Todd Riffey
International development professional with strengths in relationship management across companies and cultures, entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise (SME) development in emerging markets, team leadership, and oral and written presentations.
| Headline: | Entrepreneur |
| Work status: | Employed Full-Time |
| Website: | http://www.GlobalProgress.biz |
| Industries: | Education, Internet |
| Skills: | Business, Design, Editing, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Management, Product design, Writing |
| Location: | Playa del Rey, California, USA |
| Groups: | [INACTIVE] Global Social Venture Competition 2009-10 |
| Interested in: | Finding business partners, Finding experts, Finding mentors, Finding team mates, Getting press, Helping friends, Meeting new people, Participating in a competition, Professional opportunities, Promoting my startups, Raising money, Receiving feedback, Recruiting, Recruiting for my startup, Sharing my projects |
| Tags: | consulting, Developing countries, emerging markets, Entrepreneurship, executive education, mentoring, social networking |
| Schools: | Columbia Business School, Purdue University System - Purdue University |
FEATURED STARTUP
Global Progress Specialists
Global Progress Specialists
Global Progress Specialists (GPS) is unleashing the economic power of the private sector in emerging markets for the betterment of companies and peoples the world over.
- Startup type: Company
- Status: Active
- Stage: Prototyping
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | GLOBAL PROGRESS SPECIALISTS |
| Position: | Founder and Chief Executive Officer |
| Time period: | January 2009 - Present |
| Description: | Developing strategy for start-up aiming to provide social networking, executive education and consulting services to the business leaders of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries.
Conducting market research to shape new service offerings to maximize their effectiveness. Creating relationships with key partners necessary for executing service offerings. Recruiting team members to develop and help shape service offerings. Researched technology companies to identify best-in-class solutions for key components of GPS’s Internet-based solution. |
| Employer: | MANOCAP PARTNERS |
| Position: | Private Sector Development Consultant |
| Time period: | September 2006 - December 2006 |
| Description: | Consulted during the start-up phase of the first private equity fund in Sierra Leone, a US$5 million fund focused on equity investments of up to US$2 million.
Trained entrepreneurs in marketing, strategy development, and accounting. Developed process for interacting with local SMEs through various stages of capacity building. Developed and presented growth strategies to potential investments. Educated local business leaders and government officials on private equity investing. Analyzed the local economic and political conditions to focus efforts on the most viable sectors. |
| Employer: | FATE FOUNDATION |
| Position: | Management Consulting Summer Intern |
| Time period: | June 2005 - August 2005 |
| Description: | Taught Social Responsibility seminar to local entrepreneurs, focusing on corruption and living wages.
Developed quantifiable goals to encourage perpetual performance improvements at the client. Designed, conducted, and analyzed surveys of the client’s employees regarding changes to ensure success. Analyzed the client’s operations and finances to develop appropriate growth strategies. Implemented financial tracking to give the client a better understanding of its financial health. |
| Employer: | NORTHROP GRUMMAN SPACE TECHNOLOGY |
| Position: | Lead Product Engineer |
| Time period: | January 2002 - December 2004 |
| Description: | Led a 10-person multi-functional team that analyzed and resolved a fatal design flaw, meeting all requirements. Developed, and communicated to all parties, the implementation and testing plan.
Prepared and presented written and oral reports to senior managers and customers. Managed three 8-person teams that saved US$7 million in product development costs. |
| Employer: | DRS SENSOR SYSTEMS |
| Position: | Opto-Mechanical Engineer |
| Time period: | January 2001 - December 2002 |
| Description: | Developed the strategy, and led the team that implemented it in 1/2 the scheduled time and for 2/3 the budget, that positioned the company to receive US$100 million of future business.
Prepared and presented written and oral sales material to customers, securing new business. Managed relationships with suppliers, ensuring timely and successful delivery by them. Negotiated with the senior management of clients, defining mutually acceptable requirements. Interviewed end users to determine their needs and preferences. Managed 3- to 5-person product development teams. |
| Employer: | RAYTHEON COMPANY |
| Position: | Mechanical Design Engineer |
| Time period: | January 1996 - December 2000 |
| Description: | Managed a 7-person product team, winning the firm an US$8 million performance bonus.
Presented written and oral proposals and updates to internal and external customers. Coordinated the actions of, and flow of information between, five internal teams and an external customer on a US$300 million project. Arbitrated disputes between the various parties. Represented division on a company-wide process team, improving inter-division communication. |
EDUCATION
| University: | Columbia Business School |
| Time period: | 2004 - 2006 |
| Degree: | International Business / Finance and Economics, MBA |
| University: | Purdue University System - Purdue University |
| Time period: | 1988 - 1992 |
| Degree: | Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, BSc |
PUBLICATIONS
| Articles: | Bliss, Jordan, Block, Zachary, Hochbrueckner, Matthew, and Riffey, Todd, "Sesame Workshop — Going Global with Muppets," Chazen Web Journal of International Business (September 2006) |
INFORMATION
| Hobbies: | International travel, volunteering, new challenges and learning |
Todd's Startups (1)
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Global Progress Specialists
Global Progress Specialists (GPS) is unleashing the economic power of the private sector in emerging markets for the betterment of companies and peoples the world over.
Todd is Following (2)
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RootSpace
Promoting entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainable development. Current highlights: Global Entrepreneurship Week in Lebanon, and the IdeaSpace Challenge 2008 (focus areas: mobile technology and sustainable energy/green tech)
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SticiGui
Online, interactive introductory statistics "textbook" with dynamic examples and exercises, machine-graded assignments, glossary. Html, JavaScript and Java.
Todd's Contacts (3)
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Rebeca Hwang
Korean-Argentine finishing her PhD at Stanford. Addicted to startups and entrepreneurship. Life ADD & Loves travelling.
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Brian Matthews
MBA from Columbia Business School (2006), BS in Marketing / Finance from Syracuse University (2003), Manager at New Jersey Nets/Brookyln Sports & Entertainment (2007-2009), Marketing Consultant at National Basketball Association (2005-2006).
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Alex Poon
Entrepreneur with strong analytical, data modeling, and problem solving skills; experience in software development and enterprise client management; industry experiences include news media, high-tech, financial services, health care, and defense; con