Chad Gardner

I'm a Product-Focused Solutions Engineer / Architect

About me

Results-driven Customer Success Engineer with expertise in delivering impactful, privacy-first solutions. Skilled at simplifying complex concepts, driving product adoption, and building strong client relationships. Passionate about aligning technology with strategic goals in collaborative environments.

Chad Gardner

Details

Name:
Chad Gardner
Age:

Location:
West Loop, Chicago, IL, Earth

Experience

The attitude of a job just pays the bills has long passed. I’ve been fortunate to string together a series of agency and start-up opportunities in advertising and marketing technology over the past 15 years, feeding my appetite for all things nerdy.

Freshpaint

April 2024 - Current

 Chicago, IL

Enterprise Customer Success Engineer

  • Lead and manage the onboarding process for healthcare clients, ensuring efficient implementation of Freshpaint’s HIPAA-compliant solutions.
  • Drive high customersatisfaction and feature adoption, collaborating with Account Management to align product offerings with client objectives.
  • Use Freshpaint’s platform to monitor key performance indicators and deliver insights that optimize client data strategies.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to diverse audiences, including marketers, engineers, and senior executives.
  • Build and maintain strong client relationships, serving as a trusted advisor and advocate for their needs within Freshpaint.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally to resolve technical issues, suggest product improvements, and contribute to scalable client success strategies.

Affinity

July 2023 - April 2024

 Chicago, IL

Vice President, Solutions Engineering

  • Lead the professional services team to develop and implement custom API integrations with IPaaS systems, enhancing Affinity's compatibility with diverse technology stacks.
  • Oversee technical pre-sales engineering, providing critical technical support and conducting product demonstrations to advance sales opportunities and address technical inquiries.
  • Champion information security & data privacy, addressing security and privacy concerns through RFI/RFP processes and engagements with C-level executives.
  • Direct proof-of-concept designs in collaboration, streamlining the design and support of complex solutions for successful pre-sales implementations.
  • Craft comprehensive RFP response documents and integration plans, aligning technical solutions with client requirements to facilitate sales qualification and strategy.

Quantum Metric

August 2022 - August 2023

 Chicago, IL

Director, CS Engineering

  • Oversaw a team of 20+ post-sale engineers responsible for the success of 150 clients and approximately $40MM in revenue.
  • Scaled operations by establishing and managing an internal implementation team of 6 specializing in complex tasks, configurations, and improving time-to-value.
  • Managed a portfolio of upwards of 10 clients with approximately $6MM ARR, including the largest enterprise client.
  • Played a critical role in vetting, building, and documenting the most requested integrations.
  • Supported the pre-sales team by joining engagements to outline the Customer Success process, work through contract blockers, and instill confidence that QM could meet required use cases.
  • Recorded and reported on CSE team KPIs and goals that mapped to company OKRs.

October 2019 - August 2022

Manager, CS Engineering

  • Oversaw a team of 10 CS engineers responsible for the success of over 50 clients and managing ~$20MM of recurring revenue, while working to scale operations to support double the client volume with the current team.
  • Balanced upwards of 18 accounts in my personal portfolio, contributing to ~$5MM of recurring revenue.
  • Streamlined, implemented, and documented priority integrations to enhance operational efficiency and client satisfaction.
  • Created workflows and processes to ensure the effective onboarding and success of CSEs across all regions.
  • Focused on strategic initiatives to improve efficiencies across all teams, driving significant improvements in team performance and customer satisfaction.

Maropost

April 2019 - Current

 Chicago, IL

Solutions Engineer

  • Partnered with sales and account teams to lead the discovery and technical requirements phase for new opportunities.
  • Developed and delivered customized product demonstrations and proof-of-concepts for new prospects and existing clients.
  • Documented conceptual frameworks and technical approaches to solutions.
  • Scoped and implemented integrations with customer’s CRM, e-commerce, and marketing platforms.
  • Built custom, bi-directional data workflows to align with client use cases.

