Company

As a strategy and operations consultancy in the water treatment business, we strive to be the go-to external resource for organizations looking internationaly.

 

 

Our Firm

Cornerstone International Strategy Advisors, LLC. (Cornerstone) is a team of internationally-oriented business consultants that specialize in offering water sector clients strategic and operational support on their overseas Sales, Sourcing, and Manufacturing efforts.


Our Clients

Water industry equipment manufacturers and technology innovators seeking advice and access to overseas water-sector markets.  Our clients tend to be forward-thinking executives who recognize that a robust international platform is critical to on-going success.


Our Expertise

We help management and boards answer three types of primary questions:

  • Sales: Is there demand overseas we are not satisfying?
  • Sourcing: Can we source some of our products / components from an overseas manufacturer?
  • Manufacturing: Should we consider deploying a production facility overseas?


Our Recommendations

We rely on our proprietary methodologies and frameworks to guide clients towards desired results.  Depending on the scope of work, we leverage our exposure to water industry best practices, experience in financial and nonfinancial modeling, or a range of other analytical tools.


Our Value Proposition

Simply offering skills and experience is not enough. Ultimately our value rests on our responsiveness to client needs, concerns, and objectives. Business can sometimes be haphazard, and based on our careers in client service we understand the importance executives place on having an advisor who is accommodating enough to put in hours over a holiday, or travel to far off places on short notice if needed.

We also believe in providing clients access to objective advice. Be it challenging long-held assumptions, questioning legacy decisions, or scrutinizing 3rd party research, we expect our clients to regard us as sounding boards, trusted advisors, and devils advocates during the project, and beyond. Our style and formula for client service reflects our approach to life in general, which is scientific, academic, analytical, creative, and courteous.


Our Experience

Cornerstone's scope of services is based on our experience and analytical capabilities developed by guiding clients through decision-making in regard to overseas endeavors. We are not hydrologists or water engineers, but we do understand the trends driving overseas markets, established and emerging water treatment technologies.

Our team has experience in advising clients across many industry sectors, including: airlines, appliances, automotive, banking beverages, biotechnology, business services, business equipment, chemicals, computers, food wholesale, health care, heavy construction, medical equipment, multimedia& graphics, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, publishing, technical services, waste-water, and wireless communications.

We also have familiarity with corporate functions, including: accounting engineering, facilities, finance, HR, IT legal, procurement, and sales & marketing.

.

Our Bios

  • Francesco

  • Jason

  • Shari

  • Val

  • Kevin

  • John

  • Daniel

  • Ruediger

  • Ling

  • Ella


Francesco Carbonari has over seven years of international experience as a project manager providing translation and language solutions to Fortune 500 companies and governmental institutions. In addition, he has worked as an adviser to companies doing business in Colombia.

Mr. Carbonari has ample experience managing complex language and media projects with professionals across different continents and is certified as a Project Manager by the Project Management institute (PMI). His main area of expertise is South America, especially Colombia and Ecuador. He is a native Spanish speaker and is also proficient in German.

Prior to joining Cornerstone, Mr. Carbonari worked as a project manager for a Chicago-based translation agency, where he handled accounts for major insurance carriers, traditional manufacturing companies, law firms, and Federal agencies. The services needed by these clients varied from simple translations to complex voice, video, and software projects.

Mr. Carbonari graduated with honors from Loyola University Chicago, where he received a BA in Logistics and International Business. He is an accomplished Karate practitioner and is a co-owner of a Chicago dojo. Besides mentoring students and young professionals at the dojo, he is also an avid reader with a particular interest in history and economics.

Jason Christie joins us from Asia Pacific Access, a company he co-founded, and brings over 10 years of expertise in the AsiaPacific region. Primary client work has included providing consultation on manufacturing sourcing, distributor identification, acquisition and partner identification, due diligence, project management, and market entry initiatives. Although Mr. Christie has extensive experience in the wireless industry, tool and equipment manufacturing, and software development, throughout his career he has worked across many industry sectors and has consulted on dozens of undertakings related to optimizing a firms manufacturing or sourcing processes, partnerships, and overall operations. Past consulting engagements have included field-work in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Mainland China, a country where Jason presently spends close to 50% of his time.

