OUR LEADERSHIP
Founder and Managing Director
Raymond Palys has more than 30 years of extensive business experience
including twenty years as a consultant. As a consultant, he has advised
more than 200 companies in the areas of strategic planning,
organizational development and restructuring, financial controls, change management, executive coaching, leadership
development, succession planning, and performance management. He has broad experience in a variety of industries
including, service, manufacturing, construction, real estate, health care, and
engineering.
In the early 2000's, he served as interim president in the launch of Lignan Research, LLC and its flagship product,
Brevail®,
the world’s first over-the-counter nutraceutical product for proactive
breast health. He also co-founded the Breast Cancer Prevention
Foundation®, a non-profit foundation in memory of
his late wife Deborah Demos Palys, to provide funding for scientific and clinical
research in the area of breast cancer prevention.
Before becoming a consultant in 1994, he held senior-level management
positions in health care and manufacturing. In health care, he was a
regional manager for TriCare, a publicly held occupational health care
company in Irvine, California. He also co-founded QMA, a medical
management company, in San Diego, California. In manufacturing, he held
management and staff positions in industrial engineering, operations, and
marketing with Ryerson, the nation's largest steel distributor, in
Chicago, Illinois.
He is a Founding Member of the Exit Planning Exchange (XPX) Chicago Chapter and is currently serving as President of this 125+ member non-profit organization. XPX is a community of professional advisors who work collaboratively to help business owners build valuable businesses and assist them in preparing and executing a successful transition.
He is a member of the Midwest Brokers and Intermediaries (MBBI). Member of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC). Past Senior Member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ)
San Diego and Chicago Sections, Human Development and Leadership, Lean
Enterprise/Advanced Manufacturing, and Six Sigma Forums and a national member
of the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
He received his BS Degree in Industrial Management from Northern Illinois University
and his MBA in Finance from Loyola University of Chicago.
Director, HR Consulting
Lorry Parker is a Human Resource Professional with over 20 years of experience encompassing small privately-held organizations to Fortune 100 companies.
Her ability to balance being a strategic player at the table with the day-to-day tactical HR has allowed her to single-handedly build entire HR departments from the ground floor three times in her career as well as successfully lead HR initiatives of eight corporate acquisitions.
Her collaborative leadership with a natural ability to capitalize upon diverse human capital talent is proven by achieving corporate objectives through engaged employees and uncompromised company culture.
She holds the highest HR Certification of SPHR, has been a member of SHRM for well over a decade holding the SCP Certification, and is a Six Sigma Greenbelt.
Her passion for military veterans and her commitment to her community is evident with her volunteering efforts during her personal time.
Director, Managerial Accounting
Brian Wetters has more than 37 years of broad finance and accounting experience, principally with a major integrated oil company, as well as with a petrochemical textile manufacturing concern. He has extensive experience within the areas of managerial accounting, including costing, budgeting, forecasting, performance management, and internal controls. He has previously held roles as a Manufacturing Plant Accounting Manager, Cost Management Manager, Cost Accounting Supervisor, and Business Information Manager, among other roles in Accounting and Finance. In addition to his consulting responsibilities he is an adjunct professor at Aurora University and Waubonsee Community College, teaching both Financial and Cost Accounting courses. He is a CMA and CPA, and Yellow Belt Certified (Six Sigma Process Improvements).
In addition, Brian is a co-owner, along with his wife Kathy, of a Right at Home Senior Home care franchise. He has extensive experience with Quickbooks, and financial management of a small business.
Also, Brian is Co-President of the Fox River Valley Chapter of IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), and won several awards for his service to IMA. He is a member of the Illinois CPA Society, as well as the AICPA. He previously contributed to an article published in the Journal of Cost Management on activity based management implementation. He is a member of both the Kiwanis and Lions service organizations.
Brian received his BS degree in Accounting from Indiana University and MBA degree from Valdosta State University.
Director
David Hancock has more than 35 years of extensive corporate and consulting experience as a banker, senior executive,
owner, investor, and senior advisor to companies ranging in size from two employees to six thousand.
During his career, David has been a part-time instructor at Phoenix City College, Maricopa College, the American Institute of Banking,
Kyrgyz/American University, a visiting professor at Kyrgyz Polytechnic University, and is currently an instructor at the
ABC Institute (Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.) in Anaheim and San Diego. David has designed and
taught courses in human resources, effective management, international business, finance, strategic planning, leadership,
effective customer service, and numerous other useful topics for modern owners and managers. He is a member of the
ABC/Veterans Training Committee for San Diego State University.
Since 1996, David has worked as an adviser and teacher for private investment, entrepreneurial, corporate, and governmental
organizations. In so doing, he has developed recognized specialties in the areas of planning, organizational structuring,
recruitment, financial projections and controls, and capital acquisition.
