About Us

It was 2006 when our founder, Jim Ponder, was in South Africa visiting a friend and business mentor. Jim was seeking what his next venture would be while practicing giving back, leading a workshop on high value relationship for local religious leaders.

Jim’s mentor asked him what he wanted to do next and his reply was “build a company with relationships at its core”. And with that, Turnkey was born. Since that time, the company has delivered excellence and results around the globe changing the lives of thousands, building relationships and all the while, moving organizations forward. Our team is second to none, each living the passion the company was founded out of. We would love to count you among our friends, becoming your Trusted Ally™ and unlocking your potential.

Team Bios

Jim Ponder President and Chief Executive Officer

As the CEO and founder of Turnkey, Jim is passionate about his work. Every day he is thankful for another opportunity to change lives and improve organizations. His joy is getting to immerse and surround Turnkey by incredible people at amazing companies who are seeking to be the best of the best.

His years as an entrepreneur and leader of multiple companies has made him a skilled strategic thinker with expertise in growth, team development and organizational structure. He and Turnkey have worked with companies like Qualcomm, GlobalFoundries, Samsung, Aflac, KPMG, and JPL. Delivering excellence and results in people development, sales enablement, strategy, and succession.

Jim’s love of the outdoors and fitness has seen him summit Kilimanjaro twice, Mt. Whitney four times, complete a multitude of marathons and triathlons and all the while learning about team dynamics, personal drive and pushing beyond the comfort zone.

Jim lives in Escondido, California and has been proudly married to Carol since 1981. He has two grown children and four grandchildren.

Tom Gilman Chief Strategy Officer

Tom Gilman epitomizes the essence of seasoned executive prowess, possessing a profound comprehension of the winning formula, forged through navigating the difficult terrain familiar to entrepreneurs. With a keen strategic acumen, he orchestrates the implementation of visionary strategies, surpassing set objectives and propelling corporate expansion through unparalleled levels of team engagement.

The company Gilman founded, Biosero, stands as a testament to his entrepreneurial mettle, flourishing autonomously for two decades sans external capital, ultimately culminating in a nine-figure acquisition. Ever the visionary, Tom constantly looks for avenues of growth. He is adept at collaborating with fellow trailblazers and their teams to facilitate the unlocking of their potential, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

Kelly Mayberry Chief Implementation Officer

Kelly Mayberry is a dynamic leader with a proven track record in spearheading strategic initiatives and driving organizational growth. As the Chief Implementation Officer, Kelly brings a wealth of experience to the table, particularly in collaborating with software development teams to translate vision into reality. With a keen understanding of market dynamics, she has successfully orchestrated the deployment of the Turnkey Learning Portal, revolutionizing the way organizations approach training and development.

Kelly’s expertise extends beyond local borders, as she has played a pivotal role in leading both national and global initiatives. Her ability to navigate diverse cultural landscapes while maintaining a unified vision has earned her widespread recognition. With a passion for innovation and a commitment to excellence, Kelly continues to empower teams to achieve their full potential and deliver impactful results.

She has a passion for volunteering and does so at her church as well as with Rotary. She has been a Rotarian since 2007 and is a past President of her Rotary Club. She is on the Rotary District Committee of RYLA, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and was Chairwoman from 2020-2023. Kelly is a Paul Harris Fellow and Sustaining Member.

She is a graduate of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona and enjoys going back to visit. Kelly has passed on her love of servant leadership to her son who is also a Paul Harris Fellow and attends Rotary service projects with her. She enjoys the outdoors and time with her friends and family.

Julia Jackson Executive Vice President

Julia joined Turnkey a few years after the company was formed. We all agree that it was match that was meant to be. She is passionate about helping leaders to unlock their potential in ways never thought possible. Julia has experience working with amazing startups and world class fortune 500 companies. She is an exceptionally skilled coach, facilitator, and strategist. Julia’s expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, communication and conflict management has taken her around the globe making a difference in peoples and organizations lives.

Julia received her Technical MBA from the University of San Francisco and is certified with the International Coach Federation, with an emphasis in corporate coaching. In 2020, Julia received a Master Teacher award from the University of Denver, where she is an adjunct professor for their renowned Organizational Leadership program. Julia is a Subject Matter Expert on DiSC-based assessment learning. She has traveled extensively to Chile where she was a consultant to the United Nations and crafted leadership workshops in an academic partnership for universities in Santiago and Concepción.

