Dave Whelan

Current

• Managing Director at Bespoke Business Strategy Inc.

Past

• Manager, Product Planning & Analysis at Apex Fitness Group
• Marketing & Business Development Associate at Mission Ventures/Bullrun Financial Inc.
• Principal at Ethos Consulting Inc.

• Director of Operations at The Shaw Group

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Education

• UCLA Anderson School of Management
• London Business School
• Stanford University

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Lewisburg Area High School

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Recommended

4 people have recommended Dave

Connections

309 connections

Industry

Management Consulting

Websites

• bespoke.
• Foreign Cinema

Dave Whelan’s Experience

• Managing Director

  Bespoke Business Strategy Inc.

  (Privately Held; Management Consulting industry)

  2006 — Present (2 years)

• Manager, Product Planning & Analysis

  Apex Fitness Group

  (Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Health, Wellness and Fitness industry)

  March 2003 — August 2006 (3 years 6 months)

  • Introduced Apex “fitness foods” to traditional retailers, developing new distribution channel anticipated to add at least $2 million to top-line revenues in first year.
  • Launched first successful ready-to-drink line at Apex, with estimated first-year sales in excess of $1 million.
  • Launched Apex product line in Asia-based California Fitness chain, fastest growing division of 24 Hour Fitness.
  • Introduced annual limited-edition holiday snacks to product line-up, creating incremental sales and excitement during normally slow holiday season. Launched other snack extensions. Relaunched core meal replacement powder business.
  • Developed strategic plans, pricing strategies, and initial public relations campaign for groundbreaking bodybugg calorie management system.
  • Co-developed and -launched retail merchandising program for licensed health clubs, collaborating with sales and account management teams to drive double-digit growth at participating clubs.

• Marketing & Business Development Associate

  Mission Ventures/Bullrun Financial Inc.

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  June 2001 — May 2002 (1 year)

  • Reported to managing partner and acting CEO. Assisted with all company activities, including marketing, business development, product development, and strategic planning. Participated in all board meetings.
  • Coordinated marketing, public relations, and sales force management efforts through active interaction with board. Prepared company and product launch plans, from alpha stage through first revenues.
  • Conceived and managed product usability testing in direct support of founder and CTO. Evaluated and selected consultants to enhance product development and user interface design.

• Principal

  Ethos Consulting Inc.

  (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Staffing and Recruiting industry)

  March 1994 — August 2000 (6 years 6 months)

  • Managed VP-level searches, including development of position specifications and research strategies, candidate interviews, and client relations and handling. Collaborated on CEO- and board-level searches.
  • Developed close relationships with leading technology executives and influencers (venture capitalists, consultants, etc.), with focus on telecommunications and information services industries.
  • Collaborated with firm’s partners in strategic planning, business development, and creation of new firm identity and branding, including website and e-commerce initiatives.
  • Advised clients and other senior executives on management and organizational strategies.
  • Developed and managed advanced database systems that accelerated search process, aided in analysis and tracking of search metrics, and improved quality of client deliverables.

• Director of Operations

  The Shaw Group

  (Public Company; 11-50 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

  May 1992 — March 1994 (1 year 11 months)

  • Prepared competitive and marketing reports for pharmaceutical and surgical instrument markets.
  • Managed design and production of marketing and sales materials for portfolio companies.
  • Collaborated with legal consultants on contract and stock plan management.

Dave Whelan’s Education

• UCLA Anderson School of Management

  MBA, Entrepreneurship & Finance, September 2000 — June 2002

  • Recipient, Gloria Appel Prize, Patrick J. Welsh Fellowship, and Anderson Fellowship.
  • Owner/Manager, Entrepreneur Association 2002 Conference, “(Re)building Blocks for Entrepreneurship.”
  • Fellow (teaching assistant), Management Development for Entrepreneurs certificate program.
  • Co-founder and Design & Layout Editor, The Invisible Hand (independent student magazine).
  • Director, Alumni Communications, Class of 2002.

  Activities and Societies:

  Entrepreneur Association, Management Development for Entrepreneurs, Invisible Hand

• London Business School

  n/a, MBA exchange student, September 2001 — December 2001

• Stanford University

  BS, Symbolic Systems, September 1989 — March 1992

  • Coursework included computer science, linguistics, logic, philosophy, and psychology.
  • Recipient, Silas H. Palmer Fellowship, awarded by Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace.
  • Art & Advertising Director, Montage (groundbreaking Soviet-American student journal).
  • Disk Jockey & Promotions Director, KZSU 90.1 FM.

  Activities and Societies:

  Montage, KZSU

• Carnegie Mellon University

  n/a, Bachelor of Science studies (transferred to Stanford), August 1988 — May 1989

• Lewisburg Area High School

  HS, 1984 — 1988

Additional Information

Dave Whelan’s Websites:

• bespoke.
• Foreign Cinema

Dave Whelan’s Interests:

photography, travel, genealogy, rock ’n’ roll history

Dave Whelan’s Groups:

Stanford Independent Consulting Network, (Co-founder),
Ryze Business Networking, (Founding Los Angeles Chair),
San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, (Former Member, Board of Directors),
Cardinal Young Alumni/Stanford Alumni Association, (Former President, Bay Area Chapter),

•    UCLA Anderson Alumni Network
•    eOffice
•    280 Group
•    Carnegie Mellon Alumni

Dave Whelan’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch