Bernard John Stuetz III, Co-founder and Principal

Bernard John Stuetz III is an APMP-certified leader in the grants and proposal management field with experience managing Workforce Development grants as Federal Project Officer for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). He managed the $53 million US Department of Education Title IV-A annual grant program and $39 million Bipartisan Safer Communities Act competitive grant in PA’s Division of Federal Programs—developing expertise in Program Oversight, Technical Assistance, Education and Outreach, and Financial Management.

Stuetz holds certification from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and NonProfit Ready, a Master’s Degree from Arcadia University, Journalism Degree from the Pennsylvania State University's Bellisario College of Communications, and has years of experience as Educational Fellow and Project Manager for the U.S. Department of State. Stuetz has contributed to winning grant applications and programs ranging from grassroots efforts, to multi-million dollar award programs.

He also brings organizational leadership experience and a business development/sales background, having worked as an independent contractor in the education and insurance fields prior to entering public service.

Dan Norton, Co-founder and Principal

Dan Norton is a veteran communications, brand marketing, and proposal leader whose strategies have raised the bar for tech ventures, Fortune 500 companies, and government contractors. He has forged a decade-long track record of building successful brands from the ground up, as well as positioning established brands in the best possible light. Norton has also spearheaded proposals that resulted in millions of dollars in contracts.

Norton embraces a robust, cross-functional PR and marketing philosophy that doesn’t neglect any one pillar for another. To produce unforgettable stories, he applies the integrated power of creative media strategies, evocative content, informed workforces, authoritative senior leaders, and clearly defined messaging that respects and inspires its audience. Norton leverages data in numerous ways—both to enhance his narratives’ credibility and to maximize his strategies’ performance.

Over his career, Norton established new market categories for two unicorn HR tech startup; led a full rebranding campaign for a major defense contractor; drafted the franchisee and investor messaging for a publicly traded hospitality conglomerate; and prepared winning proposals at a Fortune 500 company. Norton also worked at a PR agency, where he worked with small businesses that needed crisis communications guidance during the pandemic.

Norton’s work has been published in outlets like Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, Crunchbase, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He has also coached executives featured in Fox Business, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Cheddar.