Product Management Development

KURT E. BULAWA

LEAD, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT (PLG), STRATEGY & INNOVATION

****.*.******@*****.*** 720-***-**** Denver, CO https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtbulawa SUMMARY

A mission-inspired, customer-centric, and P&L-minded member of the team leading Strategy Development, Product Management, and Transformation functions that spearhead digital innovations, and integrated growth within Fortune 500 and P/E-backed firms. Practices a structured approach to: 1) analytically and collaboratively generate a data-driven, line-of-sight growth strategy resulting in structural portfolio advantage that achieves destination economics; 2) institutionalize a product-led growth (PLG) culture of accountability that develops goal-aligned products; and 3) establish best-practice product development and delivery processes that aligns investment prioritization with resources for organizational transparency. Oversees the entire product lifecycle from inception to market success including functions of: Market Discovery, Analysis & Customer Insights; Product Roadmap & Strategy; Product Development; Launch Excellence and Customer Success; M&A Financial Analysis and Partnerships; Small Team Leadership & Mentorship; and Thought Leadership & Industry Presence. Direct P&L management up to

$300M, holds 7 issued U.S. Patents with 8 additional patents-pending, earned International M.B.A./Engineering degrees, and expatriate assignments in Asia. Practice in B2B/B2C markets within Public Safety, GovTech, Public Health, Healthcare, HealthTech, Payments, FinTech, and Financial Services spaces. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

CDW, Chicago, IL 1/2024 – 4/2025

Lead Product and Strategy Manager (1 Yr. Term)

Fractional operator role accepted to organize a Center for Disease Control (via CDW) $60M SaaS platform modernization effort for the U.S. and its Territorial Public Health Departments virus surveillance capabilities in anticipation of future viral and pandemic outbreaks. Launched 3 months late due to incoming Presidential administration transition.

• Established a MVP strategy, roadmap, product development processes, and a delivery organization structure

• Created product vision from research, competitive intelligence to leverage generative artificial intelligence

• Led a 60 FTE project team with research, design, engineering, product management, SAFe Agile Scrum

• Launched modernized system, HL7 (EMR/ELR/FHIR) in AWS/Azure cloud after 3 failed attempts by other contractors Lexipol, Dallas, TX 11/2022 – 10/2023

Principal, Product and Strategy Manager (1 Yr. Term) Fractional operator role requested by Private Equity owners (GTCR) to bridge a planned CEO transition for a GovTech company in the Public Safety and Healthcare space 2-yrs into its P/E cycle. Goal was to renovate and reorganize growth-oriented Product Team, install a robust product development and delivery process, and develop a 3-yr market-based, product strategy. Focused on generative AI NLP innovation (Cognigy/OpenAI), infrastructure modernization through detailed strategy planning segmentation to thoughtfully allocate investment.

• Assembled and developed a professional, high-performing, and accountable Product-Led Growth (PLG) team

• Built a growth strategy through leading a rigorous, data-driven analytics and strategy planning effort

• Installed best-practice processes, tools, and oversight to effect investment capacity prioritization, alignment, transparency

• Delivered the Board a platform, SaaS and artificial intelligence roadmap for 3x EBITDA growth via build and M&A targets LegalShield, Ada, OK 10/2021 – 9/2022

Lead Product and Growth Strategy Manager (1 Yr. Term) Fractional operator role recruited and placed by P/E within a SMB LegalTech and Cyber Security services provider 5-yrsin its latest P/E cycle (w/ Stone Point, MidOcean). Goal was to peak valuation to transact the company within 12 months by developing a new platform-as-a-service channel requirements for international expansion and D2C products to maximize product-market fit and LTV:CAC. Inflation and geopolitical events (RUS/UKR) tempered investor valuations triggering Board of Director’s pivot to a ‘hold’ status and CEO change.

• Reshaped the product strategy via analysis and market research to drive the company valuation prior to sale

• Drove AI/ML (Amelia/Sprinklr) and PaaS strategy for U.K. expansion of a legal services venture valued at $13M/yr. top line

• Negotiated 3-year $20M strategic distribution agreements with top-tier banking and internet marketing partners

• Acquired a U.K. $7M reputation management firm, Yourself Online, to integrate into the PPLSI cyber-security portfolio

• Added $150M in enterprise valuation in 12 months and partnered with Goldman Sachs on pitch deck M&A for offers

• Championed Q1 2023 asset acquisition to internalize critical portfolio capability that generated 15% EBITDA FIS/Worldpay, Jacksonville, FL 8/2019 – 9/2021

Senior Product Manager for Payment Ventures

Transformation opportunity for a Fintech Payments processor to redefine, reconstruct, and launch a lethargic $50M platform of multi-acquirer, merchant payment CP/CNP point-solutions. Goal was to offer broad SMB payment services for emerging merchant segments via both internal and integrated 3rd party gateway API services.

