About Us
Elevating Your Financial, Human Capital, and Marketing Frameworks
Our Mission
At Pillar One, we are on a mission to propel businesses to peak performance with comprehensive, world-class solutions in financial management, human capital, and strategic marketing. We strive to empower organizations to achieve sustainable growth by weaving together the threads of financial acumen, talent development, and marketing brilliance.
Our Responsibility
Pillar One is steadfast in its belief that corporate responsibility and philanthropy are not just ethical imperatives but also key drivers of business growth and brand loyalty. We live our mission by allocating capital, dedicating time, and sharing our multifaceted expertise to uplift local communities, thereby nurturing a cycle of prosperity that benefits all stakeholders.
Our Leadership
Cheryl Heller
Managing Principal
Cheryl Heller is the strategic powerhouse behind Pillar One Consulting, bringing over two decades of executive expertise to small business owners as a Fractional CFO and Strategic Advisor. Additionally, as a Partner at Clipper Ship Ventures, she focuses on driving growth in the fintech and business technology sectors. Prior to Pillar One, Cheryl spent 20 years at Capital One where her tenure was marked by her leadership in finance, operations, and human resources. She excelled in driving transformational initiatives, cutting costs, revamping culture, and enhancing operational efficiencies. Her foundational experience includes impactful roles at leading insurance and public accounting firms, with a focus on regional banks and real estate partnerships.
Cheryl's educational background includes a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut, a master's degree from the University of Hartford, and specialized certificates including a Professional Masters in Banking from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, a Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University and a Certificate in FinTech from New York University. As a Certified Public Accountant, Cheryl's financial acumen is beyond question, and her additional credentials in Commercial Real Estate and FinTech underline her comprehensive advisory capacity.
Cheryl dedicates her time to fostering leadership and empowerment among women as a volunteer with The Leadership Foundry and Delta Gamma Fraternity. Furthermore, Cheryl volunteers with the Montgomery County Humane Society, serving the needs of dogs waiting for their forever homes. Living in Gaithersburg, Maryland, she balances her professional pursuits with personal wellness as an active member of the Peloton community. Cheryl's holistic approach to life reflects in her business ethos—where she helps small businesses succeed and thrive with confidence in their financial future. Her strategic acumen is a beacon for small businesses seeking not just advice but a partnership for sustainable success.
Michael Heller
Managing Principal
Michael Heller is a leader in strategic human resources and talent management with a robust career spanning over two decades shaping and leading HR initiatives. Michael has been a trailblazer in devising cutting-edge human capital management strategies and programs.
As the visionary Founder & CEO of iRevü, Michael revolutionized performance management with a micro-feedback solution that enhances productivity, saves costs and safeguards organizations by offering instant, documented feedback to employees.
Michael's professional journey is marked by significant roles at leading firms. At Xcelerate Solutions, Washington Consulting, Digital Management, and Deltek, he was the driving force behind innovative human capital management programs. His tenure at American Management Systems and Booz Allen Hamilton was distinguished by his execution of strategies across talent acquisition, total rewards, performance management, DEI&B, strategic HR partnership, and philanthropy.
His commitment to societal betterment is evident in his service as an executive board member of NLCS, a DC-based assisted living organization, and the Human Resources Leadership Forum. Academically accomplished, Michael holds a Master's degree in Human Resources Management from Georgetown University and a Bachelor's in Economics from the University of Connecticut.
Michael calls Gaithersburg, MD his home, where he lives with his wife and daughter. His personal interests span from exploring the culinary arts to immersing himself in the dynamic world of college basketball.
Jarrod Borkat
Principal Consultant
Jarrod Borkat is a seasoned life sciences executive with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, operations, and strategic partnerships. In addition to his consulting role with Pillar One, he is an Executive in Residence (EIR) for Montgomery County and BioHealth Innovation (BHI). Prior to joining Pillar One and the BHI EIR team, Jarrod was the SVP, Head of Marketing and Portfolio Operations at CareDx, a publicly traded diagnositics company. Before this, Jarrod served as VP, Corporate Strategy at Emergent BioSolutions, a public company focused on developing vaccines and therapeutics for public health threats. Earlier in his career, Jarrod led several functions at MedImmune/ AstraZeneca, including Portfolio Management, Out-licensing, and Government, NGO, and Academic Strategic Partnerships. He spent the first 11 years of his career at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in marketing and sales, ending his time there as U.S. Marketing Director for a $200M business. In these roles, he built and led teams, led the development of strategic plans, built and implemented marketing plans, closed multi-million-dollar partnerships and licensing deals and led multiple policy initiatives. He also played an instrumental role in the BioHealth Capital Region becoming the 3rd largest life sciences cluster in the U.S.
Jarrod is a recognized speaker at regional, national and international conferences, including SXSW, AUTM, BIO, the Wharton Innovation Summit and the BioHealth Capital Region Forum.
Jarrod served the community as a member of the Maryland Governor’s Life Science Advisory Board, Chairman of the Board for BioHealth Innovation and a board director for the Maryland Technology Council. He also is a graduate of Leadership Maryland. Jarrod has a Masters degree in Marketing from Kennesaw State University and earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Georgia. Jarrod resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland with his wife and 2 daughters and enjoys running and boating.