The Software Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Software Leaders of New Jersey for 2022. This year’s awardees are some of the most experienced and effective leaders in the software industry in the state of New Jersey. They are helping their companies transform the industry, propelling it constantly forward, and their customers are reaping the benefits.
Through a combination of steady leadership with strategic innovation and risk taking, they are providing their customers with invaluable tools to increase their productivity, efficiency, and profitability and stay ahead of the competition.
The awardees on this year’s list lead companies that operate in a variety of categories within the software industry, from app development to securities finance, targeted advertising, human resources management, and much more. They were selected for inclusion based on a comprehensive evaluation process which takes into account product quality, company growth, management and culture, and market impact, among other factors. Please join us in recognizing and celebrating The Top 25 Software Leaders of New Jersey for 2022.
1. Sujata Varma
Company: Diverse Lynx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Sujata Varma is the Chief Executive Officer of Diverse Lynx, a WBENC and NMSDC certified company helping its clients with their diversity spending on staffing or contingent workforce services. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, Diverse Lynx’s more than 2,000 associates help clients around the globe with specialties across technology, healthcare, life sciences, aerospace, automotive, energy, pharmaceuticals, retail, telecom, manufacturing, and engineering domains. Its presence in the U.S., Canada, and India helps it support clients in IT, non-IT, healthcare, and hospital and clinical hiring around the world.
Varma is a visionary and team-orientated business executive, with global experience in information technology, talent acquisition, consulting services, and vendor management. She first joined Diverse Lynx in 2002 and earned an MA in sociology from the University of Allahabad.
2. Dean Guida
Company: Infragistics
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Dean Guida is the Chief Executive Officer of Infragistics, a worldwide leader in providing tools to accelerate application design and development. More than two million developers already use Infragistics’ enterprise-ready UX and UI toolkits to rapidly prototype and build beautiful applications. Indigo design App Builder takes the process further, combining Design & Dev collaboration on a single platform. With its newest Reveal and Slingshot, Infragistics gives business users the latest advancements in self-service business intelligence and digital workplaces. The company’s passion for craftsmanship comes from the desire to deliver simple and beautiful experiences that drive productivity across digital product teams, and that enable data-driven, high-performing teams across entire organizations.
Guida has 33 years of experience in the software development industry. Before joining Infragistics, Guida was a CEO at ProtoView Development Corporation. He graduated from the University of Miami with undergraduate degrees in systems analysis and business.
3. Armeet Sandhu
Company: Stonewain
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Armeet Sandhu began his professional career 28 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Stonewain Systems, Inc. Stonewain provides world class software and solutions for the securities finance industry. It believes that this market is ready for a comprehensive, fully integrated solution that combines a high level of industry specific functionality with leading edge technology and automation to deliver the greatest operational efficiencies to clients.
Sandhu first got his start in 1994 as an EVP of business strategy at Rivenet. From there, he went on to Metropolitan West, before eventually rising to managing director at Scotia Capital, his most recent position prior to joining Stonewain. He earned an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
4. Sree Velicheti
Company: EXP
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Sree Velicheti is the Chief Executive Officer of EXP. He first joined the company in 2002. EXP provides complete, scalable solutions that are intuitive, collaborative, cost effective, and rapidly implemented. The company’s customers realize substantial cost savings through decreased incident rates, strategic training, automated processes, and risk management. EXP solutions include management systems for safety, health, environment, quality, audits, documentation, change, supply chain, training, and action items. Its powerful enterprise reporting and dashboard features allow their customers to strategically target and prioritize their compliance efforts. Leading multinational companies have chosen EXP as their global partner in compliance management to help them achieve their most aggressive goals in health, safety, environment, and quality.
Previously, Velicheti was a CEO at GeoPeak Energy LLC, and before that an SSHE at National Starch & Chemical Co. Earlier in his career, he worked with CDM as a project engineer. Velicheti earned a master of science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University.
