Our Company
Valent Partners embodies boldness and value
A trusted local partner for Fortune 1000 companies seeking to integrate emerging AI tools into their offerings.
Our Story,
Our Journey
Valent Partners was founded in 2019 in Dallas, Texas with a commitment to the principle of always being ‘Valent’. The Catalan word “valent” means to be bold, courageous and of value, qualities at the core of every facet of our operations. Whether navigating the challenges of launching a business amidst a pandemic, or speaking truth when it matters most, Valent consistently upholds this principle. Established as a trusted local partner for Fortune 1000 companies, we've followed our relationships across industries and state lines to help formulate and execute on high-value strategies with 90% of our business coming from repeat customers and referrals.
Recognition
In 2024, Valent Partners was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work and by ALM Consulting Magazine as the Best Firm to Work For!
In 2023, Valent Partners was recognized by SMU Cox School of Business as one of the Top 100 fastest-growing companies in Dallas, Texas and by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest-growing companies in America. Our greatest recognition is being entrusted by our employees to build their careers and by our clients in allowing us to help them solve their hardest thinking problems.
2024
• Dallas Business Journal - Best Places to Work
• Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
• ALM Consulting Magazine - Best Firm to Work For in the Small Firm Category
2023
• Dallas Business Journal - Best Places to Work
• SMU Dallas 100
• Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
Recognition
In 2024, Valent Partners was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work and by ALM Consulting Magazine as the Best Firm to Work For!
In 2023, Valent Partners was recognized by SMU Cox School of Business as one of the Top 100 fastest-growing companies in Dallas, Texas and by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest-growing companies in America. Our greatest recognition is being entrusted by our employees to build their careers and by our clients in allowing us to help them solve their hardest thinking problems.
2024
• Dallas Business Journal - Best Places to Work
• Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
• ALM Consulting Magazine - Best Firm to Work For in the Small Firm Category
2023
• Dallas Business Journal - Best Places to Work
• SMU Dallas 100
• Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
Our Leadership Team
Get to know our leadership team, a group of driven business leaders and technologists with an average of 25 years of industry experience. They approach your problems with the empathy and expertise it takes to create solutions with lasting impact that propel your business forward amidst the ever-changing environment.
Jeff Hilliard
Jeff is the Founder and Managing Partner at Valent with 25+ years experience leading and advising on digital business and platform transformations in Energy, Utilities, Insurance, Real Estate, Legal, Retail, and SaaS industries. At Valent, Jeff lives out his passion for empowering his clients and team to innovate and grow, with boldness and courage. Raised as the proud son of a U.S. Air Force officer, he enjoys traveling the world with his wife and three sons, playing tennis, and experiencing live music.
Mike Evans
Mike has 35+ years of experience in Management & Technology Consulting across a wide array of industries (retail, transportation/logistics, fintech, energy) and corporate experience in software product development and human resources transformation. Mike is a diehard University of Tennessee alum and fan, serving on a board for the CS department and attending as many Vol games as possible.
Hector Martinez
Hector has 35+ years of experience leading organizations that deliver business and technical solutions to complex problems for established, global companies as well as smaller, dynamic, rapidly growing firms. He brings experience and insight in the areas of strategy development, systems planning, enterprise architecture, technology adoption, solution development, systems integration, and IT organizational design and governance. Outside of work, Hector enjoys reading (mostly history, science, sci-fi), hiking, golf, running, automobiles, aviation, rocketry, and astronomy.
Jason Carter
Jason has over 19 years of technology consulting experience and advising decision makers to bring impactful change to their organizations. He has led large scale software, data, and cloud transformations across many industries. Jason brings a passion for teaching, training and leveling up teams. Outside of work, Jason enjoys spending quality time with his kids, exploring the outdoors, cycling, fishing, and discovering hidden gems in nature.
Richard Ewers
With 20+ years of experience, Richard brings passion and dedication to every project, focusing on delivering meaningful outcomes for clients and empowering the teams that make success possible. He specializes in helping clients across diverse industries optimize cost structures while driving top-line growth through innovative technology solutions. Richard enjoys cornhole, pickleball, baking coffee cakes, and long walks on the beach while listening to George Michael's greatest hits.
