Let’s Go

meet
Our Team members

Merle Marting

Twelve years ago, Merle founded GO to help to create sustainable growth, value, and operational excellence for companies to enhance the lives of owners, employees, families, and their communities. GO moves beyond traditional management advisory services and brings an “operator centric” perspective and proven experience that know how to accelerate business growth from startups to middle market companies. GO has served over 200 clients and 30 PE firms and supported their teams in generating over $2 billion in value creation.​
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Prior to GO, Merle spent 25 years helping premier brands like NIKE, adidas, TaylorMade and Callaway drive growth and profitability. He has held numerous senior executive positions including serving as President of a $300 million business, General Manager with P&L accountability for a $600 million business and serving as CMO for a global billion-dollar company.​
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Growth has been at the core of each of his operator experiences. At Callaway, his team delivered strong business improvements by strategically repositioning the brand, stabilizing revenues, and rebounding operating income of core categories by 98% and 41% respectively. As the President/General Manager of adidas Golf, revenues soared 63% and profits 125% in 18 months through product reinvention and sales distribution transformation. As the CMO at TaylorMade his team successfully reinvented and globalized the brand which led to a 300% increase in revenues. At NIKE, he helped drive a 58% annual compound growth rate at NIKE Golf over 5 years. His tenure in NIKE Retail focused on expanding NIKETOWN’s and NIKE Factory Stores that resulted in driving revenues up ten-fold in less than 5 years.​

Brad McCrory

A results focused business leader and growth practitioner, Brad brings 17 years of digital commerce, marketing, sales and revenue leadership to each engagement.
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Brad spent much of the past 13 years running and owning digital e-commerce agencies leading growth for mid market to enterprise e-commerce organizations such as The UPS Store, YMCA and Polaroid. Over this 10 years Brad helped over 400 e-commerce brands, launch, transform or accelerate growth. 
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Recently, Brad has served as the VP of Marketing for APM Music, the largest production music marketplace in the world where he grew sales and revenue 37% in 1 year while creating the framework for a D2C e-commerce presence. Brad recently wrapped up an engagement as the VP of Revenue for TakeLessons, where he has grown revenue 334% in 19 months.

Brad has is a proven leader that integrates a data driven approach while building high performance teams to optimize core growth channels, while bringing innovative.

Robert Johnson

Robert has consistently driven strategy and delivered growth across diverse industry / business models, large and small, corporate and start-up.

Prior to GO, Robert was global President and General Manager for Mophie, a division of ZAGG, Inc. where he led a 225-person business unit ($200MM+) focused on growing the Mophie product portfolio, brand position, global distribution and profitability.

As the EVP at Taylormade-adidas Golf Company, he oversaw all TaylorMade golf products from ideation, planning, budgeting, execution, design, production, lifecycle, and financials. He repositioned and relaunched a new corporate culture initiative, successfully achieve all financial goals and was a member of the Executive Team that completed the successful divestiture of TaylorMade from adidas and subsequent transaction to new private equity ownership. He implemented a portfolio diversification plan that increased top and bottom-line growth >20%, re-establish a DTC e-commerce group. He also served as Senior Director of Innovation and Director of Marketing (U.S.). ​

Robert was also the founder and CEO of The Hive Collective, Inc., a marketing and design agency which provided strategy work through asset development of creative solutions that included e-commerce, advertising, media planning, retail SIS and POP, PR/ communications, and product development/design. He started his career in agency and client-side marketing consulting, working with clients on branding and  strategy, advertising and positioning, direct response, CRM, and communication strategy/execution. 

Robert’s passions include Family, Golf, and Sports. He attended University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. 

Andrea Cascia​

Andrea Cascia is a seasoned Sales and Marketing Professional with over two decades of experience driving growth and profitability through strategic marketing and business development initiatives. 
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Before joining GO, Andrea held successful BD roles in Events, Media and Agency industries. She was responsible for expanding business relations by elevating event experiences at Wedgewood Weddings & Events, exceeding revenue targets with an industry-leading 35% conversion rate. During her sales role at Global Golf Post, she was instrumental in expanding the digital publication’s reach, leading to a significant increase in paid subscriptions and advertising revenue, in addition to developing strategic relationships with PGA Sections, Allied Golf Associations, and global partnerships. Andrea was recognized as a Trusted Advisor at the Buffalo Groupe, leading to curation of tailored B2B and B2C sponsorship packages that substantially elevated agency growth and revenue. 
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Andrea also launched best-in-class marketing practices at Callaway Golf as the Global Marketing Communications Manager. She led global marketing teams to ensure consistent brand messaging across multiple languages and media platforms, significantly enhancing global brand presence and growth.

