Tony Barra

Recruited for multi-industry product development experience, deep technical knowledge and broad business background to help launch start-up product development firm focused on developing strategic partnerships. Key highlights: New Product Business Model Analysis

• Developed new home services business model for large energy retailer in six major North American markets with three year revenues of over $250M.
• Developed business model for the launch of a consumer health and weight management device including complete financial analysis.

Consumer Pilot Design and Execution

• Design and executed three month consumer market pilot of an in-home entertainment system based on broadband connectivity for Disney and Intel. Conducted consumer ethnographic research, focus groups and analyzed market potential.
• Designed solutions, selected partners, provided expertise in strategic alliance development, and facilitated meetings to enable technology infrastructure for a completely sustainable community in California.

New Technology Strategy Development

• Analyzed market opportunity, current technology landscape and consumers segments for a personal medication compliance service for a leading consumer products company. Recommended several product concepts.
• Developed technology landscape, partnership strategy and business model analysis for a connected vehicle concept for a Fortune 100 consumer electronics company. Model created metrics and forecast revenue potential from advertising, location based services, subscriptions and service provider subsidies.
• Developed and conducted seminar to launch corporate strategy around sustainable technology for a global Fortune 100 industrial company. Included strategy to bridge divisional silo barriers and recommendations for developing organic business opportunities.
• Created several connected technology and consumer opportunity product development roadmaps for companies including Cisco-Linksys, Sprint and the CDA.

Started firm to provide deep expertise in value chain business analysis by providing clients with insights into launching economically viable products and services. Key highlights: New Product Business Analysis

• Led 50 home pilot of energy management technology by Direct Energy. Developed pilot concept, recruited pilot participants including AT&T, Best Buy, Invensys, and Lennox.
• Analyzed research and market opportunity for automotive rear-seat learning systems for LeapFrog. Developed product concepts, organized and led meetings with automotive OEMs and suppliers to present concepts and initiate partnership discussions. Recommendations resulted in partnerships with Visteon and Chrysler.
• Developed business model and recommendations for leading retailer’s builder services division entrance into structured wiring business. Business successfully launched in several markets.
• Analyzed home security market opportunity, gathered costs and market potential to developed business model to support recommendation for market entry.

Alliance of industry leading companies created as a market-accelerating organization that conducted real-world pilots, research projects, and served as an ongoing perception-influencing organization with media and analysts. Recruited to develop industry-wide sustainable business model, create ecosystem roadmap with targeted companies and recruit targeted companies for the connected home market consortia. Became a leading industry spokesperson and media source for industry vision. Key highlights: Industry Strategy Leadership

• Provided technical leadership, created strategic frameworks and analysis for industry and member companies, analyzed emerging technologies and implications, developed research concepts, and led pilots.
• Spoke at many industry trade shows including the Consumer Electronics Show, International Builders Show, and Electronic House Expo. Interviewed as industry thought leader for many publications and radio.

Alliance Membership Development

• Recruited over 25 companies to join including Bell Canada, Disney, Herman Miller, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Kraft, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, AT&T, and Whirlpool, generating more than $3M in fees.

Recruited out of business school into a start-up digital strategy consulting firm with less than 100 employees to fuel progressive rapid-growth business. Honed classic business strategy, process reengineering and technology competencies. Developed significant change management and business expertise. Built and led innovative teams and forged long-standing customer relationships, contributing to firm growth from $13M to $260M+ over 5 years. Key highlights: Digital Business Strategy Consulting

• Created strategy concepts for several business units of a Fortune 100 building products company. Concepts positioned the company to meet emerging trends around demand aggregation, price transparency and disintermediation.
• Led the development of a patented business process for integrated store and online sales of homes and ongoing home services. Created an offering memorandum that resulted in $10M first round funding.
• Developed an Internet bank start-up business plan, resulting in $5M angel funding and $30M first round financing. Developed technology architecture, designed organization and selected service providers.

Business Process Reengineering

• Led the development of a client server call center system for a home warranty division of a $4B commercial and consumer services company.
• Led client teams in 27 profit improvement initiatives that resulted in a $7.6M annual profit improvement for a $290M financial services division.

Recruited to provide experienced technical leadership and establish credibility with General Motors engineering community. Built positive relationships with automotive product engineers while delivering leading technology to support design, engineering and analysis disciplines. Fast tracked to team management within two years. Selected to build external product development process consulting business. Key highlights: Integrated Product Development Process Leadership

• Led a team that reengineered a garment manufacturer’s product development process. Implemented $1.2M process used at facilities globally, reducing development time by 20%.
• Identified $4M in savings from product engineering functions of an appliance manufacturer.
• Facilitated a team of automotive electrical power and signal distribution technical experts to create a vehicle development process and provide system engineering expertise.

Engineering and Account Management

• Managed $12M automotive design and engineering account and supervised 20 engineers and analysts.

• Determined out-of-spec material dispensation and federal compliance tracking of life support systems.
• Redesigned medical equipment components for improved functionality, reliability and cost.

• High Distinction, 3.9/4.0 GPA; GMAT, 99th percentile
• Fellow, Tauber Manufacturing Institute; Member, Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
• Internship – Led identification of $3.5M in supplier product development integration improvements for Whirlpool Corporation

• Co-op Student 1978-1983, General Motors metal fabrication factory