Montgomery On The Road – Building a Business that Runs Without You

Chris Corgnati, Panelist
EOS Worldwide

Chris is a retired Navy Captain, entrepreneur, and EOS Coach. He served for 25 years in the Navy building high performing teams that thrived in fast paced and challenging environments. His greatest joy comes from seeing those that he trained and coached achieve their personal and professional goals.
As a C-Suite leader he led three different startup companies from 10 – 100 employees and consulted with a diverse set of commercial and government clients. He has experienced all the excitement, stress, and chaos of building a business. When he speaks about the challenges of small business, it comes from personal experience with the scars to prove it.
As an EOS Implementer, he is a teacher, coach, and facilitator. He works with entrepreneurs and their leadership teams to implement a complete set of simple, proven tools to help them run a great business and ultimately live a better life.
He is a husband and a father, and in his spare time he enjoys cooking, wine, woodworking, and gardening.

Jason Fisher, Panelist
Empirical Consulting Solutions

Marcia O'Connor, Panelist
The O'Connor Group

Marcia Zaruba O’Connor is the CEO and Founder of The O’Connor Group, a nationally
recognized, WBENC-certified firm specializing in HR consulting and executive search for
small and mid-sized companies. Since founding the company in 2007, Marcia has been
driven by a core belief: that businesses thrive when their people do. That philosophy has
shaped The O’Connor Group into a trusted partner across the Professional Services, Life
Sciences/Healthcare, Information Technology, and Manufacturing sectors — and into a
firm that has grown far beyond its roots.
Today, The O’Connor Group operates across four distinct divisions: Fractional HR & Talent Acquisition, providing embedded HR leadership and recruiting support for growing companies; 57th Street Partners, the firm’s executive retained search practice; PE HR Due Diligence, helping private equity firms assess the human capital risks and
opportunities in target companies.
Under Marcia’s compassionate and visionary leadership, The O’Connor Group has earned recognition not just for growth, but for creating a workplace culture where people feel valued. The firm has been named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies, honored as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work, and recognized in The Inquirer’s Soaring 76, Philadelphia Titan 100, and Entrepreneurs Forum Philly 100. Marcia herself received the Most Admired CEO Award and was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which is one of the most prestigious honors in American business. The O’Connor Group proudly holds national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBENC).
Marcia earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Widener University and her master’s degree in Human Organization Development from Villanova University — a combination that uniquely positions her to understand both the strategic business needs and the human dimensions of organizational success.
For Marcia, leadership extends far beyond business results. A committed civic voice in the Philadelphia region, she serves as a Trustee of Widener University, sits on the M&T Bank Advisory Board, and is a board member of the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia, championing access to quality education for every child, regardless of circumstance. She serves on the CEO vs. Cancer board, bringing her platform to one of the most personal fights a community can take on. As a board member of both the Philadelphia 100 (Philly100) and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, she works to strengthen the region’s business ecosystem and celebrate its fastest-growing companies. She is also an active member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), currently serving as Learning Chair for EO East Bridge.

Megan Popoleo, Moderator
The O'Connor Group

Meghan Popoleo is the President of The O’Connor Group, a nationally recognized, WBENC certified firm specializing in HR consulting, talent acquisition and executive search for small and mid-sized companies. In her role, Meghan leads The O’Connor Group’s strategic growth initiatives and works closely with clients to help them attract, engage, and retain top talent while developing scalable people strategies.
Before joining The O’Connor Group, Meghan gained early career experience leading wellness initiatives for the Rocky Run YMCA and working with private equity-backed life sciences companies. These roles shaped her passion for mission-driven work and organizational impact.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University. Meghan is deeply committed to advancing women in business and giving back to the community. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Resource Center and Shadow Her and is an active member of the Forum of Executive Women. She has also served on the board of the Philadelphia chapter of Women in Bio and has been involved for many years with Bringing Hope Home, a nonprofit that assists families affected by cancer.
Her contributions to the regional business community have earned her several notable recognitions. Most recently, she was named a Philadelphia Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry’s Female Business Leader of the Year.
When she’s not guiding teams or helping organizations grow, Meghan can often be found frequenting local coffee shops in West Chester and Sea Isle City, doing her part to keep the caffeine economy strong. Meghan lives in West Chester with her husband and is the proud mother of three daughters.