Who We Are
Lygase’s vision is to leverage the potential of radio frequency identification [RFID] into
practical applications that benefits business and communities. Our business model is
simple: (1) Provide the best available technological innovations to address the needs
of stakeholders in industries that can benefit from RFID technology (2) Partner with
organizations to implement best-in-class technology and service and (3) Don’t talk about
it…do it.
Lygase’ breakthrough technology solutions can be custom-tailored to specific
applications and require significantly less capital and operational costs than other
approaches. For us, the key to understanding real value in technology and innovation
includes looking at all of the opportunities and costs associated with a system: capital,
operations & maintenance, ecosystem impact and, both the opportunity and costs to the
system years into the future.
Leadership
Lygase is led by some of the most talented and dedicated people in the technology,
RFID and business analytics field. Coming to Lygase from different companies and
backgrounds, we share the unique vision of RFID and critical business intelligence
leading the way to business success.
Ketrus Collins
President and CEO
Ketrus Collins is founder and CEO of Lygase. Ketrus has always been a firm believer
in the disruptive possibilities of innovation at the intersection of business intelligence
and critical business processes to drive business value by efficiently and effectively
leveraging the use of data.
Ketrus developed the SmartShows™ application that allows key stakeholders in the
Shows industry (e.g., venue owners, show organizers, exhibitors and attendees) to
monitor the real-time and historical movement of people and assets within a convention
center’s exhibit trade-show floor. He sought the backing of investors and built the
current Lygase team.
Ketrus started his career as a data solutions architect with more than 12 years of
experience as a business analyst/data architect for mid and large-sized projects.
Over the years, he has been responsible for creating technical BI and DW design
specifications from business and technical requirements. He then built a business
practice where he implemented customized, flexible and cost-effective data solutions
for some of the top industry giants in U.S economy, including Fannie Mae, TransUnion,
CitiGroup, Kroger, Walgreens, and U.S. Cellular.
Ketrus holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from DePaul
University. He also holds RFID Certification through CompTia and completed Abinitio
Training through the Abinitio Headquarters.
Vaughn R. Dietze
Vice President Sales
Vaughn is a veteran of the hospitality, travel, convention, trade show and
meeting planning industries, having worked extensively through a variety of
businesses since 1976. As president and founder of Dietze Enterprises, Inc.,
Vaughn was the first lead retrieval services provider to enter the trade show
market, offering affordable and technologically advanced systems for accurate,
efficient event registration, session tracking and lead retrieval.
He has played a pivotal role in new product conceptualization and development,
often bringing the latest technology to the market long before his competitors.
Vaughn brings extensive experience in providing cuttingedge lead retrieval,
session tracking and access control concepts and products using 1D and 2D bar
codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and lead retrieval apps for
smart phones and is frequently consulted by both vendors to the trade show
industry as well as event planners.
In 2005, Dietze Enterprises won the Innovation Award from Tradeshow Executive
magazine for adapting RFID technology into a cost-effective registration system
for trade show organizers, exhibitors and attendees. One year earlier Dietze
received one of two honorable mentions at the annual Technology Watch
competition sponsored by Exhibition for the Incentive, Business, Travel and
Meeting Industry (EIBTM) Worldwide. More recently, Dietze was recognized by RFID
Journal Live for its trademarked RFBadge, an innovative turnkey system that uses
RFID technology to facilitate the collection of attendee information through
radio waves.
Vaughn also serves as President and Founder of Lead Retrieval International, a
full-service provider of lead retrieval, session tracking, access control and
realtime tracking technology products for the event industry.
Christy Higgins
Director of Sales
Christy Higgins, Director of Sales, joined Lygase Consulting, LLC in March 2010 and is responsible for business development & marketing activities of the company. Christy holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's of Science degree in Business Information Technology from Walsh College in Troy Michigan. Christy's additional credentials include the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institute, and the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID+) certification from CompTIA.
