Our Team

Nicole Russo is the Owner, President, and CEO of Microboard Processing, Inc. (Microboard), located in New Haven County, Connecticut. Microboard is a premier, world-class, high-tech Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) firm. Russo oversees all operations of Microboard to execute complex manufacturing challenges for the world’s most advanced electronics in the Medical, Defense/Aerospace, Industrial, and Telecom sectors. Under her leadership over the past 20 years, Microboard has become a globally recognized firm, sought after by several branches of the U.S. Military and Fortune 500 companies.

Nicole was recognized as a Connecticut Women of Innovation in 2015 and was inducted into The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame as a Woman of Distinction in 2024. Microboard was a recipient of the 2019 American Manufacturing Hall of Fame award.

From 1999 to 2005, Nicole served in various structured finance roles at GE Capital, including leading an international team in India, strategic portfolio growth and integration activities, and becoming the youngest appointed woman Vice President of a $13B division. Her knowledge of capital structures and credit markets, coupled with her in-depth operational management skills, successfully guided a $1B portfolio of diverse distressed clients through various business cycles and recoveries.

Nicole serves on the advisory boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Second District Advisory Council, Carter Morse & Goodrich, Ultra Pure, and the State of Connecticut’s Workforce Strategy Southwest Regional Sector Partnership (RSP), which consists of over 300 manufacturers. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA), where she collaborates with leaders to drive economic growth and support businesses across the state. She proudly serves as Executive Chairwoman of The WorkPlace, one of the USA's largest non-profit workforce firms. Nicole exemplifies the philosophy of "live your legacy now," as evidenced by her leadership of nine life-changing global humanitarian projects and speaking engagements on the impactful intersection of business, philanthropy, and faith.

Russo holds an MBA in management from the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University and a BS from Salve Regina University, where she received the 2011 Alumni Achievement Award. She is also a valued and active participant at Yale’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute, as well as leading executive education programs at Yale School of Management, Harvard Business School, and New York University.

Lee is the Executive Vice President of Operations, responsible for Microboard’s Manufacturing, Engineering, IT and Facilities departments. He brings to the role 25 years of manufacturing experience in the medical, industrial, and electronics industries. He has consistently delivered profitable growth, managing operational and process excellence programs, customer engagement and people development.

Before joining Microboard, Lee was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Ivy Technology, a leading global electronics repair and service provider to many of the world's largest tech, med-tech, and telecom companies. Prior to Ivy Technology, Lee was the Executive Vice President of DCMS operations at Kimball Electronics.

Mr. Kemper earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Saint Francis and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toledo. Lee and his wife have two children and will reside in the Seymour, Connecticut area.

Bryan Brady is the Vice President of Business Development at Microboard, having joined the company in 2017. Bryan has responsibility for customer engagement, program management, marketing, and strategic sourcing. He brings to the role an extensive background in business unit leadership, sales, and corporate account management with 35 years of electronics industry experience.

Prior to joining Microboard, Bryan was the Strategic Sales Director and Vice President of Defense/Aerospace for Avnet, a leading global distributor of electronic components, where he spent almost 30 years in various roles serving the defense, medical, and industrial markets in the areas of sales, marketing, asset management, pricing, corporate account management, and business unit leadership.

Bryan has served on various working groups in the electronics industry. He has also served on the Arizona State Board of Education’s Business Marketing Education Advisory Council and as an elected board member of the DECA Foundation. Mr. Brady holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from UCLA and resides in Chandler, Arizona with his wife and three children.

Wayne Ellis is the Vice President of Supply at Microboard. Wayne brings 35 years of Supply Chain experience to the team, with 25 of those years supporting the EMS industry. He is responsible for Microboard’s Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, and Master Scheduling departments.

Before joining Microboard, Wayne worked as the Vice President of Global Supply Chain & North American Operations for SVI. In addition to SVI, Wayne has worked for IEC Electronics, Mack Technologies, and Jabil.

Wayne received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Supply Chain, from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He also attended postgraduate courses at the University of San Diego.

Wayne and his family reside in the Rochester, New York area.

Daniel Lewis is the Vice President of Customer Success at Microboard. Dan brings with him 30 years of EMS experience with Tier 1 level EMS companies. He is responsible for all aspects of customer management including Microboard’s Program Management department.

Prior to joining Microboard, Dan was the Sr. Director/General Manager for Celestica’s Smart Energy Industrial segment. Prior to Celestica, Dan spent over a decade at Plexus as the Vice President, Aerospace and Defense market segment. In addition, Dan spent 18 years at Jabil in various leadership roles spanning multiple end markets including Healthcare, Industrial, Semiconductor, Telecom and Aerospace and Defense.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Marketing from Penn State University. He also attended Executive Management courses at Harvard University, University of Chicago and University of Michigan.

Dan and his family reside in southern New Hampshire.

