PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Building a resilient finance department requires more than just buying the latest software, it demands a cohesive digital ecosystem. This panel outlines a practical playbook for modernizing your tech stack, seamlessly integrating AI tools, and eliminating costly process bottlenecks.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Find where your finance team’s time actually goes before you shop
- Separate AI that works from AI hype, and understand the landscape of tools available
- Avoid the implementation surprises that blow up timelines and budgets
- Learn how AI is dramatically changing the pace of this process
- Decide how to sequence the change, and who is responsible
SPEAKERS
Moderator: Chip Molten | Enterprise Account | Oracle NetSuite
A Cleveland native, Chip has been in the technology space for 13 years. Starting out in the Automotive Industry, helping dealerships modernize financial and operational tools and move their advertising efforts into the digital space. After 9 years in automotive, he moved to Oracle, where the focus has been more specifically on helping businesses modernize their finance and accounting tools with NetSuite ERP. Since joining the NetSuite team, Chip has worked with dozens of companies in modernizing their tech stack across a wide range of industries with a heavier focus in hospitality, financial services, non-profit, and aviation.
Suresh Rachuri | Founder & CEO | Elevate Growth Partners
Suresh Rachuri is an entrepreneur, business transformation leader, and technology executive with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations grow, modernize, and build stronger businesses.
As the founder and former CEO of Maven, Suresh built and scaled a successful technology consulting and talent solutions company from the ground up, ultimately leading it through a successful acquisition in 2025. His experience navigating the challenges of business ownership, growth, and transformation gives him a unique perspective on what it takes to turn strategy into results.
Today, as Founder and CEO of Elevate Growth Partners, Suresh works alongside founders, business owners, and leadership teams to create enterprise value by aligning People, Technology, and Execution. Through strategic growth advisory, fractional executive leadership, operational excellence, technology modernization, AI enablement, and talent solutions, EGP helps organizations overcome barriers to growth and execute meaningful change.
Drawing on his experience as a business owner, technology executive, and talent leader, Suresh brings a practical perspective to technology investments, AI adoption, operational inefficiencies, and organizational transformation.
His philosophy is simple: Successful transformation isn’t about technology alone. It’s about solving the right business problems, empowering people, and executing effectively to deliver measurable results.
Philip Smith | CFO | OPOC.US
Philip Smith is Chief Financial Officer of OPOC.us and brings more than 40 years of experience in finance, audit, and business leadership. A retired KPMG partner and former Columbus office managing partner, he has served major global companies across manufacturing, automotive, and other industries. With a degree in accounting and computer science from Westminster College, Philip brings a valuable perspective to the discussion of tech stack modernization—connecting the CFO’s priorities around financial reporting, internal controls, and business performance with technology decisions.
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SPONSOR PARTNERS
Thank you to our valued Sponsor Partners. This event is open to members, sponsors, and special guests.
