Brian Shride

My work is driven by the same passion for connection,

nature, and discovery that fuels my personal adventures.

Think of me as a translator — bridging the gap between humans and hardware, ideas and execution. I’ve spent my career aligning tech with real-world needs, building teams that get things done. I’ve steered business efforts from Fortune 500s to scrappy startups with more hustle than headcount. I speak fluent acronym, thrive in the public-private mashup, and never met a map I didn’t like. Also: recovering radio voice, bird dog whisperer, and proudly obsessed with anything that flies.

I kicked off my career after college in Houston, Texas with Brown & Root, one of the country’s leading design-build firms at the time. It was a hands-on learning experience from day one—starting in procurement and quickly transitioning into sales support. That’s where I discovered my strength in connecting people, understanding projects, and making things happen.

From there, I moved into the tech world with Unisys, where I stepped into the role of Key Account Representative. I led major accounts, delivered complex solutions, and began shaping the skill set that would carry me through a global career in business development, operations, and strategic growth.

These early roles laid the foundation for everything that followed: a career built on trust, adaptability, and a passion for solving big challenges.

A few more organizations I worked with:

These are just a few of the many companies and agencies I’ve worked for — or partnered with — along the way.

Transforming Sales Leadership into Strategic Impact

My career in business development took shape as I stepped into increasingly senior roles—first as a Regional Sales Manager, then Director of Sales, and ultimately leading full operations with P&L responsibility. Along the way, I built and managed high-performing teams, hired hundreds of employees, and grew both the size and scope of multi-million-dollar projects across engineering and government sectors.

While at CH2M Hill, I introduced new service offerings that drove significant growth—so much so that the division was later acquired. That momentum led me to a new challenge in Columbia, Maryland, where I became Director of Sales. When the company’s president faced a health crisis, I stepped in to run both sales and operations, overseeing everything from day-to-day execution to fiduciary strategy, while also managing subsidiaries in Canada and Australia.

During this time, I developed lasting relationships with federal agencies and government prime contractors, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. I even had the opportunity to present to congressional committees, showing how geospatial tools could help visualize complex policy and infrastructure decisions

Global reach means more than miles — it means meaningful results, everywhere.

Strategic Vision with Tactical Precision

My work has taken me far beyond the U.S., both geographically and organizationally. I’ve led operations and supported leadership across the Americas, Europe, and Asia—navigating the real-world complexities of international banking, cross-border project delivery, and culturally nuanced team management.

I’m no stranger to matrix organizations. I’ve worked seamlessly across business units, engineering groups, and executive teams, often bridging time zones, languages, and priorities to get things done. Whether supporting leadership on three continents or coordinating delivery teams in India and Europe, I’ve learned that clarity, trust, and ownership make all the difference.

I’ve personally overseen the transfer of multimillion-dollar funds through international banking systems, ensured accurate and timely handling of visas and renewals for U.S.-based and foreign staff, and helped multiple employees secure citizenship. I’ve represented companies in meetings and negotiations across Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, India, and Singapore, building trusted partnerships and delivering results in diverse regulatory environments.

This hands-on international experience, combined with deep operational insight and cultural fluency, makes me a steady hand in complex environments where others might hesitate.

Strategy, focus, connection, and action — these aren’t buzzwords. They’re how I work.

Trusted Advisor. Fractional Leader. Real Results

Over the years, I’ve built a career around seeing both the forest and the trees. Today, I apply that experience as a strategic advisor and fractional business development partner to organizations across the AEC, geospatial, and technology sectors.

My work isn’t just about identifying opportunities — it’s about creating clarity, aligning leadership, and helping teams execute with confidence. I’ve helped teams expand into new markets, retool their service offerings, and close multimillion-dollar contracts. I’ve supported C-suite leaders, led proposal development, shaped marketing strategy, and introduced systems that improved operational agility.

When I partner with a client, I bring the perspective of someone who’s been in the room — whether it’s a project kick-off in India, a congressional meeting in Washington, or a contract negotiation in Frankfurt. I’m here to be a trusted resource, an operator with perspective, and a storyteller with real results behind the words