Leadership

Under his leadership, Optoro has expanded from a scrappy start-up to a major industry player, helping the nation’s top retailers address the $500B market of returned and excess goods. Tobin has been recognized as a leading SaaS CEO through honors such as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and Washington Business Journal’s 40 under 40. Prior to launching Optoro in 2010, Tobin founded eSpot, one of the original eBay drop-off facilities, his first foray into the growing world of e-commerce. Tobin holds a B.A. from Brown University with a double major in Business Economics and American History.

While at eSpot, Vitarello meticulously designed, programmed, and implemented every feature of the proprietary software, systems and marketing algorithms that put eSpot at the forefront of its industry and created the core for Optoro’s software today. He provides an eye for streamlining the reverse logistics process and an uncompromising attitude always demanding excellence. Adam has been responsible for major design elements and implementation strategies of Optoro’s proprietary software and systems. As President, he manages corporate headquarters and remarketing solutions with a one-on-one approach that puts employees first with the goal of maintaining a small-business feel in a rapidly expanding environment. Adam utilizes that same personal interaction strategy with clients and partners in advancing the automation and remarketing technologies that serve as the driving force of Optoro’s service.

When he’s not pulling all the strings for Optoro and our partners, he can be found training for marathons, triathlons, or mountain climbing. Even atop Mt. Kilimanjaro, reverse logistics is never far from his thoughts. Adam holds a B.A. from Brown University.

Her track record of building high-performance enterprise-class solutions in eCommerce and operational software drives Optoro’s technology department to deliver reliable, customer-focused solutions that can almost think for themselves. Jess runs the technology team with a keen eye for all functional areas, from initial design through world-class delivery and operations. She is passionate about leveraging technology to fully optimize Optoro’s offerings, ensuring speed, usability, and reliability at every stage of the process.

She speaks often in the open-source community and organizes several open-source groups in the DC area. Her work with the community allows her team to incorporate the best and brightest ideas from a variety of sources into Optoro’s products, delivering best-in-class solutions for complex problems.

When she unplugs, Jess can be found running, cooking, playing music, and spending time with her family; although she often writes open-source software instead of sleeping.

Prior to joining Optoro, Jim was Vice President at IBM in the retail business unit responsible for the Cloud, Watson & Analytics business in North America. Prior to that Jim was CEO of Market6, a retail / CPG analytic SaaS solution, General Manager of Netezza’s Retail / CPG business unit and co-founder and CEO of two different retail analytic software solution businesses that grew and then were acquired. Jim started his career  at Teradata and spent ten years as a technical systems engineer and ended as a sales leader in the retail business unit. 

Jim lives in Cincinnati with his wife and they have four grown children. Jim enjoys the outdoors, golf, boating and spending time with his growing family. 

Prior to joining Optoro, Tom led the finance and corporate development groups at Opower, a high growth public software-as-a service company serving the utility sector, guiding them to a successful acquisition and subsequent integration by Oracle.

Before Opower, Tom was a partner a New Enterprise Associates, one of the nation’s leading venture capital firms.  There, he specialized in early-stage enterprise technology and e-commerce investments, including those in Vertica (acquired by HP), Echo Global Logistics (ECHO), Innerworkings (INWK), and Groupon (GRPN).

Tom began his career at the Boston Consulting Group where he predominantly served in the firm’s retail practice.   He earned A.B. and S.M. degrees in Computer Science from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Prior to joining Optoro, he served as general counsel for Exodus Communications, Exclusive Resorts, and Starpoint Health. Adam began his career as a corporate and transactional attorney for leading law firms in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.

Adam earned his BA from the University of Pennsylvania and his JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. Outside of work, he loves spending time in Chatham, Cape Cod or elsewhere with his wife and two sons, enjoying sports, mountain and road biking, cooking, and exploring new cuisines all over the world.

Pankaj is passionate about building products that make a difference while delivering business outcomes; he specializes in developing and growing software product businesses focused on B2B and enterprise markets. Pankaj has a track record of delivering rapid revenue growth, increased profitability and business exits for venture and PE backed startups.

Prior to Optoro, Pankaj led product management, strategy and M&A for GetWellNetwork, a provider of patient engagement software. At GetWellNetwork Pankaj built up an enterprise grade product platform that won multiple Best in Category awards and executed multiple acquisitions that expanded the platform. He previously held product roles with multiple B2B companies including Siebel Systems.

