At Valerian Partners, our leadership team is made up of successful industry professionals who have a combined 90 years of experience working at top Fortune 100 companies. With unparalleled expertise across multiple industries, including IT, finance, operations, retail, and manufacturing, our managing partners bring a wealth of knowledge to every project. From operations to strategic planning and process optimization, we work closely with businesses to solve their toughest problems with practical, scalable solutions that ensure long-term success.
With 30 years of executive leadership experience at Fortune 100 companies, Mike Zeigler has a proven track record of driving business growth and operational excellence. His career at Micron Technology, Inc. included senior and executive leadership roles in IT, Worldwide M&A, P&L ownership, GM of MicroDisplay business unit, and VP of global HR operations. Mike has also held interim CHRO, CFO, and Co-CEO responsibilities across a number of businesses.
Tory Nichols brings 28 years of Fortune 1 executive leadership, primarily from his career at Walmart. With deep expertise in retail and operations, Tory has successfully led teams, managed large-scale projects, and driven company growth.
With over 32 years of experience at Fortune 100 companies, Jeff King is a leader in IT, global M&A, and operations. His expertise spans from designing and launching global site start-ups to managing large-scale technology projects.
Tory Nichols brings 28 years of Fortune 1 executive leadership, primarily from his career at Walmart. With deep expertise in retail and operations, Tory has successfully led teams, managed large-scale projects, and driven company growth.
Bringing nearly three decades of HR leadership, Shawn Hafer fuses strategic insight with people-first execution to empower clients through fractional CHRO partnerships.
Shawn’s journey is anchored in purpose-driven transformation. With a B.S. in Education from Boise State University and deep HR experience across DIRECTV, Home Depot, Walmart/Sam’s Club, Sitel (Sykes) Group, and Idaho Housing & Finance Association (IHFA), he’s cultivated a rare blend of operational rigor and human-centric leadership.
Jeff brings a rare blend of technical depth and executive leadership. With a background spanning maintenance, engineering, operations, and quality across ESL, UHT, and aseptic processing, giving a holistic perspective on plant performance and reliability.
Jeff’s career path has been both hands-on and strategic. From maintenance and engineering leadership to senior roles as General Manager and Vice President of Process Improvement, he’s built a reputation for elevating teams, streamlining operations, and guiding facilities through startup, growth, and optimization. Jeff now delivers fractional services and leadership that helps manufacturers and co-packers achieve faster ramp-ups, stronger compliance, and long-term efficiency gains.
As Practice Partner leading Valerian Partners’ Fractional CFO service, Michael has helped numerous clients across industries strengthen their financial foundation and unlock new opportunities. Michael’s expertise spans cash flow optimization, strategic forecasting, and working capital improvements that create immediate impact and long-term stability. By building disciplined financial strategies, Michael enables business leaders to make smarter, more confident decisions.
Michael also brings deep experience in securing millions of dollars in both strategic and operational financing, giving clients the capital they need to grow. Beyond day-to-day financial management, Michael focuses on improving company valuations to best position businesses for future growth or potential sale. Michael’s ability to align financial strategy with business objectives ensures clients are well-prepared to maximize both performance and enterprise value.
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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
At Valerian Partners, our leadership team is more than experienced professionals—we’re passionate about helping businesses grow, thrive, and succeed in an ever-changing landscape. Our deep industry knowledge, combined with a hands-on approach, ensures our clients receive the guidance and support they need to achieve sustainable success.
Ready to partner with us? Fill out our online form or email us at info@valerianpartners.com.
