Gretchen Buhler Ventura, President, CEO, and Co-Founder
Gretchen and her partner Mary Goad-Olson founded TPG in 2005 with the vision of transforming how companies do business with IT firms.
Gretchen believes in cultivating a unique, responsive relationship with each client that puts their business needs first. Her strength is long-term vision and strategy, identifying how current needs will evolve and adopting agile solutions to meet them. Companies that work with her have come to regard Gretchen as a visionary, partner, and trusted advisor.
Prior to founding TPG, Gretchen acquired an impressive array of business and executive experience in general management, P&L, organic national expansion, IPO, M&A, and international expansion and management in the following positions:
- Division Head-Executive Vice-President, Advecta (Division of ProStaff)
- Vice-President Regional and International, Alternative Resources Corporation
- President and CEO, E-Praxis
- District General Manager, G.E./General Electric Information Services/GEIS
Her proven background in technology and leadership enables Gretchen to strike the right balance of tradition and innovation in developing scalable business solutions.
With her father still innovating and bringing to market technology products and services at age 81, Gretchen credits him with giving her the entrepreneurial bug. When not busy at work, Gretchen enjoys fitness pursuits, traveling, and following design trends. She has served on the board for MCAD, Children's Home Society, and Perspective Family Services, and currently volunteers at Free Arts Minnesota. She is also an active member of Entrepreneurs' Organization Minnesota.
Mary Goad-Olson, VP, Managing Partner, and Co-Founder
As co-founder and Vice President of TPG, Mary oversees the organization’s sales and day-to-day account management. Solution-driven, Mary’s strength is clear, ongoing communication with clients to meet their changing needs and ensure exemplary follow-up.
Before entering the executive arena, Mary began her professional career in advertising and sales. With her father’s gift for gab, and her love of people, she says it was a natural fit. She brings TPG over two decades of experience in the business, sales, and the technical field. Highlights of her career before founding TPG have included:
- 23 years experience in new business development, including 20 within the IT industry
- 15 years of sales leadership at Alternative Resources Corporation
- Ranked Top Senior Account Executive at Alternative Resources Corporation
Mary attributes her strong drive, ethics, and professionalism to her late father. As the second ‘son’ in a family of three girls and one boy, she worked with him to build two homes in her hometown of Carlton, Minnesota. From it, she learned the value of focus and hard work at an early age. Outside of the office, Mary enjoys traveling to the Virgin Islands, spending time with her family, and supporting children’s causes. Mary served as Vice-President of the Board for MOSA and is an active volunteer at Compassion International.