We’re excited to announce the promotion of Vincent Tierres, EMBA to Chief Operating Officer (COO) at TLCx. With 25 years of BPO and CX operations experience, Vince has built a reputation for operational excellence, disciplined execution, and consistently exceeding client and company performance expectations. In his role as COO, Vince oversees global service delivery with a particular focus on our domestic and nearshore operations—driving efficiency, quality, innovation, and scale as TLCx continues to evolve as a CX Transformation Partner powered by TLCx LaunchPad™. Prior to TLCx, Vince held senior operations leadership roles managing high-performing contact center teams and global multi-million-dollar operations in fast-paced environments. He holds a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio and an Executive MBA from the University of Texas at El Paso. Equally important, Vince is a people-first leader who is deeply committed to developing talent, building strong teams, and investing in continuous improvement—both professionally and personally. Based in our El Paso, TX operation, Vince brings the operational rigor and human-centered leadership that define TLCx’s employee-owned culture. Congratulations, Vince—thank you for your leadership and impact.
Announcement: Promotion of Sorabh Kaila
We’re proud to announce the promotion of Sorabh Kaila to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at TLCx. Sorabh is a strategic, data-driven finance leader with more than 20 years of experience across FP&A, business intelligence, pricing strategy, forecasting, and enterprise profitability. Throughout his career at organizations including Teleperformance, Aegis, and Global Vantedge, he has consistently translated complex data into actionable insight—fueling automation, operational efficiency, and measurable business outcomes across global markets including the U.S., Philippines, and Canada. As CFO, Sorabh will oversee financial strategy, capital allocation, investor relations, and risk management —while championing data-led transformation and operational excellence at the core of TLCx’s employee-owned culture and our TLCx LaunchPad™ platform. With a master’s degree in data science from the University of Colorado Boulder and certifications including Six Sigma Black Belt, Project Management, and Corporate Finance, Sorabh brings a rare blend of financial acumen, analytical rigor, and operational insight. Congratulations, Sorabh—we’re excited to have you helping shape the next chapter of TLCx’s growth as a leading CX Transformation Partner.
TLCx Appoints Bryan Gray as Chief Commercial Officer
Industry Veteran Joins Leadership Team to Drive Growth and Innovation CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TLCx, a leading certified veteran-owned provider of customer experience (CX) outsourcing services for Fortune 500 companies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bryan Gray as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective immediately. Industry Veteran Joins Leadership Team to Drive Growth and Innovation Bryan Gray joins TLCx with over two decades of experience in the outsourcing and offshoring consulting industry, where he has excelled in driving revenue growth and leading high-performing teams. His expertise in AI-powered growth and customer service innovation, coupled with his strategic vision, has enabled him to scale businesses, develop effective go-to-market strategies, and establish transformative partnerships. Mr. Gray’s passion for leveraging generative AI positions him to significantly enhance customer experiences while optimizing sales, marketing, and operational efficiencies at TLCx. Before his tenure at TLCx, Mr. Gray served in pivotal roles at Alorica. As President of Financial Solutions, he significantly enhanced the brand’s market position within the banking and capital markets sector, contributing to substantial revenue growth and service expansion. Prior to that, he led the company’s expansion into the banking, fintech, and energy sectors, doubling annual revenues through his oversight of global digital and customer care operations for major U.S. financial institutions and others. In previous roles Mr. Gray has led strategy and operations for retail, technology, and consumer packaged goods sectors for globally recognized market leaders as well. In his new role at TLCx, Mr. Gray will spearhead the company’s commercial strategy, enhance business development efforts, and nurture client relationships. His focus will be on driving new sales opportunities within TLCx’s key verticals including BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Government, and Media & Entertainment. He will also aim to strengthen ties with existing clients, expand services, elevate TLCx’s brand as a thought leader in the BPO and contact center industry, and push forward the adoption of digital tools and AI to improve efficiency and customer experiences. “We are thrilled to welcome Bryan to the TLCx family,” said Tom Cardella, Founder and CEO of TLCx. “His extensive experience and proven track record in the industry make him an invaluable addition to our leadership team. We are confident that Bryan’s strategic vision and commitment to excellence will propel TLCx to new heights as we continue to redefine the standards of service in CX outsourcing.” Mr. Gray commented on his new role, “I am honored to join a company that places such a strong emphasis on a people-first philosophy and operational excellence. I look forward to working with the talented team at TLCx to drive growth and deliver unparalleled customer experiences for our clients while accelerating our technological capabilities.” Founded in 2007 by Tom Cardella, TLCx has grown into a highly respected U.S.-based provider with 14 global locations. The company specializes in end-to-end custom solutions for customer care, acquisition, loyalty, retention, back office, and technical support, underlining its commitment to a people-first approach. About TLCx:TLCx is a certified veteran-owned company dedicated to enhancing customer experiences for Fortune 500 companies through innovative outsourcing solutions. With a focus on operational excellence and a people-first culture, TLCx has been a trusted partner in the CX industry for 18 years. For more information about TLCx, visit www.tlcx.com. Read the News Article
Elevating Clinical Excellence: TLCx Appoints Dr Ries as Chief Medical Officer