• Led a team to build a strategic direction from market intelligence, regulatory requirements and business case justification

• Developed SaaS-based features eWallet, Text-2-Pay, eReceipt, eInvoice via build and partner with annualized value at $15M

• Allocated $7M of annual budget to return $55M direct and $800M in shadow P&L value annually

• Managed a 45 FTE offshore development and program management team in India to execute on the product roadmap Kaiser Permanente, Denver, CO 8/2014 – 8/2019

Senior Product Manager for Innovation and Digital Transformation Transformation opportunity reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer at an integrated healthcare insurance payor and provider in a highly regulated, non-profit (501c3) environment. Goal was to transform the portfolio to drive a revamped digital and patient- centered experience with new product innovations that balance membership objectives in anticipation of the Affordable Care Act.

• Constructed a prioritized strategy via financial analysis and customer insights, and executed with strategic partnerships

• Launched products: patient kiosk, telehealth, text-a-doc, dental services, billing view, and EPIC EMR/EHR auto-processing

• Established new digital channels of virtual care delivery that enhance key performance indicators UX/CX satisfaction by 5%

• Launched first regional HIPAA compliant Oral Healthcare LOB through a $17M Delta Dental JV partnership post A/B testing

• Created HCD user experience, journey mapping, product portfolio, and positioning for strong CRM and NPS of 92% Walmart, Bentonville, AR 3/2013 – 8/2014

Principal Product Manager for Innovation and Digital Strategy Consumer Financial Services Transformation opportunity for a high margin but growth-stagnated $1.2BN Financial Services P&L. Goal was to advance a retail consumer relationship strategy, thus LTV, to defend against competitive Amazon pressure by offering a value proposition via SaaS interface of banking services on an integrated platform: checking/savings, money transfer remittances, payments, money order, prepaid/credit card, and check cashing with APIs to Walmart’s Health&Wellness Healthcare platform.

• Assessed build, buy, borrow options to execute a new portfolio of consumer services, measured performance via KPIs/OKRs

• Built and aligned on a $20M investment business case for a new SaaS platform to integrate all 3rd party bank services

• Launched a retail portfolio of new consumer financial services in 6-9 months in collaboration with retail operations

• Drove new product revenue of $235M and achieved 50% of the domestic remittance market share within 180 days of launch Western Union, Denver, CO 10/2006 – 3/2013

Lead Product Manager for Global Payments Strategy

Turnaround opportunity of a $300M P&L attenuating at ~18% YoY for a global consumer payment and prepaid products business that sports the company’s highest EBITDA. Goal was to identify the market friction and hemorrhaging, rebuild the tech-stack with

“0–1”/“1–N” solutions that revamp the customer experience, pricing, sales, and distribution channels.

• Developed go-to-market strategy (GTM) with voice-of-the-customer (VoC) and delivered concept-to-launch commercialization

• Built a $6M investment business case and financial model to digitally transform the portfolio, platform and UI/UX

• Realized 30% operational efficiencies with self-service in client implementation automation continuous improvement

• Executed a $12M global service and brand relaunch through targeted retail and digital product marketing

• Resuscitated $300M payments business turnaround of 22% in volume, 16% in revenue, and 9% in margin EDUCATION

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) International Business, DePaul University, Chicago, IL Bachelors of Science in Electronics Engineering Digital Systems, DeVry University, Chicago, IL VALUES, SKILLS, AFFILIATIONS

Core Values: Work Hard, Really Hard Keep Your Word Help Others Have Fun Doing It Core Skills: Critical Thinking Problem Solving Executive Communications Stakeholder Management Storytelling Boards: Governor’s Ranch Board of Directors, Treasurer 1,022 dwellings $1.5M budget Teaching/Mentoring: Guest Lecturer University of Colorado, Denver Jake Jabs School of Business Passions: NCAA Men’s Basketball Official

Contact this candidate