In addition to conduction business in virtually every corner of China, Mr. Christie lived in Beijing and Shanghai for almost 5 years, and speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese. He received his MBA in Entrepreneurship form the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and BS in Electrical Engineering form the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Mr. Christie is also a former member of the US national Gymnastics Team, a certified gymnastics instructor, and an age-group triathlete.

Shari Christofferson brings a science and engineering background to Cornerstone. Although she has worked on a number of industrial engagements, Ms. Christofferson has led several scientific investigations in the western US and taken part in international research projects in Turkey and Argentina with the support of the National Science Foundation and United States Geological Survey.

Her master's thesis research, which determined the earthquake history of an active fault in the Los Angeles Basin, was published in Science magazine. As a consulting geologist in California, she worked on a diverse array of projects, including subsurface water characterization.

Mr. Christofferson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Arizona and went on to receive her Master of Science from the University of Southern California. After relocating back to Chicago in 2005, she became involved inn steel manufacturing and business development within industrial distribution focused on the Midwest region.

Sports and outdoor activities have always been an important part Shari's life. In the spring and summer she plays recreational softball and in 2008 she trained for, and completed the Chicago Marathon. Currently she enjoys practicing yoga and swimming but always takes an opportunity to go hiking or horseback riding in the mountains. Most Sunday afternoons she can be found in her father's workshop making furniture or building cabinets.

Val Chulamorkodt provides Cornerstone's clients advice on international trade and customs laws, import-export regulations, and various considerations associated with moving goods or services across borders. Her experience in trade and trade-related matters includes work within the telecommunications, pharmaceutical, and food industries, among other areas.

Prior to joining Cornerstone, Ms. Chulamorkodt legal practice included engagements in regulatory compliance, corporate and commercial litigation, and electronic discovery. Ms. Chulamorkodt holds a JD from the University of Illinois College of Law, LLM in International Business and Trade Law from The John Marshall Law School, and BA from Claremont McKenna College.

She is an active member of the American Bar Association Section of International Law and a frequent contributor to trade publications on hot topics and recent cases. In her free time, Ms. Chulamorkodt enjoys athletic endeavors, yoga, and watching NFL and NCAA football.

Kevin Parecha joins Cornerstone as a recent graduate from Northeastern Illinois University, where he studied Finance and participated in many of the university's international programs, including chairing the organizing committee that ran their annual International Conference.

While still in university, Mr. Parecha conducted research analysis on the private equity industry. He also penned research reports addressing the efficacy of the TARP and government proposed Public-Private Investment Partnership (PPIP). Prior to joining Cornerstone, Mr. Parecha worked at a Chicago-based engineering firm where he researched opportunities, performed cost/benefit analysis, and made recommendations on proposed new strategic projects, which required extensive interaction with overseas engineering firms. Born and raised in Chicago, Mr. Parecha is an avid sports fan and enjoys playing basketball and tennis in his free time. From his studies and background, Mr. Parecha is fluent in Gujarati and conversational in Hindi and Spanish.

John Robinson has over 10 years of international experience working for and advising multinational companies on strategic decision-making in relation to the global component of their business. From advising on the establishment of a sales office in South Africa, to negotiating tax incentives in China, to planning a manufacturing deployment in Brazil, Mr. Robinson's breadth of experience, sharp analytical tools, and creative approach make him an asset to any endeavor.

Although his primary subject mater expertise in shaping Asia, particularly China, agendas, Mr. Robinson has developed familiarity with opportunities and risks in EMEA and Latin America as well. The scope of engagements has often involved advising executives on the ownership, acquisition, disposal, management, and/or utilization of assets around the world. He also exhibits an instinct for entrepreneurial endeavors by assisting clients develop and present formal business plans and raise capital. Prior to establishing Cornerstone, Mr. Robinson held various consulting positions at Motorola, DTZ, and more recently in Deloitte Consulting's Strategy and Operations practice.

A native of Chicago, Mr. Robinson's world-view, business style, interests, and personality have been shaped by living in Europe and Asia over different periods of time, and working with clients and colleagues from far corners of the globe. Mr. Robinson received a degree in political science from Denison University and went on to conduct graduate research at Johns Hopkins – School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) – with a heavy China focus. John speaks and reads Mandarin Chinese fluently, and is making an hones effort at a handful of other languages. Mr. Robinson is interested in fishing, golf, cooking, history, and live music.

