World class talent from world class organizations
The Board
Peter Giamalva – Personal Snapshot
Peter and his wife live in Orlando, FL. They have two adult children that Peter has moved coast to coast!
After his retirement from the Red Cross, Peter and his wife are taking a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica. When not traipsing the globe, he can be found on the golf course or enjoying great food and wine with friends.
Peter Giamalva
Board Chair and Investor
Peter has been a key advisor to Solutionz for over a decade and became the chairman of the board in 2015. He has been instrumental in vetting our advisors and leadership team and working to assemble a strong board to help the Company get to the next level.
Peter recently retired from his role as Senior Vice President with the American Red Cross, where he led the Hospital Sales and Marketing organization.
He also has deep experience in a wide range of leadership roles in the hospitality and travel industries. He held senior executive roles with Wyndham Worldwide, RCI, Budget and Apple Vacations.
Peter is a remarkable communicator and he brings incredible grounding to the leadership team. His advisory services are invaluable.
His current responsibilities include working with our investment team to raise the capital needed to scale the business and to find the perfect individuals to fill the open board of directors positions.
Chicke Fitzgerald – Personal Snapshot
Chicke lives in Tampa, FL with her husband . They love being empty nesters and are so proud of how their kids have launched into their adult lives, Kiera in the UK getting her 2nd masters and Sergey in Colorado, finishing up Bible College. She loves cruising, a good novel and great wine, preferably enjoyed at the same time. Her personal hero is Dumbo, who didn’t know that he couldn’t fly.
Chicke Fitzgerald
CEO, Founder and Investor
Chicke is a force multiplier with a passion for helping companies grow in a sustainable, responsible and purpose driven way. She is responsible for Solutionz’ strategic direction. Her focus is maximizing stakeholder returns and inspiring the executive team to accomplish business goals.
Chicke spent the first half of her career working for industry leading travel distribution technology and telecom companies. If you have ever made a travel booking online or checked in for a flight, chances are Chicke worked for or consulted with one of the companies that pioneered that technology. The second half has been spent turning trip tech and travel storytelling on its head. She is a game-changing technologist and business designer. In the current venture, we’ve engineered into our business model the things that we want to achieve – giving back and innovation.
Chicke builds companies and has invested over $1.2 million on her own, while raising an additional $6 million in investment capital to fund her last two ventures. She also helped to form 11 other companies, for her clients and her employers, raising over $30 million for those venture. Recognized as a game changer, her investment actions reflect her commitment to innovation and her principles. She is also an investor in EcoPure Plus, an innovator in the pet care space and in NTECH Properties, a leader in the development of technology that allows truly interactive and personally tailored viewing of (or listening to) media. She is author of The Game Changer, published in 2017. And host of The Game Changer Podcast. She is pioneering the Sounding Board concept for early stage companies, which she is piloting with Solutionz Group.
Olivier Houri – Personal Snapshot
Olivier is a recent empty nester, living in Scottsdale, AZ. He is devoted to seeing his daughter succeed in her studies at Carey Business School at ASU. He is addicted to golf and has a passion for aviation history. He is a cigar and wine aficionado and loves rugby. His “give back” area is in providing education for “in need” children.
Olivier Houri
Board Member and Investor
Olivier was an early believer in Solutionz new TripProximity venture. He joined the team as the Acting Chief Operating Officer as we forged important relationships that were foundational to the Company’s growth. In 2016, he joined the board and then became our first outside investor.
Olivier brings his global vision to the organization, as well has his decades of experience in travel technology.
Before joining Solutionz Board, he spent 15 years as the head of Unisys Travel and Transportation. He also was a director of management consulting for Cap Gemini. He is currently the EVP Corporate Strategy and Key Accounts at SmartKargo.
Olivier has been instrumental in bringing in additional investment into the Company and advising the leadership on a wide range of topics.
His current responsibilities include working with our investment team to raise the capital needed to scale the business and to find the perfect individuals to fill the open board of directors positions.
