YEAR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT - Mark Hawkins, Salesforce
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ADVERTISING SUPLEMENT
SEPTEMBER ,42 01
CFO O F THE
YEAR AWA R D S
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Mark Hawkins, Salesforce
Since 2006, honoring AWARDS n Non-Public Company
outstanding Bay Area n Lifetime Achievement n Emerging Company
chief financial officers n Public Company—Large n Transformation Agent
n Public Company—Small to Medium n Non-Profit Organization
2 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
Top performers.
Enormous accolades.
© 20XX EYGM Limited. All Rights Reserved. EDNone
EY is pleased to recognize the winners of the
Bay Area CFO of the Year awards. There’s no limit
to what we can accomplish when we strive to build
a better world together.
Visit ey.com
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 3
A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LARKIN STREET YOUTH SERVICES
Investing in youth is smart business
A
made possible in partnership with San Fran-
s we seek to reconnect after a
SHERILYN ADAMS cisco’s business community, public partners,
period of unexpected distanc-
and individual funders. We are incredibly
ing, I am thrilled to gather in Executive Director, grateful to our title sponsors, EY and Marsh
person once again to celebrate Larkin Street Youth McLennan Agency, for their donations of
the 15th annual Bay Area CFO Services time, connections, and funding to help re-
Awards—a partnership with the San Francisco
source our community in the mission to end
Business Times.
youth homelessness.
Thank you to the San Francisco Business
Since its inception, the Bay Area CFO
Times team, and its leader and dynamic Pub-
Awards event has raised over $6 million
lisher and President, Mary Huss. An integral corporate partners to help guide, inform, and to support Larkin Street’s critical housing,
part of this collaboration to highlight CFOs lead to ensure young people, especially those health care, education, and employment
in San Francisco’s business community, your who are Black, Brown, and/or LGBTQ+, are part programs! Co-chairs of the CFO of the Year
partnership and insight have been invaluable of the upcoming economic recovery. We look Awards committee, John Viola and Alex
in driving change for young people. forward to working together to create equita- Smith, have also been very generous with
At Larkin Street Youth Services, we work ble access to living-wage jobs and pathways their time and talents to ensure this event is
with business leaders and community stake- out of poverty that are targeted towards those a consistent success. As all net proceeds go
holders to address youth homelessness in who are most impacted by homelessness. to Larkin Street, you are directly supporting
San Francisco. Since 1984, Larkin Street Investing in youth homelessness is smart the work to get young people off the street in
Youth Services has led progress by support- business, 50% of all adults experiencing San Francisco.
ing over 75,000 youth in providing a stable homelessness in San Francisco first expe- My sincere congratulations to all the nom-
foundation where they can flourish. rienced homelessness as a young person, inees who will be recognized at this year’s
During this extremely challenging time, our making it essential to address youth home- CFO of the Year Awards ceremony. You have
corporate partners have shown up in all the lessness. Offering a continuum of services proven your ability to drive trends and lead
ways that mattered, including donating funds that incorporates deeper support means progress in environments of uncertainty.
and supplies, sharing their skills and exper- youth can build a foundation to develop Thank you for leveraging your power and
tise, and leveraging their networks to support self-sufficiency. In fact, 3 out of 4 of young position to invest in San Francisco youth. We
young people experiencing homelessness. people who complete Larkin Street’s pro- are so proud to partner with you as commu-
As we renew connections and lead prog- grams exit street life. nity collaborators in the fight to end youth
ress in this new normal, we are looking to our This robust continuum of services is only homelessness.
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4 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
Solid support in uncertain times
W
elcome to the 2021 Bay Area CFO of the Area, and the Selection Panel narrows the list down to
Year Awards, where we celebrate Chief be the best of the best. Candidates are selected based
Financial Officers who support their com- on their scope of responsibilities, tenure, leadership,
munities—and Larkin Street Youth Ser- financial performance, influence, and stewardship.
vices for the incredibly important work they do in this Giving back to community also is considered.
community. The awards shine a light on the hard work We greatly appreciate all our sponsors who gener-
and values that make CFOs great at their jobs, as well ously support not only the impressive work of the top
as the help those in need get from Larkin Street. CFO’s but also the outstanding service to Bay Area
From the moment Covid became a shocking dis- youth in need that Larkin Street provides. Especially
MARY HUSS ruption to our lives over 18 months ago, the work and we thank our sponsors for staying with us last year
Publisher, character of these tireless CFO’s at being a calm and when we put a pause on this event and for coming
San Francisco reassuring force for their companies, and the work and back even in the uncertainty brought by Covid.
Business Times mission of Larkin Street in providing a haven, support, Check out the Business Times to find out about next
and a path forward for youth who otherwise would be year’s Bay Area CFO of the Year Awards, and please visit
on the streets… has been more important than ever. Larkin Street Youth Services (www.larkinstreetyouth.org) to
A most gratifying aspect of these awards, launched learn more about the life changing work they are doing
15 years ago, is the valuable relationships they have and discover how you can get involved.
forged, as the CFO’s and their companies have been Congratulations to our inspiring 2021 class of top
introduced to the important work of Larkin Street, and CFOs for their leadership, and congratulations to Lar-
the youth it serves. kin Street Youth Services, a leader among the dedi-
The Winners and Finalists recognized this year cated family of nonprofits in our community that have
represent the best of the business community, display- tirelessly supported the enormous needs of so many
ing the professionalism, skill, and strategic acumen in these past months. A special note of gratitude to
it takes to be a truly great CFO. The nomination and our CFOs, and to Sherilyn Adams and the entire team
selection process are thorough. Our Nominating Com- at Larkin Street, for the beacon they have provided
mittee identifies worthy candidates across the Bay during such challenging times.
