed a broad range of operational areas. He has been an active participant in merger and acquisition planning, technology management and global outsourcing.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Bill was employed at SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, where he was the Manager of External Labor in the bank’s technology organization. In this capacity he had responsibility for the acquisition and management of 400+ global resources, as well as for the acquisition of domestic contract programming and consulting resources. While at SunTrust, he also directed a multi-year program to upgrade or replace a significant portion of the institution’s key Treasury Management systems.
Before joining SunTrust, Bill was Senior Vice President and Division Manager for Operations and Processing Services at Allfirst Bank, now M&T Bank, in Baltimore, Maryland. This position included responsibility for the bank’s check processing, corporate operations, and deposit service activities at sites in Baltimore, Harrisburg, and Millsboro, Delaware.
Bill attended Lehigh University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and Business Administration. He is also a graduate of the BAI School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin and the Business of Banking School at Cornell University. He represented Maryland financial institutions on the Fifth Federal Reserve District Operations Advisory Committee, and served on the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Automated Clearing House Association (MACHA). In addition, he was a founding Director of the Baltimore-Washington Clearing House Association. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and has chaired the planning committees for the BAI Check Processing Conference, and the BAI Money Transfer Conference.
Thomas D. Switzer, Partner & Senior Consultant
Tom brings to his position as Partner and Senior Bank Consultant, more than thirty years of bank and financial services operations management, cash management sales, and product management. His responsibilities include consulting with clients on branch and call center production efficiencies, revenue opportunities, and service quality. Included in this focus are strategic planning, re-engineering, re-organization, and product development.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Tom spent 9 years as management consultant in the Consulting and Professional Services division of Metavante (now F.I.S.). Tom's previous experience was principal of Management Mentors, a small business management development firm. He was also a consulting practice manager at Unisys and a Senior Vice President – General Manager of Chemical Bank, Texas.
Tom’s consulting experience spans a vast array of financial organizations. It includes profit improvement projects with community, regional, and large multi-bank holding companies, savings and loans, financial services companies, and commercial companies’ treasury management operations.
Tom’s primary skill set lies in the areas of workflow design, expense reduction, revenue generation, staff organization, acquisition due diligence, and de novo operations. In these capacities, he founded the CPS Revenue practice, including the development leadership for modeling decision-making implications.
In previous positions, Tom worked extensively on the strategic development of bank back room operations and has conducted large-scale projects at nearly one-hundred institutions. Among these, he has functioned as a temporary site manager for item processing, remittance processing, CIS, bookkeeping, and call center operations. In addition, he has represented clients in acquisitions, leading operational due diligence and analysis, implementation planning, and operational integration.
As a Senior Vice President and General Manager of Chemical Bank - New York and Texas Commerce Bank, Tom led a remote, four-site, 24/7/365 operation, of 300 employees that processed $15 billion and 3.5 million items per month. During this period, he sponsored internal development of a PC-based, image processing system that eliminated $1 million in annual maintenance expense, generated $750,000 in new product revenue, and reduced production timeline by 800%.
Tom has an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Loyola University Graduate School of Business in Chicago, Illinois and a BA in Business and Literature from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. Tom is a lifetime member of the American Academy of Certified Consultants and Experts (AACCE) and a certified management consultant. He has also been asked to speak and participate as a panelist for a variety of industry trade conferences including NRMA and FMI and assisted the Mortgage Banker’s Association in producing a cash management primer. He previously taught macro and micro-economics at Trinity University in Bannockburn, Illinois and has also conducted numerous internal and external workshops and seminars for banks and their customers.
Deborah Potter, Partner & Senior Consultant
As a Partner & Senior Bank Consultant for Catalyst Consulting Group, Deborah Potter leads many of the firm's project management engagements. She brings to the firm her outstanding skills in Project Management, Systems Development and Delivery Methodology, Organizational Change Management, and Business Requirements Analysis. She is also involved with Catalyst technology and strategic planning projects.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Deborah held executive positions in both Operations and Change Management. With her over thirty years in the financial services industry she has developed strong management expertise in information technology, deposit operations, cash management and loan administration.
Deborah is a Certified Project Management Professional and has implemented over fifty systems and managed over twenty Merger and Acquisitions projects. She has served on numerous industry committees and as a key speaker at various bank conferences.
Deborah holds a BA in Finance and Dance from the University of Washington.
Gary S. Shaivitz, CFA, Partner & Senior Consultant
Gary Shaivitz brings to his position, as Partner and Senior Bank Consultant, more than twenty-five years of senior banking executive and consultant experience. Gary is an accomplished problem solver and change agent who develops effective strategies for improving bank operations and managing risk processes while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Gary’s banking background includes community and national Banking experience including senior executive and operating roles at HarVest Bank of Maryland, Baltimore Bancorp and Equitable Bancorp leadership positions at Bank of America, Allfirst Bank (now M&T) and senior consulting assignments at Furash & Company, a Washington, DC based firm specializing in financial services: Gary has: delivered projects/engagements in corporate, business line and delivery strategy, risk management, profit improvement, business process improvement and regulatory compliance. Gary brings substantial hands-on experience and expertise in the formation and startup of de novo banks.
