Traditional consulting was broken.
We fixed it.
Our Story
Thom McLeod and Bill Angeloni, Tenzing’s Founders, first met in the late 1990’s while working together at a strategic consulting firm based in Chicago.
In 1998, both Thom and Bill were recruited to join a hyper-growth technology startup called ‘FreeMarkets’ (one of the original Reverse Auction software platforms, now owned by SAP Ariba).
After three years as part of the executive team, including an IPO, Thom and Bill decided to join forces and start a business of their own. Rather than just creating another traditional consulting firm they saw a need to do something different: bring proven expertise to address specific client challenges. This need converged with the rising trend of highly experienced independent experts who were joining the “gig economy.”
Tenzing’s business was born in February 2002 in Bill’s garage in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Over the past two decades, Thom and Bill have formed one of the most highly curated, exclusive networks of experts in the world.
To align with Thom and Bill’s backgrounds, the initial experts were focused mainly on sourcing, procurement and supply chain management. That focus has since expanded significantly and now also encompasses manufacturing, operations, negotiations and more.
Given the breadth and depth of our network, the number of engagement types where Tenzing can add value is almost limitless.
Our Namesake
Photo credit: Jamling Tenzing Norgay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Our firm is honored to take its name from Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who guided Sir Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest in 1953. Tenzing’s egoless leadership, experience, energy, humor, and humility set the standard for how we strive to work — shoulder-to-shoulder and step-by-step with clients to help them reach their personal and professional summits.