Confoe

General management of SaaS/Services/Smartsheet/Consulting firm.  Manage P&L and strategic business planning. Oversee product development and partner programs.

President & COO |  Consultant | GM |  Sales | PMO | Semiconductor

Established Confoe's consulting practice.  Developed/continuously evolved the product portfolio.  Ran Confoe Sales, Operations, and Service. Established software partner/re-seller/system integrator relationships with key technology partners: Software AG, Progress Software, Savvion, ServiceMax, Smartsheet

GM | COO | Consultant | Field Service/Supply Chain/Operations | Fortune 50 to SMB

Directly led client programs as (contract) VP of PMO/Project Director/Project Manager.
Clients include:  Dell, Intel, AMAT, Whole Foods Market, McKesson, Tokyo Electron America, KLA-Tencor, ASM, Novellus, Lam Research, Spansion

COO |  CIO | Software/Construction/Supply Chain | Fortune 50 to SMB

Smarter Operations

Host of the Smarter Operations blog and YouTube channel.
Sharing my passion for Smartsheet and the business results it brings. 

Business savvy, independent best practices delivered via webinars, live streams, video posts, templates, and training.

Smartsheet Evangelist | Smartsheet Solutions Consultant

Forbes Business Development Council

Forbes Business Development Council is an invitation-only community for senior-level sales and
business development executives.

I've appeared 80+ times as a contributor to Forbes Expert Panels

Forbes Contributor-Forbes Expert Panel: Business Development | Sales | COO | Consultant

Sevan Multi-Site Solutions

Confoe contract to develop an open-source document-sharing solution to support multi-site construction projects.  Technologies included: Windows Server, VMWare, Alfresco, Apache Tomcat, FTP. PMIS Components: Smartsheet, MS Project, MS Office 365; SharePoint, TeamViewer

Director Of Information Technology | IT PMO |

Progress

I became a channel partner with Progress Software after they acquired Savvion to create their new Responsive Process Management (RPM) Solution. I joined the Progress Sales team to sell RPM to Confoe clients, selling and winning a $5M+ software and services deal (beating incumbent Oracle).  

I then led an agile team to develop and deploy the RPM Solution (on premise ERP). This RPM suite combined Savvion Business Process Management, Apama Business Event Processing, Actional Business Transaction Management, Sonic Responsive Business Integration to provide transaction assurance to a global service business.

My responsibilities included:
• Program Management Services and Consulting
• Program governance and coordination across end client global organization and software provider global organization.
• Change management services
• Business Analyst Services
• Training development and delivery
• Project management of the 10-person development team
• Coordination with client IT department and business
• Agile Model-Simulate-Integrate development approach using 60-day build cycles

Project Results:  Program execution highly benchmarked.  It met time and budget in record setting time for the client.  Contract ended with Progress divestment of RPM.

VP of PMO/VP of Channel Sales | ERP Sales | ERP Implementation

Alamo SolarPV

I became the Fractional Chief Operating Officer of two early-stage clean energy start-up companies (Texas and Arizona) combining solar PV module assembly factories with utility scale solar power plants. 

I led Program Management Office (PMO) and operations to develop the start-up business structure, processes, and documentation including:
-Business plan, investor documents (pitch deck, Private Placement Memo, etc.)
-Talent acquisition, staffing, and HR management plan
-Built initial supply chain/negotiated with suppliers
-Channel partner development including customization of a Project Management and Savvion BPM software-based collaboration system for partners
-Created application submissions for Federal incentives through IRS 48C Program and E1B visa program
-Negotiated with local governments in Arizona and Texas for site selection and incentives

Technology leveraged: Savvion BPM, Primavera P6, MS Project, MS Office

After analyzing the competitive pressures from Chinese C-Si panel producers we closed the companies.  

I was cited in several clean energy industry publications including the Energy Economist, Sun & Wind Energy, and Renewable Energy World.

COO/VP of PMO | Clean Energy Start Up | Manufacturing |

Savvion

Partnered with SAAS start-up as Confoe VP of Channel Sales.  Savvion then acquired by Progress Software

VP of PMO | VP of Channel Sales | SAAS BPMS Start-Up

Intel Corporation

Confoe  Contract to support Intel to support tool re-use to China fab
•	Established PMO to Provide Program Manager, Scheduler, and Coordinator services 
•	Established a SAAS based enterprise-wide project management system
•	Coordinated the work of 26 suppliers with multiple internal departments across 300+ projects
•	Coordination and facilitation of supplier planning meetings
 PMIS Components: Primavera, MS Project, SharePoint, MS Office

Project Director | Fortune 50 Tech Company | Tool Re-Use/Supplier Management

HelioVolt PMO

Supported the Ramp of HelioVolt's first  Production Fab as Confoe VP of PMO
•	Established a Virtual Enterprise Program Management Office 
•	Provided Program Manager, Scheduler, and Engineering services
•	Coordinated the work of 15 suppliers with multiple internal departments across 45 capital projects
•	Provided engineering design and trades management services
•	Daily updates on information gathering, design and construction activity progress
•	Weekly Milestone Progress and Risk Reports

VP of PMO | Funded Solar Start-Up

Established Confoe's consulting practice. Developed/continuously evolved the product portfolio. Ran Confoe Sales, Operations, and Service.
Established software partner/re-seller/system integrator relationships with key technology partners: Software AG, Progress Software, Savvion, ServiceMax, Smartsheet
Profiled in Manager's Crossing for the Semiconductor industry.

VP of Sales/Product Development

With over 25 years of experience as a Senior Service, Sales, and Operations Executive and Technology Consultant, I have consistently delivered exceptional results for leading companies across industries worldwide.

