Zackery (Zack) Reeser is a data and AI leader who has spent more than two decades turning information into a strategic asset for organizations across healthcare, manufacturing, fintech, insurance, and technology. As Founder and Principal Consultant of Spry Data Partners and former Manager of Data Systems at Delta Dental of Colorado, he has repeatedly built data capabilities from the ground up, transforming raw, scattered information into platforms, products, and practices that drive measurable business outcomes. His career is defined by a blend of hands-on technical depth, pragmatic leadership, and a founder’s mindset that keeps him relentlessly focused on real-world impact, not just technical elegance.
Zack’s journey into data and analytics began long before “data as a strategic asset” became a common phrase. Early in his career at EchoStar, StarTek, and later Trizetto and Cognizant, he learned how operational detail, when properly captured and analyzed, could reshape decision-making and unlock efficiencies across large, complex organizations. Working as an Operations Analyst and BI Developer, he designed reports, dashboards, and data models that dramatically improved reporting speed, reduced defects, and gave executives clearer visibility into performance. Those formative years taught him how to navigate between technical teams and business stakeholders, and they cemented his belief that data work only matters when it changes behavior and outcomes.
Over time, Zack moved from being a skilled individual contributor to becoming a recognized leader of high-performing analytics teams. At Delta Dental of Colorado, a $600M healthcare organization serving 1.5 million members, he was hired to build an enterprise data platform essentially from zero. As Manager of Data Systems, he forged a data strategy that went far beyond tools, establishing governance, architecture, and culture in parallel. He hired and mentored a team of six, including an architect and developers, and led them in modernizing the organization’s entire BI and analytics landscape. Under his leadership, the company moved from legacy SSRS and OBIEE reports to a modern, Power BI–driven environment that enabled richer self-service analytics, more agile decision-making, and a sustainable foundation for future growth.
Zack’s impact at Delta Dental was measured not only in dashboards and data models, but in hard financial results and cultural change. By building an internal, high-performing data team rather than relying on external contractors, he helped the organization realize approximately $2 million in annual savings. Through strategic optimization of SQL, data architecture, and reporting practices, he drove more than $1 million in additional cost reduction and improvements in operational efficiency. Executives gained access to curated, high-trust dashboards; front-line managers saw their manual reporting burden shrink and their access to real-time insight expand; and the organization as a whole took meaningful steps toward becoming truly data-centric.
Prior to his work in healthcare, Zack played a pivotal role in the growth story at Custom Made Meals, a high-growth food manufacturing company. As the IT Data Manager and often the sole technical resource for data, he was responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the entire analytics environment. He implemented real-time ETL pipelines with latency measured in minutes, developed executive and operational dashboards in Power BI and Tableau, and stitched together systems via custom APIs. His work yielded a 15 percent improvement in productivity and profitability and supported a 200 percent revenue increase without requiring proportional investment in infrastructure. That experience reaffirmed his ability to “wear all the hats,” operating as data engineer, BI developer, architect, and trusted advisor to leadership.
Zack’s earlier years at Sapiens, Cognizant, and The TriZetto Group further developed his expertise in enterprise-scale analytics and cloud-native architectures. He led Salesforce Einstein Analytics initiatives for thousands of users, implemented performance improvements that delivered dramatic gains in speed and reliability, and drove the adoption of modern ETL and BI solutions. Across these roles, he became known as the person who could make complex systems understandable, who could translate between finance, operations, HR, and IT, and who could be trusted to implement solutions that were robust, documented, and designed to scale.
The decision to found Spry Data Partners represented a natural progression rather than a departure from Zack’s prior work. As a solo founder and principal consultant, he now brings his combination of strategic thinking and hands-on implementation to small and mid-sized businesses that want to use data and AI more intelligently. Spry Data Partners helps clients define practical data and AI strategies, design and implement roadmaps, and build or modernize analytics environments using technologies such as Azure, Snowflake, Python, SQL, and modern BI tools. Zack advises on governance, architecture, and organizational design, while also rolling up his sleeves to build proof-of-concept AI products, develop data pipelines, and validate value propositions through working software rather than slide decks.
