Syncada – Our Leadership
The Syncada network is the result of our world-class people—people with vast industry knowledge and skill, who set the standard for online transaction processing and continue to research, develop, and evolve Syncada technology. Our executive management team is led by CEO Kurt Schneiber, who brings more than 20 years of experience in global financial services business development, management, and marketing.
Meet our executive management team:
Kurt Schneiber, Chief Executive Officer
Kurt Schneiber is an accomplished business leader with more than 20 years of global financial services business development, management, and marketing experience. As chief executive officer and a member of Syncada's Board of Managers, Kurt is responsible for creating the strategic vision for the multi-bank financial supply chain network. Prior to joining Syncada, he was the president of Fortent, a privately-held technology firm specializing in regulatory compliance for financial institutions. Kurt worked more than 15 years in business building and management roles at Citigroup. As part of Citibank's Global Transaction Services, he managed the global power, energy, and chemical sector, and he was the marketing director and cards business manager for Citi’s consumer business in India. Kurt earned a B.A. in International Relations from Brigham Young University and an International M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina. In 2011, Treasury & Risk, a leading financial publication, named Kurt as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Finance.
Bill Henneman, Chief Financial Officer
Bill Henneman, with more than 25 years experience in financial operations and management, directs Syncada's financial strategies, planning, and reporting, in addition to all finance operations. His background includes experience in diverse industries ranging from financial and brokerage services to software services to real estate management and development. Recently, Bill served as senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) for the US Division of Benfield Group Limited, a London, UK, company. Previously, Bill has held positions as COO and CFO at Unimax Systems Corporation and COO and CFO of Advanta Information Services, a subsidiary of Advanta Corporation. Bill began his career in public accounting with KPMG. Bill earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He is a C.P.A., holding membership with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Minnesota Society of CPAs.
Kevin Armstrong, Vice President, Global Product and Program Solutions
Kevin Armstrong manages the Syncada product and program organization. He previously served as the managing director of Syncada Europe and India. Kevin joined U.S. Bank in 1997, transitioning to U.S. Bank PowerTrack in 2000, where he held a number of positions including program manager, director of business development, and general manager. Kevin started his career in technology where he held multiple positions including systems engineer, database specialist, and systems consultant. He has designed and built leading edge information management systems for Fortune 100 companies. Kevin holds patents for innovative software and business processes. Kevin received his B.S. in Computer Science from North Dakota State University with minor studies in Mathematics, and M.S. in Software Engineering from the University of St. Thomas.
Mike Bellardine, Global Head of Product Solutions
Mike Bellardine leads the Syncada Product Solutions team and is responsible for delivering innovative products to the Syncada network. Mike joined Syncada from Royal Bank of Scotland, where he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Global Trade Outsourcing Services. With more than 20 years in financial management, Mike’s extensive experience ranges from cash management, global supply chain, and foreign exchange to global payables and receivables product development and management. Mike received his B.A. from Rutgers University.
Craig Bongart, Global Head of Relationship Management
Craig Bongart is responsible for developing and maintaining dynamic, effective partnerships with financial institutions belonging to the Syncada network. Craig utilizes his experience in sales, marketing, and management to drive strategic direction for sponsor banks and Syncada. Previous positions include group vice president at MoneyGram International, a diversified financial services company, and senior director of the Global Scoring Division of Fair Isaac Corporation, a global software and analytics company. Craig earned his B.A. in History from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Cedric Bru, Global Head of Sales, Marketing and Business Development
Responsible for expanding the Syncada network around the world by establishing relationships with global and domestic financial institutions, Cedric Bru brings a wealth of financial experience to Syncada. Cedric's background includes experience in payments, finance, information management, and supply chain management. Previous roles include product strategy, corporate development, sales, and consulting at Visa and Hewlett-Packard. Cedric holds an M.S. from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse, France, and an M.B.A from the Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley.
Elizabeth Fortier, Chief Legal Officer
As Chief Legal Officer for Syncada, Elizabeth Fortier is responsible for advising Syncada's management and board of directors on legal issues, including corporate governance and commercial and regulatory matters. Prior to joining Syncada, Elizabeth most recently served as general counsel and corporate secretary with HighJump Software. Elizabeth’s career experience includes a variety of private and public companies, such as 3M Company, Cognos Corporation, Adaytum Software, and Digi International. Elizabeth has managed a multitude of different legal matters, including corporate governance, intellectual property portfolio management, commercial contracts, marketing, mergers and acquisitions activity, and technology licensing. Elizabeth earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies from the College of St. Benedict and a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.
Pete Gowanlock, Director of Strategic Projects
Pete Gowanlock leads a team of project managers in managing the strategic cross-functional Syncada initiatives, such as acquisition integrations and global expansion. This team also ensures Project Management Institute standards are followed across the entire organization. Pete joined U.S. Bank PowerTrack in November 1999 and has managed various teams and projects, including client implementations, security certifications, product releases, and mergers and acquisitions integrations. Most recently, these projects included the formation of Syncada in June 2009. Previously, Pete held positions in information technology project management for Nortel Networks. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo in Canada.
Dean Hahn-Carlson, Director of Business Strategy
Dean Hahn-Carlson guides the evolution of the Syncada network and its capabilities. In 1996, Dean invented the concepts and filed the first patents for the technology which became the Syncada network. Since then, Dean has been an integral part of every aspect of the business, including business planning, financial forecasting, business analysis, product, quality assurance, participant implementation, and network management. Dean’s previous financial services experience includes implementing U.S. Bank payment initiatives, as well as designing and testing the major merchant acquiring system now operated by Elavon. Mr. Hahn-Carlson received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology and his M.S. in Operations Research from the University of Minnesota.
Mary Jo Jordan, Chief Customer Officer
Mary Jo Jordan is responsible for Syncada’s global operations, including sponsor and participant on-boarding, account management, customer service, electronic data interchange, processing, audit, data control, and distributions functions. Having held previous positions at Canon U.S., Walmart Stores, Inc., and Madison Newspapers, Mary Jo joined U.S. Bank PowerTrack in 2000, transitioning later to Syncada during its formation. Mary Jo has accumulated more than 20 years of operations and customer service experience, with a focus on lean processing, continuous improvement, and service excellence. Mary Jo received her B.B.A. from Iowa State University.
Kay LaBare, Chief Information Officer
Kay LaBare directs the development and delivery of industry-leading, innovative software, as well as manages the Syncada network’s technical architecture and information technology operations. Kay joined Syncada in 2011, previously serving as Head of Business Technology at NICE Actimize and Chief Technology Officer at Fortent, Thomson Healthcare, and CDA. Kay earned a B.S. from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in computer science from Hood College.
Kara Pritchett, Director of Marketing
Kara Pritchett manages the company's global marketing strategy as Syncada's director of marketing. Her team oversees brand strategy, public relations, business-to-business marketing, as well as internal and external communications. Prior to joining Syncada, Kara was responsible for marketing the U.S. Bank PowerTrack platform, the product upon which the Syncada network is based. Her background includes marketing experience in a wide range of industries, from financial and legal services to engineering to real estate development. She earned her B.A. in journalism with an emphasis on public relations from the University of Minnesota.
Laura Warner, Director of Human Resources
As director of human resources, Laura Warner is responsible for driving Syncada's strategies around talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness. She directs the organization's employee benefits design and administration, employee relations, payroll, and all other human resources-related activities. Laura has extensive experience in human resources management, previously serving in leadership positions at Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Carlson Marketing Group, and Aviva USA. She earned a B.A. in psychology from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM).