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About TheDrCed

About TheDrCed: Services That Transform

The business world evolves at a rapid pace, making outdated frameworks and old-school strategies increasingly ineffective. Modern organizational success demands more than just reacting to new challenges—it requires forward-thinking leaders who anticipate disruptions, integrate emerging technologies, and seize opportunities for sustainable growth.

Why TheDrCed?

Founded by Dr. Cedric Alford, TheDrCed™ leverages three decades of tech industry experience and academic teaching to help organizations align their strategies, embrace transformative leadership, and build a foundation for long-term success. Dr. Alford’s track record includes leading Fortune 500 initiatives in marketing, cloud technology, AI-based technology partnerships with Global SI’s, and strategic business alliances. As a Prosci™-certified change management professional with a doctrate in management, he ensures every transformation is purposeful, ethical, and results-driven.

Who is Dr. Cedric Alford?

Dr. Cedric D. Alford, MBA, is an accomplished executive and organizational strategist with a track record of driving transformative growth across some of the world’s most recognizable enterprises. Over his 30+ years in global technology, sales, alliances, and operations, he has repeatedly delivered quota-exceeding revenue impacts, managed complex partner ecosystems, and supported cutting-edge AI and cloud solutions at Fortune 500 companies.

Achievements

Transformative Impact at Microsoft

Dr. Alford’s tenure at Microsoft marked a series of groundbreaking contributions that elevated organizational performance. As the first Global Black Belt for Marketing, he proved the model and set the foundation for an talented group of professionals entrusted with leading-edge innovations and strategic initiatives. His key achievements include:

  • Driving $400M in global strategic alliances: Directed worldwide co-selling efforts between Microsoft and Adobe, enabling enterprise clients in the Americas, EMEA, APAC, and Latin America to achieve significant digital transformation outcomes.
  • Pioneering operational frameworks: Developed and implemented robust sales and operational models for Azure Enterprise Digital Solutions Team Sales, streamlining processes for newly established teams and enhancing their performance in high-stakes, regulated industries.
  • Accelerating cloud adoption: Worked with a small team of executives at Microsoft that created initiatives that significantly increased Azure adoption rates for Data/AI and Apps and Infrastructure offerings. Dr. Alford was directly responsible for U.S. regulated-industry clients (FSI, Education, Healthcare, State/Local Government), winning the first deal to prove the model.
  • Exceeding diversity benchmarks: Surpassed diversity hiring goals by 300%, building a highly skilled and diverse executive team that excelled in data, AI, and app/infrastructure sales.
  • Delivering exceptional results: Consistently achieved 100%+ of revenue targets, setting a new standard of excellence for Microsoft’s Marketing Global Black Belt program and earning recognition as a top performer.
  • Driving large-scale organizational transformations: Orchestrated complex change management initiatives, aligning cross-functional teams and ensuring seamless transitions in rapidly evolving business environments.

Global Director at Pegasystems & Enterprise Leadership

As Global Director of Pega Marketplace, Dr. Alford demonstrated exceptional leadership in reimagining how Pegasystems collaborated with partners and brought solutions to market. His innovative strategies enabled the organization to maintain a competitive edge while driving significant business outcomes. Highlights of his accomplishments include:
  • Revolutionizing time-to-market (TTM): Reduced TTM from 1.5 years to under 90 days by serving as the Business Process Owner for the partner marketplace submission frameworks, allowing strategic partners like EY, Areteans, Coforge, Accenture, Capgemini, and Infosys to develop and publish transformative service offerings at historic speeds for Pegasystems.
  • Developing ESG and GenAI offerings: Provided the programmatic guidance that resulted in the creation and approval of cutting-edge packaged services offerings addressing pressing industry needs, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives and generative AI innovations.
  • Fostering top-tier performance: Consistently ranked in the top 1% of performance ratings, reflecting his ability to deliver impactful results in dynamic and high-pressure environments.
  • Driving growth in key industries: Established scalable frameworks to support growth in industries like life sciences, manufacturing, consumer services, and transportation, enabling partners to deliver tailored solutions to diverse markets.

Dr. Alford’s marketing technology and data analytics leadership has been characterized by his ability to drive sustained growth and forge impactful partnerships. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Numeric Analytics, and in earlier roles at Vertis Communications, he achieved transformative results, including:

Executive Roles in Analytics and Technology Adoption

  • Accelerating growth at Numeric Analytics: Delivered a 55% CAGR over two years, significantly expanding the company’s market share and establishing it as a leader in enterprise marketing solutions.
  • Forging strategic alliances: Partnered with industry giants like Adobe, Aprimo, and Teradata to deliver comprehensive marketing solutions that addressed complex enterprise needs.
  • Expanding client portfolios: Led marketing and analytics initiatives for high-profile clients such as Deloitte, AutoNation, Chase, Thomson Reuters, Wells Fargo, NetApp, and Bayer, consistently exceeding client expectations.
  • Driving multichannel marketing innovations: At Vertis Communications, spearheaded data analytics and statistical modeling projects that enhanced customer engagement and optimized marketing campaigns.
  • Leading Industry Innovation: A claim to fame for Dr. Alford is that his team developed Walmart’s first web site and made the introduction to what was to become Walmart.com. Dr. Alford also brought to market Inserts2Online, what addressed what is now taken for granted – the ability to view online retail and grocery circulars.