Andrea’s career is marked by a commitment to best practices, robust team leadership, and a consistent record of achieving substantial revenue growth in every role she has undertaken.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and taking long walks on the beach with her German Shepherd, Scout.

Mick Hammock

Mick is a seasoned digital professional with over a decade of experience in various digital roles across both for-profit and non-profit organizations. He has a proven track record of success in quickly implementing new technologies, creating, and executing digital and content strategies, conducting market research, and nurturing leads for a diverse range of brands, including both small start-ups and large corporations.
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Most recently, he’s served as Associate Director at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and been instrumental in modernizing the organization’s fundraising tactics and technology stack. He has successfully increased the zoo’s cryptocurrency gifts by a staggering 300%, demonstrating his ability to drive results and make a meaningful impact.
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Mick is a strategic thinker and problem-solver who takes a holistic approach to his work. He is passionate about helping companies achieve their marketing and sales goals and has a talent for identifying areas of improvement and devising innovative solutions. He is dedicated to ensuring that his clients are equipped with the fundamentals they need to reach their full potential and achieve success.

Throughout his career, Mick has honed his skills in market research, digital marketing, and technology implementation, and has a deep understanding of what it takes to drive growth and success in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

Neal Cole

Meet eCommerce expert and Director of Marketing Operations, Neal Cole. He has a proven track record of creating sustainable growth, value, and operational excellence for companies. 
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As a Director of Marketing Operations for the past 9 years, he has been responsible for developing and growing integrated digital solutions for a wide range of clients. He manages the team of subject matter experts who deliver high-quality digital programs that meet the needs of their companies. Neal enjoys the challenge of keeping up with the high-paced evolution of the digital space and leverage new technologies as marketing channels for their clients.
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His mission is to transform strategic discussions into action plans and results, with a focus on digital strategy, conversion rate optimization, customer journeys, omnichannel marketing, ABM, and eCommerce. With his proven experience, Neal is the go-to resource for companies (both large and small) looking to grow through strategic discovery, technology stack optimization, digital marketing, and general business intelligence.

Darian Pasterski

As a seasoned technology and marketing communications executive, Darian Pasterski brings over 30 years of proven leadership achievement and experience to her consulting and executive coaching engagements.
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Establishing a track record of successes for global powerhouse brands like Mattel (Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl), Callaway Golf and DJO Global/DonJoy, Darian was known for strong cross-functional leadership of technical and creative teams, strategic thinking coupled with effective execution, and the unique ability to drive impressive results in resource-challenged environments or situations without precedent.
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Darian now provides fractional CIO services (strategic planning, organization design, project oversight and process innovation) to small and mid-size businesses, helping them innovate and/or revamp their IT functions to improve service delivery and quality, optimize resources and embrace integrated cloud and outsourced models.

Her clients span multiple industries including software/integration services, digital printing, manufacturing, financial services, consumer products, defense/security and disease management/medical devices/healthcare.

Khalil Kanbar​

Meet Khalil, a seasoned Marketing Manager with a proven track record of delivering results for brands like Expedia, DoorDash, Oprah, Experian, and HBO Max. He is a maestro of organic and paid search results, with a mission to unlock the top 5% of traffic available for brands.
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Khalil brings deep expertise in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Paid Marketing (SEM), User Experience, and Content Strategy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management, Entrepreneurship from the University of San Diego.
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Khalil has a proven track record of increasing YoY Impressions, clicks, total sessions, and new users to the site by 82%, 102%, and 155%, respectively. He has a talent for helping brands achieve their business objectives through high-level SEM strategy and detailed day-to-day tasks. He is also skilled in the more technical aspects of SEO, such as increasing page speed, mitigating server errors, and optimizing for mobile-first indexing.

Khalil’s intelligence, data-driven approach, and results-oriented mindset have made him an asset to any organization. His honesty and critical thinking make him a sharp team member to brainstorm with.