One of Julia’s great joys is adventure travel. Her favorite expeditions have been summiting Kilimanjaro in Africa, marathoning the Great Wall of China and scuba diving with manta rays in Bali. Julia has a home in Colorado where she embraces all seasons in the Rocky Mountains, enjoying motorcycling, mountain biking and skiing. As a triathlete, Julia is an enthusiastic Ironman race volunteer, kayaking the lake course for the swim safety team Boulder.

Scott Cambell Financial Advisory

Scott is a seasoned former Chief Financial Officer and current consulting senior financial executive/CFO with broad experience across retail, distribution, manufacturing and services industries with companies with revenues from $15 million up to in excess of $200 million. With a background in both established and growth-oriented entrepreneurial settings, he has a track record as a collaborative business partner building and mentoring teams and driving financial and operational improvements across multiple disciplines and industries.

Scott spent more than a decade at Road Runner Sports as Chief Financial Officer of the $200+ million national multi-channel retailer and has more than 30 years of experience improving financial and operational results. While at Road Runner Sports, he was instrumental in the retail expansion strategy resulting in a doubling of the divisional revenues, while quadrupling the footprint of store locations from 10 to 40. Throughout his career, Scott has led restructuring efforts resulting in improved profitability and growth. Earlier in his career, Scott was CFO/COO for Always Positive, Corporate Controller for Patagonia, and Audit Supervisor at Ernst & Young in the Los Angeles practice.

Scott received a B.A. in Business-Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles and his MBA from the John E. Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles. He earned his CPA certification while at Ernst & Young.

Sarah Roberts Learning Innovation Specialist

Sarah is the Learning Innovation Specialist at Turnkey, focusing on Instructional Design. Her journey with Turnkey began after a distinguished decade-long + career as a secondary educator, showcasing her dedication to transformative education. Sarah plays a pivotal role in e-Learning design and development, collaborating closely with company executives to push the boundaries of digital learning. Sarah’s work at Turnkey is more than a job; it’s a culmination of her life’s passions and experiences. Her innovative contributions to e-Learning reflect her commitment to making education accessible and engaging, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of educational and technological advancements.

A proud alumna of California State University San Marcos, Sarah furthered her expertise with a master’s degree in education, specializing in Curriculum and Development. This solid educational foundation and experience underpins her innovative approaches to instructional design at Turnkey and is a source of inspiration for her creative/outside of the box thinking.

Born and raised in San Diego, Sarah has an intrinsic love for the outdoors. She finds joy in hiking, camping, road trips, relaxing at the beach, and traveling. Family is at the heart of Sarah’s world. Married to Solomon for a decade, they share the joy of parenting two young daughters. Watching her children grow and explore the world is one of her greatest pleasures.

Board of Advisors

Tricia Shaw
Executive Director M&A: Morgan Stanley

Anil Thakur
Past Oracle Executive, CEO and Founder New Age Technical Consulting

Craig Spitz
Immediate Past CFO Blanchard Companies

Bill Davidson
COO Aminiox Previous Qualcomm and GlobalFoundries Executive

Corporate Responsibility

Here at Turnkey, we encourage and support volunteering and giving back. The company and its employees routinely give time, talent and money to many causes and organizations.
Here is a sampling:

Rotary International believes in “Service Above Self”. Company employees have been members of Rotary for over 35 years, participating in projects ranging from building homes in Mexico, sending care packages to the armed forces, water projects in Uganda and India, local community improvement and much more.

Our President and CEO serves on the board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Pacific South Coast Chapter. He and other members of our team have also participated in the Bike MS: Bay to Bay 100-mile ride for many years and so far, have helped raise over $300,000 for the organization.

Touch Kibera Foundation helps support the children of the Kibera Slum in Africa. Member of the Turnkey Team help support the Touch Kibera Foundation and their efforts on providing sports, safety information and education for many of the children they serve.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards provides a three-day leadership camp to proven high school juniors from San Diego and Imperial Counties. Company employees are members of the district committee that puts on the camp and have acted as facilitators.

The Grape Day 5K is put on by the Rotary Club of Escondido Sunrise Rotary. Members of the Turnkey Team help plan and execute the event each year as well as participate in the event. Care to join us? Visit www.grapeday5k.comand sign up!

testimonials

Turnkey Strategic Relations’ integrated approach is unique and refreshing. Their focus on delivering results and a return on investment is second to none. My team was and continues to be energized by the training and follow up which has led to strengthening an already high performing group.

Bill DavidsonSenior Vice President of Global Marketing and Investor Relations at Qualcomm

Turnkey has delivered beyond expectations with my team. After having Turnkey on board for initial training and coaching, it was clear their results warranted an expanded role in training, coaching, and developing the team. Turnkey helped integrate two teams into one cohesive and proactive high performing group. They also provided helpful insight to my management team on improving engagement and facilitating change. The synergy and repport amongst the team has shown clear improvements since Turnkey has had recurring involvement.

