GREAT TEAMS START WITH GREAT PEOPLE.

Meet Andrew Rizkallah

What is your role at MorganFranklin, and what do you do?

I am a manager in the IM&T practice under the CIO Advisory service. I think of myself as a transformation consultant, as my work centers around helping firms make big changes to their business systems and processes. So far at MorganFranklin I have supported ERP and WMS deployments, EDI setup, finance transformation, and change management projects across financial services, real estate, warehousing and logistics, and aerospace and defense verticals.

Please tell us about your professional background and what led you to pursue a career at MorganFranklin.

I started my career as a supply chain engineer in the grocery distribution center network at Walmart, where I led projects in warehouse process improvement, labor utilization, and capacity optimization. I made my way to Bentonville as a project manager and then became a senior manager. I focused on supply chain services and executing a process transformation focused on receiving functions in the general merchandise networks. I decided to pursue my MBA full-time at The Ohio State University where I focused on entrepreneurship, real estate valuation, urban planning, and sustainable operations. I stumbled upon the transformation consulting role at MorganFranklin. After learning more about the company, I found it to be a great fit for my background while providing ample room for growth and the agility that comes with being a smaller firm.

What appeals to you about your career focus in technology ?

At Walmart my life was all about moving boxes. I love the breadth of industries we serve in the CIO Advisory practice, and there is this constant pull to learn more because the IT environment is always changing. I still view myself as a change agent and am passionate about using technology to save time (the ultimate currency).

You’ve been in Denver for two years. What do you enjoy the most about the area?

Denver is good people. Everyone here has a dog, loves beer, and is addicted to being outdoors. What’s not to love?

How would you describe MorganFranklin’s culture?

For me, MorganFranklin is all about balance. We have the right mix of rigor and structure while enabling some improvisation along the way. Some weeks are tough and might require extra hours, but then you get a nice breather and can go for a bike ride in the middle of the day. My entire experience at MorganFranklin started remotely during the pandemic and has continued that way, but it has not stopped my ability to build a network of colleagues and friends. There are great people here.

Focusing on sustainability and ESG is a huge passion project for you. Why is this so important to you?

I am an environmentalist and I hate wasting anything, especially time and treasure. The movement toward regulated ESG disclosure by public and private firms has been a long time coming and is a necessity if we want to achieve the audacious Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN for 2030. The scale of climate change is something humanity has never faced, and the speed at which it is happening is unprecedented. Our superpower as a species is collaboration, and we need consistent, comparable, and verifiable information in order to work together.

As someone who loves the outdoors: Which seasonal activity do you enjoy the most?

Right now, I am getting psyched for ski season, but the all-season sport I love the most is cycling. It’s great exercise and my favorite way to explore new places. I did a bicycle tour of Prague some years ago and it was the highlight of my European vacation.

Out of all of the recreational hobbies you enjoy, which do you find the most challenging?

Rock climbing is my nemesis. I have been climbing since college and even when I am feeling strong, there are still days where the fear creeps in when I am 80 feet up and I start to shake. I love and hate it at the same time. There are some really excellent routes here in Colorado, so I have been working on getting more consistent and feeling more comfortable with my gear.

You’ve been skiing for 25 years. What is your favorite spot to hit the slopes?

I learned how to ski at Seven Springs resort in Pennsylvania when I was seven years old. Back then it was all about the hot chocolate and snacks. These days I ski any number of Ikon and Epic destinations out west. I recently opened the season on Halloween at Arapahoe Basin ski area in Colorado.