CFO of the Year Awards publication stories by Michael Foxman | Cover photo by Arnold Wells, Austin Business Journal
EVENT COMMITTEE
John Viola (co-chair) Marilyn Campbell
Alex Smith (co-chair) Conor Famulener
Jeremy Avenier Mike Jenkins
Siri Berg Rick Kerzic
Willis Newton
SELECTION PANEL
COMMITTEES Alison Davis Sharon McCollam
Managing Partner, Fifth Era, Board Member: Royal Winner, 2012 Hall of Fame–Lifetime Achievement
AND Bank of Scotland, Diamond Foods, Fiserv, Unisys,
and Ooma
Award; Former Chief Administrative Officer and
CFO, Best Buy
SELECTION Art Fatum
Retired CFO, MidPen Housing Corporation; Robin L. Washington
Winner, 2017 Hall of Fame–Lifetime Achievement
PANEL former Chair Bay Area CFO of the Year Awards
Mary Huss
Award; Former Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Bay Area President and Publisher of
the Silicon Valley Business Journal and
San Francisco Business Times
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Mike Jenkins (co-chair) Mitch Buyson Jackie Grandy
SVP, Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Associate Director, The Siegfried Group, LLP Director, The Siegfried Group, LLP
Management Marilyn Campbell Bill Losch
John Viola (co-chair) Larkin Street Community Volunteer Former CFO, Okata (retired)
Market Executive Venture Services Group Merrill Donna Davidson Bill McColl
Lynch Private Wealth Management, Larkin Principal, Davidson Associates (retired) Chief of Staff, The Siegfried Group, LLP
Street Board Member
Tim de Kay Laura Reale
Rafal Balwat Partner, West Region Emerging Growth and Managing Director, The Siegfried Group, LLP
Associate Director, The Siegfried Group, LLP Internet Media Industry Leader, Deloitte Alex Smith
Bill Burke Scott Finegold Partner and Managing Director, Cresset Capital
VP Relationship Management, Comerica Bank President, Finegold Commercial Real Estate Michael P. Sullivan
Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Wealth
Management
RESEARCHER INTERN: Sarah Heraldo, MBA Candidate, University of San Francisco
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 5
Rejuvenating connections and
leading progress in the new normal
T
he past 18 months have been surreal, to say the
least. COVID-19 has changed our lives in just about
every conceivable way, from how we educate our
kids to how we travel. Businesses in every economic
sector have felt the pressure as stores have shut their doors,
companies have closed down, and employees were forced to
role that CFOs have played in helping Bay Area organizations
weather COVID-19. Just as we look to CEOs for leadership,
chief executives look to their CFOs to understand what is
fiscally feasible in a crisis and marshal a company’s resources
to adapt to changing market conditions.
This year's honorees have seen their businesses through
“
do their jobs from home or stay at work and risk getting sick. the darkest days of the pandemic and have shifted into a
Chief Financial Officers have always played a critical role recovery mode even as the coronavirus remains at large.
in the health of companies, but during the pandemic they They have completed mergers and launched delayed IPOs
have had to do unprecedented things to keep their busi- over Zoom, and they have kept an eye toward sustainabil-
nesses running and their employees safe in the face of the ity and diversity, even as this crisis consumes so much of
biggest crisis of our lifetimes. CFOs are so important that their attention. In the recovery process, we have learned
the San Francisco Business Times holds an annual awards how CFOs are gifted not only in managing a crisis but at
ceremony to honor them, but because of the pandemic we helping their companies reacclimate to whatever the new
were unable to hold this event in 2020—which is a shame, normal may be.
because Chief Financial Officers deserve credit for the hard Events like the COVID-19 pandemic have the profound
work they have done over the last year and a half helping effect of reminding everyone, business leaders included, that
their companies survive crises, recover gracefully, and there is more to life than success in the moment. The CFOs
build lasting legacies. we are honoring this year have helped their enterprises build
When the novel coronavirus first emerged in late 2019, legacies that will be remembered long after this crisis has
forward-thinking CFOs understood that it was time to batten passed. CFOs enable companies to do more than just survive
down the hatches and plan for everything from major market and create monetary value. The foresight and expertise of the
downturns to changes in employee behavior. But very few ex- executives we are recognizing this year have created the kind
ecutives were ready for just how widespread and devastating of value that will improve lives here in the Bay Area for many
the pandemic would be, so it is vital this year to recognize the years to come.
Our diversity is
our�strength
Every day we go to work, attend school, and live our lives
side by side. Our individual experiences come together to
help us learn more about the world around us, and�ourselves
as�well.
We’re proud to be a part of the diverse communities where
we live�and�work.
wellsfargo.com/donations
©�2021�Wells�Fargo�Bank,�N.A. All�rights reserved. 6998746-2 MOD:�982
6 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
With access to basic needs and social support, young people are empowered to achieve what they are capable of.
Faces of Larkin Street
Helping young people reach their unique potential
T
onight over 1,200 young people will have
no safe, reliable place to sleep in San
Francisco. Mariah is an ambitious web
designer living in San Francisco who also
once experienced homelessness.
Mariah came to Larkin Street due to family con-
flict when she was 17 years old in hopes of finding
mental health resources and housing.
Data shows racism, homophobia, transphobia,
abuse, family conflict, and economic instability as
root causes of homelessness. Without access to
basic needs, like a safe place to sleep, a quiet spot
to do homework, health care and mental health re-
sources, and an employable skill set, young people
are likely to underperform in school and other areas
of their lives crucial to their development.
In contrast, when housing support, healthcare,
and safe social support are available young people
can thrive. Making a range of career and employ-
ment opportunities available means young people
can not only assess their goals but create a plan to
reach them with staff support and encouragement.
In late 2019, Mariah moved into one of our
emergency shelters. After a five-month stay, she
moved into one of our transitional living programs,
where she sheltered-in-place during the pandem-
ic. Even though the pandemic restrictions brought
challenges, Mariah chose to focus on seeking
opportunities. She took advantage of services
available in our housing program, such as self-help
groups, financial management, art workshops, and
paid internships. Mariah moved into a Larkin Street residence in 2019.
While she still prioritizes her mental health, Mari- Through services available in the housing program, she was
ah stopped therapy once she realized that she was able to gain stability, complete a web design internship,
in a much better mindset to pursue her dreams. and get a full-time job.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 7
PHOTOS: LARKIN STREET YOUTH SERVICES
“ I have this vision of where
I want to be, and I’m working
towards it. I don’t ever let
failure put me down.
