Susan Acker-Walsh, M.B.A.
Constella Group, LLC
Senior Vice President,
Corporate Organization and
People Development,
Corporate Compliance Officer
As Senior Vice President of Corporate, Organization, and People Development
(COPD), Susan Acker-Walsh oversees mergers and acquisitions, strategic
partnerships, integration and strategic planning, while providing high-level
management of organizational functions, including information systems and
facilities, human resources, and corporate communications.
In addition, she also serves as Corporate Compliance Officer, overseeing Constella's Corporate Compliance program.
Since her return to Constella in 2003, Acker-Walsh has served as a member of Constella's executive leadership team, working closely with business unit leaders on strategic planning efforts and business execution.
From 1997-1999, Acker-Walsh was Vice President of corporate development when the company was Analytical Sciences, Inc. (ASI). During that time, she also held the position of executive director of Paragon Analytical Sciences, a joint venture between then ASI, and a West-coast contract research organization named Paragon Biomedical, Inc.
From 1999-2002, Acker-Walsh co-founded, and served as president, CEO,
and Chairman of the board of Blue292, a Durham-based provider of software solutions
for crisis information management and environmental, health, and safety systems.
She was responsible for establishing Blue292's strategic direction, brand building,
capital formulation, management team recruitment, product development, and
sales and marketing initiatives. While at the helm of Blue292, Acker-Walsh
raised nearly $20 million from top-tier tier venture capitalists, including
Credit Suisse First Boston's Sprout Group. Under her leadership, Blue292 built
its flagship software applications for crisis and environmental information
management.
Acker-Walsh conceptualized Blue292 in 1997 while earning an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School. The company was the focus of her senior-year project and a natural outgrowth of her previous 10-year career in the environmental business. Her previous experience includes positions as director of sales and marketing for Triangle Laboratories, Inc., and Vice President and corporate secretary for Entropy, Inc.
As an active member of the business community, Acker-Walsh has served on the boards of The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), North Carolina Electronics and Information Technology Association (NCTA), the Kenan Institute's Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Venturing (CETV) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan Flagler Business School, and the Carolina Environmental Program.
Acker-Walsh served as UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School's Executive MBA commencement speaker in 2002 and is a recipient of the following awards and achievements:
- 2004 Woman Extraordinaire Award
- 2002 UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School - Alumni Merit Award
- 2001-2003 William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations
- 2001 Governor's Award as Outstanding Entrepreneur, sponsored by North Carolina Technological Development Authority
- 2001 Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award
- Regional Finalist, Outstanding Entrepreneur, Venture Capital Based Business, sponsored by Working
Woman magazine
- Regional Finalist, 2000 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year®
- 1999 Women in Business Award
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