Our Team

Nicole Russo is Owner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Microboard Processing, Inc. (Microboard), located in New Haven County, Connecticut. Microboard is a premier world class, high-tech Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) firm. Russo overseas all operations of Microboard to execute complex manufacturing challenges for the world’s most advanced electronics in the Medical, Defense/Aerospace, Industrial, Commercial and Telecomm sectors. Russo has led Microboard for the last 18 years to become a globally recognized firm sought after by several branches of U.S. Military and Fortune 500 Companies.

Nicole was recognized as a Connecticut Women of Innovation in 2015. 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 was 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 is also actively involved in several global humanitarian projects and volunteering. She serves on the advisory board’s of Carter Morse Goodrich, Ultra Pure, The Workplace, and the State of Connecticut’s Office of Workforce Strategy Southwest Regional Sector Partnership (RSP) consisting of over 300 manufacturers.

Russo holds an MBA in management from D'Amore-McKim School of Business Northeastern University, and a BS from Salve Regina University where she was recognized with 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.

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.

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.

Dave Kleffman is the Executive Director of 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 a A&P Mechanic. He lives in Bethany, Connecticut along with his wife Delores.

Justine Grueb is the Executive Director of Information Systems & Business Process Excellence at Microboard. Justine has the responsibility of leading critical strategic initiatives and working with leadership to successfully implement new processes, technology, and strategies. Justine’s role includes managing the following distinct business areas: Information Systems (IT), Project Management, as well as Facility and IT Security Best Practices. She brings to the role a background in multiple highly regulated industries, including extensive defense product experience in aerospace manufacturing, working for one of the top OEMs.

Prior to joining Microboard, Justine was an Operations Manager with Verde Energy USA, a leading natural gas and green energy provider. From 2006 to 2014, Justine held roles at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation with progressive experience in finance and operations in the areas of pricing, quality assurance, and supply chain management.

Justine is an active member of the National Exchange Club. She has held the positions of Club President, Division Director, and was on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut District. She currently serves on the Ansonia High School Career and Technical Education Board and is a member of Women in Electronics (WE).

Justine holds an MBA in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University where she graduated magna cum laude. Justine resides in Seymour, Connecticut with her husband and rescue dog.

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.

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 Durkin has led the Blommer organization, including Safety, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Engineering and Product Supply since 2016. Accomplishments include supporting the marketing and sale of the family company to Fuji Oil out of Osaka, Japan in 2019. Jim is currently working with Fuji to establish industry best practices across all functional areas.

Prior to joining Bloomer, Jim spent 32 years with Kraft Foods out of Northfield, IL where he held multiple positions, including leading Global Engineering and managing a Biscuit factory. He spent 19 years of his career at Kraft as a member of six different executive teams. 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.