Kim Kovalski

Finance & Operations Executive, Business Strategist, & Entrepreneur

Farmington, Connecticut

Overview 

Kim Kovalski is a Finance & Operations Executive with a background in strategic planning, financial analysis, and executive management. Currently serving as Managing Director at MarshBerry, she has held leadership roles at various companies including Bikelane Solutions and Karelia, showcasing expertise in business development and operations management.

Work Experience 

  • Managing Director

    2021 - Current

    MarshBerry – Helping Clients Learn, Improve & Realize Value Founded in 1981, MarshBerry serves the insurance distribution and wealth management industry including insurance agents & brokers, specialty distributors, private equity firms, and wealth management firms. MarshBerry’s industry-specific services help clients build, enhance and sustain value through: Merger & Acquisition Advisory*, Debt & Equity Capital Raising, Financial Consulting, Market Intelligence & Benchmarking, Organic Growth Consulting, Connect – Executive Peer Exchange, and Platform Aggregation. Learn more at www.MarshBerry.com Investment banking services offered by MarshBerry Capital Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC, and an affiliate of Marsh, Berry & Co., Inc.

  • Chief Executive Officer

    2014 - 2019

    Bikelane’s story begins and ends with local businesses. They hold communities together, represent about 50% of our nation's GDP, and as group, they’re driven, innovative and smart. We love that. That's why we've developed solutions for the challenges that local business owners really want help with or could be getting more value from: hiring, revenue building, and insurance. The Bikelane Team, a group of customer-focus obsessives who also happen to be experts in technology, hiring, social media and insurance, have developed some fairly spectacular solutions. With the right amount of smart technology and people power, these solutions are transforming the way local business owners spend their time and resources. Our mission is to champion, empower and keep the courageous business owners on the path to greatness! www.bikelanesolutions.com

  • Co-Founder / Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer

    2012 - 2013

    This company was acquired and incubated by Ovation in 2010 as part of a strategy to capitalize on the growing need among companies to actively participate in improving the health of their employees, in part due to changes driven by healthcare reform. It was spun out from Ovation in 2012. In my role as COO and CFO I provided vision, strategy and leadership for all aspects of the company’s growth. This included driving product development, pricing, sales, distribution, marketing, technology and operations, as well as overseeing all financial activities. I also oversaw customer implementation, vendor relationships, recruitment of clinical staff, outcomes measurement and reporting, customer experience, and compliance, always fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. We ramped up sales and client base rapidly with minimal resources, created a seven-figure recurring revenue stream, delivered and maintained high level of client retention, and achieved an employee participation rate nearly twice the industry average.

  • Senior Executive and Director

    2008 - 2013

    Ovation is a holding company comprised of two businesses, Ovation Benefits Group, one of the largest employee benefits brokerage firms in the country controlling over $200M of premiums, and Karelia, a disease management company focused on working directly with companies on improving the health of their employees. I held concurrent roles with each of its two operating companies.

  • Chief Financial Officer and Director

    2008 - 2013

    This company had hyper-growth but like many fast-accelerating companies had not focused on operational and financial structure and discipline, market strategy, systems, processes, nor metrics to inform strategy or management. I was brought in as an advisor to bolster financial strength and quickly transitioned into a full time role to lead the broader business. I provided short and long term business planning and strategies, instilled discipline and leadership accountability, budgeting, tactical planning, measurement and reporting tools, compensation design and cultural agility. We drove profitable corporate growth through acquisition, capitalization, business development, compliance, compensation and financial initiatives. We were successful in lowering expenses while maintaining all KPI’s, significantly increasing EBITDA, developing new capabilities, deepening client relationships and achieving industry-leading retention rates. We also strengthened corporate and operational stability, increased talent retention, and built financial strategies to increase corporate value and to drive expansion.

  • Principal

    1997 - 2008

    I was recruited to this $600M specialty-focused investment firm with a “smart money” purchasing strategy for closely held companies as a junior professional and was promoted through virtually every position, ultimately given full responsibility and accountability for sourcing investments, leading due diligence, negotiating and closing deals, overseeing the portfolio company and eventual liquidation. I guided portfolio company executives through public and private equity offerings as well as acquisition and divestitures. I led a staff of ten, while providing strategic guidance as director and investor in as many as 20 portfolio companies. I built a portfolio of investments, some generating triple multi-million-dollar returns, as well as participated in fund raising, contributing to the successful attainment of $300M in investment capital. I was also successful in securing debt facility as part of a capitalization while interim CFO. At another point I was brought in to turn around two at-risk portfolio companies and recoup principle and bolster their rates of return.

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