Alin Popescu
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
(703) 473-9644
alin@11thHourService.com
Alin Popescu
Co-Founder, CEO & Managing Partner
(703) 473-9644 | alin@11thHourService.com
Mr. Popescu is a Partner at 11th Hour Service. He is responsible for executing 11th Hour’s Strategic Plan – including alignment of Mission and Vision across delivery, business development, operations, employee development, client satisfaction and the overall growth of the business lines.
Mr. Popescu’s passion lies in creating the Best-In-Class Customer Service Models, along with spearheading continuous process improvement across all business units. His unrelenting focus on quality and efficiency – combined with a genuine concern and commitment for all who work for him – has earned Mr. Popescu a reputation for outstanding client service. At 11th Hour, he brings that same precision to detail and Client Value-Focus which has generated a prestigious client base that have come to rely on 11th Hour’s ability to bring the highest caliber professionals to every engagement.
Prior to 11th Hour, Alin was a Staffing Manager for CSC Federal Consulting Practice, and previously was a key figure in the growth of Bearing Point’s SAP Public Services practice.
David Halstead
Partner & Senior Advisor
(571) 232-2393
dhalstead@11thHourService.com
David Halstead
Partner & Senior Advisor
(571) 232-2393 | dhalstead@11thHourService.com
Mr. Halstead is a Partner and Senior Advisor, with focus on growing and strengthening 11th Hour Service’s Federal consulting practice. As a business owner and executive in the industry for the past 25 years, he has earned a reputation for creating and sustaining effective corporate partnership teams, long-standing and profitable client relationship programs, winning business and corporate growth strategies, and disciplined infrastructure and service delivery processes. Mr. Halstead has testified before Congressional Committee on the subjects of federal financial management and government reform, and has been a featured speaker on the topics of business planning and organizational design.
Prior to joining 11th Hour Service, Mr. Halstead was a Partner at Lynch Consultants and Bradson Corporation, where he was instrumental in achieving Bradson’s excellent growth rates, EBITDA margins, and performance reputation supporting Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the Interior. He served in the United States Air Force and worked on Capitol Hill prior to his career in business and consulting. Mr. Halstead received an MA from George Washington University and BA from University of Maryland.
Sharon Ridley
Partner & Executive Vice President / Client Relations
(571) 562-0474
sridley@11thHourService.com
Sharon Ridley
Partner & Executive Vice President / Client Relations
SES (Retired)
(571) 562 0474 | sridley@11thHourService.com
Sharon L. Ridley is a results-driven transformational leader and former member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service (SES) whose career has been centered on leading change. She is a proven leader with over 22 years of a broad range of successful work experiences with Veterans, military members, civilians, and contractors, domestically and internationally.
In her most recent Federal position as Executive Director, Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), she led the transfer of the Veterans verification program from VA to the Small Business Administration, in accordance with the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. This historic undertaking enabled 35,000 Veteran business owners to effectively navigate the federal procurement system for government contracts. In FY 2023, Ms. Ridley’s legislative proposal to increase women-owned small business (WOSB) participation in VA contracting was adopted and included in the President’s budget for FY 2024 for approval. This Federal legislation would elevate the selection preference order for WOSBs in the Department’s acquisitions, thus creating more opportunities. Sharon also successfully led VA’s national small business programs with annual small business contract awards totaling over $15 billion. The impact of her work throughout her federal career led to Sharon receiving the 2024 VA Distinguished Career Award. Before becoming the Executive Director, Ms. Ridley was the office’s Deputy Executive Director.
Prior to her role leading OSDBU, she served as Executive Director, Network Support, leading initiatives to advance Secretary of Veterans Affairs priorities. Ms. Ridley reported directly to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management of the largest integrated healthcare system in the nation ($70B budget,1250 sites of care, and more than 300,000 employees). In this role, she provided healthcare operations guidance and information on strategic initiatives to regional leadership including 18 Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) directors and 172 medical center directors.
Ms. Ridley previously served for 6 years as Chief Operating Officer in the Veterans Health Administration Procurement and Logistics Office, providing primary support to the chief officer, whose responsibilities included leadership and oversight of approximately 2,800 contracting and logistics professionals. She supervised a staff of 27 and provided oversight for budget and fiscal responsibilities (in excess of $308M), human resources, the Chicago-based Data Collection and Extraction Program, and many other management functions.
Past VA experiences included serving as a Health System Specialist in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management; Administrative Officer for the Geriatric Rehabilitative and Extended Care Center at VA Pacific Islands Health Care System; Business Operations Manager for VHA’s Employee Education System; an assignment in VA’s National Cemetery Administration headquarters; and as a psychiatric social worker at VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.
