Steve Kaplan

Leading market strategy, strategic partnerships, and sector adoption for Aquila’s industrial AI platform. Aquila helps manufacturers transform fragmented engineering, tooling, production, and legacy data into structured intelligence that can be searched, applied, verified, and continuously refined over time. My work focuses on building the partner ecosystem, advancing enterprise use cases, and helping bring industrial AI into real operating environments — beginning with plastics and extending into tooling, machining, and energy. We are building Aquila to enhance expert teams, not replace them, by transforming institutional knowledge into a compounding intelligence advantage.

Steve currently serves as a board member of several companies, and continues to be an equity holder in over 100 companies. Tiesta Tea Company - Chicago Illinois National manufacturers and curators of Functional Loose Leaf Tea WAL Branding & Marketing - Chicago Illinois Sports and Entertainment Property specializing in live sporting event production, content generation, live and VOD broadcast, and competition. Nations Healthcare - London, UK Building and Operating Private healthcare facilities in conjunction with NHS privatization mandate. Business sold EuroRSCG Worldwide - Executive Committee, retired Global representation to shape the direction and operational activities of the EuroRSCG network consisting of over 176 small agencies in 72 countries specializing in advertising, marketing services, database and consumer access.

Steve founded Steve Kaplan Inc., as a consulting group to provide guidance and empower businesses of all sizes to succeed using strategic tools and expert advice across a variety of disciplines critical to success. This includes: getting big customers, business model development, growth strategies, new product development, building a successful culture, maximizing the effectiveness of an organization and the buying and selling of a company. Along with hands on interaction, Steve has developed a diverse range of products and services including NY Times best selling books, tactical courses, workshops, eBooks, Keynote addresses, training programs, and one-on-one consultancy. Steve is still involved with the business. www.SteveKaplanLive.com

Steve co-founded and currently serves as the Commissioner of the World Armwrestling League where he was responsible for the leagues strategy, policy and day-to-day operations. In just 10 short months, Steve took this sport from concept to the fastest growing sports league in the world. WAL has over 50 hours of live and VOD coverage on various platforms including ESPN, FS1 and B/R Live and various streaming platforms successfully reaching over 10 million unique viewers. Steve and his team fostered a vibrant and loyal community around the sport using analytics and technology to enhance visibility and build fan engagement through strategic marketing & promotion initiative and the creation of relevant short and long form content. www.WALunderground.com

Steve was responsible for full P&L as well as business growth (organic and acquisition) for the largest organization in the EuroRSCG network. As CEO of this $300mm+ Global Marketing Services and Promotion company, he led over 1300 employees in 19 offices worldwide, including: North America, United Kingdom, Russia, Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

Steve was responsible for full P&L for the Targeted Media & Sampling division, part of a $2 billion NYSE parent company SNC. Steve spearheaded the growth of the organization from $80 million to $180 million in 15-month period while maintaining the highest operating margins in the organization. He developed a vast contractor network to optimize costs across key operational mandates including shipping, packing, market research, and customer delivery channels. Led acquisitions across 5 countries then successfully integrated these businesses into the company. Steve won the prestigious Mercury Award for employee growth and recognition. During Steve's tenure the stock price more than doubled.

Steve acquired a fledgling mom and pop Marketing Services company specializing in reaching specific target audiences with product samples for consumer products clients. Steve quickly changed the positioning and strategy of the company to enable customers to better connect with specific target audiences, enhancing brand engagement and consumer purchases. As revenue grew exponentially the company was able to maintain their gold standard operating margins. SCA rapidly grew into the second largest marketing services company in the US. Steve ran the company until he merged Snyder Communications NYSE SNC. After the merger Steve remained to realize his vision of growing the business globally.