ACG St. Louis Elite Speaker Series featuring Marc Emmer, President of Optimize, Inc

Marc Emmer is an author, speaker and consultant recognized as a thought leader throughout North America as an expert in strategic planning. Marc recently published his second book, Momentum: How Companies Decide What To Do Next. Before his consulting career, Marc spent over 20 years in the food business, in operations, marketing and business development.

Marc founded Optimize Inc., a California-based consulting firm in 2002. Optimize has an impressive client list that includes public companies such as Starbucks Canada, CBRE, Justice Stores (formerly Limited Too), Superior International and mid-market companies in a diverse range of industries including financial services, health care, technology and energy.

Marc has personally facilitated strategy sessions for over 140 companies, and has also served as an advisor to several serial entrepreneurs. Marc is an accomplished speaker, having delivered over 300 keynote speeches for organizations such as the Association for Corporate Growth and Panda Express, and speaks internationally for Vistage, the world’s largest CEO peer group organization. His strategy blog is received by over three thousand senior executives, he is a regular contributor to the Vistage Research Center, Forbes, and Inc.com, and was recognized by LA Biz Journal’s People on the Move.

In 2015, he was nominated in his community of Santa Clarita for Man of the Year to recognize his non-profit service. Marc’s firm is active in its community, supporting The American Cancer Society, The Arthritis Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Soroptimist International, COC Foundation, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, WiSH Education Foundation and many others. Marc has served on numerous committees and boards and is past President of the SCV School and Business Alliance and Single Mothers Outreach. In order to provide non-profit leadership, Marc completed the rigorous non-profit training offered by the Annenberg Foundation at USC (by invitation only).

Marc graduated from Loyola Marymount University’s business school and has also completed executive education management programs at Ohio State and Cornell where he earned a Certification in Financial Management. His alma mater awarded him the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award in 2003 and celebrated his achievements at the “Dinner with a Winner” event in 2011. Marc also received commendations from Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich (twice), the California Legislature, the William S. Hart School District for Outstanding Business Partner, and the ACSA Golden Apple Award for his contributions to education.

Marc lives in the Greater Los Angeles area with his wife of 29 years and two daughters.