NBDA SIGNATURE EVENT | Business Development All-Stars Lineup – Top Ten

Sanjay Ramabhadran (Ram), PE is a Principal at VERSA Infrastructure providing program management, construction management and engineering services for transportation, aviation and water infrastructure. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Houston METRO) providing multimodal transportation services to a 1,300 square-mile region.  Sanjay has served in senior executive/board roles at global and regional engineering firms providing public infrastructure planning/consulting services across Texas.  In these roles, he has been responsible for strategic planning, business unit P&L, business development, project execution and client relations. He has facilitated/participated in multiple trade missions to India and Israel, Co-Chaired a conference in Panama on the impact of the Panama Canal Expansion on Texas and has been an invited speaker at US-India Infrastructure/Trade Summits and US-Canada business forums.

As Senior Advisor, Business Affairs, of Reliant, an NRG company, Sid is responsible for managing relationships with Chambers of Commerce, Associations and other Industry Associations throughout the United States.  On behalf of Reliant, he is currently involved with Fifty-five associations, and is also the past Chairman of the Board of the Reliant Energy Political Action Committee (REPAC). Prior to coming on Board at Reliant, an NRG company, Sid was the President of the Galleria Chamber of Commerce.  As President he positioned the Galleria Chamber of Commerce as one of the ten largest chambers in the Houston region according to the Houston Business Journal.

Kelly Kelsheimer is the Vice President of Business Development at TWC The Valve Company in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining TWC, Kelly oversaw business development for Neway Valve International, where his team was responsible for all new product development, QA/QC resolution and coordination with the manufacturing/foundry located in Suzhou, China. His work experience also includes a stint at Fluor, where he worked as the valve product director and was responsible for managing the valve line of business in the global sourcing group called Supply Chain Solutions. Kelly is an active member of and serves on the Standards Committee for the American Petroleum Institute. He is also a member of PVF Roundtable, where he currently sits on the Scholarship Committee.

As Vice President with Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., Tracey partners with companies in the Houston and Louisiana markets to evaluate and implement responsible human capital solutions during mergers, acquisitions, downsizing, and restructuring. She provides customized planning and support to organization and their affected employees, helps them make optimal outplacement decisions, and serves as a transition counselor for individuals receiving Challenger services. Before, Tracey worked for more than 15 years in the mental health field. Parlaying her resource management and communication skills as a therapist, she transitioned to the corporate world when she joined Challenger in 2002.

Jason is a Director with Calvetti Ferguson where he brings over 20 years of professional experience. Jason is the firm’s business development leader and also has deep expertise in: dispute analysis & litigation support, forensics & investigations, business valuation, transaction advisory, and turnaround & restructuring services. Mr. Cain is the author of the self-improvement book, “Catalyst: Tools for Behavioral Change and Personal Growth.” Mr. Cain is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF).

Jim is the Director of Business Development in the Houston office of Grant Thornton, LLP. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Jim was a Director with Automatic Data Processing (ADP) for 13 years where he served as the National Bank Sales Director and was recognized for numerous sales achievements and was awarded seven ADP President’s Club awards. Since joining Grant Thornton in 2002, Jim has been recognized perennially as one of the top producing Business Developers.  He is also a Practice Development instructor at Grant Thornton’s Senior Manager.

Eric is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Boral Concrete Products who is a regional manufacturer of concrete construction products servicing commercial masonry contractors, box stores and various other trades in Texas and Louisiana. Products include architectural CMU, foundation products, hardscape products and other resale products in the masonry trade. Eric is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree in business. He currently sits on the state board for the Texas Masonry Council whose purpose is to educate and grow the masonry business in the state of Texas.

Carrie is Senior Business Development Advisor focused on the Oil & Gas practice at Latham & Watkins LLP, based in Houston. She has over 13 years of experience in the oil in gas industry, focused on transactions in the upstream, midstream, and oilfield service sectors with a particular emphasis in private equity and the middle market. Prior to her current position, Ms. Carson spent nearly a decade in various roles of increasing responsibility within Wells Fargo’s energy banking group. Most recently, she was a Vice President of investment banking and sponsor coverage focused on energy private equity relationships. Previously, Ms. Carson was a corporate banking calling officer. Ms. Carson began her career in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and is a CPA (inactive) in the State of Texas. Carrie graduated from Texas A&M Summa Cum Laude with a B.B.A. in accounting and M.S. in finance.

As COO and Executive Vice President at Encore Search Partners, a specialized recruitment firm, Scott Kelley oversees Business Development, Client Services, and Operations. Serving as Encore Search Partner’s EOS Integrator, Mr. Kelley’s expertise in business strategy, strategic planning and business development has made Encore Search Partners one of the fastest growing recruitment firms in the Houston Area. Mr. Kelley is active in his Vistage Key Group, The Greater Houston Partnership, The Houston Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, The Greater Houston Manufacturers Association and The National Business Development Association. Outside of the office, Mr. Kelley is an avid reader and mentor to many Houston Area professionals. When he isn’t working, reading or mentoring, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, playing golf, and coaching little league baseball.