A few of Gary’s banking and consulting accomplishments include: The implementation of Operations and Risk Management/Compliance infrastructure; Branch consolidation efforts for a major bank that netted $55 million in annual savings; Profit improvement project for a major client which resulted in a $33 million gain to the bottom line; Guided a commercial bank out of regulatory MOU caused primarily by deterioration in asset quality; Directed and facilitated various corporate strategic planning and analytical sessions; Authored corporate strategic plans and related financial projections. Designed and implemented sophisticated business line profitability systems; Developed financial models for product and customer profitability, pricing and M&A analysis; Prepared management assessments required under regulatory orders.
Gary earned his MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a BBA from Emory University. Gary also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Tripp Johnson, Partner & Senior Consultant
For over 15 years, Tripp has been a trusted advisor to banks and credit unions throughout North America. He advises CIOs/CTOs and other senior executives on strategic issues including the optimal leverage of their remote delivery channels, organizational governance, optimization of their technology platforms, and the strategic use of technology to achieve business and growth objectives.
His specialties include identifying leading edge technologies, as well as defining and justifying strategies for applying technology. He has deep experience in information management, business platform selection, IT Strategy, enterprise architecture, IT assessments, organizational design, multi-channel management and integration, customer relationship management initiatives, as well as, project management and execution. Tripp regularly assists clients with the definition of their technology organization, skills, and governance processes, in addition to the development of business and technical roadmaps that enable strategic business initiatives.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Tripp founded Johnson Advisory Services, LLC, which provides technology advisory services to credit unions and banks. Before forming Johnson Advisory, he was a Senior Consultant with Cornerstone Advisors for six years. Tripp’s banking career includes serving as Chief Technology Officer, Retail Markets & Products Technology for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). He served as Vice President eBusiness Technology, eBusiness Group for RBC Royal Bank. Before joining RBC, Tripp served as Senior Vice President, Electronic Commerce Group for Crestar Financial Corporation (now SunTrust Bank). Tripp was also Manager of New Technologies for First Tennessee Bank in Memphis, Tennessee.
Tripp was a regular contributor to Gonzobanker and CUES Tech Port. He has been published in Credit Union Management. Tripp has been quoted in numerous industry publications including American Banker, Bank Technology News, CU Times, Credit Union Journal, Bank Director, Netbanker.com, and Payments News. He frequently shares his industry knowledge through presentations at financial industry conferences.
Tripp holds an MA in English as well as an undergraduate degree in English and Political Science from the University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi.
James Godish, Partner & Senior Consultant
Jim brings to his position as Partner & Senior Bank Consultant of Catalyst Consulting Group, more than thirty years of experience working with financial institutions as a technology vendor as well as a consultant.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Jim was Executive Vice President for an international consulting firm, where he built the firm's highly successful Business Assessment and Vendor Evaluation practice.
Over his consulting career, Jim has managed and consulted on numerous successful client engagements to financial institutions ranging in asset size from $50 million to $90 billion. Conducted over sixty assessments of clients item processing, day 2 functions and cash management departments. These engagements resulted in the development of a strategic plan and business case pertaining to the technology necessary to address the clients specific requirements.
Jim has managed over fifty client technology evaluations. These engagements encompassed all phases of the process from developing a Request for Proposal through contract negotiation. He has reviewed over fifty vendors providing solutions for item processing, transaction image archives, remote image capture, ATM deposit balancing, e-commerce, wire transfer, image based report and statement storage, statement formatting, and image based document management and workflow.
Jim graduated with a MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University and a BA from Bethany College.
Mike Scheuerman, MCP, Partner & Senior Consultant
Mike Scheuerman, as Partner & Senior Consultant brings to Catalyst Consulting Group an extensive background as an Information Technology Executive Management professional with widely diversified experience from the computer room to the boardroom. A proven leader in applying technology to business problems, Mike gets results by combining strong interpersonal skills with the ability to implement a vision through practical solutions.
Mike brings systems development and administration as well as a hands-on, leading edge understanding of technology and e-Business / e-Commerce trends within the financial sector. His broad range of experience spans strategic business and technology planning, with a focus upon multi-channel integration that leverages the customer relationship.
Prior to working with Catalyst, Mike held the position of Chief Information Officer for Northwest Corporate Credit Union. Before joining Northwest he served as CIO for First Technology and Vice President of Technology for Fiserv. Mike has been published in numerous industry periodicals, including Credit Union Magazine with “Crossing the Line between Competitive Advantage and Utility”, “Assessing New Technology Risks” “The Promise of Web Services” and “Application Service Provider Contract Essentials”. Mike is in great demand as a speaker at industry conferences and seminars, as well as an experienced facilitator for management retreats and board planning sessions.
Mike holds a MBA in Business Administration and a BS in Pre-Medical Zoology.