Jeff Clarke – Personal Snapshot
Jeff and his wife Suzette live in San Francisco. They are passionate about wine and are avid collectors of rare books – including a number of first edition books, author signed books and some historically intriguing books and guides to the Napa Valley and Calistoga. From a philanthropic perspective, they are passionate about education and actively support Jeff’s alma mater Genesco.
Jeff Clarke
Board Member and Investor
Jeff has recently joined the Solutionz Group board of directors.
He brings Solutionz significant digital travel and technology leadership and significant board governance experience.
He currently serves on the board of FTD and on the board and as Co-CEO of E.Merge Technology Acquisition Corporation. He is also the Interim CEO of Doxim. He has also served on the boards of Docker, Autodesk, Redhat, Compuware and Orbitz, among others. He has also served in a CEO and Board role with Travelport and Kodak.
Prior to Jeff’s entry into the travel industry in 2006, he held senior executive positions with CA Technologies, HP, Compaq and DEC.
Kerri Zeil – Personal Snapshot
Kerri lives in Chicago, Il. Where she resides in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, the West Loop. Chicago has been home for over 20 years, but Kerri has lived in several places in the US and Europe. Her passions not only include travel, but also a good red wine, her amazing family and friends, and her Kansas City Chiefs #ChiefsKindgdom!!. Focusing on new adventures and ways to give back and make an impact personally and professionally are a key focus of her future.
Kerri Zeil
Board Member and Investor
Kerri is the newest member of the Solutionz Group board of directors. She represents the collective voice of the Sounding Board in her role as the head of the Sounding Board.
She will be working with the Executive team on new business development | strategic partnerships | fund raising. She brings a highly connected network, industry expertise and business development strategies.
Kerri participates on the board and advisory board of Travogram, HopSkip and Global Thematic Insights. For over a decade she was the head of Amadeus’ Startup Launchpad, where she was responsible for the Amadeus Launchpad Startup program, identifying new business opportunities and supporting travel startups from MVP to maturity.
Click on the image to learn more about the Sounding Board concept.
Imagine having the talents of some of the top experts in the industries that you serve, available to you to ensure that the board makes the right decisions, with the right expertise. Additionally, each of them bring “relationship capital” with them that can fuel the company’s growth.
The Sounding Board is a unique “virtual board member” concept that is being developed by the Game Changer Network (founded by Chicke Fitzgerald) to provide early stage companies with a vetted group of advisors that bring to the table a wide range of skills).
Solutionz Innovations is the first company to take advantage of the Sounding Board and we are working with the individuals listed below to flesh out how this pool of amazing talent can benefit other emerging companies by reducing the time that it takes to find board members and reduce risk for investors.
Introducing the 2023 Sounding Board
Perry Yeatman- Investor and
Business Strategy
Head of Corporate at Save the Children a
nd Former Executive at Kraft and Unilever
Holly Nelson – Investor and
Financial Strategy
Former Chief Financial Officer –
Virgin America and Jet Blue
Jody Newman – Interim Chief Legal Counsel
CEO IBEX Group, former . Sr. Legal Advisor – SITA and Group VP Intl Development – Orange Business Services
Paolo Privatera – EVP Business Development
Events.com
Our Strategic Thought Partners and our Channel Partners
Ralph Kaiser – Governance and FINTECH
Lead FOUNDATION Investor
CEO UATP
Paypal Customer Advisory Board
Bob Reiner –
Global Business & Risk Management
FOUNDATION Investor
Former Partner – E&Y
VP Accounting/Audit Rubbermaid, Sr. Mgr KPMG
Arielle Patrick
MarCom Strategy
FOUNDATION Investor
Former Senior Vice President
Edelman, Chief Comms Officer Ariel Investments
Gerry Cunningham – Enterprise & Non-Profit
Former Global Lead Client Service Principal, Deloitte
John Richards – Entrepreneurial Foundation
CEO and Founder Startup Ignition
Entrepreneur | Angel Investor | Former Google Exec.