5. John Cioffi
Company: DesignPoint Solutions
Title: Chief Executive Officer
John Cioffi is the Chief Executive Officer of DesignPoint Solutions, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic’s number one source for SolidWorks software, SolidWorks CAD training, and 3D Systems rapid prototyping/3D printers. It provides its customers with complete solutions for product design, engineering, and manufacturing. With a qualified team of experienced professionals, DesignPoint Solutions offers comprehensive sales, support, and training for the full line of both SolidWorks 3D design products and 3D Systems rapid prototyping/3D printers. DesignPoint delivers the highest level of customer satisfaction by helping its clients optimize product development processes and business results.
Cioffi has 32 years of experience in the software development industry. He began his career in 1990. Before joining DesignPoint Solutions, he was a sales manager at Engelhard Corporation. Earlier in his career, he worked with Washington Group as a project engineer. He graduated from Villanova University with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering.
6. Korey Lind
Company: Third Wave Business
Title: Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Korey Lind began her professional career 44 years ago. Today, she is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Third Wave Business Systems. Third Wave specializes in the implementation of business management systems to provide small and mid-sized enterprises with the solutions to streamline operations, automate processes, boost productivity, and reduce costs. Founded in 1993, Third Wave focuses on solutions based on SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics GP. Third Wave is also a leading developer of SAP Certified solutions that extend the power of the SAP Business One platform. From managing prospects to shipping orders, the company offers a one-stop shop for SAP Business One users.
Lind first got her start in 1978 as a sales representative at Burrough Corporation. From there, she went on to McCormick & Dodge, before eventually rising to senior manager of practice development at Price Waterhouse, her most recent position prior to joining Third Wave Business. Lind graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater with an MBS in marketing.
7. Jennifer Jolley
Company: PDHI
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer Jolley is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PDHI, which develops and distributes the ConXus Platform for delivering wellness and health management programs. Jolley founded the company in 1997. Wellness providers, health systems, health plans, and large employers license the ConXus Platform to deliver comprehensive private-label wellness programs. Solutions are delivered using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model that allows rapid deployment and access to capacity based on need. Clients can configure modules to match program design for each end client or workplace.
Previously, Jolley co-founded and was COO of DLB Systems Inc. She earned a master's in materials science and an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Cambridge.
8. David Giannetto
Company: WorkWave
Title: Chief Executive Officer
David F. Giannetto is the CEO of WorkWave, where he is focused on creating a strong organization of employees who understand customer needs, and who are passionate and empowered to help customers grow and succeed. WorkWave delivers iconic, industry-leading software brands that help its global customer base of field service providers grow their business, service their customers, and maximize their money. Under Giannetto’s leadership, WorkWave has experienced exponential growth, most recently achieving an impressive 195% total year-over-year revenue growth, as he spearheaded multiple industry-changing acquisitions that expanded WorkWave’s leadership and innovations across industry verticals.
During this time, WorkWave has also become one of the leading fintech software companies, rising to become one of the largest and most progressive payment facilitators offering embedded financial solutions and instruments to its customers in the United States. Giannetto's goal is to continue to lead the company toward a new business model indicative of how SaaS software companies will operate in the future, combining the strength of their mission-critical software-driven customer relationship with the power of financial services, so that WorkWave's customers can collectively benefit in greater ways than they could have individually.
Giannetto has nearly 25 years of experience leading international organizations focused on the deployment and usage of enterprise-level technology to drive business results. Prior to working in service, he was CEO of The Telos Group and the EPM practice lead at J.H. Cohn (CohnReznick), an operational leader for Airborne Express and an Officer in the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of Rutgers' EMBA program, has authored three books, and is a respected speaker and columnist. Additionally, he has won awards as a wildlife photographer and a Delaware river decoy carver. He resides in NJ.
9. Dave Downey
Company: INVIDI
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Dave Downey began his professional career 38 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer of INVIDI. INVIDI provides cable, satellite, and IPTV operators the opportunity to position their services as the most comprehensive source available for targeted television advertising and promotion. INVIDI’s powerful suite of advanced tools enables operators to selectively target television viewers with the same pinpoint accuracy as direct mail and database marketing without compromising viewer privacy, thereby enhancing existing revenue streams. INVIDI was founded in 2000 to resolve the growing disparity between pay television’s greater share of television viewership and its disproportionately smaller share of advertising revenue.