Don Ovans, Partner & Senior Consultant
As a Partner & Senior Bank Consultant for Catalyst Consulting Group, Don Ovans has over thirty years of experience in bank operations and technology. Before joining Catalyst, Don was employed at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as the subject matter expert and industry vendor liaison for check image processing. Don’s involvement with FedImage led to working with the Fed’s Retail Product Office in developing and marketing electronic products for banks, and acting as the technical consultant in that effort. Prior to Check 21 being enacted, Don spent a number of months speaking around the country about “How” Check 21 and “What” Check 21 would mean to the industry.
Before Check 21, Don supported the Federal Reserve Bank’s 1st District Check operations in three capture centers. Don also supported Treasury Archive, E-Check, Electronic Check Products, MCA, and EFA and Fedline for the Web.
Don has conducted various engagement sassisting banks formulate their Check 21 and Payments strategies.
When not pondering banking issues, Don is volunteering at Habitat for Humanity building houses and keeping his own home in the Boston area from crumbling.
Don has a BA from the University of Wisconsin.
Joe Chimera, Senior Vice President, Business Development Consultant
Joseph (Joe) Chimera brings to his position as Senior Vice President, Business Development Consultant, more than thirty years of senior executive sales and marketing experience in various financial services environments.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Joe was founder of Shannell & Associates, a Sales / Business Development consulting firm. Mr. Chimera has a strong background in mathematics, management and marketing. He founded his firm after 16 years of employment with AT&T and IBM. He has a history of taking average performing financial institutions and turning them into finely tuned, highly successful business development organizations.
An example of Joe’s consulting accomplishments include: An engagement with Bank of America to improve the close ratio of the business development managers in the investment group. The solution to this ever present problem was the development of an information gathering strategy that provided structure and direction to the data gathering process of the business development managers. This structure enabled the business development managers to uncover their client’s financial goals and develop a product-oriented solution that addressed the individual and specific needs of their clients. When these solutions began to address the specific investment needs of their clients, rather than the needs of B of A, the close ratio improved.
Prior to his consulting career, Joe's success in sales made him a highly sought after Area Sales Manager with every company he has been affiliated. While at AT&T he managed the Process Industries, during a recessionary period he led his organization in achieving 386% of a quota that was 10% higher than any other area in the country. The following year, with their quota tripled, his managers achieved 186% of their goal. While at IBM he managed the Professional Services Group, his new organization had a three-year average growth rate of 3% with marginal profit. In just one year, with Joe in position, this same team achieved 170% of quota with a 400% profit margin. As a Marketing Manager for Computer Integrated Logistics he converted an asset management business from an unprofitable entity into a $90M business with a 10% profit margin within 18 months.
During Joe’s career he has frequently been a guest lecturer at several universities and colleges instructing in Marketing, Business Management and Operations Analysis. An accomplished speaker, Joe is regularly invited to sales and marketing conferences and corporate sales meetings to speak on subjects ranging from "Sales Leadership through Communications" to "Solution Selling in a B-2-B Environment".
Mr. Chimera holds undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Management from Ohio University, and has a graduate business degree in Systems Management from Baldwin-Wallace College.
Michael J. Langenkamp, Partner
Michael (Mike) Langenkamp brings to his position as Partner, more than twenty-five years of experience as a successful and proven business executive within community banks, super regional and tier-one financial institutions. Mike is experienced in business development, operations, account management, complex solution sales, team selling, contract expansion and negotiation, and new business unit start-up. An effective Senior Executive who practices a hands-on approach, is comfortable at all levels of an organization, oversees quality delivery, and promotes teamwork while still keeping a close eye on the bottom-line with integrity.
Prior to joining Catalyst Consulting Group, Mike served as Acting President and the Senior Vice President of Relationship Management at Brookfield, Wis.-based Fiserv where he built a team of professionals focused on relationship management, revenue growth and expense control for a base of more than 350 outsourced clients and was responsible for the entire business unit client base of banks, credit unions and thrifts across the United States.
Before his career at Fiserv, Mike was Executive Vice President for Cherry Hill, N.J.-based BISYS, now Open Solutions (OSI) a global provider of outsourcing solutions for the financial services sector. Mike was an accomplished Global Services Practice Executive for IBM. Mike’s banking experience includes being Executive Change Manager for NationsBank (now Bank of America) and a Senior Manager in the Banking and Finance practice Price Waterhouse.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems from DeVry Institute of Technology.
Pamela Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Client Relations
As Catalyst Senior Vice President, Client Relations, Pam brings to her position more than 25 years of experience directly serving the banking and credit union industry as financial institution sales professional and client relationship manager.
Mitchell’s responsibilities focus on effectively articulating strategies and analyzing technical banking processes in order to match fitting solutions to clients’ needs.
Prior to joining CCG Catalyst, Mitchell managed client relationships for a financial technology management company. Prior to this position, she was the strategic account manager for Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) where she was responsible for the management of key accounts at community banks in California and Nevada, varying in size from de novo to assets of more than $10 billion.
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