Executive Team

Our team is comprised of high-level executives with tens of thousands of hours of focused, unsurpassed expertise in each of our dashboard’s nine dials. While many firms offer some degree of depth in one or two areas, the resulting gain seldom moves the needle on your profit and equity value. DCI’s unique depth and breadth of expertise produces significant, meaningful increase to your profits and your market value.

Partner, Chief Tax Consulting Officer

Gary Amico is the Chief Tax Consulting Officer for DCI Solutions and brings Best Practice results in the area of Taxation to the Firm’s clients. Gary provides general methodology and process to the Firm’s Total Tax Solution Practice as well as providing Tax Recovery and Consulting. His expertise in taxation is acquired from multiple years’ experience as a Senior Manager for a Big Four Accounting Firm, where he oversaw projects for Fortune 1000 companies in state and local income tax, franchise tax, municipal business license tax, sales and use tax, hiring tax credits, and audit representation. Gary was one of the primary authors of the telecommunication stax reform movement and was instrumental in drafting Section 602 of the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act. Gary earned his B.S. in Accounting from Loyola-Marymount University and his law Degree from Loyola Law School. He has completed the Institute of Property Taxation’s Sales and Use Tax School and is active in the California Society of C.P.A. State and Local Tax Discussion Group.

Partner, Chief Cost Reduction Officer

Jim Baker serves as the Chief Cost Reduction Officer for DCI Solutions focusing on development of systems and processes to provide Benchmarking and Cost Recovery Solutions to the Firm’s client base. Jim also interacts with DCI consultants and clients to ensure that DCI’s methodologies are effectively implemented to meet the individual needs of DCI’s multifaceted client base. Prior to DCI Solutions, Jim served in several executive, operational, and financial positions for two publicly traded retail chains. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for one of them, he was instrumental in growing it from 35 stores in 1991 to 300 stores in 1999. He successfully completed a public offering of the Company’s stock which was a consistent top performer on the NASDAQ from 1998 to 1999. Jim attended Southern Illinois University and holds a BA with a Specialization in Accounting.

Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Utility Analyst

Kirk Conole serves as the Chief Operating Officer overseeing client relationships and business development activities for the company. Before joining DCI, Kirk was the principal of Independent Energy Services, providing utility rate and tariff analysis along with economic analysis for energy projects such as back-up generation, co-generation, solar energy and energy efficiency. Kirk’s deep expertise in the area of Energy Consumption and Strategic Use allows him to provide utility rate and tariff analysis and cost savings for DCI’s clients. In addition, Kirk oversees the marketing of the firm’s CORE and Tax Solutions to current and prospective clients. Kirk received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from San Diego State University.

Director, Freight Analysis

Bob Fike is the Director of Freight Analysis for DCI Solutions. Bob is responsible for freight rate analysis and negotiation, carrier development, and product line management. He has over 31 years of experience in LTL and third-party logistics. Until recently, Bob was Vice President of LTL for Exel Transportation Services, where his team helped develop the product line from $1 to $48 million. He is a graduate of Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics. Additionally, he is a graduate of MIT’s Transportation Logistics and Supply Chain Management Program.

Manager, Tax Processing Center

Mark Alhanti manages DCI Solutions’ Tax Processing Center focusing on tax process management and tax recovery services as part of DCI’s Total Tax Solution Practice. A Professor of Accounting at Mount St. Mary’s College since 1986, Mark currently chairs the school’s Department of Business Administration. For 24 years he has consulted employers within the manufacturing, food service, and retail sectors on how to optimize benefits from federal and state job tax credits (including WTW and WOTC). Mark holds a B.S. in Accounting from California State University, Northridge and an MBA in Management from Loyola-Marymount University.

Manager, Multi-State Excise Tax Consulting

Jose Manzano manages the tax consulting area of Multi-State Excise Taxes including sales and use, business license privilege taxes and other non-income based taxes as part of DCI Solutions’ Total Tax Solution Practice. Jose’s 14 years of experience in the area of multistate and local taxation provides Best Tax Practice approaches to the Firms Multi-state taxpayer base. In addition to being a Senior Business Tax Auditor with the California State Board of Equalization for over 8 years, Jose was also a State and Local Tax Manager with a Big 4 Accounting firm in Los Angeles. Jose holds a B.S. in Accounting from California State University, Long Beach.

Manager, International Freight

Bill Woods manages the International Freight analysis for DCI Solutions. Beginning his career with the Flying Tigers in 1974, Bill brings decades of experience in international shipping (including Panama, Japan, and Russia) holding C-level positions in sales, marketing and pricing for freight forwarders, NVOCCs and direct carriers (CSCL, CMA-CGM, GWS, and Rickmers). Because his roles involved pricing, service contracts, and sales management Bill is invaluable in the analysis of carrier contracts and identification of best pricing by carrier. Bill also helps both exporters and importers improve carrier service through increased equipment synergies, pricing stability, and vendor booking integrity. The results are better pricing for the client and an easier to manage shipping program. Bill is also a leader in marine sustainability via Marine Highway growth (COB container on barge) as well as associating with MARAD approved grant holders to create alternative inland routings via international B/Ls. He also is involved in initiatives to reduce shipping fuel expense. Bill holds a BA in Economics and History from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Manager, Waste and Recycling

Bruce Welch manages the Waste and Recycling analysis for DCI Solutions, bringing more than 22 years’ experience as a waste and recycling industry professional. Bruce has designed and implemented recycling programs, and electronic waste recycling, bought and sold waste paper for domestic and overseas paper mills, developed beverage container recycling locations, and designed cost-saving waste and recycling programs for major waste generators. Prior to DCI, Bruce worked with the country’s second-largest waste hauling company as a Major Account Executive in the company’s largest market area, Los Angeles County, California. In this capacity, he brought designed innovative waste and recycling systems to reduce costs and improve sustainability for his company’s largest customers. Bruce holds a BA from Ouachita Baptist University.