Meet Our Team.
Bob Verdun, CEO
Bob specializes in helping businesses with their go to market/growth strategies and effective ways to maximize shareholder value. He has been involved in dozens of M&A transactions, advising company owners on strategies for growth, acquisitions, mergers and capital raises.
Under Bob’s leadership, his company CFI won Inc. Magazine’s “Fastest Growing Private Companies” award for five consecutive years. He established partnerships with some of the leading companies in its industry and became IBM’s largest global partner for multiple product lines. CFI routinely won awards as an Employer of Choice, Companies to Watch, Best and Brightest, Great Place to Work, and more. When Bob sold CFI the ten-year average annual growth was 27% and 25% EBITDA!
As an active investor, Bob has participated in over 60 business transactions in recent years. This includes his role as a developer, general partner and limited partner for over 40 real estate projects. He has capabilities in all areas of business transactions including; structure, finance, legal and integration.
A lifetime learner, Bob has participated in numerous educational programs including the MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Program, Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), ScaleUp, Strategic Coach, High Stakes Negotiating and many other executive education programs.
Professional Highlights:
Solyco Capital, Senior Partner, private equity firm w/ 26 portfolio companies
United Wholesale Mortgage, Board member, Chair Audit, Finance committees (NYSC: UWMC)
Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year award winner —2010 and 2014
Former national board member of the American Diabetes Association (ADA)
15 years member (former) Entrepreneurs Organization
15 years active YPO Member
15 years active YPO Member
President YPO Ft. Lauderdale
Past President YPO Detroit
Former Deal Network Chair Young Presidents Organization (YPO)
Tiger 21 member
As CEO of Scaling Up Coaches, Bob is leveraging his experience and extensive network to expand partnerships, create new opportunities, and drive the continued growth of the organization. With a fresh perspective and a growth-oriented mindset, he is committed to enhancing the Scaling Up Coaches, Community and businesses they serve.
Jason Wells, President & COO
As President of Scaling Up Coaches, Jason Wells brings over 25 years of executive leadership experience in business growth, strategic execution, and enterprise transformation. A seasoned executive and operational strategist, Jason has a distinguished track record of scaling businesses, optimizing efficiencies, and driving profitability across industries, including corporate real estate, technology, and executive coaching.
Throughout his career, Jason has held key executive leadership roles, working with organizations ranging from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies. As a trusted strategic advisor and executive team member, he has led enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, improved organizational agility, and in many cases, guided companies to successful exits and acquisitions. His expertise in strategic planning, business development, and leadership coaching has been instrumental in driving sustainable growth and operational excellence for organizations worldwide.
Recognized as an industry thought leader, Jason is a frequent speaker at national conferences on business strategy, executive leadership, and operational efficiency. His passion lies in helping organizations and leaders scale with intention, align strategy with execution, and build high-performance cultures that thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
As President of Scaling Up Coaches, Jason is committed to empowering executives and leadership teams with the proven methodologies, strategic insights, and coaching expertise needed to drive long-term profitability, operational efficiency, and scalable success. He is equally dedicated to supporting our Coaches, equipping them with the tools, resources, and guidance needed to thrive and deliver exceptional results for their clients—while continuing to elevate Scaling Up Coaches as a premier global network of top-tier business coaches.
Jeff Verdun, Chief Information Officer
Jeff Verdun is a dynamic IT executive with over 30 years of experience driving technology innovation, operational excellence, and digital transformation.
As the Chief Information Officer of Scaling Up Coaches, he leads the organization's technology vision, ensuring alignment between IT strategy and business objectives to accelerate growth and efficiency.
With a proven track record in optimizing IT operations, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and building high-performing teams, Jeff specializes in transforming complex technology portfolios into streamlined, scalable, and secure ecosystems.
His expertise spans IT strategy, infrastructure modernization, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and enterprise software development.
Key Expertise:
🔹 Strategic IT Leadership – Spearheaded global IT initiatives, managing budgets for small, mid-size and publicly traded organizations while driving innovation and operational efficiency.
🔹 Technology & Digital Transformation – Designed and deployed scalable infrastructures, security frameworks, and enterprise applications that enhance business performance and resilience.
🔹 Mergers & Acquisitions – Led IT due diligence, system integrations, and transition planning for multiple corporate acquisitions, ensuring seamless technology consolidation.
As CIO of Scaling Up Coaches, Jeff is committed to protect coach / client data and leverage technology to automate & evaluate new offerings for the community.