”—Mariah
During the pandemic, she finished a web design
internship at Matter of Trust, where she now
works full-time.
Today, she’s working from home, helping
web designers with projects while planning
her next move. She hopes to go to college and
major in computer science. “I have this vision
of where I want to be, and I’m working towards
it. I don’t ever let failure put me down,” Mariah
said. “Sometimes, it’s easy to feel stuck, and
when that happens, you just need to restart
your mindset.”
As the largest non-profit in the Bay Area serv-
ing young people experiencing homelessness,
Larkin Street provides each young person with
individual care and support along with a foun-
dation to thrive. Larkin Street receives funding
from public sources, including city, state, and
federal governments, and private philanthropy,
including foundations, corporations, and individ-
uals. Fundraising events like the Bay Area CFO of
the Year Awards are essential sources of revenue
so Larkin Street can connect young people to
supportive housing, behavioral healthcare, work-
force skill development, and education.
With the support of corporate partners and
community collaborators, Larkin Street has pro-
vided a supportive foundation for over 75,000
young people like Mariah since 1984. Three
out of four youth who complete Larkin Street’s
programs exit to stable housing—a clear return
on investment.
To learn more about Larkin Street Youth Ser-
vices and the work to end youth homelessness, Larkin Street Youth Services provides young people experiencing homelessness
visit larkinstreetyouth.org. with a safe place to live, social suppport, healthcare, and educational opportunities.
8 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
ARNOLD WELLS / AUSTIN BUSINESS JOUNRAL
MARK HAWKINS, SALESFORCE
CFO builds
M
any of the roads in Michigan bear Mark
Hawkins’ family name. “My ancestors were
some of the original homesteaders in the
state,” he says. Growing up in a small town
value for south of Ann Arbor, he worked nights while
attending Michigan State University on a scholarship. Af-
ter graduating, he received a job offer from General Mo-
shareholders,
tors, “the most powerful company in the world in 1981,”
but chose instead to join Hewlett-Packard in Colorado.
Used to productive nights, he attended night school
and got his MBA at Colorado State and later complet-
and for society
ed an advanced management program at Harvard.
“My kids thought I was crazy but it was a whole other
chance to learn—learning is the greatest transforma-
tional experience.”
At HP for over 18 years, Hawkins helped the tech gi-
ant’s value soar from $3 billion to $50 billion. He and his
family spent a few years in England and also served on
subsidiary boards in Shanghai and Tokyo. He next found-
ed Agilent Technologies before joining Dell, “in Austin,
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 9
“ I believe leaders lift people up and
dedicate time to developing talent.
where my wife’s family lived.” On his watch,
Dell’s value rose from $20 billion to $56.5 bil-
lion. Today he still sits on the board for Michael
MARK HAWKINS
SALESFORCE
”
ion.” He chairs the Accounting for Sustain-
ability Leadership Committee, sponsored
by HRH Prince Charles. “A modern CFO
TITLE: President and
Dell’s Secureworks. It was his work navigating is somebody who really does address the
CFO Emeritus
Autodesk through the Great Recession and needs of today, who can be strategic and
TENURE:
repositioning the company for the cloud that preserve companies and their business
2014-Present
caught the attention of Marc Benioff of Sales- model. Who can look over the hill and
BACKGROUND:
force, which Hawkins joined in 2014. around the corner and serve all the stake-
Hewlett-Packard,
As CFO, Hawkins helped take Salesforce from holders, so necessary in today’s world. What
Dell, Logitech,
$4 billion in revenues in 2014 to $26 billion to- inspires me is the criticality of increasing
Autodesk
day. “There’s no question, on a professional ba- value both to the stakeholders and for the
sis, I’m proudest of what we’ve achieved togeth- future, over both the short term and the
er at Salesforce. When you think about being in long term.”
an apartment near Coit Tower 30 years ago, and today we’re This year, Mark is retiring and becoming President and
a Dow Jones 30 company. We serve our customers and we CFO Emeritus at Salesforce. He expects to serve on more
have a 1% [philanthropy] pledge.” boards and provide strategic advising. “I’ll also be in-
His time with the company has been marked by the volved in ocean cleanup and expect to be giving back.”
construction of the Salesforce Tower, an iconic new More than anything, our 2021 Lifetime Achievement
capstone for the San Francisco skyline. “After Dreamforce Award winner is looking forward to more time with his
2014, exhausted from taking care of our customers, eight family and friends. “My wife and I met when we were 20
of us got invited to watch a blessing be done over a chain and got married at 22 and will be celebrating our 40th
link parking lot at 450 Mission Street. When I was at the anniversary in November. We’ve got two sons I couldn’t be
top of that tower, I reminded Marc of that day.” prouder of, and two young grandsons.”
Hawkins is always searching for ways to give back, He is especially excited to publish his first book, Walk
both to his teammates and to the world. “I believe With My Sons. “Ever since my kids were able to walk we’d
leaders lift people up and dedicate time to developing go for a walk after dinner. I always took that time with
talent. I have a spreadsheet of well over thirty people them. They’d never miss it. Now they’re in their 30s, and
who’ve worked for me who are now CFOs in some fash-
T:4.875" still do it.”
Salesforce is proud to
sponsor the Larkin Street
Youth Services and the
Bay Area CFO of the
Year Awards.
Congratulations to our very own Mark Hawkins —
2021 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award
T:6.75"
winner — and all of the CFO award finalists.