Daniel Scheeringa has worked in international business and governmental affairs since 2001. He has worked in international banking, and has served in high level military assignments in Europe and the Middle East. In his previous positions, Mr. Scheeringa has advised senior corporate executives and foreign government officials on strategic decision-making.

Mr. Scheeringa has an extensive background both in finance and in international relations. He is experienced in analyzing and preparing financial statements and projections. From his studies and overseas experience, he is fluent in Spanish, and conversational in Russian and Arabic. Mr. Scheeringa's military experience and graduate studies have concentrated on emerging markets in general, with specific focus on the Middle East.

Mr. Scheeringa's financial career includes work at Spear Leeds & Kellogg, Bank One, and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi. He later worked as vice president of finance at Taxyad, a new media startup. As an officer in the United States Army, he has served in multinational operations in Italy and Ukraine, and completed two tours in Iraq with Civil Affairs, where he concentrated on reconstruction an economic development.

Mr. Scheeringa grew up in the Chicago area. He has a bachelor's in Political Science with a minor in Russian from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, with a double concentration in Finance and Economics. He has been published in Army professional journals, and is a Master's degree candidate in Political Science at Virginia Tech University. He lives in Chicago with his wife. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, sailing, and training for the next Chicago Triathlon.

Ruediger Schroeder joins Cornerstone with an extensive background in building or revamping international sales platforms for equipment manufacturers. Throughout his career, he has driven the development and launch of capital equipment product portfolios in international markets - mainly Europe and Asia/Pacific. Mr. Schroeder has brings to each project over two decades of leading direct sales and service organizations, developing new dealer networks, and successfully managing key public and private sector accounts.

Prior to joining Cornerstone, Mr. Schroeder developed a solid track record in turning around under-performing sales organizations, initiating and directing sweeping positive change, and re-engineering customer support to maximize global efficiency through regional sales offices. Additionally, he recently developed a 3-year revolving business plan for 15 international sales subsidiaries which substantially increased sales and profitability. Armed with the breadth of financial and non-financial tools, Mr. Schroeder has demonstrated a capacity for not only analyzing and seizing market opportunities, but also resolving technical and general industrial problems.

Mr. Schroeder received his MBA (Diplom Volkswirt) in Business Administration and Economics is from the University of Hamburg, Germany, is a native German speaker, and regularly addresses international industrial forums on strategic export and market approaches, and handling foreign joint ventures for maximum profitable impact.

Qiu Ling specializes in the Chines water treatment market, global supply chain management, and international trade. She has experience in supplier relationship management, and worked on projects in Brazil, Mexico, Korea, and China, including a number of projects with GM Shanghai. She was a special assistant in the China Venture Capital Program at the World Resources Institute in Washington D.C., where she conducted in-depth market research and business analysis to prepare Chinese start-up clean tech companies to develop market strategies and access foreign capital.

Ms. Qiu received Master of Science in Environmental Management and Sustainability from Illinois Institute of Technology, Master of Science in Supply Engineering and Logistics from the University of Warwick in U.K., and Bachelor of Economics in International Trade from Beijing Institute of Technology in China. While studying at IIT, she helped found the start-up clean-tech firm Quaver Battery System, LLC.

Ms. Qiu enjoys nature, history , travel, Ashtanga Yoga and scuba diving. She is also fond of opera, Chinese as well as Western, and attends Lyric Opera and Chicago Opera Theater operas in Chicago frequently. She won the most popular volunteer award when volunteered in Junior Achievement, China in 2007. Ms. Qiu is a member of the US Green Building Council and a certified LEED AP.

Ella Wei is based in Shanghai, and offers Cornerstone clients with China industry research, business development, due diligence, and project management.

With a strong background in clean tech and industrial machinery, Ms. Wei has a wide network of contacts across China. Whether clients are looking to identify a partner, conduction due diligence on an existing contractual relationship, or attend a trade fair, she has the technical, language, and negotiation capabilities to handle projects in multiple fields.

A graduate of Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Ms. Wei's career focus has been environmental engineering. Water, energy, and technical solutions are subjects she excels in, and in addition to her China network of clean tech contacts, she can speak to industry trends, opportunities, and risks.

Prior to joining Cornerstone, Ms. Wei represented global energy companies with their China business development, sales, distribution, installation, and after sales service.