Before joining the VA, Ms. Ridley served as Director of, the U.S. Navy Family Service Center, Sasebo, Japan. She provided a broad range of community services for a population of approximately 6,000 military service members and their families. Ms. Ridley directed programs for a multi-service organization, which included 13 core technical programs.
Norbert Howard
Partner & Director of Operations
(571) 259-1403
nhoward@11thHourService.com
Norbert Howard
Partner & Director of Operations
(571) 259-1403 | nhoward@11thHourService.com
Mr. Howard is a Partner and Director of Operations for 11th Hour Service where he leads the Federal Practice, Client Delivery and Operations. Works closely with federal sector clients advising CFOs and other agency executives on strategic and tactical digital and organizational transformations. He brings over 30 years of in-depth federal sector experience focused on financial management, data analytics, intelligent automation, optimization of financial and administrative systems/programs and shared services. His extensive career includes tenures at Big 4 accounting/consulting firms (PwC, KPMG, BearingPoint), small/mid-size boutique consulting firms, and federal banking and financial organizations. He holds professional credentials including CPA, CISA, CGFM, CMA, CIA, CFSA and PMP. Education includes BS Business Administration – Accounting and MS Technology Management. Mr. Howard is active in industry associations including the AGA, ASMC and Shared Services Leadership Coalition.
Prior to joining 11th Hour Service, he was a Director in CGI Federal’s Management Consulting Practice leading Financial Management and CFO Advisory Services domains. Other roles included Partner, Digital Transformation at Sehlke Consulting (Aeyon), where he led an RPA Center of Excellence driving innovative automation solutions for federal agency customers; Vice President, Financial Management at PotomacWave Consulting, Inc. (PotomacWave), led Financial Management Practice growth large portfolio of high performing federal financial projects and programs; Senior Manager in BearingPoint’s federal practice leading systems and financial management projects for civilian/defense agencies; Principal Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP supporting federal financial systems integration programs.
Chloe Thares
Partner & Director, Accounting & Finance
(406) 438-7611
cthares@11thHourService.com
Chloe Thares
Partner & Director, Accounting & Finance
(406) 438-7611 | cthares@11thHourService.com
As Director of Accounting and Finance, Ms. Thares overall responsibility of the Finance and Accounting functions, including payroll, account reconciliations, internal controls, financial reporting, financial statements, P&L, cashflow forecasts, variance analysis, cash receipts, cash disbursements, data integrity, and accuracy. Ms. Thares joined 11th Hour Service in 2013 as a Staff Accountant and has evolved within the firm since then. She has developed an expert knowledge of the firm’s accounting and back-office operations. She is a strong people manager, leads and manages the accounting organization with a management style that is open, direct, and informal. Demonstrated planning, organization skills, customer service skills, and skills in establishing and maintaining relationships with financial institutions.
Prior to joining 11th Hour Service, Ms. Thares was with Montana Department of Corrections in charge of processing a high volume of accounts payable. She was an Accountant with a public traded company, in charge of accounts receivable for 28 commercial real estate properties and maintaining relationships with all the clients. She managed over 20 Customer Service Representatives and Online Marketing Specialists and worked with IT professionals during her tenure with a web development company, Interweb Tech Services Corporation. Her over 13 years of professional experience in accounting, customer service, and information technology has made her a unique member of 11th Hour Service’s leadership team.
David Koch
Principal & Director, Growth & Strategy
(703) 776-9039
dkoch@11thHourService.com
David Koch
Principal & Director, Growth & Strategy
(703) 776-9039 | dkoch@11thHourService.com
Mr. Koch serves as Principal of our Federal Advisory Practice. He is responsible for leading the growth, helping develop the solutions, and managing the project delivery teams serving our clients across the public sector.
He brings considerable experience in consulting, project and program management, business management and leadership, client relationship management, business development, and market strategy development and implementation. Dave has an extensive background in developing solutions and delivering technology and professional services including financial management and accounting, IT, and business transformation. He has supported Federal government clients in the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Civilian Agencies and has demonstrated success in enhancing performance of teams, processes, and systems through problem solving and collaboration.
Prior to 11th Hour Service, Dave held positions with Kforce Government Solutions (KGS) including Senior VP over a portfolio of business units, Vice President of the Financial Management & Accounting Solutions business unit, and Director of multiple Finance & Accounting and IT projects. Dave gained his initial consulting, management, and leadership experience with Bradson Corporation which was acquired by Kforce to form KGS.