Peter Strimbu
Technology and Architecture
CTO Travel Industry Marketing Association
former Tech Exec – Comcast, Dish Network
Chris Bradshaw
Business Strategy
Goldman Sachs – 10,000 Small Businesses Faculty
Former President LasVegas.com
Kulin Strimbu, Digital Marketing
Founder of TIMA and Board Member
NTECH Properties
Elizabeth Kiehner
Digital Transformation
VP Enterprise Transformation Cap Gemini,
former exec IBM, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Jenn Barbee
Marketing and Digital Growth Strategy
Member Forbes Agency Council
Founder, Desticon
Ruby Newell-Legner
Events and Fan Experience
Founder, 7 Star Service
National Speaker’s Association
Our Professional Advisors
Krista Kersey
Nova Capital-Financial Advisory Services
Sheryl Hunter, Esquire
Hunter Business Law
Legal Counsel
Ruchi Attal, CPA
Apex Financial Solutions
Financial Planning & Support
Dr. Nancy Zare
RapportBuilderz
Business Development Coach
The Investors – Pre-Seed Round
In addition to Chicke Fitzgerald, Neeta Solanki and Cara Miller from the leadership team; and Peter Giamalva, Olivier Houri , Jeff Clarke and Kerri Zeil from the Board, and Perry Yeatman and Holly Nelson from the Sounding Board; and Ariel Patrick and Bob Reiner from our Strategic Thought Leaders, who are all investors, following are the early believers in the Company.
Ralph Kaiser
President, CEO and Chairman UATP
Tim Horton
Investor & Advisor on Business Development
Founder Vector Trust
Luc DuCrocq
Principal – Insights and Data – Capgemini
Zeina Gedeon
CEO Travel Professionals Intl.
Bev Heinritz
Chief Development Officer – Solutionz
Sergey Fitzgerald
Founder, By God’s Design Handyman Service
Student, Charis Bible College
Kiera Fitzgerald
Business Psychology Masters Student
University of Warsaw
Paul Mouly
Vice President Operations at Unisys (retired)
the co-founders
Our co-founders are still available for consultation, but are no longer active members of the day to day team. They are still equity shareholders in the Company, which provides the motivation to continue to support our growth and development.
Mary Jo lives in the Gold Canyon, AZ area with her husband and is passionate about golf, golf and golf, in that order.
Mary Jo Becker
Co-Founder and Channel Partner
Mary Jo is a co-founder of the TripProximity venture and in her role as a channel partner is responsible for business development and identifying new, innovative opportunities.
Mary Jo learned the dynamics of the travel industry in senior positions with leading technology companies Galileo, Cendant, Travelport, Worldspan and Sabre. She also co-founded a tech services and business process outsourcing firm, TDT.
In 2013, her deep expertise and entrepreneurial drive led her to launch Arizona Golf Trails. AGT is a specialized vacation provider for golfers seeking the best in desert golfing.
Mary Jo’s product design and delivery background brought her seasoned experience to the clients of TripProximity and laid a solid direction for all things technical.
George and his wife live in the Dallas metro area. He recently launched an innovative online store selling “enduring statement pieces”
George Lynch
Co-Founder
George was a part of the original co-founder team, while also leading an important effort to eradicate human slavery at Traffick911, While no longer active with Solutionz, he remains a supporter and the vestiges of his branding work are still present today, from the use of the map pin in our brand family to the presence of Proximo, a character that George birthed in our early days of building out our platform. For those that followed Travelocity, George was the branding genius behind that brand and the creation of the roaming gnome, who has survived the test of time in Travelocity advertising.
George is a relentless problem solver who thrills at making a difference. He is a gifted collaborator known for winning diverse partner loyalty and creating a shared purpose to effectuate large scale community improvements. He is an adventurous learner who leverages varied life experiences to bring new perspectives to tough issues. In all that he does, he is a compelling catalyst who grows compassion and action.
We were grateful to have George on our startup team, leveraging the fact that this dedicated entrepreneur allowed the team to be focused on generating resources for good, while breaking norms on travel technology and business models for giving back.