Pankaj holds a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering and has a MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. Outside of work, Pankaj loves to read, travel, experience different cultures, meet new people, and spend time with his family, that includes a furry four-legged Goldendoodle.

Ricardo has led teams that serviced successful fulfillment operations in a 3PL model for companies like Comcast, Sandisk as well as several OEM’s and software companies. With his insatiable drive for process improvements and lean operations, Ricardo is a key player managing our internal operations as well as the ones where we are co-located with clients and 3PL providers.

When not making sure all our orders ship on time in full and with no errors, he spends quality time with his two children, cooking and mountain biking. Ricardo has a BS in Industrial Engineering from ITESO in Guadalajara, MX.

He spent much of his time overseeing data management through the design and development of product catalogs and content management systems. His aversion to repetitive tasks and his passion for efficiency pushed him to adopt an “Automate All The Things” mantra, leading to expansive expertise in data modeling, integrations, and architecture. Prior to joining the Optoro team, Mike was instrumental in optimizing content management at Simplexity, dramatically reducing overhead for the company’s largest partners. At Optoro, Mike utilizes his data management and automation experience to ensure clients’ products are a part of our catalog with compelling content and optimal pricing, all with incredible efficiency. He is also leading the charge to further unlock Optoro’s expansive historical data for reporting and analysis. Mike lives with his family in a veritable menagerie complete with a coral reef aquarium and one adorable Jack Russell Terrier, Speck.

With almost 20 years of professional experience guiding retailers and providing thought leadership, Casey owns accounts, revenues and client support at Optoro, focusing on client success and partnerships. Casey previously served as Managing Partner of Retail Strategic Ventures, an advisory services and venture firm within retail/wholesale, and EVP for the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the trade association for the world’s largest and most successful retailers. Prior to RILA, Casey spent a decade at KPMG and its spin-off consulting division, BearingPoint, in their retail management and strategy consulting practices. He lived overseas for several years working for international retailers in Asia, South America and Europe.

Recognized as a leading retail authority, Casey has appeared in numerous media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News and National Public Radio. He received his B.A. in Economics from Denison University.

Away from Optoro, Casey is a human jungle gym for his two young boys and spends time with his amazing – and understanding – wife. He serves as a Trustee on the Board of his alma mater, Denison, and on the national Board for Meals on Wheels America.

From conference calls with Fortune 500 retailers to working taco lunches with refurbishment technicians at warehouses south-of-the border, Ken has seen many layers and partnerships in reverse logistics, and he collaborates with our Business Development team to bring winning reverse logistics solutions to our clients.  Prior to Optoro, he spent six years at another reverse logistics company where he was responsible for an account portfolio of over $100M per year in addition to designing and managing more than $10M-worth of in-house and outsourced electronics refurbishment.  He began his early supply chain career at CEB’s Operations practice.

Ken received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and his M.B.A. from Georgetown University. He traces his passion for the ways that business can support environmental responsibility to his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica and continues to support that work as the vice-chair of the non-profit Friends of Jamaica.  He spends his time as much as possible enjoying the woods with his wife and daughter or jogging the streets of Washington, D.C.

Denis owns channels and partnerships for Optoro and is responsible for ensuring those relationships are high impact, revenue generating, and scalable with our strategic partners, including UPS.  Most recently Denis was the Vice President of Sales and Account Management at Hobsons a DC based EdTech firm focused on student success.  Denis got his professional start as one of the original team members that launched the start-up Intelliworks.  As a disrupter in the EdTech space Intelliworks grew rapidly and was ultimately successfully acquired by Hobsons in 2011. Through the acquisition, Denis relocated to Melbourne for three years as the Vice President of Sales at Hobsons APAC.

In his free time, Denis can be found fly fishing, playing any sport possible and spending time with his wife Cara and his two boys Foster and David.

Denis holds a BA in Business from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

In her role, Carly is responsible for all messaging, public relations, digital marketing, events and brand management at the company. Carly joined Optoro from Opower where she was in charge of the company’s US corporate communications program and was responsible for all communications and marketing aspects of Opower’s 2014 IPO. Previously, Carly worked at the British Embassy on climate and energy policy, and Dittus Communications, a local PR firm. Carly graduated from Duke with a B.A in History.

