OneTree Collaborations

Capital • Consulting • Culture

Darren Baer

Darren has a track record of bringing together stakeholders with diverse interests at all organizational levels; the foundation required to bring a vision to reality. Darren's unique background blends decades of experience in creating new businesses, strategic planning, corporate finance, and development of talent and culture. Darren's focus on client relationships delivers stronger returns and increased lifetime value for his clients.

During his career, Darren has been responsible for building four businesses from start up to maturity stage. A hands-on leader, he was actively involved in all aspects of the business from planning, market analysis, business requirements development, operational planning, profit and loss analysis and forecasting and strategy creation. He has also served in a CRO/CFO/CEO role in a number of companies as a turnaround consultant and crisis manager.

The experience gained in building those businesses and his subsequent training as an Executive Coach, have given Darren a broad understanding of the importance of the cultural dynamics of a company. Culture is often the hidden element that companies don't see when trying to understand performance related issues. Using a wide range of tools, Darren is able to help a company understand how its culture is impacting its results and to implement solutions to improve the cultural dynamic. This creates a foundation for sustainable change and financial results. 

James J Kellerk, CFA, FSA

Jim provides OneTree Collaborations’ clients with a wide breadth and rare combination of expertise: Financial Infrastructure build out, Operational and Processing Development and Execution, Private Equity, M&A, Business Development, Relationship Management, Capital Markets, Strategic Planning and Integration, Treasury Services and Management, Capital Markets and Fund Raising.

He is known among his global colleagues as the ‘go-to guy’ to build financial infrastructure, metrics and rhythm, understand and execute unique deal structures, solve complex global issues, and launch, lead and implement new and strategic initiatives exponentially improving success of clients and firm Enterprise Value.

Jim is a CFA charterholder (Chartered Financial Analyst) issued by the CFA Institute as well as a FSA credential holder (Fundamentals of Sustainable Accounting) issued by SASB – Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. He also holds the FMVA certification (Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst) issued by the Corporate Finance Institute. He is a certified Master Black Belt in Six Sigma methodology, Quality and Operations with driven by process improvement and redesign, metrics yielding economic benefit.

He is an insightful, analytical and responsive business partner with a proven track record of success. Jim is known as an innovative and persistent problem solver who thrives on challenges, displays grace under pressure and gets the job done for his clients. He's an organized and thorough planner, dealing effectively across all levels of organizations. Jim is accustomed to a fast pace and can manage clients’ multiple programs, fulfilling priorities and meeting deadlines while consistently providing value-added advice to grow the business while fulfilling customer needs and maximizing firm, shareholder and investor returns.

Over his career, he has worked in large global corporations managing at the corporate level as well as at the business unit maximizing unit performance.  Jim has also worked in private equity, led, early stage and mid-market financial services, technology, manufacturing, and all types of entities encompassing financial framework and operating rhythm, policies and procedures, strategic planning, revenue/product mix and cost analyses.  He has acted in capacity and held roles as CFO, CRO and implemented Sustainability practices.

Jim advances his clients goals through a combination of financial and operational insight and a full understanding of clients’ customers’ critical needs, companies’ operations and strategy enhancing enterprise value and yielding maximum returns all while incorporating company culture, community, sustainability factors for all stakeholders.

Collaborators in Chief