10 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
PUBLIC COMPANY, LARGE—WINNER
KHOZEMA
SHIPCHANDLER
TWILIO
TITLE: Chief Financial
Officer
TENURE: 2018-Present
BACKGROUND: General
Electric
KHOZEMA SHIPCHANDLER, TWILIO
Developing talent in others
is key to leadership role
K “
hozema Shipchandler was earmarked for lead-
ership at the age of 26 as part of a fast-paced I realized the weight of my
”
management training track. For the first time in
his career he found himself in charge of others, responsibility, and embraced it.
leading six teammates his own age through
a change in the management process. Empathy shaped
his philosophy from that point onward: “These individuals that software is leading the world, and I wanted to be part of
sought to have their hopes and dreams achieved, and I was that big change.”
going to be a part of that whether or not I took responsibility. His finance experience includes serving as CFO and EVP
I realized I was a leader and not a manager, and the key dif- of corporate development at GE Digital. At Twilio, he also
ference is showing up to work every day and inspire teams oversees all trust and security services. He is looking forward
to achieve more than they could on their own.” to new developments in AI and machine learning, saying,
“A big part of leadership is admitting what you know and “Today you have computing that delivers on the promise of
don’t know,” he continues. “I hire people who are better these technologies. Using AI allows experiences for cus-
than me at a variety of things and that’s okay.” He remains tomers to happen faster and more seamlessly. Consumers
motivated to create experiences for other people, helping recognize when a business they care about delivers a truly
them learn and grow, and to inspiring young leaders, espe- special experience.”
cially “those on the cusp who just need that extra push.” His After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Indiana Univer-
leadership style is defined by giving people as much respon- sity Bloomington, Khozema completed graduate coursework
sibility and exposure as they can handle. “I trace it all back at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He
to the moment I realized the weight of my responsibility, and spends much of his downtime with his family, and loves
embraced it.” golf, tennis, and skiing. “During the pandemic, we’ve been
Shipchandler has made finance his focus for the last 20 fortunate enough to enjoy all three of those pastimes. We
years, calling it the language of business. “I had a particular also treasure the great outdoors—my son is an active Boy
talent for numbers and driving operations, and I really enjoy Scout.” He describes himself as a “very avid reader” who
it. With respect to technology, it’s been obvious for a while always has a couple of books on the nightstand.SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 11
PUBLIC COMPANY, LARGE—FINALISTS
CHARLES BRACHER, GROCERY OUTLET
Getting down to business in retail
W
ith his B.S. in Business grown from 184 to 400, and comparable store sales
Administration from the have risen an average of 5% annually, from $1.2 to
University of California, $3.1 billion. He has invested in corporate, technolog-
Berkeley, Charles Bracher went to work in ical, and distribution infrastructure to enable future
the Investment Banking Division of Goldman, growth, completed a $1.1 billion private equity trans-
CHARLES Sachs & Co, splitting his time between New York and action to transfer majority ownership from Berkshire
BRACHER San Francisco. It was the variety of accounts he han- Partners to Hellman & Friedman, and participated in a
GROCERY dled there that inspired his career direction. successful $435 million IPO. Three follow-up offerings
“I got exposed to a lot of different businesses and within 18 months came thereafter, each with a 50%
OUTLET industries and gained insight into diverse senior man- rise in price. “I’m extremely proud in my current role
TITLE: Executive agement teams,” says Bracher. “It made me realize of taking the business public,” says Bracher,” and of
Vice President & I wanted to work within a business. At Goldman, it’s building the team that took a private business public
Chief Financial very project based and you’re going from transaction after 70 years.”
Officer to transaction with different clients. I wanted to work Bracher has steadfastly supported the Grocery
TENURE: within a company, building a team for the long term.” Outlet mission of “Touching Lives for the Better,”
2012-Present After working finance roles at The Gymboree including operating as an essential business through-
BACKGROUND: Corporation and Arnold Palmer Golf Management, out the COVID pandemic and battling food insecurity
Bare Escentuals, he decided his place was on a retail team. “Getting through its annual “Independence from Hunger”
Gymboree, Arnold into retail was really enjoyable. You can see the tale campaign.
Palmer Golf of tape with daily sales. It’s gratifying to see results Bracher lives in Napa Valley with his family. “My
Management, you make as a leadership team and how that impacts wife is in the wine business,” he says. “My daughters
Goldman Sachs customer behavior.” are 16, 14, and 12. We have a new puppy and we love
This experience in the retail industry led Bracher to travel. We were able to squeeze in a trip to Greece
to Grocery Outlet, where the number of stores has before the lockdown.”
JOHN MURPHY, ADOBE
CFO finds strength in flexibility
J
ohn Murphy grew up in New York City, graduat- to adapt. I had to trust my instincts as
ed from Fordham University, and got his MBA we dropped from $3.5 billion in value
from USC before joining Price Waterhouse in down to $1.8 billion.”
New York and Boston. From there he joined one of He moved on to QualCom and finally
his clients in California and then went to work for Adobe, succeeding Mark Garrett as CFO in
ARCO, where he rotated between internal audits, 2018. Murphy has earned a reputation for leading
financial planning, commodities, and planning and initiatives to rescale and reimagine the organization JOHN MURPHY
strategy, before leaving for Nestle. and its processes. He has embraced new technol-
A pivotal moment came when he discovered ogies and is excited about all the new enterprises
ADOBE
corruption in another employer’s books. “I resigned that could move into Adobe’s orbit soon. “There TITLE:Executive
and reported it to the SEC. I was a little panicked are so many strong new companies, it gives large Vice President &
because it would be hard to get a job, but I thought companies like us strategies to grow and move fast. Chief Financial
of my upbringing and I’m proud of having the forti- In our position, there’s a lot of excitement in seeing Officer
tude to make the right decision.” newcomers getting a foothold, and we can help TENURE:
Murphy spent the dotcom boom and bust with each other grow faster.” 2017-Present
JDS-Uniphase, and considers this time to be among Murphy originally studied architecture and sits BACKGROUND:
the most challenging and formative of his career. on the board for Modernism Week, “a nonprofit that Qualcomm,
“I had to wear multiple hats as the company was in advances sustainability using mid-century modern- DIRECTV, Experian
crisis and had to downsize,” he explains. “We made ist design.” He is also on the board of Encircle, a
networking equipment and the demand for capac- Utah-based nonprofit which provides housing and
ity diminished significantly. We had been a hugely counseling to LGBTQ+ youth while trying to reunite
acquisitive company and were still integrating those them with their estranged families. “Personally as a
firms when the bust hit. I ended up managing real es- gay man,” says Mr. Murphy, “not having had those
tate and procurement, and unfortunately had to lay resources when I was that age, I feel incredibly
off a number of people and consolidate around the fortunate that I had a supportive family. I feel great
world. It made me leave my own backyard and learn about giving back to them.”12 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
PUBLIC COMPANY, SMALL TO MEDIUM—WINNER
PAUL AUVIL, PROOFPOINT
Building value while encouraging
involvement with community
P
aul Auvil attended Dartmouth college
where he obtained a Bachelor’s De-
gree in Engineering, and received his
Master of Management degree from
the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management at Northwestern University.