Datorama,
a Salesforce Company

January 2019 - March 2019

 Chicago, IL

Solutions Architect

  • Lead technical consultative engagements with enterprise customers
  • Reviewed and assessed client’s technical stacks and data structures associated with each to scope and plan implementation projects
  • Engaged with both technical and functional stakeholders to produce statements of work, implementation plans and customer enablement plans
  • Streamlined documentation and workflows around scaling the scoping and onboarding processes

Signal

January 2018 - January 2019

 Chicago, IL

Director, Product Solutions

  • Architected scalable, repeatable product solutions by utilizing internal components and features to meet client use cases
  • Created internal solution design documentation to support pre-sales engineers and solutions consultants
  • Partnered with product manager and engineers to build new features to support the future state of the platform
  • Technical lead on structuring, engineering and maintaining the Signal Identity Network
  • Developed solutions to test and report on the Signal Identity Network's impact on client use cases

February 2017 - January 2018

Director, Implementation Delivery

  • Oversaw a team of global implementation consultants in efforts to standardize new client solutions
  • Partnered with solutions consultants to develop a hand-off from pre-sales to post-sales
  • Partnered with product to share client feedback for product roadmap development
  • Disseminated technical requirements internally across all departments to ensure operational success

April 2014 - January 2017

Solutions Consultant

  • Partnered with account and sales teams to lead the discover and technical requirements phase for new opportunities
  • Developed and delivered customized product demonstrations and proofs of concepts for new prospects and existing clients
  • Documented conceptual framework and technical approach to solutions
  • Educated customers and partners on the benefits of Signal's products and identify new product functionality opportunities

Performics

July 2014 - March 2014

 Chicago, IL

Technical Account Manager, Strategy & Analytics

  • Provided technical support and training to implement tracking solutions with SEM and ad serving technology platforms across all channels
  • Worked closely with account teams, partners and clients to identify appropriate strategy, created tracking tags and integrations with clients data and QAed implementation
  • Partnered with business intelligence and analytics teams to integrate data into Performics data warehouse
  • Worked on streamlining processes across all accounts and providing consistent material for an internal search strategy learning center

October 2010 - March 2013

Sr. Operations Account Manager, Local Search

  • Built, launched and managed industry-leading, customized local paid search campaigns
  • Focused on creating and refining efficiencies to increase scalability and effectiveness of accounts
  • Adopted and utilized the ever-changing features and offering of search engines and advertising technology platforms
  • Managed over 125 advertisers and over 350 campaigns concurrently
  • Technical lead and launch manager for the Local search team

Agent Publishing

September 2009 - October 2010

 Chicago, IL

Marketing Coordinator Developed and implemented an online marketing model to help manage the transition of multiple print publication in to the digital world. Strategies included developing editorial-based websites, harnessing social media to participate in industry dialog, leveraging SEO tactics and utilizing email marketing for direct revenue; managed our traditional print advertising.

• Worked to create an easy-to-process, congruent brand message across all mediums.

Paysimple

May 2008 - March 2009

 Denver, CO

SEO Analyst/Marketing Associate Utilized SEO strategies to organically increase search results for targeted keywords leading to a growth in volume and quality of traffic. Developed and implemented social media campaigns to create community around quality industry content, while monitoring brand awareness. All efforts were focused around creating a transparent, authentic online presence.

The Spark Agency, Inc.

July 2007 - November 2007

 Des Moines, IA

Field Marketing Manager - Glaceau Researched markets to create and implement a strategic, grassroots marketing schedule to maximize brand awareness. Responsibilities included on-site event execution, event planning, inventory/finance management and product promotion.

ManiaTV!

September 2006 - December 2006

 Denver, CO

Marketing Intern Utilized social media optimization tactics to research and analyze market, create and maintain brand awareness and drive traffic to website. Developed communication strategies in effort to create audience feedback and dialog.

Education + Volunteering

Education

Iowa State University

2001 - 2005

 Ames, IA

BA, Advertising

Certifications

Datorama,
a Salesforce Company

2009

Admin Certification

Volunteering

Young Professionals of Minneapolis

2011-2014

 Remote

Web Developer

Accomplishments + Endorsements

I've been fortunate to have had some incredible mentors and worked with brilliant teams and individuals — without them, I wouldn't have accomplihed nearly as much over such a short period of time.

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