Thomas (Tom) L. Cardella, Chief Executive Officer, has been a pioneer and successful entrepreneur in the Contact Center industry for 30 years. He has two successful start-ups behind him. His first company, Access Direct, founded in 1995, grew to 2200 employees in five years, and was sold to Interactive Corp (IAC) in 2000. Access Direct was #8 on the Inc 500 list in 2000, and Tom Cardella was an E&Y Regional Winner in 1998. Tom was an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist in 2011, 2019, and 2020. In 2021, Tom earned the People Focused CEO of the Year Bronze Stevie Award from the International Business Awards and the Contact Center Leader of the Year Gold Award from the Stevie’s as well. Tom also received the 2022 Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the University of Iowa. After selling Access Direct, Tom went on to run PRC LLC, one of Interactive Corp (IAC) companies, with 15,000 employees around the world. In 2007, he founded TLCx. While Tom is the only investor in TLCx, he issued over 33% of the company stock to the initial leadership team and other employees. TLCx operates BPO centers in seven communities in the United States, and also maintains international operations in India, The Dominican Republic, Colombia, and The Philippines. The Company employs approximately 3,500 team members globally Fortune 1000 clients. Tom completed his Executive MBA at the University of Iowa. He is actively involved as an Adjunct Professor at The University of Iowa College of Business. Tom also actively supports and is involved with charitable organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, Big Brother Big Sisters, and other organizations. TLCx is a certified Veteran-owned business by the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) based on Tom’s military service.

Bryan Gray, Chief Commercial Officer, brings over two decades of expertise in business transformation outsourcing and professional services leadership to TLCx, where he drives growth through AI-powered strategies that augment human platforms to elevate customer service innovation. With a strong background in scaling businesses, developing go-to-market strategies, and forging transformative partnerships, Bryan delivers exceptional results across multiple industries. He has successfully expanded commercial partnerships and client advocacy across sectors such as banking, fintech, retail, energy, technology, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods. Understanding and propelling relationships that significantly increase relationship value are at the core of Bryan’s focus. He further holds expertise in the area of BPO capabilities assessment and M&A strategy engagement. Bryan has a degree in Marketing Management from Rutgers University, an Executive Education Certification from University of Cambridge in Fintech Innovation, and AI learning platforms. Bryan resides in the Philadelphia area and a personal passion is mentoring and coaching multi-stage career professionals across marketing and brand positioning disciplines.

Vince Tierres is a seasoned BPO executive with 25 years of industry experience, delivering global operations excellence and consistently exceeding client and company performance expectations. As COO, Vince oversees worldwide operations delivery. He drives operational success through strategic planning, continuous business process improvement, and a relentless commitment to efficiency, quality, and innovation—ensuring seamless execution that supports TLCx’s evolution into a leading CX Transformation Partner powered by TLCx LaunchPad™. Prior to TLCx, Vince held director-level roles at multiple organizations, where he successfully managed high-performing call center teams, resources, and productivity programs in fast-paced environments supporting multi-million-dollar revenue streams. Vince holds a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio and earned his Executive MBA at the University of Texas at El Paso. Passionate about leadership development, Vince is dedicated to helping individuals reach their full potential while continuously investing in his own personal and professional growth. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, healthy living, and staying active with his wife of 19 years and their two children. Based in TLCx’s Las Cruces, NM location, Vince brings operational rigor, strategic vision, and a people-first approach that perfectly aligns with TLCx’s employee-owned culture and human-first transformation philosophy.

Sorabh Kaila is a strategic and data-driven finance executive with over 20 years of experience leading financial planning & analysis (FP&A), business intelligence, strategic budgeting, forecasting, pricing model innovation, and enterprise-wide profitability enhancement. He excels in translating complex data into actionable insights that drive operational efficiency, accelerate automation, and deliver measurable business outcomes. Sorabh has held senior financial leadership roles at Teleperformance, Aegis, and Global Vantedge, where he spearheaded global financial forecasting, budgeting, pricing strategy, Six Sigma programs, process optimization, and large-scale automation initiatives across the U.S., Philippines, Canada, and other key markets. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Sorabh partners closely with cross-functional and executive teams to align financial strategy with broader business objectives, ensuring sustainable growth and superior performance. In his role as CFO at TLCx, Sorabh oversees all aspects of financial strategy, capital allocation, investor relations, risk management, and M&A considerations while championing data-driven transformation and operational excellence—core pillars of TLCx’s employee-owned culture and TLCx LaunchPad™ platform. Sorabh holds a Master’s degree in Data Science from the University of Colorado Boulder and is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt, in Project Management, and Corporate Finance. His unique combination of financial acumen, analytical rigor, and operational expertise makes him a pivotal leader in guiding TLCx’s continued growth as a leading CX Transformation Partner.

DeJon Gaines is a transformative technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading enterprise-scale digital transformations across global operations. Throughout a distinguished career spanning leadership roles at Conduent, Xerox, and Affiliated Computer Services, he consistently delivered measurable business outcomes by aligning technology strategy with organizational goals. As Chief Technology Officer at TLCx, Gaines brings deep expertise in cloud architecture, AI-driven solutions, and cybersecurity frameworks, combined with a passion for building high-performing teams. Known for a leadership philosophy rooted in transparency, accountability, and empowerment, he fosters collaborative environments where innovation drives measurable results. Recognized as an industry thought leader, Gaines has authored publications on AI integration and digital customer experience while also serving on technology advisory councils. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Systems Technology and completed McKinsey’s Executive Leadership Program. An avid runner, Gaines competes in three to four Spartan obstacle races annually and is currently training for his next race in March 2026, bringing the same discipline and determination to physical challenges that he applies to technology transformation. At TLCx, Gaines is committed to co-creating scalable, AI-augmented platforms that empower people and redefine the future of customer experience while advancing the company’s Vision 2030. “The most powerful technology strategies are those that create tangible value for clients. At TLCx, I’m focused on building solutions that give our clients measurable competitive advantages. We have a tremendous opportunity to leverage AI, advanced analytics, and cloud innovation to deliver outcomes that truly matter.”

Dr. Ries is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon with nearly eighteen years of clinical experience, currently practicing in Des Moines, Iowa. Born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, he attended the University of Iowa for his undergraduate studies, medical school, and a five-year Orthopedic Surgery residency. He then completed an intensive fellowship in Spine Surgery at the prestigious Norton Leatherman Spine Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Known for his deep commitment to patient care, Dr. Ries brings a rare blend of hands-on medical expertise and visionary thinking to the healthcare call center industry. “I feel this is an outstanding opportunity to bring a different perspective to the TLCx team,” said Dr. Ries. “Having been in the medical field for nearly eighteen years, I understand the unique challenges facing medical practices and their patients and look forward to assisting the TLCx team in navigating the evolving healthcare landscape.” Based in Iowa, Dr. Ries continues to practice medicine, ensuring that a physician’s insight remains central to every decision at TLCx. Outside of work, he is an avid golfer, an outdoorsman, and enjoys spending quality time with his family.