Dave Kleffman is the Vice President of Engineering & Technology at Microboard. He is responsible for the development of new product introductions with new and existing customers. Dave helps develop Microboard’s technology road map, maintaining a portfolio of the industry’s most leading-edge equipment and software; he also provides manufacturing engineering support.

Leveraging his strong process engineering background and 35 plus years with leading OEMs and EMS providers, Dave simplifies complex concepts into straightforward presentations tailored for streamlined manufacturing. He has held various roles in electronics manufacturing at Benchmark Electronics, CTS, Sanmina, Compaq Computer, and Allied Chemicals, such as Director of Engineering, Director of Operations, and Senior Process Engineer.

Dave has served on various working groups in the electronics industry. He has been a member of the SMTA and has conducted validations of new, innovative equipment for annual industry awards. Dave holds a degree in Aviation and Business and is an A&P Mechanic. He lives in Bethany, Connecticut along with his wife Delores.

Sandra Vidackovic is the Vice President of Human Resources at Microboard, bringing over 20 years of experience in HR leadership across industries such as manufacturing, technology, and franchising. Sandra has a proven ability to drive organizational growth, enhance employee engagement, and streamline HR operations in high-growth environments.
Before joining Microboard, Sandra served as VP of Human Resources at Accel International, where she led HR strategies during a period of rapid growth, supporting over a decade of 20-30% annual revenue increase and the opening of three new manufacturing facilities. Prior to that, Sandra held the top Human Resources role at Edible Arrangements, where she played a pivotal role in the company’s remarkable growth, expanding the franchise network by over 1,000 locations globally.
Sandra holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from San Jose State University and is passionate about building strong, people-first cultures that support both business success and employee satisfaction. She is committed to aligning HR initiatives with business goals to foster a high-performance culture that drives success and supports Microboard’s continued growth.
Sandra lives in Wallingford with her two sons and their Corgi.

Bryce Poland is the Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Microboard. Bryce is responsible for lean manufacturing and process improvements, productivity, employee training, and ensuring quality performance and delivery to our customers.

He brings over 20 years of manufacturing and operations experience, having held several executive and leadership roles in lean process improvement, digital manufacturing, sales and operations planning, program management, and corporate strategy.

Prior to joining Microboard, Bryce was the Director of Manufacturing Transformation at Stanley Black & Decker driving lean, digital, and workforce transformation globally. In addition, Bryce has held various manufacturing, operations and engineering roles at General Electric, ExxonMobil and corporate strategy consulting firm Booz & Company.

Bryce holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, where he graduated summa cum laude. Bryce resides in Burlington, Connecticut with his wife and two children.

AJ Bordas holds the positions of Director of Program Management, Facility Security Officer (FSO), and Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO). AJ is responsible for Microboard’s program management team as well as for all aspects of our security program.

After serving in the U.S Navy for four years, AJ began his career at Microboard in 1997. Over the last twenty-five years, AJ has progressed through various operational roles from test operator to leading our program management team. Throughout that time, he has developed both his technical and program management skills across all aspects of electronics contract manufacturing. He also serves as a LEAN manufacturing champion leading multiple Kaizen events and strategic initiatives.

After ten years as a Program Manager, AJ was promoted to the role of Director of Program Management in 2019. He took on the additional roles of FSO and ITPSO in 2021.

AJ holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University as well as certifications in Industrial Electronics, LEAN Manufacturing, FSO, and ITPSO. AJ and his wife raise their three children in Naugatuck CT where he is an elected board of zoning commissioner. He is also a member of NCMS, The American Legion Post #17, and organizes annual fundraisers for veteran organizations to help ensure that no veteran has to go it alone.

Anthony Cafiero is the Director of Information Technology and System Integration at Microboard, bringing over 25 years of IT application experience to the team. He has successfully led numerous global implementations of ERP, CRM, WMS, Ecommerce, and Business Intelligence solutions. Throughout his career, Anthony has consistently guided organizations through the challenges of organizational change, process redesign, and digital transformation.

Before joining Microboard, Anthony was a Project Manager at Evapco Inc., an industry-leading global manufacturer of evaporative cooling and industrial refrigeration solutions, where he spearheaded a company-wide digital transformation. Prior to Evapco, he served as the Director of Enterprise Applications for Timex Group and has also held positions with industry leaders such as Valassis Communications and Oracle Corporation.

Mr. Cafiero holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Providence College in Rhode Island and a Master of Science degree in Finance from the University of New Haven. He resides in Guilford, Connecticut with his wife and three children.

John Schuler is the Director of Supply Chain Management for Microboard. John is responsible for all aspects of the supply chain from material order planning, purchase order placement, vendor management, cost integrity and savings, inventory management, as well as MRO and CapEx purchase order management. John brings nearly 30 years of management experience in supply chain/strategic procurement functions at various corporations.