He began his career at VLSI Technology,
serving in various roles including as the Vice
President of the Internet and the Secure Prod-
ucts Division. Next, he became the CFO of Vitria
Technology, where he completed both the initial
and secondary public offerings as well as the
acquisition of XML Solutions. After leaving Vit-
ria, he spent the next four years as CFO at VM-
Ware, a leader in virtualization, shepherding the
company from a promising startup into one of
the fastest growing firms in the
PAUL AUVIL history of the software industry.
PROOFPOINT He then moved into a six-month
position as entrepreneur-in-resi-
TITLE: Chief Financial
dence at Benchmark Capital, ad-
Officer
vising companies in Benchmark’s
TENURE: 2007-Present
portfolio and evaluating invest-
BACKGROUND:
ments. After leaving Benchmark,
Benchmark Capital,
Auvil took up his current position
VMware, Vitria
at Proofpoint in 2002, bringing
Technology, VLSI
over 20 years of finance, technol-
Technology, Inc.
ogy, and corporate experience to
the company.
As CFO at Proofpoint, Auvil has encouraged
employees to volunteer in their local communi-
ties and has instilled a tradition of giving back
throughout the company. Proofpoint boasts
over fifteen offices and each location contrib-
utes to local charities and nonprofit organiza-
tions by offering fundraising drives and phil-
anthropic events in the nearby communities.
Charitable programs sponsored have included
food banks, toy drives, Make-a-Wish donations,
and more, and Proofpoint has provided over
373,000 meals in cooperation with Second Har-
vest Food Bank since 2006.
Auvil also oversees Proofpoint’s internship
program, where hundreds of university students
from all over the world have helped combat
cybercrime while developing their own careers
and building long-term connections.
He currently holds the patent on a high-
speed, PCI-compatible on-chip data bus in the
United States and multiple patents in digital
video compression in Japan.SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 13
PUBLIC COMPANY, SMALL TO MEDIUM—FINALISTS
DREW HAMER, VELODYNE LIDAR
Matching talents to the job
D
rew Hamer has known he’s COVID-19 was a huge challenge. We held a test-the-
wanted to work in account- waters meeting, came back from London, and went
ing since high school. right into lockdown wondering if we had enough
Following a Bachelor of Science in Ac- cash to survive. We defined a number of different
counting degree from Binghamton Uni- options and it was my job to get us to a decision
versity and a Master of Accounting degree date. We were able to do it all from home and never
from Florida International University, Drew Hamer met anybody except on Zoom. It was all very excit-
DREW HAMER has over 25 years of financial leadership experience ing and new.”
VELODYNE LIDAR in both public and private tech companies. Before Shepherding his team through the pandemic
joining Velodyne Lidar, he worked for companies took remarkable leadership, and Hamer says, “Lead-
TITLE:Chief Financial
like ON24, Keynote Systems, KnowNow, Intraspect ers bring out the best in the people around them. I
Officer
Software, Excite@Home, and Sybase. hire to my weaknesses so the whole team can coop-
TENURE: 2019-Present
Hamer first moved to California in 1992 and in erate. Putting the organization together, looking for
BACKGROUND:
1993 was recruited to Cybase as an accountant. what you need.” He always encourages innovation
Anomali, Sungevity,
That position introduced him to working for a global and says he is always proudest “every time some-
Sun Basket, ON24,
multinational company out of Silicon Valley. “We body comes through with a new idea that’s brilliant
Keynote Systems,
had an acquisition every month,” he says, “And I got and you can’t wait to put it to work.”
KnowNow, Kadiri,
a crash course in international business.” Eventually The lidar industry continues to inspire him. (Light
Introspect Software,
he chose to return to the startup world until he went Detection and Ranging is essentially the laser equiv-
Sybase, American
back to public business as CFO of KeyNote. “I really alent of radar) “I wake up every day and see people
Express, Silver, Dix &
had to step up my game.” try to adopt lidar and other solutions nobody’s ap-
Hammer, Pa, McClain
Taking all his experience into account, Hamer proached yet.” Robotics companies are using lidar
& Company, CPAs
is most proud of completing the past year with to check cars and airplanes during manufacturing,
Velodyne Lidar and “getting a company fully capi- and it’s being used in infrastructure to help people
talized and pursuing the full opportunities available. cross the street safely.
SANDEEP NAYYAR, POWER INTEGRATIONS
For success, always keep learning
S
tudying to become an engineer, a difficult final point of charging his mentees with
year at school led Sandeep Nayyar to reexam- educating his team in a new topic
ine the benefits of developing a strong finan- once a quarter to develop their own
cial acumen and to change his major to business. abilities and the team’s understanding.
After beginning his career in India, Nayyar took He believes that only by getting involved
the bold step of moving to the United States and in all aspects of a business can an individual
joined Ernst & Young to reestablish himself in truly benefit the business.
public accounting. Building his career around a di- Nayyar points to AI and bots as a major source of SANDEEP
verse and ever-expanding skill set, he experienced excitement in his space, especially for their poten- NAYYAR
success in multiple environments and industries, tial to automate routine and mundane processes POWER
including as a senior finance executive at both Ap- and leave professionals free to innovate. He is INTEGRATIONS
plied Biosystems and Quantum Corporation. especially proud of the smaller and more compact
Chief
TITLE:
With Nayyar acting as CFO since 2010, Power chargers Power Integrations is developing and
Financial Officer
Integrations has quadrupled in market value and looks forward to their success in the market. He
TENURE:
more than doubled its operating cash flows. His di- serves as lead director and chairman of the audit
2010-Present
rection has focused on revenue-growth strategies, committee at Smart Global Holdings concurrent to
BACKGROUND:
tax planning, and cost-reduction, and he has over- his position at Power Integrations.
