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Talk to an AKF partner about your specific challenge. The first call is always free — no pitch, no pressure.
Former CTOs, VPs, and technology executives with decades of proven experience scaling the world's most demanding platforms.
Co-founder of AKF Partners and former SVP/CTO of eBay during its growth to Fortune 500 status. Spent 12 years as an officer in the U.S. Army and has served on the boards of public and private companies.
Co-author of three industry-defining books on scalability, translated into five languages. Holds a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve and a BS in Computer Science from West Point.
Entrepreneur and veteran technology leader with 20+ years spanning startups and Fortune 500 companies. Led tech ops at Progressive supporting 2,400+ engineers and held interim CTO, Chief Architect, and Director of Ops roles for AKF clients.
Former engineering leader at GE Aviation and GE Consumer Products, implementing global systems across Europe, South America, and the U.S. Six Sigma Black Belt and MBA from Case Western Reserve.
Technology executive with 20+ years building and leading engineering organizations across financial services, ecommerce, and media. Former SVP at Nasdaq leading Corporate Client Technology and Enterprise IT, and SVP at Charles Schwab directing 400+ technologists.
Previously Senior Director at PayPal and held multiple technology leadership roles at eBay spanning infrastructure, program management, mobile applications, and financial services.
Veteran technology executive with 15+ years in executive and founder roles. Former CTO of FullBeauty Brands, President & CTO of Rakuten.com Shopping (formerly Buy.com), and VP of Technology & CIO at The Washington Post.
Known for overhauling IT operating models, implementing cloud-first architectures, and launching flagship digital products. Certified Scrum Product Owner with a Nanodegree in deep learning from Udacity.
Technology leader with 25+ years in ecommerce, omni-channel, and mobile platform development. Began career with the U.S. Department of Defense, then served as VP of Development at Buy.com and VP of Omni-Channel Commerce at Guitar Center.
Directed all commerce application design for five Guitar Center brands — including iOS, Android, Call Center, and in-store POS applications supporting nearly 500 locations. Certified Scrum Master.
Seasoned leader with 25+ years in management and 14 years in technology and site operations. Led QA, capacity planning, and data center teams at eBay for 12+ years — with teams as large as 95 people and capital budgets exceeding $100M.
Former Director of Site Operations at Ask.com and U.S. Army Officer. MBA from Kellogg School of Management with concentrations in Marketing and Finance; BS from West Point.
Technology executive with 15+ years in Silicon Valley and 11+ years consulting across insurance, manufacturing, municipalities, and education. IT leader at eBay, strategic advisor at Pariveda Solutions, and executive at Future Point of View (FPOV).
Conference speaker on Smart Cities, Blockchain, Data Science, and Technology Governance. MBA from Wharton, co-founder of a technology startup, and holder of a U.S. patent.
Technology leader with 15+ years from Software Architect to CTO across healthcare, finance, ecommerce, and banking. Expert in AI, system architecture, product development, and quantum computing — with two ventures acquired by Rakuten and Rue Gilt Groupe.
Portfolio includes collaborations with Fidelity, PNC Bank, Verizon, Starbucks, and Coach. Currently pursuing a PhD in Quantum Engineering at Duke University. MS in Information Systems from George Washington University.
Principal Consultant specializing in product management, organizational transformation, and the evolving intersection of AI and human leadership in complex technology environments.
Thought leader on where automation excels and where human judgment, empathy, and accountability remain essential — helping clients navigate AI adoption with confidence.
Operations Manager with 15+ years of progressive experience in HR, financial operations, and administrative leadership. Manages AKF's operational backbone — from financial systems and compliance to cross-department coordination.
Former Billing Manager at Texas Monthly and HR/AR Coordinator at BOSS JCB. Expert in ADP, QuickBooks, SAP, and Oracle HRIS. Known for bringing precision and process excellence to every initiative.
Co-founder of AKF Partners. Former CTO of Etsy and VP of Engineering & Architecture at PayPal. Co-author with Marty Abbott of two scalability books, and sole author of "The Power of Customer Misbehavior."
PhD and MBA from Case Western Reserve's Weatherhead School of Management; BS in Computer Science from West Point. Adjunct Professor at Case Western and U.S. Army veteran (Captain and pilot).
Co-founder of AKF Partners. Former VP of Infrastructure, Operations, and Architecture at eBay — overseeing all global technical operations including PayPal, scaling infrastructure to serve billions of requests per day.
Previously held executive management roles in operations and architecture at Gateway and Whirlpool's global operations organization across three continents. Serves on technical advisory boards including Salesforce.com.
Every AKF Partner has held the roles they advise on — CTO, VP Engineering, COO, Chief Architect. We don't theorize. We bring hard-won, real-world operational experience to every engagement.
Talk to a Partner →AKF’s founders authored three industry-defining books on scalability, architecture, and technology leadership. Those principles still shape how our team evaluates systems, teams, and operating models.
Our team has assessed hundreds of technology organizations across growth-stage, private equity-backed, and enterprise companies. That breadth helps us quickly identify the risks, constraints, and decisions that matter most.
AKF does not stop at strategy or findings. We help leadership teams prioritize the work, strengthen delivery, and make the operating changes needed to support the next stage of growth.
Talk to an AKF partner about your specific challenge. The first call is always free — no pitch, no pressure.