Move Fast and Innovate
Always Act as a Team
Premium Quality or Nothing
Work With and be The Best
Be Kind and Have Gratitude
Push the Limits of What's Possible
Beautiful Design is our Minimum Standard
Joe Welu is the Founder and CEO of Total Expert, a venture backed Software-as-a-Service technology company based in Minneapolis, MN. Total Expert currently serves 5 of the top 15 lenders in the nation and was recently recognized as Minnesota’s Most Promising Startup by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Prior to starting Total Expert in 2012, Joe co-founded and led one of the top-selling real estate teams in the U.S., achieving over $1 billion in sales volume.
Sue Woodard brings over 25 years of mortgage industry experience, strategic vision and leadership to her role as Chief Customer Officer. Her focus is on helping clients achieve greater productivity and long-term success. Sue started her career as a top originator, and then leveraged her knowledge to become a highly acclaimed industry speaker, subject matter expert and technology executive. In addition to having hosted a successful financial radio program and making guest appearances on CNBC, Sue has been awarded numerous industry honors, including the Mortgage Professional America HOT 100 list, the Housing Wire Vanguard Award, and the National Mortgage Professional Most Innovative Award. She also serves on the board of HOPE4Youth, a local non-profit working to end youth homelessness.
Chris Lyon joined in August 2017, and currently serves as Total Expert’s Chief Revenue Officer with over 22 years of experience in the enterprise software industry. Prior to joining Total Expert, Lyon served as Vice President of Healthcare and Vice President of Customer Sales & Renewals at Workday. While at Workday he also was tasked with building out sales operations and establishing new regional markets across North America. Before that, Lyon led in a variety of sales & presales roles with companies like PolyServe and PeopleSoft. Lyon holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management from the University of Minnesota.
Jeff Walton brings over 30 years experience in the mortgage industry to Total Expert’s leadership team. Prior to Total Expert, Walton led several national platforms, most notably being president and CEO of Bear Stearns Residential Mortgage, and president and CEO of National Residential Mortgage. His initial interactions with Total Expert was as one of the first clients, where he used earlier versions of the product across his sales teams. Prior to the official launch of the enterprise offering, Walton announced his role as the president of Total Expert, where he focuses on growth initiatives across all solutions.
Brian Walerius leads Total Expert's technology and product organizations, including software engineering, product management, and systems and security engineering. Brian joined Total Expert in November 2015 and his leadership and experience in enterprise technology has led to the quick expansion of Total Expert's acclaimed line of marketing, co-marketing, and sales products. He has been instrumental in growing the technology and product organization. Before Total Expert, Brian served as the director of software development for an industry leading power systems application company.
Before joining Total Expert in 2012, Bill Foster had 10 years of real estate brokerage management experience (brokerage sales over $100 million annually). Previously, Bill was VP of Operations for Tricord Systems through a successful IPO and secondary offering, which led to similar leadership positions in several follow-on start-ups. His career has been evenly divided between operations, and sales and marketing. A customer servant by nature, Bill also managed a software/ hardware support team of 82 people in delivering high-level technical support worldwide.
Heide Antholz brings 15+ years of innovative process, program management and professional services leadership to the Total Expert team. Prior to joining Total Expert, Heide was a key member of the leadership team with Maximum Solutions, a software start-up, building the business and providing support through a successful exit event. Before that Heide was the Vice President of Delivery Services at AMT Consumer Services, Inc.
NAMED 2017 TITAN OF TECHNOLOGY BY MINNEAPOLIS ST.PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL
Jeff has been a venture capitalist since 1997 and has focused on early-stage business technology companies throughout his career. Jeff began his professional career at McKinsey & Company, and then started his venture career at Crescendo Ventures. He co-founded Vesbridge Partners with Rally Venture Partner Zenas Hutcheson and has been a General Partner with El Dorado Ventures since 2008. Jeff also ran Sistina Software as CEO and has twice been the President of the Minnesota Venture Capital Association (MVCA).
Patrick joined Arthur Ventures in 2012 because he believes deeply in his partner James’ founding vision to build a sustaining firm outside of Silicon Valley that would work tirelessly to support founders for decades to come and be around a long time after we are gone. Patrick is a Partner at Arthur Ventures and has made numerous investments in Minneapolis and Midwest enterprise startup companies, including Ionic, LeadPages, Rhiza, Talkroute, Vidku and When I Work. Patrick’s successful background includes Microsoft (acquisitions & investments team) and Piper Jaffray (tech investment banking), with an education from Miami University.
SPORTSENGINE FOUND BUYER IN NBC SPORTS GROUP
BY MINNEAPOLIS ST.PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL
Justin Kaufenberg is Chief Executive Officer at SportsEngine, which he co-founded in 2008. Justin is responsible for setting the overall direction and product strategy for the company, as well as new growth initiatives. Justin holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics and marketing from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he graduated with honors and served as a captain of the UWEC Varsity Hockey Team