Prior to joining Microboard, John was the Supply Chain Manager for Brady Corporation’s Workplace Safety Division. John has skills in developing and mentoring teams of buyers both domestically and internationally for a wide selection of products. He has held various roles in supply chain from Strategic Buyer to Senior Buyer.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Haven. He resides in Milford, Connecticut with his wife and two children.

Jim is the SVP of Operations and Supply Chain at Arbor Investments, a Private Equity firm specializing in Food and Beverages Consumer Products. He has been with Arbor since 2021 and provides operations and engineering support across Arbor’s portfolio companies.

Prior to this he led operations at Blommer Chocolate. Accomplishments include supporting the marketing and sale of the family company to Fuji Oil out of Osaka, Japan in 2019.

Jim spent his first 32 years with Kraft Foods out of Northfield, IL where he held multiple positions, including leading Global Engineering and managing a Nabisco factory. From 2006 to 2013 Jim led the Kraft Cheese & Dairy Integrated Supply Chain organization responsible for the end-to-end supply chain. Prior to departing Kraft, Jim was leading the Oscar Mayer Integrated supply chain with a focus on restructuring the manufacturing operations.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University. In addition to Microboard, Jim serves on the board of the family-owned Community Coffee Company out of Baton Rouge, LA.

Julie Johnson is considered one of the pioneers in the field of executive coaching and has coached hundreds of senior executives in blue chip organizations. She helps companies achieve bottom line results by maximizing the performance of key individuals

Respected as a thought leader in the field of executive leadership, Julie focuses on leadership style, organizational needs and emotional intelligence. Her insights into self management, coalition building and conflict resolution have guided many leaders around common traps and enabled them to advance to the next level. She is also an expert at helping executives navigate and negotiate the political landscape at the C-Suite level.

Julie had her own business, the Reid Group for 25 years. Prior to starting her own business, Julie held leadership positions in Human Resources at Kraft, Merrill Lynch, Vinson and Elkins as well as Director of Placement at Stanford Law School. Julie is the author of The Female Vision: Women’s Real Power at Work as well as numerous articles in the Harvard Business Review.

In addition to serving on the Advisory Board of Microboard, Julie is on the board of the Norwalk Community College Foundation and the Yale Center for Faith and Culture at Yale School of Divinity. She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum.

Julie holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MA in Social Psychology and Counseling from Southern Methodist University and a BA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Among Julie’s clients are BlackRock, Bloomberg, Boston Scientific, Bristol-Meyers-Squibb, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Colgate Palmolive, David, Polk and Wardwell, Deloitte and Touche, Estee Lauder, International Herald Tribune, Morgan Stanley, New York Times, Pitney Bowes, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation, Rockefeller and Company, Save the Children, Simpson Thacher and Bartlett and Yahoo.

François M. de Visscher, a native of Belgium, has been an active advisor to business owning families for over 30 years, mostly in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. In 1990, he founded de Visscher & Co., one of the world’s leading independent financial consulting firms for family and closely-held companies. Over the last 25 years, he and his team have advised over 300 family companies and family offices worldwide on issues of liquidity, growth capital business and family governance. Prior to opening his own firm he was a partner at Smith Barney, where he founded and ran Wall Street’s first Family Business Group. Experiencing the growing desire of Single Family Offices for direct co-investments with other families, de Visscher & Co. developed in 2010 “Family Capital Partners” as a network of Single Family Offices to make direct co-investments with other families. (“Families Investing in Families®”.) de Visscher & Co. is also a founding partner of FODIS LLC www.fodisllc.com (“Family Office Direct Investment Services”). FODIS is one of the world‘s leading advisory firms skilled at supporting multi-generational family offices, family business holding companies, and enterprising families in their direct investments activities.

Mr. de Visscher was a director and is a shareholder of his own family’s global enterprise, N.V. Bekaert S.A. Headquartered in Belgium; Bekaert was founded by his great-grandfather in 1880. Today, the Bekaert Group has sales of $5.0 Billion in over 120 countries manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of steel wire and related products. Today the Bekaert Group is controlled by the Bekaert Family across four generations.

Mr. de Visscher is Honorary Consul of Belgium in the United States and serves as Chairman of The Society of Friends of Belgium in America.

Among his contributions to the field, Mr. de Visscher served as a director and president of the Family Firm Institute, (Boston, MA). He is the past Chairman of the European Family Office Conference, and a contributor to many publications, including The Wall Street Journal, LA Times, NY Times and many others. He has been a full-time contributing editor of Family Business Magazine. In 2003, Mr. de Visscher received the Richard Beckhard Practice Award from the Family Firm Institute in recognition of his many contributions to the field of family businesses.

Mr. de Visscher is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of CPA’s. Mr. de Visscher holds a Bachelor of Economics honors degree from Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) and MBA from Rutgers University.