Founder
Laith Wardi, CEcD
Laith founded ExecutivePulse and brought over two decades of economic development experience to its early vision and direction.
About Us
We're builders who care deeply about economic development
ExecutivePulse is a team of practitioners and technologists who believe relationships and field intelligence, handled with care, create real community impact.
Since 1994
Our origin story
From BR&E pioneer to a team focused on impact
In the mid-1990s, Laith Wardi was running Business Retention & Expansion programs in Northwest Pennsylvania. He created one of the early web-based systems to capture company intelligence, coordinate partners, and follow through on next steps. That work became ExecutivePulse. Today we carry forward the same spirit, practical tools, taught and refined with economic developers in the field.
1994–95
Early web-based BR&E prototype takes shape.
1996–present
Training and teaching through IEDC & OU EDI.
Today
Culture of craft, collaboration, and customer-led iteration.
Our culture
A strong foundation in economic development
Our roots are in BR&E, so we build with the realities of your day in mind, partnerships, confidentiality, and community outcomes.
That perspective shapes how we work, how we prioritize, and how we show up for our customers.
Collaboration
We solve problems together
Everyone at ExecutivePulse contributes, customers included. We iterate quickly, test in the field, and improve based on real-world feedback.
It's an environment where ideas move fast and ships are frequent.
Craft
Human-centered, detail-oriented
We obsess over clarity and ease, whether it's a data visualization, a training, or a support email. The result: tools and experiences that feel simple and trustworthy.
Our aim is to remove friction so your team can focus on relationships and results.
The people behind ExecutivePulse
A team of practitioners and technologists, many with deep roots in economic development.
President & CEO
Sean Michaels
Sean brings proven executive leadership and entrepreneurial expertise to ExecutivePulse's growth strategy.
Advisor
Chuck Peters
Chuck provides strategic direction and oversight to ExecutivePulse's board, bringing extensive experience in economic development leadership and investment strategy.
Chief Technology Officer
Ryan Narpes
Ryan has dedicated over two decades to driving technology innovation in the economic development sector as ExecutivePulse's Chief Technology Officer.
Chief Financial Officer
Katie Traut
Katie brings comprehensive financial management expertise to ExecutivePulse's operational leadership.
Director of Enterprise Initiatives
Julia Hays
Julia turns complex data into findings clients can act on, and feeds what she learns back into the platform.
Business Intelligence Lead
Jeff Keeler
Jeff brings over a decade of expertise in client data analysis, geospatial intelligence, and market research into translating real-world practitioner needs for better ExecutivePulse products.
Senior Database Administrator
Chris Camilleri
Chris has served as Senior Database Administrator since 2008, managing the complete technical infrastructure supporting ExecutivePulse's industry-leading CRM platform.
Senior Software Engineer
Brayden Hayes
Brayden has contributed to ExecutivePulse's technical development since 2013, focusing on feature development and maintenance across the company's core technology platforms.
Analyst and Support Lead
Keven McQueeney
Keven leads ExecutivePulse's client support operations and system analysis, ensuring optimal user experience and platform performance for economic development organizations.
Customer Success Associate
Francesca Zacks
Francesca supports ExecutivePulse clients through outreach and relationship management, helping ensure they get the most value from the platform.