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If you’re looking to take your brand’s SEO and digital marketing efforts to the next level, Khalil is the one to turn to. He is a go-to resource for anything related to SEO, AdWords, the future of search, and San Diegoce.​

Frances Cortez

Frances Cortez, MBA and experienced financial manager, mission is to provide superior service in accounting, administrative, and operations management. She has been instrumental in numerous accounting system migrations, utilizing her over 25 years of experience to bring businesses operational excellence.
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Prior to GO, Frances held prominent roles such as Director of Accounting at Exit Consulting Group, and Partner/Leader at CPA MOMS, where she excelled in facilitating business growth and streamlining financial operations. Earlier in her career, she served as Corporate Controller and Financial Manager for Park West Landscape and Administrative Manager at Advanced Honeycomb Technologies, experiences that solidified her expertise in managing large scale financial operations
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Frances’s career is marked by her commitment to exceptional service, solid communication, and team-building. Whether improving financial management at CPA MOMS or transforming administrative procedures at Park West Landscape, Frances’s leadership consistently results in enhanced business operations and growth. Her dedicated service extends beyond the corporate world, having volunteered as Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer for educational and sports non-profits, applying her financial acumen to the benefit of her community.

Adam Colton

Adam Colton is a seasoned and result-driven executive, who brings to the table a rich professional background in general management, finance, and global operations. With a documented track record of combining leadership, analytical thinking, and creativity, he has consistently implemented ideas that foster profitability and growth. Adam has proven his mettle as an entrepreneurial leader who is adept at steering teams toward the achievement of strategic and tactical goals in diverse operating environments.
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He has served as Chief Executive Officer of HYLETE, a leading provider of premium fitness apparel, from August 2021 to December 2022. Prior to this role, he held the position of Chief Financial Officer at the same company from September 2019 to December 2022. His accomplishments include providing significant financial oversight and leadership for the company’s operations in San Diego County, California.
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Before joining HYLETE, Adam held the position of Chief Financial Officer at National Cardiac, Inc., a patient-centric digital health solutions company, from April 2017 to September 2019. He was accountable for all Finance, Administration, and Investor Relations issues for the parent company and also served as the General Manager of the company’s subsidiaries in Baltimore and Toronto.

His diverse professional journey also includes a substantial tenure at Lamkin Corporation, a globally recognized golf grips manufacturing company. Adam served in multiple capacities including CFO, COO, Vice President of Finance, and General Manager of the Aftermarket division. He managed a wide range of responsibilities including overseeing worldwide operations, leading executive management and finance teams, and handling diverse aspects such as Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations.

Adam’s earlier professional experience includes roles as CFO at H2O Audio, Inc. and Mad Dog Multimedia, Inc. where he had comprehensive responsibility for areas like financial reporting, financial analysis, investor relations, and supply chain management. At Mad Dog Multimedia, Adam played a key role in scaling up the company’s revenue from $0 to $45 million.

Adam’s career trajectory also includes pivotal roles as a Controller at Inetcam, Financial Operations Manager at HP, and an Auditor at PwC. His specialties encompass Leadership, Business Strategy, Private Equity and Banking Relationships, Mentoring, Contract Development and Negotiation, Intellectual Property, Budgeting, Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, and Financial Reporting.

Alfredo Gomez

Alfredo Gómez is a talented ML/AI Engineer with a passion for leveraging machine learning to solve complex business challenges. With a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and currently pursuing a Master’s in Data Science, Alfredo possesses a strong academic foundation complemented by practical experience in the field.​​

Alfredo’s expertise spans across Python, backend development, Linux, and managing EC2 servers. His technical skills are matched by a keen analytical mindset, enabling him to develop and implement effective AI solutions that drive business success. Alfredo’s work is characterized by a methodical approach and a commitment to staying abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning and AI.​​

Outside of his professional pursuits, Alfredo enjoys practicing martial arts and immersing himself in story-driven video games. These interests not only provide a creative outlet but also enhance his problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.​

