Employee Spotlight: Terrance Berland, Acting CEO & Ali McKenzie, Acting Chief of Staff
This month, we shine the spotlight on LoadSpring’s Acting CEO, Terrance (“Terry”) Berland, and Acting Chief of Staff, Ali McKenzie—two dynamic leaders whose unwavering commitment and strategic vision are driving unparalleled value for our customers.
Since 2023, Terry and Ali have steered LoadSpring’s journey with a shared focus on delivering measurable business impact. Their diverse expertise across strategy, technology, finance, operations, and customer success has redefined our approach to innovation, ensuring that every initiative enhances the value we provide to our clients.
Meet Terry Berland: A Legacy of Leadership
Terry’s remarkable career began in the U.S. Navy as an instructor at the prestigious Naval Nuclear Power School. Following graduate studies, he excelled as an early-elect Partner at McKinsey & Co., where he specialized in strategy and supply chain within healthcare and finance. His strategic acumen led him to Bear Stearns as a Senior Managing Director, overseeing transformative growth initiatives. After the firm’s acquisition by JPMorgan, he served as Global Head of Purchasing and Supply Chain for Lehman and subsequently Barclays.
Terry also spent 5 years at Bridgewater Associates in their Operations and Client Service departments before co-founding an early-stage technology venture firm where he would eventually become the CEO of their largest portfolio holding, and co-lead a $20 million Series B financing for them.
Meet Ali McKenzie: A Champion of Customer-Centric Excellence
Ali’s career is marked by her dedication to creating exceptional customer experiences. At Violet Defense Group, Ali played a pivotal role as Chief of Staff, where she established the executive office, developed HR functions, and co-led a $20 million Series B financing. Her tenure as Chief Operating Officer for Violet Gro, the company’s agricultural lighting division, further cemented her reputation as a versatile and results-driven leader.
At Russell Investments, she advanced through roles in enterprise program management and leadership, culminating as Assistant Chief of Staff. Her time at Nordstrom Corporate honed her technology expertise in building strong relationships between technology and business functions. It was there, as part of corporate that she learned the importance of “leaving it better than you found it” and the hallmark elements of customer service famously termed “The Nordstrom Way.”
A Powerful Partnership
Terry and Ali’s collaboration began at Russell Investments, where they led the nearly $1 billion sale of its private equity business out of the Office of the CEO. In 2022, they founded Unicorn & Lion, a boutique management consultancy that delivers cutting-edge insights into strategy, organization, operations, and capital raising. Their leadership was instrumental in securing Blattner Technologies’ strategic investment in LoadSpring.
Guiding LoadSpring’s Future
As we approach our 25th anniversary, Terry and Ali’s leadership ensures a successful future for LoadSpring, its team, and its clients. Their focus on aligning innovation with customer value has positioned LoadSpring as a trusted partner to project-intensive businesses navigating complex digital transformation challenges.
We are grateful for their vision, dedication, and relentless drive to elevate LoadSpring and its customers to new heights.
