Robert Blackwell Jr.

Quant16 (formerly known as EKI-Digital) is a leader in quantitative digital strategy and execution. Financial and
performance improvement opportunities are discovered using quantitative models (mathematical, economic and
statistical) and have help large public and private sector organizations identify and capture $billions in savings.
Robert has written several papers and given presentations related to digital modernization, innovation and efficiency
in the public and private sectors. Robert has been an advisor to government and business leaders on ways to better
leverage its procurement and IT investments to improve revenue and service quality while reducing costs and risk
from portfolios of spend. Quant16 uses advanced analytics to identify and capture efficiencies in vendor spend
portfolios for large organizations. Killerspin LLC, the world’s leading table tennis engagement brand. The Killerspin
experience reaches hundreds of thousands of people annually. It strives to connect people to those they care about
through its UnPlugNPlay offerings. Killerspin created the designer and media categories for table tennis, through its
global partnerships. Killerspin events have been seen in over 160 countries around the world.
Founded TESC.Love which is a movement of people of good will dedicated to proving that the free enterprise system
works for everyone by advocating for large organizations to “Just Do Business” with black companies who in turn
take on the responsibility for of creating the social capital that lifts the black community from poverty to prosperity.
Urban Fishing Development, a Real Estate development company that helped to facilitate the development of
economically and technologically integrated communities in transitional Chicago neighborhoods.
Co-founded Blackwell Consulting Services with Robert Blackwell Sr. who had been a senior executive at IBM. While
at Blackwell Consulting Services, Robert Jr. established and managed key business practice areas and dealt with
financial services and pharmaceutical industries. Robert Jr. and his team were responsible for the development of
several customer applications that received numerous prestigious awards including the first Lotus Beacon award.
Bytewise International, a technology company that specialized in the development of complex financial planning
systems for large organizations and options pricing, trading and portfolio management systems for the OEX, S&P
500 and foreign currency markets. Member Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade – Traded
equity options using propriety quantitative models. Robert’s professional career started at IBM in 1981 where he
received an award of excellence for a system, he developed that used algorithms to present equipment upgrade
opportunities to IBM salespeople.
Robert studied math at the University of Illinois and has written papers on the application economic magnetism and
fractal geometry in quantitative investment portfolio management and the use of ecosystems economics in
systematization of organizational innovation and transformation efforts.
Robert is and has been on several boards, helped a number of young entrepreneurs start businesses and enjoys
reading and writing about math, economics and history. Robert is an advisory board member of the Illinois Tech
School of Computing, Commercial Club of Chicago, Executive Committee of the Civic Federation (Chair of the
Government Efficiency and Community Impact Committee), Chair of the Technology Committee for the Business
Leadership Council, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and until this year served as an advisory board member for
US Bank and the Field Museum.