SMART Global
seen five M&A transactions including the acquisi- A people person, Sandeep has old friends from
Holdings, Applied
tion of CT-Concept and Cambridge Semiconductor. every walk of life going back nearly 40 years in the
Biosystems,
He has also presided over a 75% rise in headcount Bay Area and India, which he recently visited to
Quantum
and maintained a below-average rate of turnover care for his parents. He spends all the time he can
Corporation
with an excellent benefits suite. with his wife and children, and describes himself as
As a leader and mentor, Nayyar encourages “a terrible golfer but I play 9 holes every weekend,
continuous growth and development. He strives and a terrible singer but I love karaoke.” He is, how-
to broaden his team members’ skills and makes a ever, pretty good at tennis.14 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
NON-PUBLIC COMPANY—WINNER
MONA HEFFERNAN, ONE WORKPLACE
Finance
know-how
opens doors
M “
ona Heffernan has always been interested
in international business. Still in college Since my first 15 years was with
when she realized she had a knack for
a beverage company, I believe
”
finance and numbers, she made her way
into the corporate world on that ability,
saying, “I was drawn to finance because it was a part
in cans and not can-nots.
of every business and every department. Anything you
were curious about, finance gave you an open door to expanded its benefit plans while adopting lean initia-
head down that path.” tives. “One Workplace is a fantastic culture, and they’ve
Focused on a position that allowed for travel, Heffer- been able to hire up because of that,” Heffernan says of
nan accepted an invitation to join a team of various spe- her current position. “It was a family business and now
cialists working in Europe. While on this they have external leaders. With a business like this, you
assignment, she continued her master’s wonder ‘How do we take the best of everything they’ve
MONA
program in international management. built over 80 years and make it better?’”
HEFFERNAN
Soon thereafter, she proposed her own Looking toward the future of One Workplace, Heffer-
ONE WORKPLACE job description to her employers, but then nan is considering many important questions and their
TITLE: Chief Financial ended up leading a new international answers: “How can you integrate tech into the work-
Officer division. Her employer, manufacturers of space and help people feel safer? We represent an app
TENURE: 2017-Present aluminum beverage cans, began to span for workspaces and make reservations for desks with
BACKGROUND: Del the globe as industry leaders, and she blocked-out social distancing. How do we make people
Monaco Foods/ helped provide licensing arrangements feel safe returning to the work environment? Analytics
Kettle Cuisine, and showed partnered manufacturers helps us know what spaces people are or are not being
Bioness, GenCo Blue, how to improve their processes. drawn to. How do we make people in the room just as
Caterpillar, Ultimately, however, Heffernan craved engaged as people out of the room? How do we bring
Ball Corporation the challenge of a brand-new venture. people together?”
“After 20 years with two Fortune 500 inter- Still devoted to international travel, Mona describes
national manufacturing companies, I could have stayed herself as “very social and outgoing. Everywhere I go, I’m
and had an easier, more secure career. But I enjoyed the bound to have a friend, and if I don’t, I make one.” She
startup experience, so I quit and helped some startups get has been a big fan of Rugby Sevens competition ever
off the ground.” since she worked in Hong Kong and takes her family to
Heffernan joined One Workplace in 2017. One of the multi-day events, where they support the United States
largest family owned businesses in Silicon Valley, One and Fiji. Her daughter attends Boston College and her
Workplace has, with her help, grown organically and son recently graduated from Claremont McKenna, where
through acquisitions, implemented new systems, and of course, he played rugby.SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 15
NON-PUBLIC COMPANY—FINALISTS
JACK SEXTON, ALOM TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Team growth is a leader’s success
J
ack Sexton is the CFO of ALOM so I could get my hands on everything I was re-
Technologies Corporation, a sponsible for,” Sexton moved on to serve as CFO
global supply chain manage- for French oilfield services company Schlumberger
ment company specializing in technolo- Limited. Though he had been considering returning
gy developing, sourcing and procurement, to school to get a graduate degree, Sexton ultimate-
inventory management, production, and assem- ly decided “the Schlumberger opportunity would
bly for customers including Tesla, 23 and Me, and teach me more,” and moved to Houston.
JACK SEXTON various auto part suppliers. Under his stewardship Ultimately, Sexton spun off a company from
ALOM the company’s headcount has grown dramatically Schlumberger which sold to a private equity firm,
while its value has risen around 200%, continuing a resulting in an IPO and a merger with a competitor.
Chief
TITLE:
decade-long trend of profitability. While spinning off this new company he was able
Financial Officer
He considers his tenure at ALOM his proudest to choose his own team, applying his tendency as
TENURE:
accomplishment “in terms of expanding the opera- a leader to “focus on learning—how you’re devel-
2018-Present
tion with new facilities in California and Indianapolis, oping is more important than salary and office.”
BACKGROUND: Ultra
and growing our customer base, close to tripling He loves fostering success, as when he convinced
Clean Technology,
the business since I took over in 2017.” a teammate to move from the UK to South Africa,
NPTest,
Originally from Connecticut, Sexton knew his where that individual has since taken over a general
Schlumberger,
career trajectory as early as high school. “Driven just management position.
Texas Instruments
by how M&A was a hot story in the 80s, I wanted to Jack is grateful for his years in Texas and the de-
understand the language of finance and account- cade spent in Europe, which he calls “a strong time
ing, so I applied to the best undergrad accounting of development—the world is not just the US. Living
colleges,” he says. “By the early 90s I was doing in another country feels like accelerated growth,
M&A for smaller international companies and it was and I spent time in France, Austria, and England. I
really exciting.” still travel whenever I get the chance.” Married with
After spending fifteen years at Texas Instruments two children, he enjoys skiing and playing racquet-
as a client controller in a “relatively small division ball and golf.
CHRIS NEWMAN, RODAN + FIELDS
Reaching high to meet potential
W
ith 25 years of finance and operations expe- where he’d originally been earmarked
rience at leading global consumer brands, as a general manager, “But they identi-
Chris Newman leads Rodan + Fields’ Global fied a new position not in line with my as-
Finance and Legal Operations in pursuit of the compa- pirations, as head of finance for a division in
ny’s growth goals. Not only the CFO, Mr. Newman also Michigan.” That’s when he settled on becoming
acts as COO, working in supply chain management to a finance professional as part of the team running a
help suppliers iron out any inefficiencies in their pro- business, saying, “It’s about being a business partner,
CHRIS
cesses. Today he is deeply involved in consulting on all bringing a financial outlook and analytic skill set.”
