MEET THE TEAM
Leadership Team
AnswerNet's culture is centered around supporting the agents doing the work on behalf of our clients. A key measure of the success of our leaders is how well they, along with their departments, support our agents.
Meet the Team
Leadership Team
AnswerNet’s culture is centered on supporting the agents doing the work on behalf of our clients. A key measure of the success of each leadership team member is how well they, and their department, support these agents.
Meet our Leaders
Gary Pudles
President & CEO
Gary founded AnswerNet in 1998. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a global organization with 28 offices in 20 states, 2 Canadian provinces, and partnerships across 4 continents. A serial entrepreneur, he was awarded the prestigious “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year” and has been named a “2022 & 2023 Philadelphia Titan 100.” Gary is a graduate of Syracuse University and received his JD from American University. Always willing to mentor others on how to succeed in business, Gary teaches entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. When not working, you’ll find him playing drums in two Philly-based bands: Fun Size & The Bucket Band.
Cori Bartlett
Chief Operating Officer
With over 31 years of experience in
the contact center business, Cori is
well-respected and highly regarded throughout the industry. She has deservedly earned her reputation as
one of the top operations experts in
this space. As part of AnswerNet’s Leadership Team responsible for generating the insights and ideas that will keep the company moving forward, Cori notes, “it’s incredibly rewarding to see the fruits of our passion and labor come to fruition – from optimized operations, to improved efficiencies
and increased profitability.”
Kevin Kessler
Chief of Staff
A former IBM Global Project & Escalations Manager and CHI Institute graduate, “Kess” has an extensive background and experience in large infrastructure project deliverables
and repairing troubled accounts.
He also has experience delivering
high-value projects in the pharma/life sciences, telecommunications, and construction industries. When not fulfilling his duties as AnswerNet’s Chief of Staff, you’re likely to find him on the golf course, or playing keyboards at various live Philly-based music venues.
David Murdza
General Counsel & VP, Corporate Administration
David joined the AnswerNet family in 2018 and serves as the company’s General Counsel and Vice President of Corporate Administration. He previously worked as a civil litigation associate at a Philadelphia-based defense firm, and
at a “Big Four” accounting firm as a consultant and senior auditor. In his
free time, David enjoys coaching his three kids in baseball and ice hockey, as well as golfing and spending weekends at Long Beach Island with his family.
Deborah Schulze
VP, Sales & Marketing
Deborah is a strategic leader with over three decades of call center, sales, and marketing experience. Her expertise includes a wide-ranging focus on analytics, revenue growth, business expansion, marketing strategy, and brand recognition. Her solution-forward thinking propelled her through the industry and into leadership, acquiring an enviable amount of expertise along the way. As VP of Sales & Marketing,
she cultivates company culture, mentors for greater sales opportunities, and positions the company for success.
Chris Grothe
VP, Client Solutions Mgmt.
With nearly three decades of contact center experience, Chris is a proven professional with in-depth knowledge
of inbound and outbound operations. His expertise and attention to detail
allow him to identify opportunities and execute new strategies to help clients exceed their goals. Chris is skilled with implementing and managing the most up-to-date technologies. He leads by example and dedicates himself to teaching his team how to develop successful programs for their clients.
Cathy Mazurek
Chief Financial Officer
Cathy joined AnswerNet in 2023 and serves as the company’s CFO to provide financial planning and strategic analysis. She is experienced in, and passionate about, staff learning and development, and is skilled at accessing most streamlined and efficient processes. Cathy holds an MBA in Finance from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering as a board advisor for the YMCA in Ambler, PA, as well as walking her dogs and spending quality time with her family.
Paul Ziv
VP, Information Technology
Paul is a technical and business executive with more than 25 years of experience in IT. His expertise focuses on driving organizational productivity and performance through data-driven decision management. Prior to joining AnswerNet, he held a variety of positions including COO and other senior leadership roles in finance, real estate, and operations. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and enjoys working both as a board advisor and member for seed-level, tech start-ups. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA with his family.