Andrew Lasher

Andrew has been at GO for 10-years and leads the Customer Insights Practice. He rapidly generates insights that unlock market opportunities that achieve a competitive advantage, superior financial performance and an outstanding consumer experience.​
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Prior to joining GO, Andrew spent 8 years of his professional career serving as the Head of Market Intelligence and Strategic Planning for two of Golf’s largest equipment manufacturers, TaylorMade-adidas Golf and Callaway Golf. Prior to that, Andrew spent 8 years in the advertising industry at McCann, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies and served as head of Planning and Research for accounts such as: Hitachi Corporation, Omni Hotels, Union Bank, Bumble Bee Seafood’s, M&M Mars Inc., The San Diego Zoological Society, and WD-40 Company.​
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Andrew’s core strengths draw from his undergraduate and graduate academic training (experimental-behavioral psychology and business intelligence) centering on the exploration of the consumer mind-set as a function of the market they represent.​

Rob Gettemy​

Rob Gettemy is a seasoned business operator with 30+ years of proven leadership in both private and public companies. In addition, Rob has been a big 10 University instructor in Entrepreneurship since 2008 and has consulted with private equity firms.​​

Prior to GO, Rob was an EVP at Blucora (BCOR) serving primarily as a senior executive in its subsidiary, TaxAct. During Rob’s tenure, TaxAct grew from $85mm to $210mm and delivered operating income of over $96mm. Rob had responsibility for product management, business development, management of acquired companies, tax software development, competitive intelligence, customer service, electronic filing, fraud prevention, human resources and government relations.​​

Prior to joining TaxAct in 2012, Rob held executive level positions in the telco, marketing research and consumer software industries where he worked in operations, sales and M&A roles. ​​

Rob holds his MBA from Drake University and a BA in Economics from the University of Northern Iowa. He served on the board of the Council For Electronic Revenue Communication Advancement (CERCA) and he is past Vice-Chair of the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights, an industry group focused on tax policy. He also served as the industry lead on a tax fraud working group comprised of the IRS, state departments of revenue and the tax filing industry. ​

Craig Barez

As a seasoned Creative Director, Craig Barez brings over 30 years of proven leadership, experience and creative inspiration to every project.​​

After graduating with Honors from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Craig joined Nike and quickly rose to leadership positions as Design Director for Corporate Image Design, Equipment Design and Nike Golf. Craig helped fuel a 10x growth across these businesses through a design-centric approach.​​

Following his time at NIKE, he was the Global Creative Director for TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company for 9 years. During this tenure, he oversaw product strategy and design, brand image of the company, brand look and feel, design culture and was the design mentor for a department of 14 designers and producers. He led the transformation of the company to a design-led approach that enabled a 5x growth from $300M to $1.5B during his tenure.​​

Over the past 3 decades, Craig’s deep design knowledge and creative intuition have helped transformed companies into world-class brands. He brings design thinking to every aspect of a company’s business approach and infuses a deep respect for design, cultural diversity and a team-based approach. His personal passions are his family (married and has two boys) and sports.

Sebastian Gomez

As a talented and passionate creative director, Sebastian Gomez has built an impressive career in brand innovation and strategy, working with national and international brands across a diverse range of industries. With a strong focus on brand development, customer journey, new product launch, and product innovation, Sebastian has become an expert in market expansion, marketing and brand communications.​​

Sebastian has demonstrated a remarkable ability to analyze market competitors using data, trends, and insights, and has consistently developed strategic POVs that propel businesses to success. With a keen eye for overall brand design, Sebastian has become a recognized leader.​​

As the Creative Director and Brand Innovation Entrepreneur at Chuao Chocolatier, Sebastian led a comprehensive brand and marketing analysis and audit. By redefining the company’s vision and values and leading a rebrand overhaul, Sebastian transformed the company into a nationally acclaimed retail player in the chocolate arena. Under Sebastian’s leadership, the company’s annual revenue skyrocketed 500% in just four years.​​

At Envoy San Diego, Sebastian served as Creative Director and played a pivotal role in guiding and supporting an innovation program for brand development. This effort led to a complete transformation from a classic advertising agency model to a brand innovation and strategy business. During this time, Sebastian successfully oversaw and executed brand campaigns and innovation strategies for high-profile clients such as Airwalk, Burton/Gravis, Virgin Megastores, Adidas, Nike, CleanWell, and American Eagle Outfitters.​​