Academic & Teaching Excellence

Dr. Alford’s contributions to academia are marked by his ability to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, equipping students with the skills needed to excel in complex business environments. His accomplishments include:
  • 15+ years of academic leadership: Served as a professor at institutions like the Jack Welch Management Institute, Colorado State University Global Campus, Indiana Wesleyan University, Southern New Hampshire University, and DeVry/Keller Graduate School of Management.
  • Shaping future leaders: At the Jack Welch Management Institute, he led the marketing team and taught the Capstone for future MBA’s, mentoring faculty with terminal degrees and preparing MBA candidates for C-suite roles. Dr. Alford had the opportunity to sync monthly with Jack Welch, given that he was entrusted with leading Jack’s Marketing Faculty.
  • Broad Teaching Experience: Course taught include: integrated marketing communications, marketing management, management decision making, ethics and law in organizations, dynamics of power in organizations, organizational strategy, leading diverse teams, examination of modern leadership, leadership development, business analytics, decision theory, and captstone. Dr. Alford, ensuring students were equipped with relevant knowledge and skills to have immediate impact in their roles.
  • Thought leader: Authored papers on topics such as big data integration, IT leadership, and women in technology, contributing to ongoing discussions on ethical and inclusive leadership practices.
  • Distinguished educator: Recognized for his ability to translate complex concepts into actionable insights, inspiring students to achieve their full potential.

Experience

Advisory for High-Stakes Initiatives

Dr. Alford’s extensive leadership experience, combined with his academic rigor, positions him as a trusted advisor for C-level executives and organizations navigating complex challenges. His unique qualifications include:
  • Two Decades of Landing New Business Models: Dr. Alford has the unique background of working for over two decades in roles that either did not exist prior to his employment or roles that he began to prove out the business model. This experience of working in gray areas and landing new operating models has informed his approach to organizational development leadership.
  • Prosci™ Change Management certification: Demonstrates his expertise in leading enterprise-wide digital transformations and ensuring seamless transitions during mergers and acquisitions.
  • Ethical and data-driven decision-making: Combines decades of corporate experience with a commitment to ethical leadership, fostering cultures of innovation and accountability.
  • President of TheDrCed™ Leadership Development LLC: Leverages his background in Fortune 500 leadership, organizational strategy, and academic research to guide senior leaders in embracing innovation and driving sustainable growth.
  • A peer to executives: Speaks the language of C-suite stakeholders, offering insights into scaling revenue, diversifying talent, and achieving year-over-year growth in competitive markets.
  • Advisory Experience. Dr. Alford has the experience and perspective to engage the most senior level executives and boards to drive the initiatives that matter.

Our Commitment to Your Success

Our core focus is organizational development built upon ethical leadership and data-driven strategies. Whether you are a startup striving to establish your culture or an established enterprise looking to optimize operations, we tailor solutions to your needs. We aim to deliver:

  • Leadership Excellence: Developing leaders at every level to master effective communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making.
  • Operational Mastery: Streamlining processes and eliminating inefficiencies to enable agile, scalable growth.
  • Strategic Alignment: Ensuring every organizational action aligns with your overarching goals, allowing you to adapt swiftly without losing sight of your vision.

Why Choose TheDrCed™?

Dr. Alford founded TheDrCed™ to bridge the gap between a compelling vision and real-world execution. He understands firsthand where leadership voids and operational bottlenecks can impede progress—and has the proven solutions to address them.

  • Decades of Tech & Business Acumen:Dr. Alford’s global experience in AI, partner ecosystems, and complex sales environments means you benefit from industry-leading insights that drive long-lasting impact.
  • Academic Rigor, Practical Results: Every recommendation is anchored in research-based frameworks—but always remains grounded in practical, implementable actions..
  • Sustainable Growth Mindset: Short-term wins are valuable, but our true focus is building systems and leadership structures that propel organizations forward for years to come.

Vision

Empower every organization and leader to excel through innovation, integrity, and measurable impact.

Mission

We empower people and businesses to achieve their full potential by combining data-driven strategies with ethical leadership. Our mission is to foster sustainable growth, build inclusive cultures, and create meaningful, lasting change.

Values

  • Integrity – We commit to honesty and responsibility in everything we do.
  • Innovation – We embrace bold ideas and creative solutions to inspire meaningful progress.
  • Inclusion – We value diverse voices, backgrounds, and perspectives to build stronger connections.
  • Impact – We measure success by real, positive change for people, organizations, and communities.

We’ve Got Your Back | Fractional Leadership

When your business needs a steady hand to overcome complex challenges, we step in as your trusted partner. Whether it’s bridging leadership gaps or guiding through transformative change, we provide the expertise to keep your organization on course and thriving.

Clarity in Action | Strategy That Works

We craft data-driven strategies that unite organizational goals with the capabilities of your people. By emphasizing leadership development and change management, we turn your vision into measurable success.

Stronger Teams | People-Focused Growth

We help to define and shape a culture that unleashes each team member’s potential. Through best practices, strong collaboration, and continuous development, we help transform your workforce into a high-performing community, ready to embrace challenges with innovation, agility and integrity.

Streamline & Scale | Operational Excellence

We refine operations to free your leaders for high-value strategic work, from building top talent to cultivating a sustainable culture. By eliminating inefficiencies and simplifying processes, we position your organization for agile growth and long-term resilience. We do this on a fractional basis.

Clarity in Action | Strategy That Works

We craft data-informed strategies that unite organizational goals with the capabilities of your people. By emphasizing leadership development and change management, we turn ambitious visions into measurable successes, ensuring you stay competitive in an ever-evolving market.

Optimize Your Leadership Strategy—Schedule a Call!

Ready to take your leadership and organizational performance to the next level? Contact TheDrCed™ today, and let’s build a future where growth and innovation become your standards, not exceptions. We’re here to help you lead the change.
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