Synchrony Advisors

Synchrony Advisors is attuned to the way that business organizations work.  We help for-profit and non-profit leaders gain an objective view beyond the day-to-day struggles, so that they can find the operational misalignments with their strategic goals and reorient their practices and systems to keep their businesses moving forward.

We have built successful companies from the ground up, so we understand that changing everyday practices is difficult.  However, we also know how essential it is to tune a company so that all of its pieces are in harmony with evolving customer demands and market pressures, allowing it to perform at its best.

Synchrony Advisors helps deepen your insight into your business by asking questions.  We’ve found that the answers drawn out by really good questions contain the seeds of the real world solutions that you seek.  We also believe that small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits are at the core of our economy.  With every company that we help grow stronger, we contribute to making our local and regional economy into a more vibrant, rich, and healthy human community.

John A. Gilbert, President

John A. Gilbert offers four decades of experience as an environmental engineering practitioner, business leader, and consultant.  His background includes over 20 years of senior level business management and leadership as founder/CEO of a $10MM environmental engineering firm with three offices, serving clients in the northeastern United States and nationally.  

John’s experience as CEO included oversight of accounting and financial management, benchmarking and reporting procedures; legal and risk management; human resources management; information technology systems; health and safety processes; and quality assurance practices.  He led business development efforts, designed and implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and successfully implemented an internal ownership transfer.

John has partnered with for-profit and non-profit businesses to improve sales, profitability performance, financial stability, sustainability, and other critical operational issues. He has advised business leaders in overcoming serious business challenges and in bringing businesses to scale for acquisition.  In non-profit businesses, he has extensive experience and expertise in board leadership, governance, organizational and financial management issues in difficult economic environments and has served as Interim Executive Director.

As a leader in the non-profit sector, John has served on a number of boards supporting diverse areas of interest including conservation, affordable housing, religious, and youth sports organizations.  His contributions have included serving as an interim executive director; board chair; chair of finance and audit, development, coaching, and executive search committees; and member of finance, asset management, development, project, and policy committees.   He has spoken on these matters at regional and state-wide conferences of non-profit organizations. Currently, John serves as Chair of the Board of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits and on the Boards of Leadership New Hampshire and Alliance Asset Management, Inc.  In addition, he serves as Chair of the New Hampshire Water Council and recently chaired the Governor’s Commission on Water Sustainability. He volunteers with the New Hampshire Lives on Water Project.

John earned a B.A. with honors from Williams College and an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Tufts University.  He is a 1998 graduate of Leadership New Hampshire and has served as a facilitator and presenter of the Environment Day in that program for a number of years.  John has business management training in Pathways to Principal, Balanced Scorecard, Predictive Index, Lean Manufacturing, and Vested for Growth best management practices.  He has lectured at Franklin & Marshall College and Southern New Hampshire University on environmental and business management topics.

Cheryl Lee Gilbert

Cheryl Lee joined Synchrony Advisors, LLC in 2013 after a long career in financial services.  Prior to joining Synchrony, Cheryl Lee worked for the Wealth Management Division of Cambridge Trust Company of New Hampshire for five years, following a twenty-year career at First Signature Bank & Trust, a John Hancock subsidiary.  Serving as a Senior Vice President of First Signature Bank & Trust, Cheryl Lee was responsible for Human Resources, Compliance and Operations. She also served as the New England Financial Representative to the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank’s Wholesale Customer Products Advisory Group and was Chair of the New England Automated Clearing House User Group. 

Cheryl Lee is an active member of her community and currently sits on the Advisory Board for New Hampshire PBS and is a member of the Development Committee for Leadership NH.  She is a prior Board member for the Portsmouth Historical Society, where she served on the Executive Committee and Chaired the Human Resources Committee. In addition, Cheryl Lee is Past Chair of the Leadership Seacoast Board of Trustees and served on the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Board of Directors, the Workforce Housing Coalition’s Fundraising and Outreach Committee and the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce’s Business Development Committee.

Cheryl Lee’s educational background includes a Certified Treasury Professional credential, graduation from Boston University’s Executive Leadership Program, graduation from the Leadership Seacoast program (2005), graduation from Leadership New Hampshire (2011), a certificate from the University of New Hampshire in Human Resources Management, an Associate’s degree in Business, and a Bachelor degree in Communications (currently in progress). 

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Contact Synchrony Advisors

Are your company’s operations caught in a repetitive loop? If so, we can help break this cycle and put you on a path to the next level of success. Contact us to discuss how we can help.

P. O. Box 4

Exeter, NH 03833

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