Chris Scherer

With over 25 years as a transformation Leader, Chris has added value (>$450 million in savings) and mitigated risk across borders, functions, industries, levels, and technologies by executing focused and system-wide programs. He has consistently delivered fast results in both failing and robust situations for small, mid-market, and Fortune 500 companies. His small business success is recognized at a global management consultant firm that achieved the “Fast Fifty” by Crain’s Chicago Business and Inc. 5000.

Chris started his career reporting to the owner of a multi-site industrial diamond tool company. After completing a dual-degree Master’s program at Thunderbird and ESADE in Barcelona, Spain, he joined Arthur Andersen Business Consulting in Chicago with a practice focused on non-labor cost reduction. He then worked in industry for 13 years at Fortune 500 firms, in various roles with increasing responsibility from Corporate Audit to International Finance to Financial Shared Services (Business Decision Support) and then Global Human Resources, advising and leading all aspects of HR Risk Management, reporting to the EVP of HR. He led a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt project as part of a Business Transformation Team, which collectively spanned over 80 projects with $60 million in savings.

In 2009, he joined AArete, a global management consulting firm, with roots from Arthur Andersen. He not only helped grow AArete by a factor of 10 (from 10 to over 130 employees – now ~400 – with similar increases in revenue), but also led multiple teams in non-labor cost reduction, compliance, and process improvement efforts at Fortune 500 companies, delivering over $300 million in savings, consistently gaining executive-level support and building teams empowered to drive results.

Chris now helps CEOs, COOs, and other business leaders grow themselves and their business, leveraging his diverse background.

Chris was a founding member of a non-profit whose mission is to build a bicycle and pedestrian friendly community, which became the first community in New Jersey to earn The League of American Bicyclists’ “Bicycle Friendly Community” status.