Blake BoltonDirector Global Logistics and After Market Services at ViaSat

Jim brings a highly collaborative approach to his engagements. He is thorough, listens well and makes sure that all of his efforts result in a substantial outcome. I worked with Jim on a client initiative that started with an interview report, continued with a classic training curriculum, and culminated in a whole department offsite that had outstanding results.

Terie ScerboManager of Learning Qualcomm

Turnkey facilitated a high quality Leadership training program with topics including building quality relationships, emotional intelligence and improving communication. They connected with the teams and used real-life examples throughout the program. Jim has the ability to captivate his audience while delivering a professional program. We look forward to partnering with Jim for future programs!

Cyndi UelenDirector of Employee Development at Brickman

Turnkey did a great job with our managers coaching them on selling and relationships. At the conclusion of their time the managers were eager for more and all left enthusiastic about their new found knowledge.

Rick GriffinPresident and CEO Care South

Turnkey provided valuable insight. They clearly demonstrated the power of the relationship through ‘Relationship Centric Selling’ with practical knowledge and skills that were immediately adopted.

Paul McFaddenDirector of Sales United States and Canada, John Deere Water Technology

Relationships are crucial to client satisfaction and business development. Turnkey helps our partners and managers develop skills to enhance the relationships that open the door to new opportunities and maximize results in the market place.

Dave DownManaging Partner KPMG San Diego

It’s all about the relationship. Jim Ponder and Turnkey Strategic Relations provide a refreshing insight into creating, building, and maintaining business relationships. Jim goes beneath the surface and gives constructive advice. His interactive approach makes his program a true collaborative learning experience. In addition to imparting much needed skills, Jim also provides another opportunity for business owners and business leaders to deepen relationships within their own company.

Jim TenutoOwner, Renaissance Executive Forums

Jim and Turnkey performed beyond expectations and has followed up better than 97% of all service providers that I have worked with. Jim delivers and works well with all levels of personnel; he is a trustworthy and reliable expert for our customer service needs.

Bill CookSenior Vice President, Business Development and Sales at CareSouth

A great way to know the team better. The commitment styles and active listening sections were of high value.

Akhila RaoBusiness Analyst / Project Manager, E-Set LLC

Powerful and very persuasive evidence that relationships are critical!

Casey StewartTechnical Analyst, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Jim did an excellent job providing us training on building relationships. He was engaging and worked very well with us to develop a program that met our needs.

Wade LooRetired Partner KPMG Silicon Valley / San Francisco

The training and coaching / success partnering has been exactly what we wanted. The training brought the team together with a renewed focus and collaborative effort. Business development has improved and I see great things ahead.

Andy ThweattCo-President SKS Petroleum

Through the training and success partnering process, I have been able to sharpen my relationship skills and set myself apart from the competition. The skills and techniques I learned are directly responsible for my landing a $100,000.00 contract and assisted with the winning of a $1,000,000.00 project. I use what I learned in success partnering every day.

Steve JepsenSenior Engineer – Business Development Dudek Engineering

When I first started success partnering, it was an investment I was hesitant to make, and after just 3 sessions I found the value was more than proven by the results. It has allowed me to articulate my goals. For business growth, I have known that I needed to focus on recruiting. By working with Turnkey I was able to create and implement a plan that is producing results in 1-2 months that is equal to the results for the prior six months combined. I am glad I chose to invest in myself and see concrete improvements.

Tally RhoadesAflac Regional Sales Coordinator

The value add program provided by Turnkey was excellent. My clients and key prospects were very impressed. The program sent a loud and clear message of support and appreciation during these difficult times. It was our way of saying thanks. The information provided was timely, valuable and presented in a dynamic and unique way. This was money well spent. The program motivated me to sign up for success partnering with Turnkey. Since then I have become focused, acquired new clients, and am growing my business in spite of a difficult business climate.

Mark HoekstraPresident, Heritage Group

The presentation to our Elite Advisors Conference in Kauai was excellent. It is just what is needed in these challenging times. Solid information and tools that can be used to build revenue and enhance business development. I would recommend Turnkey Strategic Relations to anyone.

Greg PaulCEO, Omni Brokerage

I found the training to be very helpful. It changed my way of thinking in many areas. We have always valued the relationship we have with our clients, but now we know how to best honor that relationship. This program is a must for anyone interested in building business through relationships.

Steve Van HoutenLifetime Financial Advisors