Mary Nell DeFriece and her husband’s love of the water and coast brought them to Savannah several years ago. Having grown up in Alabama and Tennessee respectively, they missed the warm weather and Southern hospitality.
With a proven track record spanning over three decades as an entrepreneur and IBM Vice President, Mary Nell knows that success begins with integrity, uncompromising ethics and team work. From her first job and throughout her career, she has been fascinated with helping clients achieve their goals and exceeding their expectations.
Mary Nell’s love of business started at an early age with conversations with her Dad while hunting deer and turkey in South Alabama. She graduated second in her class from Auburn University majoring in mathematics. Mary Nell then began her IBM career in software engineering. Sponsored by IBM, she attended a management program at the Harvard Business School. Her very successful IT career with IBM culminated in management and executive responsibilities in software engineering, sales, organizational change, strategy and operations.
Following her years at IBM, Mary Nell founded a boutique management consulting firm whose clients were the senior executive teams of private and public sector organizations in the US, Europe and Asia. Mary Nell supported these clients in strategy development and execution, operational improvements and organizational change. Mary Nell has substantial expertise in the application of private sector management techniques to US Department of Defense organizations to improve mission performance. Her clients have included the highest ranking generals and admirals of our armed forces worldwide.
Mary Nell served as a senior judge for ten years for a national award sponsored by USA Today and the Rochester Institute of Technology that was awarded to US companies for outstanding business performance and customer satisfaction.
Mary Nell’s hobbies include gourmet cooking, antiques, swimming and sailing.