Christy was previously with an automotive trade association in Southfield, Michigan where she was involved in automotive supply chain projects utilizing RFID. “I found RFID and its infinite possibilities fascinating and dug into projects where I could help the automotive industry adopt RFID for applications within the supply chain.” Prior to that, Christy served in various support roles with a global telecommunications company for over 10 years, five years spent as a Project Manager leading cross-functional teams through the SDLC of many technical projects.
Christy currently resides in southeastern Michigan and has a son, Joel who is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Nusreth Baig
Chief Operating Officer
Nusreth Baig joined Lygase in 2009. He leads the operations and contributes to the
business development and strategy of the company. Prior to joining Lygase, Nusreth's
worked for notable companies including Mobil, Baxter and Fair Isaac and smaller
companies such as Valtera and OWP/P Canon Design Architects.
As a software architect with more than 11 years of experience, he has developed
technical solutions in many industries. At Fair Isaac, Nusreth led and delivered on the
major implementation of their rule management software then served as lead architect
in implementing solutions for their clients Dell, Hyundai, and Abbott. At OWP/P, he was
the practice leader for clients that include the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, Discover
Financial Services, Waste Management and Banner Healthcare.
Nusreth delivers successful solutions by thoroughly understanding clients’ needs, the
industry space the client is in, and their preference for doing business. By putting the
clients’ needs and “pain-points” first and technology second, he artistically delivers a
solution that exceeds his client’s expectations. Nusreth holds a Bachelors in Computer
Science from DePaul University In Chicago and is also a Brainbench and Microsoft
Certified Professional.
John Donovan
Chief Financial Officer
John Donovan is a credentialed financial executive equipped with over 15 years of comprehensive experience spanning operations, planning, managerial accounting, general ledger, accounts receivable/payable, forecasting, reporting, and compliance. A former CFO of a German-owned entity, he has extensive background in financial analysis, Profit/Loss management, planning, budgeting, GAAP/IFRS/SOX, internal and DCAA audits, working capital management reporting, contract negotiation/administration, financial system design/implementation enhancement, inventory control and manufacturing/supply chain. John is a CPA based in the Chicago area and holds a BS degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University.
Phil Dillard
Chief Marketing Officer, Strategist
Phil Dillard is a strategy and operations professional with over 19 years of experience in leadership, management and execution. A Philadelphia native, now living in San Francisco, spent nearly 7 years on active duty with the US Navy. After completing his MBA at the University of Chicago, Phil spent the past 12 years developing his expertise in business strategy, relationship development and operational execution. He has held positions or completed consulting projects in strategy development, strategic planning, P&L management, business process analysis and design, value proposition clarification, best practice identification, collaboration and implementation, and realization of identified operational efficiencies and cost savings. With 3 years experience in running a P&L for a manufacturing company and over 6 years of experience as a management consultant, Phil has experience in multiple industries, is comfortable in diverse environments and is poised amongst C-level executives and senior management. A proven leader with entrepreneurial mindset focused on growth, Phil uses his talents in idea generation and motivation of individuals to push organizations to new heights. To manage organizations towards sustainable improvement, Phil successfully sets goals, develops policies, procedures and programs to solve problems with measurable results. Phil is also an adjunct professor teaching a management course to MBA students at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Passionate about technology, education, environmental and veteran's issues, Phil is always active in community service and philanthropic endeavors. While at Schwab, he was the National Chair of the Military VeteranÕs Network at Charles Schwab, a leader in the Black Professionals Association at Charles Schwab. Phil was also a former member of the American Legion and the National Eagle Scout Association, and a founding member of the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business Black Alumni Club. While in the Chicago area, Phil found time to support several charities supporting the health, welfare, education and development of children. Such charities supported include the Variety Club Children's Charity, the Starlight Starbright Children's Charity, the Cabrini Connections mentoring program and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. Since moving to the bay area, Phil has become connected with local San Francisco charities that enhance youth education, financial fitness and personal development.