NEWMAN
strategic initiatives, he oversees both the accounting Newman is proud of his ability to deal with crises,
and finance departments, managing over 300 people. and values “keeping businesses solvent in difficult RODAN +
In his capacity as a leader, Newman believes in aim- times, and the pivoting we had to do when the reve- FIELDS
ing high. “Never underestimate what you can do,” he nue died. I had to lead teams in a retail business that Chief
TITLE:
says. “Circumstances may change, but intestinal for- had to adjust.” Financial Officer
titude and passion do not. You can move mountains Chris considers himself a family man first. “I’ve TENURE:
in ways you never thought possible. I want to support sometimes had to spend less time with my family to 2016-Present
my team in having a purpose and making good habits. support them. My wife and I raised three grown men: BACKGROUND:
I ask my team to be curious and embrace learning. If the youngest just graduated from college, the middle Serena & Lily,
you’re learning and growing there are always opportu- just got married, and the eldest is an author working Orchard Supply
nities to expand.” for a publishing company. My priority was making Hardware,
Holding a bachelor’s degree in economics from sure they went to school without debt. We also have Restoration
Brown University, Newman began his career at J.P. a dog I sometimes call ‘velcro’ because he’s gonna Hardware, Limited
Morgan, “in a training role, but I wanted to focus on lose it when I go back to the office. My wife and I just Brands, PepsiCo
numbers and math.” He then moved on to PepsiCo, celebrated our 30th anniversary.”16 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
EMERGING COMPANY—WINNER
ADRIEL LARES, FASTLY*
Make a leap of faith,
then follow through
S “
erving as CFO at Fastly since May of 2016, Adriel Lares has known
he’s wanted to work in finance since his time at Morgan Stanley
Mentorship is
from 1996 through 1999. As a young analyst investment banker, he
appreciated the opportunity to see how different companies work
predicated on
on a weekly basis. Many of these organizations included people trust, earned
willing to mentor Mr. Lares, and kindled his appreciation for the role of a fi-
nance executive. over time with
His first shot at a leadership position came while “reporting to the CFO at
3Bar when he told me he would be departing,” says Lares. “At that moment I transparency
didn’t know if I could take the position on. To make the leap despite my uncer-
and follow-
”
tainty and to have his support felt exhilarating. It’s usually a good thing when
you’re a little bit scared. Trepidation is a good in-between place to be when through.
starting a new chapter.” It wasn’t until he’d been hired as a CFO for the sec-
ond time that he felt like his career was going
ADRIEL LARES in the right direction, as the second time
FASTLY* “speaks to your reference checks. If you
treat people well and are responsible,
TITLE: Chief Financial
there’s a good likelihood of repeating
Office
the job.”
TENURE: 2016- August
That ethos informs Mr. Lares’s
2021
mentorship. “Mentorship is predicat-
BACKGROUND:
ed on trust, earned over time with
POPinNow, Family
transparency and follow-through.”
House, Lookout,
He believes in explaining each piece
Hewlett-packard,
of feedback, and that “you either
3PAR, TechFuel
reward someone or discuss why they
*now CFO at Stash couldn’t complete the task. It’s most
satisfying to see people apply your lessons
and do their own mentorship. To see the outpouring of respect
and support for a subordinate who has moved on showed me
this mentality was something you can pass on.”
Lares feels the role of a CFO is constantly ex-
panding, and is excited by the idea of balanc-
ing his role between reporting and influenc-
ing how people use his data. He generally
rejects the traditional “gatekeeper” as-
pect of his position. “No, you’re trying
to funnel as much info as quickly and
accurately as possible to help make
bold decisions. You can influence
products, sales, and marketing with-
out being dictatorial.”
An active Stanford alumnus,
Adriel works with Stanley House
through UCSF-Benioff Hospital to
help families undergoing chemo-
therapy. He is a vintner in Napa
Valley, celebrating the ten-year
anniversary of his winery, Memen-
to Mori, which produces a premi-
um cabernet. He calls his children,
twins and a three-and-a-half-year-
old boy, “angel investments and a
follow-up opportunity.”SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 17
EMERGING COMPANY—FINALISTS
REX JACKSON, CHARGEPOINT
Saying yes to tough jobs pays off
R
ex Jackson’s journey to his lot of hard and sometimes unpleasant tasks, but it
current position at Charge- paid off.” Among the challenges to which he said
Point began in law school yes was moving his family from Southern to North-
and took him through many aspects ern California at the age of 32 when a CEO was
of the business landscape, including willing to take a bet on Jackson and his abilities.
legal, HR, IT, IR, and corporate develop- He takes pride in both making good deals and
ment, as well as finance. Attending law school, rejecting bad ones, and considers his years at Syn-
REX JACKSON Mr. Jackson always knew he wanted to work inside opsis “three of the most amazing, productive years
CHARGEPOINT a company, and after three years at a law firm, he in a career you can imagine, and the greatest thing
stepped into an in-house counsel role for a grow- I did was kill a deal that would’ve been crippling.”
TITLE:Chief Financial
ing business at the age of 28. He guided ChargePoint through going public in
Officer
“When you’re general counsel of a public com- March 2021. The deal increased company value
TENURE: 2018-Present
pany,” says Jackson, “you end up being in a board- sevenfold for investors and turned ChargePoint
BACKGROUND:
room all the time. You participate in public filings. into the leading company in their space.
EMCORE
I spent an enormous amount of time learning Happily married for 31 years, Rex says, “I keep
Corporation,
through those experiences.” After 20 years in that asking my wife for a five year extension!” He has
Energous
position, he stepped in as interim CFO in 2005, three children, ages 24, 26, and 27, and loves to
Corporation,
until the position became permanent in 2008, and play golf, tennis, and squash, as well as travel.
