The Daxko Leadership Team

David Gray
President / CEO

David serves as president and CEO of Daxko. He is responsible for leading the company’s strategic direction, growth, culture, and overall operations. Prior to joining Daxko, he held management positions at Calico Commerce (now part of Peoplesoft/Oracle) and in Grant Thornton’s management consulting practice in Chicago (now Hitachi Consulting.) His past clients include a number of Fortune 500 corporations and leading technology companies. In addition to his position at Daxko, David is on the board of directors and the former chairman of TechBirmingham, on the board of directors for the McWane Science Center, a member of the Shades Valley YMCA Executive Roundtable, a member of the Auburn University College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, a member and former chairman of Auburn University’s Management Information Systems Board of Advisors, and a representative on the University of Alabama’s MIS Forum. David holds a Bachelor of Science in management information systems from Auburn University. He and his wife, Susan, along with their three children, live in Birmingham. They are active members of the Birmingham YMCA and their local church.

April Benetollo
Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategy

As vice president of marketing and product strategy, April is responsible for the collection and assimilation of market data as well as determining market demand for Daxko’s products and services. She is responsible for the development and communication of our strategy in order to align company initiatives with Daxko’s overall goals. Upon completion of her B.A. in international relations from the University of Alabama, April spent four years working abroad in France, Germany, and Brazil. Upon relocation to the United States, April assumed marketing and promotions responsibilities for a Canadian commercial property development firm in Central Florida and launched her own consulting business advising French companies wishing to set up distribution to U.S. markets. April joined Daxko in January 2000 and has provided leadership in sales, marketing, and account management roles. As director of marketing for Daxko’s online registration solution, April helped Daxko identify four core market segments. Two of those, Ys and JCCs, and professional and trade associations, still comprise Daxko’s core markets for our enterprise software solutions today. April is an active member of the Birmingham YMCA, a board member for the Daxko Foundation, a past vice president of the Alabama Information Technology Association, and is involved with local technology initiatives. April, her husband Emmanuel, and their two children live in Birmingham.

Dawn Hrdlica-Burke
Vice President of People

As vice president of people, Dawn is responsible for helping the Daxko team find great talent, develop team members, preserve Daxko’s unique culture, and manage the general HR function of the company. Dawn has more than 10 years of HR experience in both corporate and retail environments, most notably in talent management leadership roles for MailSouth, a national direct mail advertising company. She is proud to have been part of MailSouth’s HR team when the organization was given Birmingham Magazine’s recognition as “50 Companies We Admire,” Birmingham Parent Magazine’s “Best Companies for Working Families,” and Business Alabama’s “Best Companies to Work for in Alabama.” Dawn, an active member of the Birmingham Society of Human Resource Management (BSHRM), received the chapters’ 2009 Chapter Leadership Excellence Award for her board member role as VP of community relations. In addition, Dawn is a regular contributor for Fistful of Talent, a featured blog on Workforce Management Magazine Online, and her blog, HR Insomniac. Dawn is a graduate ofthe University of Southern Mississippi, holds a master’s in HR management from the University of Alabama, as well as the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification designation.

Matt Cowell
Vice President of Software Engineering

Matt serves as the vice president of software engineering, with responsibility for all product engineering, hosting, and technical support. Matt directly oversees the development, quality assurance, and production and infrastructure groups.
Matt has extensive software development leadership and consulting experience in the financial services, IT consulting, automotive, and advertising industries, including experience at companies such as SunGard, Accenture, General Motors, Chrysler, and JWT. He has a solid track record of building enterprise software platforms and understands how to align organizational structures and software development processes to facilitate effective product delivery. Matt is a graduate of the University of Illinois and holds a M.S.E. degree from the University of Michigan.

Derek Cunningham
Vice President of Sales

As vice president of sales, Derek drives Daxko’s sales, business development, and market identification, ensuring that Daxko’s products and services will help our customers extend their reach in the communities they serve. Derek has a long record of leadership on sales and marketing teams. Before joining Daxko, he served in the capacities of director and vice president for market development, business development, and channel strategies for Cardinal Health, before which he was vice president of sales for MedMined. Derek received his graduate business degree from Samford University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama. He also received education and certificates from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Derek is a member of the University of Alabama’s “A”-Club, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and he has been a guest lecturer for the University of Alabama. He serves as a board member for the Demeco Ryans Foundation.

Britney Summerville
Vice President of Impact Services

As vice president of Impact Services, Britney is responsible for the creation and execution of our newest business unit. The goal of this business unit is to give our customers an opportunity to focus on their mission while we streamline their operations to make them more successful. Prior to her current role, Britney served as Daxko’s vice president of market strategy, where she was responsible for the collection and assimilation of market data as well as determining market demand for Daxko’s products and services. Britney also served as Daxko’s vice president of professional services for nearly 10 years. In this role, Britney was involved in the implementation, data conversion, training, adoption/consulting, and support of more than 350 associations. Her leadership at Daxko been instrumental in consistently driving strong, operational excellence and customer satisfaction. Britney has been a member of the Daxko team since 2000. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Auburn University and received education and certificates from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. Britney serves on the managing board of directors of the Shades Valley YMCA, a board member for the Daxko Foundation, and a junior board member for the Glenwood Autism and Behavior Health Center, and on the Auburn University Public Relations Advisory Board. She is a member of the Birmingham Track Club, the Birmingham Service Guild, and is a Bell Center volunteer.

Delanea Shafer
Vice President of Customer Experience

Delanea leads Daxko’s Customer Experience team, which includes implementation, data conversion, training, adoption/consulting, and support. She is responsible for developing the strategy and rollout of customer-centric programs that foster a universal commitment to customer needs, strong customer relationships, and superior business value. Delanea has over 25 years experience in service leadership in the healthcare information technology industry, having served as AVP of client services at SourceMedical, and VP of professional services at Dictaphone Corporation (now Nuance). Her focus on delivering the highest quality customer service has driven strong customer satisfaction and contributed significantly to high client retention rates. Delanea is a graduate of Southwestern Illinois College where she received her degree in business administration.

Jonathan Sides
Vice President of Finance and Administration

Jonathan is responsible for all financial and administrative activities of Daxko, including accounting and controls, financial planning and analysis, human resources, and legal affairs. He also provides advice to the development organization on defining specific financial and accounting functionality of Daxko’s solutions. Jonathan has had a variety of experiences in financial positions in both New York and Birmingham. Prior to Daxko, he worked at Lehman Brothers in New York as a financial analyst with its Mergers and Acquisitions Group, specializing in the technology sector. He also served as a consultant to Compass Bank in Birmingham on the design of its intranet and other initiatives to use web technology to increase employee productivity. Jonathan has been a member of the Daxko team since 2000. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UAB.

Tom Massey
VP of Daxko T2 Consulting

Tom is leader of Daxko T2 Consulting, provider of consulting services in the areas of planning, marketing, financial development, and facilities. Tom founded Triangle2 in 2000 and was CEO until Daxko acquired the company in 2011. Prior to Triangle2, Tom was a senior consultant for the YMCA of the USA and head of the Program Division. Tom has also held several management positions with the YMCA: CEO, COO, VP, and Branch Executive. Tom has BS and MS degrees from Henderson State University, and an ABD from the University of Southern Mississippi.