Away from work, Carly loves spending time with her husband and two children, traveling the world, and eating Squeaky Pops.

At Optoro, Ann overseas initiatives that enable retailers and manufacturers to accelerate sustainable supply chains. She works with Optoro’s clients to quantify the sustainability benefits of using Optoro’s reverse logistics software and promotes recommerce among relevant retail and brand stakeholders. Ann also heads up all of Optoro’s internal sustainability programs. As such, she works to reduce energy use, packaging, and waste production at the company’s facilities and heighten environmental awareness among Optoro employees. Prior to joining Optoro, Ann worked at the EPA’s Office of Research and Development and the Weeden Foundation. She has performed extensive research on a number of environmental policy issues including natural gas drilling, renewable energy subsidies, and nanotechnology. Ann has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. in Environmental Policy from Bard College.

Under his leadership, Optoro has expanded from a scrappy start-up to a major industry player, helping the nation’s top retailers address the $500B market of returned and excess goods. Tobin has been recognized as a leading SaaS CEO through honors such as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and Washington Business Journal’s 40 under 40. Prior to launching Optoro in 2010, Tobin founded eSpot, one of the original eBay drop-off facilities, his first foray into the growing world of e-commerce. Tobin holds a B.A. from Brown University with a double major in Business Economics and American History.

While at eSpot, Vitarello meticulously designed, programmed, and implemented every feature of the proprietary software, systems and marketing algorithms that put eSpot at the forefront of its industry and created the core for Optoro’s software today. He provides an eye for streamlining the reverse logistics process and an uncompromising attitude always demanding excellence. Adam has been responsible for major design elements and implementation strategies of Optoro’s proprietary software and systems. As President, he manages corporate headquarters and remarketing solutions with a one-on-one approach that puts employees first with the goal of maintaining a small-business feel in a rapidly expanding environment. Adam utilizes that same personal interaction strategy with clients and partners in advancing the automation and remarketing technologies that serve as the driving force of Optoro’s service.

When he’s not pulling all the strings for Optoro and our partners, he can be found training for marathons, triathlons, or mountain climbing. Even atop Mt. Kilimanjaro, reverse logistics is never far from his thoughts. Adam holds a B.A. from Brown University.

He sits on the board of directors of several leading companies ranging from American Express to Groupon. Ted has been involved with Revolution Growth since its founding, as an investor in and Chairman of Revolution Money and AddThis (formerly Clearspring). (Mr. Leonsis has no financial stake in the other Revolution Growth I investments.) Ted is the founder, chairman, and majority owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Capitals (NHL), the Washington Wizards (NBA), the Washington Mystics and the Verizon Center. Leonsis retired from active management of AOL in 2006, where during the previous 13 years he was an inspirational leader and held a number of senior positions, including vice chairman and president, and worked closely with Steve Case for a decade to build AOL into the world’s leading internet company with a market value at its peak in excess of $100 billion.

Leonsis founded SnagFilms, the internet’s leading site for online audiences to find, watch, and share documentary films. Ted also has been an producer of award-winning documentary films such as Kicking It and Nanking, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and has won a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award. A third documentary produced by Leonsis, A Fighting Chance, aired on ESPN in fall 2010. Early in his career Leonsis was the founder of several technology-enabled consumer companies, including Redgate Communications, where Leonsis is crediting with coining the phrase “new media.” Leonsis has been named Washington’s Businessman of the Year, a Washingtonian of the Year, one of the 20 most influential people in sports, and one of the top 10 entrepreneurs of the year. Leonsis blogs daily at TedsTake.com

Since joining the GGF team, Dan’s primary focus has been on rapidly growing technology companies in the industrial, consumer, and financial services sectors. He is a board member at Kilowatt Financial, a board observer at Clean Power Finance and TAS Energy, and was a board member at Gen110 before its 2013 acquisition by Solar Universe. Before joining KPCB, Dan was a vice president in the Goldman Sachs Special Situations Group and a founding member of its alternative energy investing team, where he eventually led the team’s solar initiatives.

Dan had a direct role investing in First Solar and was a board observer at SunEdison from 2006-2009. Before joining the Special Situations Group, Dan was an FX trader at Goldman Sachs, making spot markets in the euro and Swiss franc. Dan holds a B.S. degree with distinction in management science and engineering from Stanford University, with a concentration in financial and decision engineering.

