about Huntington Hill Ventures
Leadership during uncertain times
Placing new leadership roles could not be more risky and difficult in our virtual world — really getting to know candidates, evaluating cultural fit, leading remotely, and early performance assessment + alignment has become even more difficult. The risks of placement, as well as holding candidates to expectations set during recruitment, once restrictions lift, are very high. When these involve expectations like relocation, benefits, and perks, these risks can also be expensive.
A flexible workforce makes sense now, more than ever.
Our managing partners and deep network of executives stand ready to be deployed across several key industries and at the most innovative, forward-thinking points of convergence among them.
- tech ... mobile, gaming, software, intellectual property
- healthcare ... ambulatory, acute, payor, pharma
- hospitality, food, and beverage ... including viticulture
- entertainment and media
- real estate
- fitness and nutrition
- retail
Unlike consultancies you may have worked with in the past, we judge our success by building your independence rather than by repeated contract renewals between us around the same goals. We build structure so your organization grows from, absorbs, and uses the knowledge we build together.
We offer one of three options:
- Option I: we operate as executives in residence for short and long-term appointments – we can facilitate a leadership session over a weekend, deliver an environmental analysis in a few weeks, fill an interim role for a few months, or come aboard full-time in an employment relationship around a set of goals or a formal role. For this, we can contract as individuals or as Huntington Hill Ventures LLC.
- Option II: we become investors in your idea and guide you as mentors, board advisors, or as angels
- Option III: we offer pro bono services for organizations that are truly strapped and desperately in need of executive talent around a particular set of needs at 501(c)(3) non-profit entities, public charities, foundations, and benefit corporations.
We are highly selective and very discreet.
Typical roles we fill:
Here are some of the typical roles we help you fill, at the Sr. Director level and above:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Chief Operations Officer
- Chief of Staff
- EVP of Retail Operations
- SVP of Engineering
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Executive Officer
- Executive Director
- VP of Finance
- Chief Creative Officer
- Head of Innovation
- SVP of Partnerships
- Chief Revenue Officer
- VP of Insights
- SVP of Product Development
- VP of User Experience
- SVP, Retail Division
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Chief Merchandising Officer
- VP, Business Development
About Our Managing Partners...
Sharon Richardson, PhD
Part of HHV's' original founding team, Dr Richardson is proud of her multiracial heritage and feels blessed to have lived in six countries on four continents. She tirelessly grows, exits, and transforms global organizations in Healthcare, Technology (mobile and gaming), Academia, Service, and Hospitality. A highly sought-after executive in residence, mentor, board member, and advisor since 2006, Sharon brings an impressive IRR, a deep network, and six remarkable exits behind her. In addition to her extensive work with non-profits and as a speaker, she is also a Trustee on TiE's Global Board, a TiE Charter Member, a Limited Partner with Elevate Capital, and a prolific angel investor. Dr Richardson holds a PhD in Business Strategy from London's Sir John Cass School of Business, an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, and a BSc from the University of Southern California (USC).
Wayne Spears
Armed with an extraordinary wealth of global knowledge and experience across the retail sector and hands-on work with some of the world's most recognizable brands, Wayne Spears and his extensive network of leadership talent rank among some of our most critical assets. Wayne has an ability to effortlessly connect and place people in the most difficult-to-fill roles across virtually all facets of merchandising – and particularly in product development, design, and retail operations. Note that we continue to retain access to manufacturing facilities in the United States as well as offshore. These capabilities and hard assets allow us a number of enviable efficiencies that we are able to extend to our partners. Wayne holds an MBA from the University of Southern California (USC).
Dave Howell
A serial entrepreneur, innovator, inventor, jazz musician, and designer of remarkable user experiences, Dave Howell has been a somewhat more recent, but perfect fit for our leadership team. He brings 25+ years of working with powerhouse brands like Apple, Intel, LucasFilm, Hasbro, and Westwood Studios before he became a CEO in the start-up world.. Dave rounds out our team with tech and engineering leadership – software development, SaaS, UX, mobile app development, and intellectual property. He is an unusual blend of software engineering and computer science with academic preparation at the graduate level, as well as strong business acumen that includes an MBA from Cornell University. In addition to his background as CEO of Avatron Software and an investor, Dave is available for executive in residence appointments, and as an expert witness or a consultant in tech intellectual property matters.