Additionally, he spent nine years as a senior executive with US Data Corp, an international data storage company. His management
experience includes managing, at different times, diverse international companies based in London (England), Frankfurt (Germany),
Barcelona (Spain), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), and Stockholm (Sweden). David also has experienced the trials and successes of
the small business entrepreneur. For over ten years he was president and the prime source of the growth and success of
Aztec Gas & Oil Corp.(a domestic US oil and gas production company) and Aztec-Talas, Inc., the exclusive partner with the
State Energy Ministry for increased oil production in the Kyrgyz Republic.
David holds a BA in Social/Psychology and English from Wayne State University, an Advanced Certificate from the American Institute of
Banking, and received a Masters Degree in Organizational Management in 2001 from the University of Phoenix. He is also certified to train
supervisors in Sexual Harassment and Discrimination under California law, AB 1825.
Principal
Michael Goldberg is a Human Resources executive with more than 25 years of experience in the field. He spent 15 years at Jim Beam
Brands Worldwide leading the HR function. As a previous Senior Vice President of a $2.5 billion global consumer product company,
Michael brings significant experience in rebuilding human resources infrastructure after mergers, partnerships and acquisitions. He provides
expertise in aligning human resource priorities with business strategy to integrate business goals with HR solutions. Additionally he
possesses extensive background in organizational development, staffing, compensation and benefits.
Prior to his experience with Beam, Michael held various HR positions including corporate HR responsibility at United Stationers. This builds on
his early Sales experience with Lanier-3M.
More recently Michael acted as Director of a Chicago non-profit animal welfare organization.
He received his BS Degree in Marketing and Economics from Northern Illinois University and his MA is Industrial/Organizational Psychology from
Roosevelt University.
Principal
Director, Survey Services
Brian Fasig has extensive consulting and corporate experience in the development, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of organizational
and marketing assessments in a wide variety of industries. He specializes in custom assessment and survey processes that leverage input from
various internal and external sources, objective and subjective measures, and statistical analysis to identify organizational culture, employee,
and client satisfaction issues and opportunities.
Brian’s development of strategies to address findings and implement improvement efforts are firmly based on over 25 years of operations management,
process improvement, and performance management in healthcare, utilities, wholesale, retail, construction, transportation, engineering, and manufacturing
industries. His leadership of improvement efforts creating highly effective and collaborative organizations have ranged from extensive reorganizations to
focused system refinements.
Brian received his BS Degree in General Psychology from San Diego State University and his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from United States
International University in San Diego, California.
Medical Advisor
Dr. Allen Jay has over 35 years experience in medical practice (internal medicine/cardiology), medical administration and the field of bioethics. He has chaired
ICU, CCU, CPR, and Bioethics committees at various hospitals and has served on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chapter of the American Heart
Association. He has been a member of the American College of Cardiology since 1968.
Prior to joining the CoreStrata group Dr. Jay served as Chief Medical Officer with the California Department of Corrections where he instituted a number of
practice and management reforms at various correctional medical facilities. Dr. Jay was instrumental in establishing medical departments at new
prisons as well as revamping medical facilities at existing correctional institutions.
Dr. Jay maintained a successful private practice in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in San Diego, as well as serving as Medical Director for the Lehr
Rehabilitation Institute, prior to his appointment to the Chief Medical Officer position. He established the Ad Hoc Committee on End of Life
Care for the San Diego County Medical Society and chaired that committee from 1990 to 1997. He has chaired the Bioethics Committee at
Alvarado Hospital and continues to serve on that committee.
Dr. Jay received his B.A. degree from Wesleyan University and his M.D. from The State University of New York College of Medicine in New York City.
Director, Organizational Development
Don Merritt has more than 25 years of broad and progressive management responsibility for directing the functions of human resources, operations
and finance within the varied industries of electronics, manufacturing, retail, gaming and hospitality. He has extensive experience as an external
consultant in providing clients with consulting advice on how to maximize effective planning and integration of internal human resources functions
and operations to enhance the achievement of the business plan. He has also served in the role of executive coach to leaders in senior management
positions. In addition to his consulting responsibilities he has been an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas where he taught
courses on Organizational Behavior.
Prior to rejoining CoreStrata, Don was most recently Director of Human Resources at the Trump International Hotel - Las Vegas, Director of Training
& Development at The Venetian Hotel & Casino, and Director of Staffing and Development for Wynn Las Vegas, responsible for the opening
of this new resort. His responsibilities included the overall direction of hiring 10,000 new employees as well as designing the learning process for the
development and training of all Hotel employees.
Additionally, Don has held senior HR positions at Saks Fifth Avenue, Restaurant Associates,
San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and Beam Inc.
He received his BS degree in Social Science and MS degree in Social Psychology from Pittsburgh State University.
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