Gigamon, Rocket
he has been a CFO ever since. “After 20 years, Inspired by his father, a “voracious acquirer of
Fuel, JDS Uniphase,
I’d learned enough to be dangerous and steer knowledge,” he studied English and Political Sci-
Symyx Technologies,
through all the issues that really matter.” ence. One of his most cherished gifts came from
Avago Technologies,
Jackson attributes his success at such a young an attorney he mentored for four years: a tablet
Synopsys, Atlantes
age to the maxim, “Always say yes. If there’s work inscribed with his twelve most important sayings,
Services, Read-Rite
that needs to be done, be the one to volunteer. It the first being “Where’s the money?”
Corporation
was always about ‘how can I help?’ I picked up a
ALAN STEWART, SHOTSPOTTER
Giving back brings satisfaction
G
iving back is nothing new to Alan Stewart, pany, and we have never seen condi-
who received his Bachelor’s degree in Sci- tions change like they have in a neg-
ence from the U.S. Naval Academy before ative way since COVID happened. So
spending over a decade as a nuclear engineer on we’re helping underserved communities
the submarines USS Kamehameha and USS Louis- deal with gun violence. The communities we
ville. Today he is active in his church and has helped serve, 80-90% of the time, they do not call 911,
them to build new facilities, as well as taking part in for many reasons. We put in solutions that notify the ALAN
eight church missions in seven different countries. police 90% of the time.” STEWART
Stewart is also passionate about mentoring and in Stewart joined ShotSpotter as CFO in 2017 to lead
his spare time helps to guide the careers of promis- the company to its IPO. Under his leadership, reve-
SHOTSPOTTER
ing young professionals. “I absolutely love helping nues for the first six months of 2021 have increased Chief
TITLE:
other entrepreneurs learn,” he says. “One is a young 36%, to $30 million. He helped ShotSpotter acquire Financial Officer
lady building a business trying to discover biochem- LEEDS to expand its platform story, win the Deloitte TENURE:
ical elements in the ocean to look for medical solu- Technology Fast 500 in 2019, the AST Homeland 2017-Present
tions. I’m helping her understand how to approach Security Award for Best Gunshot Detection System BACKGROUND:
venture capitalists. Another young man has built a in both 2018 and 2019, and get certified as a Great Round Feather,
business that makes cell phone cases. He’s worked Place to Work in 2019 and 2020. He has also spear- Ravenswood
with Snapchat and Tiktok. I truly believe anyone with headed the company’s initiatives to prevent rhinoc- Solutions,
experience should give back and help others. I don’t eros poaching in South Africa and to reduce blast Naval Coating,
charge these people. I love their energy.“ fishing off the coral reef in Southeast Asia. FIT Advisors,
This love of giving back is partly what brought Alan and his wife, a paralegal, have raised two grown SmallBizTraining.
Mr. Stewart to ShotSpotter. “A huge challenge sons. He finds his wife’s work fascinating, saying, “She com, Epsilon
the country is facing right now is gun violence. does trust, estate, and probate stuff. She comes home System Solutions,
ShotSpotter has been around for over two decades. at night and talks about what she does on the legal TSG Solutions,
We are the only outdoor gunshot detection com- side. If I weren’t a finance guy, I’d be an attorney.” Tactical Survey
Group18 SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS TIMES
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION—WINNER
TONY DUONG, HEALTHRIGHT 360
TONY DUONG
HEALTHRIGHT
360
TITLE:Chief Financial
Officer
TENURE: 2013-Present
BACKGROUND:
MayView Community
Health Center, Asian
American Recovery
Services
SFBT / STAN OLSZWESKI
CFO leverages to become finance director and interim executive director.
In this role, he facilitated AARS’s acquisition by and merger
with HealthRIGHT 360 between 2012 and 2013.
financial acumen Just as he felt secure helping AARS expand in its new
role, Duong was offered an opportunity at a delicate mo-
for social justice
ment. “When I was selected for the CFO position at Health-
RIGHT 360, the organization was facing financial challeng-
E
es. Meanwhile we were expecting a new baby and dealing
with personal challenges,” he says. Still, with the support
very year, HealthRIGHT 360 provides over of the CEO, board, and finance community, he leaned into
45,000 Californians living below the poverty the new role and was “able to achieve some significant
line with free, high-quality healthcare. They owe outcomes for restructuring and finance.”
much of their current success to their CFO, Duong leverages his experience going from an intern-
Tony Duong, who uses his 20 years of non- ship, to leading a smaller organization, to running finance
profit healthcare administration experience to invest in
“
new innovations, create new business opportunities, and
navigate federal and state fiscal regulations to optimize his Defend those who cannot help
organization’s fundraising power.
Duong led HealthRIGHT 360 to open its flagship Integrat- themselves. Speak up for the
ed Care Center in 2017. Located in the heart of San Francis-
poor and helpless, and see that
”
co, this facility offers 50,000 square feet of medical, dental,
mental health, and addiction services. He has steered his
organization through six mergers, presided over nonstop
they get justice.
budget growth to $150 million annually, and streamlined
workflows and infrastructure without sacrificing services. for a much larger nonprofit when leading his team. “I
In December of 2019, Duong led the refinancing of $50 benefited from folks I worked for in leadership giving me
million in debt through a bond underwritten by Barclays, opportunities and space to figure projects out. As a men-
the first time U.S. municipal bonds were issued to a non- tor I give people the space and support to accomplish in
profit. His tenure has helped to define the organization. their own style what they’re tasked to do.”
A child of Vietnamese refugees from the Boat People Today Tony is an advocate for value-based medical pay-
movement of the 1970s, with a brother born in a Malaysian ments wherein providers are paid for results rather than
refugee camp, and “having seen friends and family suffer services. He and his wife home-school their three children
from substance abuse issues,” Duong says he has always and are always looking for ways to be innovative in giving
drawn to work for underserved communities. Right out of them educational options. Aside from work, his family is
college he joined Asian American Recovery Services (AARS) his world. As he puts it, “with three kids it’s hard to have
as an intern, working his way up the ranks over a decade hobbies and interests.”You can also read
