The Blackstone Leadership Team

Casey Courneen is the CEO, President and a co-founder of BlackSafe Services Group. Casey’s rich history in leading teams and servicing Fortune 100 customers helps him address our customers’ unique hiring challenges, and ensures profitability and productivity for all parties. Casey began his career at PriceWaterhouse in the Management Consulting Services division, helping Fortune 100 telecom, energy, and financial services companies gain advantage over their competition with superior information systems. From there he moved to a start-up IT services firm where he concentrated on leading several client-server, object-oriented and distributed technology projects across a number of different vertical marketplaces. At Blackstone, he continues to focus his efforts on driving innovation and developing creative internal strategies used to hire and retain the best talent in the industry. Casey holds a B.S.E. in Finance and Legal Studies from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania

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Rakesh is a co-founder and Executive Vice President at BlackSafe Services Group, and the CEO of Blackstone’s wholly owned subsidiary, Trellis Energy (www.trellisenergy.com). Trellis Energy is a natural gas transaction management software that delivers comprehensive features, functionality, and configurability. Trellis provides the business, economic and technical benefits of a SaaS, private cloud or on-premise solution option and is designed for energy companies of all sizes and complexity. As a veteran IT professional, Rakesh specializes in leading and delivering complex, multi-tier, mission-critical systems to Fortune 1000 companies in the Energy sector. Rakesh began his career as a Technology Consultant with Merrill Lynch, creating several internal portfolio management applications, tools, and utilities. From there he joined a smaller start up IT services firm as Senior Technical Architect and Project Manager, where he designed highly complex and flexible application architectures for large-scale system integration engagements. Rakesh holds an MBA from the University of Kentucky and a B.S. in Material Science Engineering from the Regional Engineering College, India. He also holds numerous certificates in information systems integration and management.

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Ken Hans is a Partner at BlackSafe Services Group and the Vice President of Sales for Blackstone Talent division. Ken is responsible for new client growth, client satisfaction and adapting the resource service offerings for clients to meet the demands of today’s dynamic and fast-paced resource marketplace. Ken brings over 24 years of experience in the information technology industry including a 15-year tenure with Blackstone.

Ken began his career at Andersen Consulting (Accenture) in their Technology Services Practice where he helped to design, build, and manage delivery of both ERP and custom software solutions for clients. From there he worked for Siebel Systems (Oracle Corporation) where he assumed roles in both their pre-sales and sales divisions and garnered such awards as Customer Advocate of the Year, Beyond Expectations Platinum Award, and 100% Quota Attainment Club Winner.

Ken holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Eric Swanson is the Executive Director of Blackstone Talent division, with over 19 years of sales and leadership in IT Staffing and Talent Management. Eric is responsible for the strategy, management, direction, and vision of Blackstone Talent division nationally. In addition, Eric is responsible for the day to day operations and management of Blackstone’s Denver office, including Blackstone’s Consulting Practices housed there. Prior to joining Blackstone, Eric was Vice President of Business Development for Techniki Informatica (a division of Network Staffing Services Inc.), an international IT Staffing firm. Earlier in his career Eric held sales, management, and operations positions at large publically traded IT Staffing firms, smaller boutique firms, as well as startups. Eric holds a BA from the University of New Hampshire, and is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC).

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Korrie Courneen is the Director of Human Resources at BlackSafe Services Group. She possesses over fifteen years of Human Resources experience and expertise. She first joined Blackstone when there were just fifteen employees, and she has supported the steady and expansive growth of the organization ever since. Korrie is passionate about helping Blackstone remain a premiere Professional Services and Software firm, and she is committed to helping every employee attain both their personal and professional goals. Her most extensive experience is in developing internal programs, policies and initiatives designed to enhance the employee experience, while drawing out the creative energies and ideas from the pool of unbelievably talented individuals she surrounds herself with across the company. She has been the primary architect for Blackstone’s compensation, benefits, and retention strategies and she has developed several employee recognition and celebration programs that have helped elevate the company culture and performance to new heights each and every year. Korrie holds a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from Santa Clara University; she holds the certification of Senior Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resources Management, SHRM-SCP.

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