What differentiates Zack in the crowded data and AI space is his dual orientation: he is both deeply technical and genuinely business-minded. He is an active coder, contributing to open-source projects and maintaining a GitHub portfolio that showcases work in Python, TypeScript, and SQL. He has shipped more than 120 data products in production environments, including executive dashboards, operational reports, and AI-enabled solutions, with zero major incidents and consistently improved release cycle times. At the same time, he is equally comfortable in the boardroom, working with C-suite leaders to evaluate investments, structure governance frameworks, and align data initiatives to revenue, margin, and strategic priorities.
Zack’s commitment to leadership excellence is reinforced by formal development and real-world responsibility. He completed the High Performance Leadership Program at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business—a program often described as a “mini-MBA”—with a focus on collaborative problem solving and program management. In parallel, he has built teams with zero attrition over multi-year periods, a testament to his emphasis on culture, mentorship, and ownership. He believes that great data work is a team sport and that psychological safety, clear expectations, and shared purpose are just as important as technical skill in delivering results that endure.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, Zack remains deeply engaged in the wider community. He serves on the board of the Rockledge Ranch Living History Association and contributes to the Anselm Society as a volunteer project manager. These commitments highlight his conviction that true leadership extends beyond managing projects or platforms as it requires investing in people and communities. His enthusiasm for serving on boards and advisory committees stems both from the fulfillment he has found in these roles and from his desire to help fellow leaders navigate challenges more effectively, drawing on the lessons, both successes and setbacks, of his own career.
On a personal level, Zack brings the same curiosity and craftsmanship to his hobbies that he brings to his work. An outdoors enthusiast and nature lover based in Colorado, he spends time biking, staying active, and exploring the outdoors with his family. He is an avid reader and a hands-on creator, with interests in woodworking and watchmaking that mirror his professional inclination to understand how systems fit together and how small adjustments can yield outsized results. As a father, he thinks deeply about the legacy he is building, not just in terms of career achievements but in terms of character, integrity, and example.
Looking ahead, Zack is particularly interested in board and leadership opportunities with organizations in healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, and adjacent industries that are ready to move beyond ad hoc reporting into disciplined, strategically aligned data and AI capabilities. With more than twenty years of experience, a proven record of delivering quantified business impact, and a genuine passion for helping organizations build sustainable, data-driven cultures, he offers a unique combination of strategic insight, technical credibility, and real-world leadership. For boards and executive teams seeking someone who can see the big picture, understand the details, and communicate clearly across all levels of the organization, Zack Reeser is a compelling and trusted partner.
Character:
Zack’s character is grounded in integrity, accountability, and a genuine desire to help organizations and people thrive. He consistently chooses long-term value over short-term optics, building systems and teams that continue to perform after he has moved on. His volunteer work, mentoring, and zero-attrition leadership track record reflect a leader who cares deeply about the people behind the numbers.
Knowledge:
With more than two decades in data analytics, engineering, and leadership, Zack brings deep expertise across SQL, Python, TypeScript, Azure, Snowflake, BI tools, and modern data architecture. He complements his technical mastery with formal leadership training and continuous learning, staying current with emerging AI and analytics trends. His body of work demonstrates an ability to connect technology choices directly to business strategy, governance, and measurable impact.
Strategic:
Zack approaches every engagement with a clear focus on business outcomes, designing data and AI strategies that are actionable, prioritized, and grounded in organizational reality. He has repeatedly translated high-level ambitions into practical roadmaps, guiding companies from legacy reporting to modern, self-service analytics and governed data ecosystems. His experience as both an internal leader and external consultant allows him to balance ambition with pragmatism, sequencing initiatives to deliver early wins while building towards a long-term vision.
Communication:
As a leader who is comfortable with both code and the C-suite, Zack excels at translating complex technical concepts into clear, relevant language for executives and non-technical stakeholders. He has delivered numerous internal presentations, facilitated cross-functional collaboration, and acted as a bridge between IT, finance, operations, and sales teams. His communication style is direct, transparent, and solutions-oriented, which helps build trust and alignment in environments undergoing significant change.
