Tom Burkard, Managing Partner
Tom Burkard is a senior advisor focused on C-level governance and decision-making, He has done significant work helping companies Innovate through new product development and M&A. Tom, has focused on innovation in Industrial products, consumer products, and life science companies. He has a strong track record of launching new products to help grow businesses bottom-line.
Tom started in consulting 20 years ago at PRTM and honed his skills in new product development processes and decision-making sciences. He applied this experience to stalwart brands such as Mercury Marine, Briggs & Stratton and Master Lock Corporation. Tom has led the design and implementation of project and portfolio excellence with a backbone in decision making at each of these companies helping them achieve stronger throughput of their respective pipelines of projects. Tom’s teams have launched hundreds of products such as a supercharged 4-stroke outboard engine, the world’s first IOT connected padlock, drive-by wire software technology, and a 48hp CAT Diesel zero-turn mower.
Tom is also on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Business teaching his decision making methodologies to a new generation of business leaders while still actively engaged in supporting his clients.
Tom has been successful in business development having negotiated, closed, and implemented multiple businesses. He also led and negotiated key partnership deals, such as the one with announced with Stihl Germany.
Tom has had responsibilities globally and has traveled extensively. He has experience in working with Asian suppliers and leading complex design and commercialization of products with teams on multiple continents.
Tom’s expertise includes:
- Corporate governance and capital allocation optimization
- Company-wide Portfolio and Project Management with an emphasis on decision making structures to support a culture of execution at all levels. This includes both product development and operations focused projects/initiatives.
- Maximizing EBITDA by picking the right projects tied to a company’s respective strategy while balancing resource loads.
- Buy/Sell M&A with an emphasis on technology and product evaluation within markets and implementation success.
- Strategic Planning reviews and/or implementation of Strategic Planning process.
- Organizational structure for product development focused organizations.
Tom has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He lives in Milwaukee, WI with his family.