Verne Harnish
Verne Harnish is founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), with more than 13,000 members worldwide. For 15 years he chaired EO's premiere CEO program, the "Birthing of Giants" held at MIT, a program he still teaches today.
Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, a global executive education and coaching company with more than 200 partners on six continents, Verne has spent the past three decades helping companies scale up.
The "Growth Guy" syndicated columnist, he's also the Venture columnist for FORTUNE magazine. He's the author of the bestselling Mastering the Rockefeller Habits which has been translated into 9 languages; and along with the editors of Fortune, authored The Greatest Business Decisions of All Times, for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword. His latest book Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) has won eight major international book awards including the prestigious 2015 International Book Award for Best General Business book. Verne also chairs two bi-annual ScaleUp Summits in collaboration with Bloomberg LIVE, and serves on several boards including chairman of The Riordan Clinic and the newly launched Geoversity.
A private investor in many scale-ups, Verne enjoys piano, tennis, and magic as a card-carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Ramona Kokenberger
Ramona is the Client Engagement, Professional Enrichment & Events Specialist at the Scaling Up Coaches Organization. In her role, Ramona supports entrepreneurs in their journey to scale their businesses by helping them discover their ideal Coach. When Ramona is wearing her “Events” hat, she manages the professional enrichment and learning experiences for our global coaching organization. This includes virtual sessions with industry experts plus annual in-person events worldwide. She excels at managing projects and provides exceptional service while establishing client relationships.
As an entrepreneur herself, Ramona started a small business after being a stay-at-home mom for several years, eventually doubling in size. She also spent over ten years in a Human Resources role in biotech, professional sports, and recruiting industries, underscoring her devotion to helping others.
Ramona is passionate and committed to volunteering in the community and non-profit organizations. She is a wannabe interior designer and culinary chef, inheriting a passion for good food and great wine from her Italian roots. Ramona lives in Pennsylvania with her husband of 21 years, two teenage children, and a very spoiled dog. She has a love-hate relationship with her Peloton and enjoys spending time with family and friends and going to the beach.
Deena Petrucci
Deena is the Membership Services Specialist & Coach Concierge. In this role, Deena provides outstanding customer service to our coaches and assists them with questions about our tools and offerings. She also helps support our events, both live and in-person, for our global community.
Deena comes to Scaling Up Coaches with a diverse background. She grew up in a large family business, spending every weekend and summer learning every area of the company and realizing the importance of teamwork. After graduating, Deena pursued her career in the dance industry. After years of directing and eventually owning her dance studio, she decided to retire her dance shoes and utilize her business and administrative skills as an Administrative Assistant in multiple ICUs in Christiana Care Health Systems for several years.
Deena still loves fitness and makes it a daily priority, and she looks forward to her annual vacations to the Caribbean. Deena is devoted to her family, married to her husband Chris for over 25 years, with whom she shares three adult children.
Jenn Polish
Jenn, the Coach Engagement & Certification Program Specialist, is dedicated to providing exceptional hospitality and support to Scaling Up coaches. She plays a key role in onboarding, guiding coaches through the certification process, and fostering a strong sense of community. In addition, she leads the Professional Enrichment Program, curating continued learning opportunities with top-tier internal and external speakers to bring added value to the coaching network.
With over a decade of executive support experience in a nationally recognized healthcare system, Jenn contributed to a prestigious "magnet" healthcare organization. She also has a 35+ year career in professional theater, performing in musical productions, touring globally, working on cruise ships, and even choreographing a national commercial. Today, she continues her passion by directing and choreographing for local theaters and schools.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Jenn cherishes her role as a devoted mother to her two beautiful children and takes immense joy witnessing them grow into remarkable individuals.
Carolin Walch
Carolin manages Marketing, Communications, and Technology for the Scaling Up Coaches Organization. Her role includes leading initiatives to streamline processes for the organization.
Carolin brings 30+ years of experience to Scaling Up Coaches in the political, governmental, non-profit/association, and private business sectors. Her past positions include working as a Legislative Aide for both a Member of Congress and a National Trade Association, as an Executive Director of a fast-paced Political Organization, and managing and leading projects and initiatives at multiple companies focused on growing companies. She has a proven record in growing organizations and taking them to the next level, with a strong ability to take any challenge, find the best solution, and manage the project to completion.
Carolin has a strong case of Wanderlust. She and her husband love to travel and explore new places, often seeking out less-traveled destinations. They love to experience the local culture, people, customs, and cuisine of the places they visit. She also loves sailing, boating, bicycling, and swimming, and especially spending time with family & friends.