In 2006, he and his two partners founded SWaN Investors and, in 2012, they partnered with Legend Investors to form SWaN & Legend. The companies have over twenty widely diversified investments, including growth oriented companies, start-up ventures, and domestic and international real estate holdings. Nader is Vice Chairman at Asurion, a company that he successfully merged with his company, NEW, in 2008. Nader joined the upstart NEW in 1990 as Chief Operating Officer, was named President in 1999 and Chief Executive Officer in 2006. Under his leadership, NEW grew to be the largest global provider of extended service plans for the consumer electronics and appliance industry. For over twenty years, NEW grew at a compounded rate in excess of 20 percent. During his tenure, Nader focused the organization on delivering high quality customer care, developing innovation solutions, creating strong client partnerships, with emphasis on hiring, developing and retaining extraordinary people. NEW was recognized by JD Power for providing “Outstanding Customer Service Quality” and by both the Washington Business Journal and the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the top 50 places to work.

Before joining NEW, Nader was the Product Manager for extended service contracts at Progressive Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to Progressive, Nader served as a Retail Banking Officer for Ameritrust Company, N.A. Nader is involved in a number of philanthropic, business and community organizations. He is a partner in the Washington Nationals Baseball Club and a partner in Monumental Sports and Entertainment – which owns the Washington Capitals, Wizards, Mystics and Verizon Center. He currently serves as secretary of the Inova Health System Board of Trustees. He is the past chairman of the Inova Health System Foundation Board where he has served since 2001. He is a member of Venture Philanthropy Partners, The Economic Club of Washington, DC and the Young Presidents Organization.

Tenfore Holdings is an investment management firm that provides operational value-added to growth-stage companies where technology plays a transformative role. Tenfore focuses on commerce and Big Data equity/debt investments where they can apply their operating experience and strategic relationships to enhance value. They have extensive experience operating at scale, and understand how to build smaller enterprises to scale. By providing capital, strategic guidance at the board level, and operational support to talented managers, the firm helps companies realize their full revenue, profit and market-value potential for the long-term.

The managing partner is Dan Levine. Dan has 6+ years experience working with Eddie Lampert overseeing, developing, and operating core and startup businesses, particularly within Sears Holdings, concentrating on eCommerce, mobile, social, machine learning, and local spaces. He has focused on multichannel experiences that leverage and link online, store, supply chain, pricing, inventory, merchandising, and analytics systems. Dan holds an AB from Harvard and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

He has served as a CEO and board member for some of the DC area’s most dynamic technology companies, including Ignitio, Cirrus Seven, and Logi Analytics. He was founder and CEO of pioneering web analytics and optimization firm Visual Sciences, formerly WebSideStory, which he sold to industry-leader Omniture. Additionaly, he served as Chief of eCommerce Technology for GSI Commerce, which was acquired by eBay in 2011 and became eBay Enterprise. He is currently the CEO and Principal of McLean, VA – based Product Lab, LLC. Mr. MacIntyre holds a BA from the University of Vermont.

Lawson DeVries joined Grotech Ventures in 2005 and is a General Partner at the firm. He focuses primarily on investment opportunities in software, internet, digital media, networking and infrastructure. Lawson currently serves on the boards of 6fusion, AnyPresence, Optoro, RedPoint Global, TapInfluence, TaskEasy, UrbanBound and Zonoff. He was also the first investor in NexGen Storage and sat on the board until its acquisition by Fusion-io. Lawson also works closely with a number of other Grotech portfolio companies including Clarabridge, Hillcrest Labs, Logi Analytics and LogRhythm. He has also worked with prior Grotech portfolio companies Broadsoft (NASDAQ: BSFT), Collective Intellect (acquired by Oracle) and Aztek Networks (acquired by GenBand).

Prior to joining Grotech Ventures, Lawson was an Associate in the Institutional Equity Sales division of the Buckingham Research Group, a boutique independent research firm. Previously he was an Associate in the Equity Research division at Deutsche Bank where he rolled out coverage on a new division of the Industrials sector that included Caterpillar, Deere and Co. and AGCO. Prior to this, Lawson was an Associate in Deutsche Bank’s Health Care group covering Managed Care stocks.

Lawson has a BA in English Literature from Harvard University and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.