Nick Niver
Nick leads Valent’s Business Transformation practice, guiding clients through complex business and digital transformations, operational improvements, and strategic initiatives to drive sustainable growth. With extensive experience across Energy, Manufacturing, and Financial Services sectors, he delivers impactful results at the intersection of business and technology. Outside of work, Nick raises three girls with his wife Cristina, and is an avid motorcyclist, fisherman, and kayaking enthusiast.
John Lawrimore
John has 18+ years of experience as a consultant and leader in digital product and enterprise software engineering. He aligns technical solutions with business needs and leads high-performing agile teams to deliver innovation. As a trusted advisor to Fortune 1000 clients, he brings technical strategy and insight to help organizations navigate complex challenges and achieve digital transformation. John holds an MBA from UT Dallas and is a former professor at SMU.
Matt Malone
Matt brings over 15 years of experience in technology, specializing in Enterprise Architecture, Solution Architecture, and designing scalable applications for large enterprises. With a track record of leading teams and delivering high-impact solutions across diverse technologies, Matt thrives on tackling complex challenges at scale. Passionate about strategic innovation and operational excellence, he helps organizations build resilient, future-proof systems. Outside of work, he enjoys rock climbing, running, traveling, and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and their loyal German Shepherd.
Curtis Simmons
Curtis brings over 30 years of business and technology leadership experience, with a proven track record of helping organizations thrive across a wide range of disciplines. His expertise spans Program and Product Management, Application Development, Design, Marketing, and Business Operations, allowing him to bridge the gap between technology and strategic business goals. Curtis has successfully led cross-functional teams, driven enterprise-level initiatives, and delivered measurable outcomes for small companies and large corporations.
Jonathan Sprague
With over 15 years of experience, Jonathan specializes in leveraging technology to solve mission-critical and complex business challenges. He excels at leading program strategy and delivery, managing development teams, and designing scalable enterprise architecture in dynamic, fast-paced environments. Outside of work, Jonathan values time with his family, including his wife, son, daughter, and their lovable zoo of pets. He is also an avid woodworker who enjoys crafting fine furniture that combines creativity with precision.
Erin Vorland
Erin has 9+ years of experience solving complex cross-departmental business problems, technical solution architecting, development and managing/leading large scale custom software implementations. She brings experience navigating bleeding edge development solutions for real business problems and is an early adopter/driving thought leader in Metaverse, NFTs and Web3.0.
Thaddeus Blankenship
Thad brings over a decade of experience in technology, specializing in full-stack development, application delivery, AI, and cloud solutions. He has led engineering teams, built high-volume production applications, and managed large-scale software projects across various industries. Thad’s drive to continuously learn and share knowledge helps teams scale and grow. Outside of work, Thad enjoys travel, sailing, playing sports, and spending time with friends, family, and his two Australian Shepherds.
Scott Schwarz
Scott has 14+ years experience in data strategy and digital engineering, with experience across numerous data platforms and reporting solutions. Representative engagements include architecture and project management of enterprise-scale AI/ML and data solutions for leading businesses in energy, security, car manufacturing, banking, and insurance. Scott has served as a strategy consultant to executive leadership, technical architect for IT development, and project manager across multiple, interdepartmental teams.
Hannah Seliskar
Hannah leads Talent Acquisition for Valent, driving programs that scale and developing strategies that align with long-term organizational goals and values. Her passion has always been people - understanding them, connecting them, and creating environments where they can thrive. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys experimenting with healthy recipes and has set a goal to travel to a new country each year with her husband.
Lawrence Smith
Lawrence is a Technology Leader with over 13 years of experience spanning retail energy, wholesale, healthcare, and telecommunications. Renowned for his expertise in strategic planning, team leadership, and IT transformation, Lawrence specializes in guiding IT organizations through change. His cross-functional leadership and innovative solutions consistently drive meaningful results in complex and dynamic environments. Outside of work, Lawrence Smith is deeply inspired by his faith, devoted to his family, and passionate about cross-country mountain biking. He’s currently pursuing an ambitious goal to exceed 1,000 kilometers of distance and 10,000 m in elevation in the next year.
For Businesses
You have a goal.
We’ll get you there.
If your organization is interested in finding ways to improve your performance, profitability and growth, or leverage AI for transformational outcomes, we can help. Contact Valent Partners today to arrange a consultation on the challenges you face.
