Meet our team.

Todd Perlman

President

Todd strives to establish trusted relationships with clients by always acting in their best interests. As the President of BT Partners, he’s focused on going above and beyond expectations to help clients achieve their goals. Prior to joining the firm over 20 years ago, Todd worked in public accounting and as Controller and Operations Manager for several companies in diverse industries. This experience made him realize there had to be a better way to do ERP implementations and technology consulting – and BT Partners’ foundations were formed.

Todd has served as committee chair in the Illinois CPA Society and is currently a member of AICPA and APICS. In addition, Todd is active in Information Technology Alliance and a current Board member. A lifelong Chicago resident, Todd earned his Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. He’s deeply rooted & committed his community, but family means more to him than anything and that culture resonates throughout BT Partners.

Bert Nelson

Sr. Vice President

Before joining BT Partners, Bert spent the 80s and 90s as a controller and account manager for a manufacturing company. As the technology evolved, Bert was in a unique position to see how it could enhance a business both operationally and fiduciarily. This led him to consulting, where he focused on helping clients implement systems that support their businesses. During his 20+ years with BT Partners, Bert previously served as Director of Strategic Accounts, SYSPRO Implementation Specialist as well as Applications Development Manager. He’s well known for his uncanny ability to identify a business problem and solve it. Bert received a B.S. in Accounting from Illinois State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – to this day, he still maintains he does his own taxes.

Austin Germaine

Sr. Director, Managed Services

Austin manages the Managed Services practice here at BT Partners.  Austin began his decade-plus career in IT on the helpdesk before moving through server engineering and into management, supporting networks in private sector, law enforcement, and the public and non-profit sector.  He ascribes to the practice of leveraging policy as a foundation and technology as a tool to provide reliable and scalable IT service delivery.  Austin attended Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, majoring in Biology.  Outside of work, Austin can be found playing guitar, obsessing over the water quality in his koi pond, or designing and building custom furniture by hand.

Ayala Clinkman

Sr Director, Business Solutions

With over a decade of experience at BT Partners, Ayala helps manage the ERP practices to ensure business processes are continually improving. Working closely with clients to determine their unique needs, while also managing projects to help keep everyone on task, Ayala makes sure things get done! Her interest in business management solutions began in an Information Systems class, while getting her Masters in Accounting from University of Illinois Chicago and it continues to this day. Getting to help different clients across the variety of businesses & industries BT Partners works with is the best part of her work. Ayala also has her CPA and PMP credentials and enjoys listening to sci-fi audiobooks and practicing martial arts in her spare time. She happily resides in Morton Grove with her growing family and her 2 dogs & 2 cats.

David Thikoll

VP, Business Development

David is a straight shooter. A fix-it guy. A guy you know will always pick up the phone and face the day’s challenges. He’s got a passion for problem-solving and a deep commitment to doing the right thing. In short, he’s a guy you want on your team. David joined the BT Partners team by way of another prominent Microsoft Dynamics and Sage Intacct partner, where under his direction, the firm achieved Sage Intacct President’s Club status for 2 years in a row. When David decided to focus his efforts solely on Sage Intacct, BT Partners was the perfect fit. He lives by the partner-plus-product approach that minimizes risk and maximizes clients’ long-term value from their technology investments.

Elizabeth Ingram

VP, Client Services

Elizabeth is a long-suffering Chicago Cubs and “obsessed” Chicago Blackhawks Hockey fan. She has two-plus decades of customer support experience as a liaison between a variety of clients and key executives. Elizabeth began her career at The Royal George Theatre in Chicago coordinating various aspects of an incoming production, including backstage accommodations for the actors/crew. Today, she is responsible for ongoing support to existing clients on the company’s products and services to form and grow advisory relationships. She also contributes to the company’s mission of helping clients increase revenue, reduce costs, and reinvest in innovation with proven technologies. Elizabeth received a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Beloit College and has a Certification in Secondary Education.

Jacob Specht

VP, Executive Analytics

Jacob leads BT Partners’ Executive Analytics practice and is highly focused on delivering business management and solutions that add incredible value to our clients through industry-leading solutions. Jacob is a graduate of Messiah College where he studied Entrepreneurship and International Business. During his time at Messiah, Jacob had the opportunity to travel to more than 14 different countries throughout Europe with the International Business Institute. Originally from Buffalo, NY, Jacob moved to Chicago to help start Club Automation, a software startup for the health & athletic club market. Today, in his spare time, Jacob enjoys working out, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Jason Minner

Operations Director, Managed Services

Jason oversees the Operations of the Managed Services practice at BT Partners. Having worked in the IT industry for over 20 years, he started out as a helpdesk engineer and supporting court reports, then moved into .com companies where his expertise & leadership led easily to management. Jason looks for ways to be efficient in everything he does. From building streamlined processes for clients, creating new metrics for the helpdesk, or finding a more expedient outcome when dealing with a problem. Internally, he looks at ways to make the team better and more effective in helping clients. Outside of the office, Jason can be found spending time with his family or playing games on his Xbox.

Joe Mika

VP, Internal IT

Joe manages BT Partner’s technology needs effectively and ensures maximum availability of all company IT systems. Before this responsibility, Joe served as Senior Network Engineer on the Managed Services team where he designed, implemented, and managed solutions for BT Partners’ clients. When Joe was a member of the Gamma Phi Circus in college, he had a talent for juggling and fire-eating. In addition to these non-traditional talents, he has a keen ability to analyze problems, develop procedures, find innovative and cost-saving solutions. Joe began his professional life as a high school technology teacher and then moved on to technical training for a software vendor. Joe received his B.S. in Physics and Industrial Technology Education from Illinois State University.

John Homberg

Sr Director, Business Solutions

John excels at improving business processes and how companies use software through implementation guidance & expertise.. Previously, John was involved in business process consulting, which lead him to work with the BT Partners team through a shared client. He enjoyed their professionalism and people so much, he decided to become a part of the team. John received a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MS in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the University of Madison, and has credentials from APICS in CPIM, and CIRM. John loves the variety in his job because it keeps him thinking of the best way to solve a particular client’s need. Outside the office, John is an avid runner, world traveler, and a trusted handyman.

Lucy Ballweg

Sr Director, Business Solutions

Lucy joined BT Partners a decade ago with an impressive breadth of knowledge that lends a big hand to providing outstanding service & support. She has a knack for understanding client needs while also focusing on improving business, discovering growth opportunities, & providing software support. In her previous role, she was involved in every aspect of the business including manufacturing, distribution, finance, and operations. Fittingly, Lucy led the SYSPRO implementation alongside their reseller, BT Partners, which led to her joining our team. With a BBA from University of Wisconsin Whitewater, Lucy enjoys working with clients to improve processes &,problem-solve, while continuously learning the latest tech. Lucy is an avid globetrotter & is most often found with family & friends.

Nancy McCarthy, MISM

Sr Director, Sage Intacct

Nancy joined the BT Partners team with a 30-year background in accounting – 15 of those years as a professional consultant — and the past 7 years working exclusively with Sage Intacct. Combine that with a master’s degree in Information Management and Nancy’s got the smarts, the real-world experience, the business acumen, and the credentials it takes to build collaborative partnerships and deliver successful outcomes. Experience, degrees, and certifications all showcase Nancy’s achievements, but what’s the real secret behind her proven potency as a business software consultant? Could it be the passion for what she does and her commitment to the success of our clients? Could it be that she just really loves Sage Intacct? We’ll let you be the judge after you’ve had the pleasure of working with her.

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