Philip Oconnor

About Philip Oconnor

Phil’s right at home at SPARK Product Development because as he puts it - “engineers are my people.” Throughout his career, he’s repeatedly shown his dedication to all things engineering - creative problem solving, the innovative development process, and most especially, the people. Overseeing business development and the client experience at SPARK, he is our chief customer advocate, ensuring customer expectations are met throughout the entire journey.Frequently commended for keen networking and bringing people together for collaborative projects, Phil has built a rich career in business development and professional services. He began his career as a car salesman with the goal of saving money to enter law school. While he achieved his monetary goal, he never made it to law school. Yet, this was a happy accident because he learned that he had a knack for connecting with people and it led him to Aerotek, where his career in the engineering field jumpstarted.After gaining valuable talent management experience at Aerotek, Phil transitioned to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering in 2013, where he managed a large portfolio of industry and alumni constituents to foster strategic partnerships. Within short order, he ascended into senior management as Executive Director of the College of Engineering Foundation and Corporate Relations. He successfully managed over $115 million in total assets while also being responsible for fundraising, developing partnerships, leading teams, and creating non credit educational training programs.From there, he made his way to SPARK, where Phil has made instrumental progress in operational efficiencies and company growth. In less than two years, he successfully implemented a new financial system and project management tool, while spearheading initiatives to encourage the entire team to become more active in supporting our local community.When Phil’s not in the office, you’ll likely find him strolling around his Church Hill neighborhood in Richmond with his wife, Sara, and dog, Mr. Black. And when it comes to community, Phil is passionate about getting involved and giving back - serving on the Brightpoint Community College Foundation Board of Trustees and mentoring engineering students at VCU. Phil also loves to travel and has a lot of stamps in his passport to prove it. He’s particularly fond of Paris, having visited there many times with his sister, Carrie, who was a French professor. Phil and Sara continue to live Carrie’s travel legacy of “luggage should never be dusty.”

Experience

1. Foundation Board Member

   Brightpoint Community College

   Sep 2021 — Present · Richmond, VA, US

   Institutional Advancement Committee ChairExecutive Committee Member

Education

• Radford University

  BS, Political Science

  2003 — 2007