Recent Speaking Engagements
- Charles Schwab & Co
- University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
- Networking Strategy
- Career Development and Re-Invention
- National Black MBA Association
- Networking and Social Media Strategies
- Career Maintenance and Advancement
David F. Bird
Business Development
David is currently an angel investor and business consultant to early stage technology companies with extensive experience in fund raising, strategic planning and business development for start-up companies with high growth potential. Graduated with a MBA for Notre Dame. Some career highlights include:
- Advisor to the Midwest Renaissance Fund, a Chicago venture capital fund in formation that will target investments in the Midwest in the cleantech, information technology, software as a service, financial services, healthcare services and consumer packaged goods sectors
- Fund raising and business development for AlphaGen, an early stage company using nanotechnology to solve the world's infrastructure problems. AlphaGen's product Cerarmix™
extends the useful lives of products made from fiberglass reinforced polymers (FRP), concrete and metals.
- Fund raising for Lightwaves, an early stage company using patented technology to deliver inexpensive, high speed solutions for broadband, RFID and location based services.
- Assisted a startup company in obtaining a Department of Energy grant to develop high value crop traits and biofuels using innovative, proprietary plant genome modification techniques.
Troy Durst
Business Development
Troy is CEO of Team Durst, LLC, a boutique business development and investment firm that harvests and mentors entrepreneurial talent in the design, film & music, technology and thought leadership arenas. Leveraging his broad experiences, he has been a catalyst as co-founder, investor and advisor to early stage companies, with active interests in the U.S., Barcelona, Munich, London and Barbados. Troy is currently working with Lygase on business development and strategy.
Prior to forming Team Durst, LLC, Troy spent 24 years with Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI), the world's leading owner and operator of showroom buildings and trade show facilities and one of the largest producers of trade and consumer shows in North America, as an executive in the trade & consumer show division. Accountable for the operational execution of MMPI's annual 20+ show and 250+ event portfolio, he produced high profile shows such as the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, NeoCon World's Trade Fair portfolio and other industry leading shows in the apparel, casual, antiques, design, art and gift & home markets throughout North America. He has also developed and managed in excess of 500,000+ net square feet of Market Suites exhibit facilities in Chicago, High Point, NC and Los Angeles, which welcome and serve the needs of 6000 exhibitors annually.
Troy brings to Lygase a unique 360o show experience, having worked within every facet of Òshow businessÓ in the vertically integrated MMPI business model.
Troy served in the U.S. Army, holds an M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and is a director of several private companies.
Jill Hebert
Advisor
Jill Hebert is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Matrex Exhibits, Inc., headquartered in Addison, Illinois. She began her trade show industry career in 1979, holding a variety of positions in engineering, client services and sales. In 1987, Hebert started Matrex with a $20,000 home equity loan. Today Matrex designs, fabricates and manages custom trade show exhibits, multi-media presentations and interactive, metric-driven “edutainment” products. Matrex has annual revenues of $19 million, employs over fifty people nationwide and is the largest 100% woman-owned, WBENC- certified exhibit company in the U.S.
As CEO, Jill oversees all financing, corporate strategy, and new product development. As a result of Hebert's efforts, Matrex clientele includes leading companies such as Astellas, Wrigley, Bosch Power Tools, Case New Holland and Stryker Medical, among others. For more than 20 years Matrex has maintained a new business closing ratio of 62% to 64% versus an industry average of 25% to 33%. Under Hebert's leadership Matrex has sustained an average annual growth rate of nearly 20%.
Hebert has been recognized by Ernst & Young as a finalist for its Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Western Michigan in 2005, 2006 & 2007. Matrex was listed in Crain's Chicago Business as one of the Top 30 Woman-Owned Businesses in 2006. Hebert has received the Trade Show Exhibitor Association's Focus Award and Exhibitor magazine's Sizzle Award for her marketing efforts and contribution to the industry. A champion of entrepreneurship, Hebert has been a guest speaker on panels at DePaul University's Coleman Entrepreneur Center and the Foster School of Business, University of Washington.
Hebert has a passion for mentoring emerging entrepreneurs through associations such as the National Association of Woman Business Owners and DePaul University. She is a member of the Committee of 200 and Vistage, and serves on the board of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, DePaul University.