Downey first got his start in 1984 as SVP of market development at Triax Communications Inc. He graduated from the University of LaVerne with a degree in radio and television.
10. Arthur Pereless
Company: Pereless
Title: Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer
In 2000, Arthur Pereless founded and is now the President and Chief Executive Officer of Pereless Systems. Pereless is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) solution for HR professionals and recruiters. The company pioneered the transition to paperless automation, providing businesses the organizational and management tools needed during the entire life cycle of recruitment. The company's vision is to develop an innovative, web-based software that not only performs essential tasks but is affordable without sacrificing quality. Pereless earned a graduate degree in business administration from Mount St. Mary's University.
11. Howard Klein
Company: IMM
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Howard Klein is the Chief Operating Officer of IMM, the leading source of eSignature and eTransaction management solutions exclusively for banks and credit unions. With a 25-year history of successfully providing eSignature solutions to over 1,500 financial institutions, IMM can help any bank or credit union enhance the consumer experience, streamline process efficiencies, and reduce operating costs. The digital dream is now a reality with IMMeSign.
Klein has 20 years of experience in the software development industry. Before joining IMM, he was a manager of quality assurance at Integrated Media Management. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in psychology.
12. Kal Patel
Company: Decusoft
Title: Chief Technology Officer
Kal Patel began his professional career 26 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Technology Officer of Decusoft. Decusoft provides comprehensive compensation and performance management software that helps leading organizations deliver world-class employee experiences, drive engagement, and bolster recognition programs. Decusoft delivers compensation management software and DEI analytics that enables companies to operationalize their data, with insightful and actionable information that executives, managers, or administrators need to consistently attract and retain leading talent. Decusoft is a SaaS company that takes the “Service” part to heart to provide the best-in-class service and support experiences to its clients worldwide.
Patel first got his start in 1996 as an application developer at International Specialty Products. He earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from Rutgers University.
13. Sujee Saparamadu
Company: OrangeHRM
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
In 2006, Sujee Saparamadu co-founded and is now the Chief Executive Officer of OrangeHRM, which provides a world-class HRIS experience and “offers everything you and your team need to be that HR hero you know that you are.” Whether its customers are trying to track PTO or hold performance reviews, they get all of the tools they need to shine. Thousands of businesses around the world are benefitting from OrangeHRM as their HR Management software. At OrangeHRM, the goal is to help HR do amazing work that they love. HR for All isn’t just a statement at OrangeHRM, it’s a stance that the company took when it was founded to help its HR allies make a difference with powerful software tools.
Previously, Saparamadu was a team leader and senior software engineer at Morgan Stanley, and before that a director and application developer at hSenid Software International. Earlier in his career, he worked with LaserData as a technical support engineer. Saparamadu earned a master’s in information systems from Boston University and an undergraduate degree from the University of New Haven.
14. Bhargava Chittamuri
Company: eureQa
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Bhargava Chittamuri is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of eureQa, the Digital Assurance Platform purpose-built for testing digital applications. With eureQa, companies can be confident that their users are getting the best experience on their digital applications while making sure their staff is not overwhelmed by the volume of testing. eureQa provides end-to-end testing for applications with customizable workflows, content, and data. With AI to accelerate automation, machine learning to power self-healing, and resilient tests with automatic root cause analysis, eureQa enables teams to stay ahead of testing demands. Running functional, API, performance, and compatibility tests on a unified platform helps companies deliver digital experiences with confidence.
Chittamuri has 23 years of experience in the software development industry. Before joining eureQa, Chittamuri was a project manager and senior business analyst at Quanta Insurance, and before that a senior business analyst at Arch Insurance. Earlier in his career, he worked with Telcordia Technologies as a senior software engineer. Chittamuri graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a master’s in computer science and from Andhra University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering.
