Mike LaForte
Affiliated Partner

Michael LaForte is President of LaForte and Associates, a management consulting firm specializing in improving the business performance and financial results of its clients. Using a proven approach, the firm assists clients in aligning strategic, operating and financial goals; auditing processes and metrics to maximize profitability; and, ensuring effective management leadership and oversight, driven by continuous adherence to business priorities. The firm's clients are committed to realizing maximum operating and financial efficiencies.

Mr. LaForte’s business career, spanning over thirty-two years, has combined a unique set of experiences in both large company and entrepreneurial environments, during which time he served in numerous key senior executive positions. His industry experience has involved leading work within the high tech hardware and software, financial services, manufacturing, distribution and education fields. He has earned notoriety for his consistent ability to quickly identify business challenges and opportunities, and successfully implement changes and initiatives that provide immediate benefit to organizations.

Before founding the firm, LaForte served as Chief Operating Officer of DeVry University, where he led the integration of the DeVry Institutes and Keller Graduate School of Management, an operation with over 60 locations, 6,000 employees, and 50,000 students. At $600+ million in annual revenues, the University contributed over 85% of DeVry Inc. (NYSE) annual earnings, leading to 10 consecutive years of 20+% earnings growth. While serving as President of the Stenograph Corporation, LaForte led a major turnaround to increase revenues and earnings. He was recognized for upgrading the management team, implementing new processes to improve product development, reengineering helpdesk software support for its 25,000 users, and launching innovative marketing programs to expand market share.

LaForte also served as Executive Vice President of XL/Datacomp (NASDAQ), a leading provider of IBM midrange systems and services. He architected a total solution methodology where XL delivered a broad range of hardware, application software, consulting services, software and communications support, hardware maintenance, disaster recovery services and lease financing worldwide. As a principal, LaForte was key in the company's successful IPO and recognition as a Forbes Magazine "Top 200 Small Companies in America". LaForte was credited with developing the expansion paradigm that resulted in 50 locations nationwide and 50% annual growth, reaching $450 million in annual revenues. He began his career with IBM where he was recognized as the #4 producer in the U.S., quickly advancing to hold numerous line and staff executive positions in sales and marketing.

LaForte and Associates’ clients have improved overall results with assistance from the firm to address important business areas such as strategic planning and development; business priority validation and management; operating processes, systems and metrics; organizational effectiveness; and, management development and training.

The firm is also a charter member of the Chicago Performance Consortium, a group of leading consulting organizations specializing in improving the operating performance and value of its clients.