Consulting Highlights:
As a trusted Technology Consultant, I specialize in solving complex business problems with simple, effective solutions. My consulting engagements have generated significant ROI and value creation for clients, including:

$250M+ in economic value delivered across 50+ engagements across industries. Clients include Intel, AMD, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, Lam Research, Nikon, KLA-Tencor, Dell, McKesson, National Instruments, Brooks, and Whole Foods.

I leverage tools like Smartsheet (a favorite for 10+ years) and my broad expertise to streamline operations, drive efficiency, and enable transformational success.

Executive Highlights:
Throughout my career, I have driven substantial growth and profitability:

Global Field Operations: Led a $1.6B service business with 3,000+ engineers across 13 countries, achieving a $120M+ Gross Margin improvement through a global lean transformation.

General Manager: Managed a $50M training business with 160 staff in 8 facilities across 6 countries, delivering a $32M+ Gross Margin in 3 years. 

Also, I led a $40M service business with 100 engineers in 3 countries, generating $56M+ in gross margin over 3 years.

Diverse Leadership Background:
My career began with over ten years of military service, including leadership roles as Company Commander and aide-de-camp to a Commanding General. These experiences honed my strategic mindset, adaptability, and ability to excel in high-pressure environments.

Expertise and Projects:
I’ve successfully managed and delivered a wide range of projects, including:

PMO Establishment and Optimization
Custom Training Solution
Smartsheet Solutions
Lean Transformations
ERP Implementations
Field Service Optimization

I also share insights through writing and speaking engagements. I have over 120 media appearances, including CIO, Inc., Fast Company, Forbes, Renewable Energy World, NTD Television, Univision, and Energy Economist,

Feel free to reach out at mike@michaelfritsch.com or TEXT: 512-328-8001.
If I can’t help you, I know someone who can! 😎

PMBOK® Guide, 8th Edition Is Here

📘 Project Management Institute  just released the PMBOK® Guide – 8th Edition, and it’s a meaningful update for anyone leading projects or operations in today’s fast-moving world.

This edition leans into how work actually happens now — complex systems, rapid change, digital transformation, and teams spread across functions and geographies.

Highlights that stand out:
🔹 Principle-driven, system-oriented guidance (not rigid processes)
🔹 Modernized terminology aligned with real value delivery
🔹 A stronger focus on adaptability, collaboration, and co-creation
🔹 Systems thinking baked in to handle complexity and interdependencies
🔹 Flexible frameworks for traditional, agile, hybrid, and everything in between

In short: PMBOK® 8 feels built for the world we’re working in — dynamic, interconnected, and outcome-driven.

More to follow as I get a chance to dig into it.

Follow me for more: https://buff.ly/3RIECRl

Michael (Mike) Fritsch

🚀 Smartsheet + AI Systems for Sales, Operations, & Project Management Leadership | West Point Grad | Army Vet | “Old Dog, New Tricks, Big Results” | Semiconductors, Manufacturing & Field Service

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Two Weeks, Two Events, One Big Shift: Smartsheet’s AI-Powered Future of Work

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. It started at Smartsheet ENGAGE, where Day 1 unveiled one of the most significant shifts in modern work execution. It ended at the Project Management Institute Global Summit, where I grabbed a seat for "The Rise of the AI-Powered PMO" session by Tyson Brown of Smartsheet.

Together, these bookends tell a clear story: AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s redefining how we plan, execute, and scale work.

Smartsheet is stepping fully into Intelligent Work Management, uniting people, data, and AI to eliminate silos and help organizations operate at the velocity of change.

AI That Works With You: A Unified, AI-First Platform
🔹 Smart Assist — create workspaces and automations from a simple outline
🔹 Smart Flows — natural-language, multi-step automated workflows
🔹 Smart Columns — AI that categorizes, labels, summarizes, and translates data
🔹 Smart Agents — digital coworkers that monitor progress, flag risk, and recommend improvements
All powered by the Smartsheet Knowledge Graph, delivering contextual, personalized guidance across the platform.

Building for Unified Work: Enterprise-Grade Scale Capabilities
🔹 Scenario Planning — explore “what-if” options safely without touching production
🔹 Portfolios — standardized, scalable project creation and portfolio reporting
🔹 Dynamic Dropdowns — consistent, connected data at scale
🔹 Security Score — measure and improve your security posture
🔹 Multi-Factor Authentication — stronger baseline login security for every user

These additions strengthen what enterprises need most: speed, governance, trust, and alignment between strategy and execution.

👉 Which of these innovations would make the biggest impact in your organization?

#smartsheetengage #pmiglobalsummit #AI #IntelligentWorkManagement
Follow me for more industry insight: https://buff.ly/3RIECRl

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: Smartsheet Aligned Certified Sales Professional from Smartsheet!

Getting ready for the opening keynote at Project Management Institute Global Summit 2025. Looking forward to hearing from Pierre Le Manh, President & CEO of PMI.
#pmiglobalsummit

What a night at the Project Management Institute Awards Ceremony + Reception.

Big energy, great conversations, and a dance floor that refused to slow down as we wrapped up Day 2.

Huge congrats to all the PMI Award winners — incredible work and well-deserved recognition. Nights like this say a lot about this community. 

We handle the hard stuff during the day and still manage to fill a room, swap ideas, and have some fun along the way.

On to Day 3.

Follow me for more: https://buff.ly/3RIECRl

#PMIGlobalSummit #ProjectManagement #PMI #Leadership #Community #Operations #Events

Just grabbed my seat for The Rise of the AI Powered PMO session by Tyson Brown of Smartsheet .

I can't think of a better way to wrap up Friday at the Project Management Institute Global Summit!

#smartsheet #pmiglobalsummit #intelligentworkmanagement

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