15. Pam Brittingham
Company: BSDI
Title: Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Business Development
Pam Brittingham began her professional career 31 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Business Development at BSDI. An award-winning leader in health promotion technology located in Califon, NJ, BSDI takes pride in its 25 years of experience producing feature rich, flexible technologies that cultivate daily lifestyle habits to improve population health. The company’s comprehensive and highly configurable health promotion portal, Motivation Alliance, gives its customers the power to make positive change and something beyond a one-size-fits all approach to wellness programming.
Brittingham earned an undergraduate degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Delaware.
16. Matt Patel
Company: Malbek
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer
In 2017, Matt Patel co-founded and is now the Chief Operating Officer of Malbek. Malbek is today’s most modern, cutting-edge CLM solution with a proprietary AI core that empowers the enterprise to do more with less. By supporting the growing contract demands of the entire organization, including Legal, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and other critical business units, Malbek’s CLM solution delights every user. Malbek provides end-to-end contract management with out-of-the-box integration with popular business applications, like Salesforce, Workday, Slack, Office 365, and others, allowing contract data to flow seamlessly while dramatically reducing cycle times.
Previously, Patel was a director of product management and contract management solutions at Revitas, and before that a manager at Deloitte Consulting. Earlier in his career, he worked with CGI (American Management Systems) as an analyst. He earned an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering from Rutgers University.
17. Robert Cichielo
Company: etherFAX
Title: Chief Technology Officer
Robert Cichielo is the Chief Technology Officer of etherFAX, which offers a secure document delivery platform and suite of applications widely used across a broad range of industries to digitize workflows and optimize business processes. As a leading provider of hybrid-cloud fax solutions supporting healthcare enterprises, etherFAX securely transmits protected health information and high-resolution, color documents directly to applications and devices with end-to-end encryption and ultra-fast transmission speeds.
Cichielo has 33 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Before joining etherFAX, Cichielo got his start as CTO at Optus Software, Inc., after which he took the role of managing director for InStep Group LLC. He earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Stevens Institute of Technology.
18. Eran Heyman
Company: Ericom
Title: Founder, Chairman, and Chief Architect
Eran Heyman began his professional career 36 years ago. Today, he is the Chairman and Chief Architect of Ericom, a company which he founded. Ericom Software is a leading provider of Zero Trust secure access solutions that protect organizations from advanced cybersecurity threats. Leveraging innovative isolation capabilities and multiple secure remote access technologies, Ericom solutions enable simple, secure, policy-driven access to mission-critical cloud and on-premises business systems and resources, including the public internet, without impacting end-user productivity. Thousands of companies rely on Ericom’s platform of remote access, secure connectivity, isolation, mobility, and virtualization technologies to enhance their cybersecurity and productivity while reducing complexity and cost.
Heyman first got his start in 1986 as a software engineer with the Israeli Air Force and was later a consultant for IBM. He left IBM in 1993 to become Chairman and CEO of Ericom, and held the role of CEO until he stepped down in 2015 after more than 21 years at the helm. He earned an undergraduate degree from Tel Aviv University.
19. Michael Bonner
Company: GovPilot
Title: Founder and Chief Executive Officer
In 2015, Michael Bonner founded and is now the Chief Executive Officer of GovPilot. GovPilot’s cloud-based platform was built with the sole purpose of enabling local governments to operate at their full potential by standardizing, digitizing, and unifying more than 100 operational and constituent service processes on one system. By providing a product catalog of digitized processes developed with the input of subject matter experts and real-world users, GovPilot serves as a repository of best-practices and is the Gold Standard in efficiency, productivity, and security for local governments. It has been named a GovTech100 company for five consecutive years and is the leader in digital transformation for local governments. Bonner studied business at Union County College in New Jersey.
20. Isaac Goldman
Company: Vertican
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Isaac Goldman is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertican, which provides the collection industry with best-in-class technology, making operations more efficient, compliant, and profitable. Solutions include: Collection-Master, Q-LawE, vMedia, YGC Solutions, vExchange, and Vertiply. With more than 40 years of experience, our knowledgeable support staff and comprehensive software packages will automate and streamline your collections cycle from beginning to end.