Earlier in Sebastian’s career, as an Art Director at Lambesis Agency, he worked under a globally recognized creative director, supporting the development and execution of brand campaigns for Airwalk, Bebe, and Skyy Vodka.​

Hector Delatorre

A seasoned financial professional, Hector boasts a wealth of experience in financial planning and ERP systems, including Longview, Acumatica, Velixo, SAP BPC/BusinessObjects, and QuickBooks. Skilled in advanced reporting and querying through SQL Server, MS Access, Google Analytics, PowerBI, and Excel, Hector has earned the prestigious Microsoft Office Specialist certification.​

In his most recent role as a Senior Financial Systems Analyst at Abbvie, Hector provided vital support for month-end reporting, budgeting, planning, and ad-hoc analysis. He was also responsible for system maintenance, enhancements, financial modeling, automation, and team training.​

Previously, Hector held the position of Senior Financial Analyst at both Medterra and Live Nation Entertainment. His responsibilities included financial reporting, analysis, cross-collaboration, financial modeling, and implementing new initiatives. At Live Nation, Hector also served as a Business Analyst, overseeing system enhancements, conducting training sessions, and streamlining reporting processes.​

Hector’s early career included a role as a Credit & Collections Analyst at Warner Bros., where he provided reporting support, negotiated disputes, and maintained client relationships. He also interned at NBCUniversal, supporting the Payroll team with various administrative and financial tasks.​

Hector holds a B.S. in Finance from California State University, Long Beach, and is certified in Microsoft Office Specialist – Excel & Access. His extensive experience, solid education, and technical expertise make him a valuable asset to any finance team.​

Manan Abdul Ahad

A computer engineer by training and a problem-solver at heart, Manan has helped businesses across a dozen industries adopt AI in a meaningful and responsible way.​
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Manan is a firm believer of achieving success through methodical processes that are replicable and scalable and therefore focuses not just on the ‘ends’ but also the ‘means’. Following this approach, Manan has led end-to-end software development lifecycles of complex AI software in domains including GenAI/ LLMs, Computer Vision and classical Machine Learning with precision.​
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Considering the fast-paced advancements in the AI space, Manan invariably focuses on “future-proofing” AI solutions by following intelligent architectural choices keeping in line with the ongoing trends and best practices. At a team level, he inculcates a culture of innovation and continuous learning by encouraging experimentation and close monitoring of technological trends and breakthroughs.​
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Across a professional career that spans over a decade, Manan has had the opportunity of working with multicultural teams of different shapes and sizes including startups and enterprises. He has built long-lasting relationships with colleagues and clients alike and attributes his professional success partly to the network he has built overtime.​
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At a personal level, Manan is a family man through and through and enjoys planning day-trips and outings whenever possible. He has a huge passion for sports – particularly soccer – something that he credits for shaping the resilience and leadership in him.​

Lucio Callegare​

A highly skilled Full-Stack engineer with a passion for AI, Lucio brings extensive experience in web development to each project.​​

Lucio has dedicated much of his career to building applications powered by AI, leveraging his proficiency in NodeJs, Python, React, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL databases. His technical expertise is complemented by a Systems Engineering degree, which has equipped him with a solid foundation in both theory and practical application.​​

Recently, Lucio has focused on creating innovative web solutions, solving complex problems, and optimizing performance. His approach is characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality results.​​

Outside of work, Lucio is an avid musician, playing both guitar and piano. He also enjoys watching soccer and playing video games, which he credits for keeping his problem-solving skills sharp and his creativity flowing.​

Daniel Townsend

A leading force in AI development, Daniel is one of the key accelerators of AI capability at Go Grow. Specializing in helping companies envision the possibilities of AI, Daniel excels in leading teams to bring these innovative visions to life. His expertise lies in scaling AI solutions across organizations, ensuring that visionary concepts are transformed into scalable, impactful realities.​​

Daniel’s professional journey has been marked by a commitment to advancing AI technology and its applications. His work is characterized by a deep understanding of AI principles, a strategic approach to implementation, and a passion for driving technological innovation. He is known for his ability to guide organizations through the complexities of AI adoption, creating robust frameworks that deliver tangible results.​

​Outside of his professional achievements, Daniel is dedicated to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of AI advancements. He enjoys mentoring emerging talents in the field and contributing to the broader AI community through knowledge sharing and collaboration.