Aspire!One
Roland Jacobs

Roland is the managing director and leads the planning team for Aspire!One. He became a branding and marketing strategy expert in the corporate world and now consults with a wide range of clients, from global corporations to community-based churches and nonprofits. In addition to his consulting and training activities with corporations and churches, he also regularly teaches marketing strategy as a guest lecturer in the MBA programs at Kellogg/Northwestern and the University of Chicago. Prior to founding Aspire!One in 2002, Roland was chief marketing officer of Orbitz, the online travel business founded by the airlines. He led a team of 500 to launch Orbitz in what the Standard said was "the most successful e-commerce launch in the Web's history." Previously, he also led introductions and growth of two other high-profile start-ups, as SVP-Marketing & Business Development for DigitalWork, and VP-Marketing for Petopia.com. Roland's marketing career began with The Clorox Company, where he built his marketing skills over 10 years, rising to global category director with marketing responsibility for Clorox products across 33 countries. Roland received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from St. Lawrence University. He current serves in lay leadership at Willow Creek Community Church.

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Bret Dalton
Dalton Group LLC

Bret recruits key leaders in general management, marketing, information technology, consulting services, and human resources. His practice is comprised of clients from technology, financial services, manufacturing, and travel. Prior to establishing Dalton Group LLC, Bret was recruited to join Bob Dingman in his boutique search firm in California. In 2000, as a Principal in that corporation, Bret began the process of establishing the firm's first out of state office in Colorado, which opened in 2002.

Before becoming a search consultant, Bret spent three years in strategic marketing developing new business and global alliances for RR Donnelley & Sons Company, a $6B world leader in printing and information distribution.

Previously, Bret served in the US Army rising to the rank of Major. His service included an associate professorship at West Point where he taught courses in leadership, motivation, and organizational dynamics. He also handled special assignments with the Office of the President of the United States and in the development and integration of high technology applications for global information systems.

Bret is a graduate of West Point and holds a Masters degree from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Dr. Brad Smith
Bakke Graduate University

Brad is the president of the Bakke Graduate University, a leading ministry-oriented theological seminary. Prior to assuming the presidency of the college, Brad was president and CEO of the Leadership Network, a private operating foundation focused on church health and innovation. In this role, he guided major parachurch organizations and non-profits through leadership transitions and strategic refocusing. He consults regularly with various Fortune 100 companies and Christian organizations in the areas of team-building and leadership development. While earning his Master of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, Brad co-founded the Center for Christian Leadership and served there for seven years developing leadership programs. Brad obtained a BA in business from Texas A&M University.

David Simms
Bridgespan Group

David Simms is a partner at the Bridgespan Group, a not-for-profit strategic consulting firm operating in partnership with Bain Consulting and focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector. He joined Bridgespan from MBNA America where he was responsible for growing new businesses within the world's largest independent credit card company. David led multiple businesses within MBNA including the travel business, the consumer deposit business, the merchandising business and the corporate credit card division.

In 1988, David was selected as a White House Fellow. He worked as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State, John Whitehead. Subsequently, he bridged back to the private sector and ran his own marketing-consulting firm for several years before becoming CEO/COO of the Red Cross Blood Services Region in Washington.

David holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.