Goldman has 12 years of experience in the software development industry. Before joining Vertican, he was COO of Commercial Legal Software, Inc. He graduated from The New School with an undergraduate degree in philosophy.
21. David Mead
Company: QorusDocs
Title: Senior Vice President of Global Business Development
David Mead began his professional career 36 years ago. Today, he is the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development of QorusDocs. QorusDocs is an award-winning proposal management and RFP response software company that is passionate about its clients and partners. Its smart solution is intuitive and easy-to-adopt, enabling customers to create personalized, professional-looking documents directly from familiar Microsoft Office apps and popular CRM systems. With QorusDocs, customers’ RFP, RFI, and RFQ responses, pitches, presentations, security questionnaires, and SOWs will be created from a single source of truth and completed in minutes or hours instead of days.
Mead first got his start in 1986 as a senior systems analyst at AT&T. From there, he went on to Vermilion Software as SVP, North America. Mead graduated from King’s College with a degree in information systems.
22. Christopher Charlton
Company: Bottomline
Title: Vice President
Christopher Charlton is the Vice President of Customer Success at Bottomline. He first joined the company in 2008. Bottomline makes complex business payments simple, smart, and secure. Corporations and banks rely on Bottomline for domestic and international payments, efficient cash management, automated workflows for payment processing and bill review, state of the art fraud detection, behavioral analytics, and regulatory compliance solutions. Thousands of corporations around the world benefit from Bottomline solutions. Headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Bottomline serves customers via its offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Previously, Charlton was a claims delivery senior manager at DXC Technology, and before that, a claims product manager at Accenture. Earlier in his career, he worked with Legalgard, Inc. as a senior business analyst. Charlton graduated with an undergraduate degree from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
23. Joshua Coltenback
Company: Future Skies
Title: Vice President
Joshua Coltenback is Vice President at Future Skies, which delivers innovative technology solutions to federal and commercial customers. They have a strong reputation for providing high quality software capabilities, iterative development, and integration in the areas of information management, data exchange, and interoperability. They integrate the capabilities of several warfighter systems, providing flexible and scalable solutions in a net-centric environment. They are experts in providing interoperability solutions for the complex and constantly changing battlefield.
Coltenback has 24 years of experience in the defense and space manufacturing industry. Before joining Future Skies, he was a project manager and cost estimator at H&E Equipment Corp., and before that a software engineer at Lucent. Earlier in his career, he worked with Madge Networks as a software and test engineer. Coltenback earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from Ocean County College.
24. Yvonne Shimshock
Company: DeltaSoft
Title: Vice President
Yvonne Shimshock began her professional career 26 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President of DeltaSoft, which provides next generation software and expert services for research scientists. DeltaSoft’s ChemCart suite of products offers readymade solutions, a vendor-neutral integration platform, and user-configurable workflows. With extensive knowledge of informatics direction as well as a thorough understanding of scientific processes, DeltaSoft has facilitated better decision making and streamlined operations at both small and large pharmaceutical, biotech, agrochemical, and chemical R&D sectors since 1996.
Shimshock first got her start in 1996 as a team leader and senior scientist at Pharmacopeia. From there, she went on to Accelrys as a manager and senior application scientist. Shimshock graduated from the University of Maryland with a PhD in organic chemistry and from Penn State University with an undergraduate degree in chemistry.
25. Helene Cole
Company: WEX
Title: Vice President, Financial Institution Market
Helene Cole is the Vice President, Financial Institution Market at WEX. She first joined the company in 2012. WEX is the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business. WEX has created a powerful ecosystem that offers seamlessly embedded, personalized solutions for its customers around the world. Through its rich data and specialized expertise in simplifying benefits, reimagining mobility, and paying and getting paid, WEX aims to make it easy for companies to overcome complexity and reach their full potential.
Previously, Cole was a vice president at CGS, and before that a partner at Foliodev. Earlier in her career, she worked with L'Oreal as a director of administration. She earned a master of business administration in finance from Rutgers University—Newark.