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TLCx is taking a significant step toward its long-term vision of transforming the healthcare patient experience. This move underscores the company’s dedication to pioneering a new era of healthcare, one rooted in thoughtful design, patient-centered systems, and clinically sound innovation. “This is more than just a clinical appointment; it signifies a key milestone in realizing TLCx’s Vision 2030,” said Dr. Zachary Ries, Chief Medical Officer. “It will pioneer a new era of healthcare patient experience driven by intelligent design, human-first systems, and clinically grounded innovation.” TLCx is pleased to welcome Dr. Zachary Ries as its first Chief Medical Officer. This decisive appointment highlights TLCx’s dedication to reshaping the patient experience through clinically grounded innovation and human-first systems. Dr. Ries’s expertise will be instrumental in guiding TLCx toward its Vision 2030, which focuses on creating a healthcare journey prioritizing the needs and well-being of patients. Tom Cardella, Founder and CEO of TLCx, added, “I’ve known Dr. Ries for many years, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join TLCx, especially at this time of transformation through human-driven AI solutions. His expertise and vision will be pivotal as we redefine healthcare delivery.” Dr. Zachary Ries is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon from Des Moines, Iowa, with nearly 18 years of medical experience. A University of Iowa graduate with advanced fellowship training at Norton Leatherman Spine Center, he is dedicated to improving patient care through clinical expertise and innovation. The addition of a Chief Medical Officer will benefit the company in the following ways: Enhanced Clinical Leadership: Dr. Ries will provide vital leadership, ensuring TLCx’s strategies and innovations are firmly rooted in medical expertise. Patient-Centered Approach: With Dr. Ries at the helm, TLCx will further emphasize a patient-centered approach, designing systems and experiences that address the unique needs of each individual. Realization of Vision 2030: This appointment marks a milestone in realizing TLCx’s Vision 2030, moving the company closer to its goal of transforming healthcare patient experience. Drive Innovation: Dr. Ries will also help drive innovation at TLCx, leading development of products, services, and solutions that improve patient experience and outcomes. About TLCx:TLCx is a certified veteran-owned company dedicated to enhancing customer experiences for Fortune 500 companies through innovative outsourcing solutions. With a focus on operational excellence and a people-first culture, TLCx has been a trusted partner in the CX industry for 18 years. For more information, visit www.tlcx.com. Read the News Article
Announcement: Katia Acciarresi joins TLCx as Vice President, BFSI Solutions
Please join us in welcoming Katia Acciarresi as Vice President, BFSI Solutions at TLCx. Katia brings a strong track record in shaping customer experience strategies for the BFSI sector, with a clear focus on aligning operations, technology, and client outcomes. Her approach is rooted in understanding the nuances of financial services and building solutions that drive both efficiency and trust at scale. At TLCx, she will be leading our BFSI initiatives, working closely with teams and clients to strengthen domain-led solutions and deliver measurable impact where it matters most. We’re excited to have her on board and look forward to the momentum she brings. Welcome to TLCx, Katia.
TLCx Appoints DeJon Gaines as Chief Technology Officer
Technology Veteran to Accelerate AI Innovation and Advance Vision 2030 Iowa City, IA – February 2, 2026 – TLCx, a certified veteran-owned leader in customer experience (CX) outsourcing for Fortune 500 companies and enterprise clients, today announced the appointment of DeJon Gaines as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective February 2, 2026. With over 20 years of executive leadership in enterprise digital transformations, Gaines has a proven record of aligning advanced technologies—cloud architecture, AI-driven solutions, cybersecurity, and global team-building—with business goals to drive efficiency and measurable results. His experience at Conduent, Xerox, and Affiliated Computer Services includes leading large-scale initiatives that leverage intelligent automation and data insights to elevate operational performance and customer experiences. At TLCx, Gaines will spearhead the company’s technology roadmap, including the ongoing evolution of TLCx LaunchPad™—the modular CX transformation platform that adapts to client needs across foundational delivery, AI augmentation, and collaborative innovation. Built on explainable AI, real-time agent guidance, and comprehensive 360° customer views, LaunchPad delivers human-centered, scalable experiences grounded in trust, compliance, and empathy. Gaines will also play a critical role in advancing TLCx Vision 2030, the company’s strategic commitment to sustainable value creation for clients, employees, and the environment through responsible AI and human ingenuity. This ESG-integrated approach positions TLCx as a trusted partner redefining customer-first service in a rapidly evolving economy. “I joined TLCx because this team is poised to make technology a genuine growth driver, not just a support function,” said Gaines. “The most powerful technology strategies are those that create tangible value for clients. I’m focused on building solutions that give our clients measurable competitive advantages, and leveraging AI, advanced analytics, and cloud innovation to deliver outcomes that truly matter.” “DeJon is a proven transformative leader whose AI and digital expertise perfectly complements our people-first culture,” said Tom Cardella, Founder and CEO of TLCx. “He will accelerate Vision 2030 and solidify TLCx LaunchPad™ as the foundation for scalable, future-ready CX innovation.” Bryan Gray, Chief Commercial Officer, added: “DeJon’s arrival enables us to deliver even more integrated, high-impact solutions—combining our human-centered expertise with next-gen AI, cloud, and automation. We’re excited to help clients scale empathy, achieve better outcomes, and gain a true competitive edge.” Gaines’ leadership will play a central role in advancing TLCx Vision 2030, strengthening the company’s ability to deliver responsible, AI-enabled CX solutions at scale. About TLCxFounded in 2007 by U.S. veteran Tom Cardella, TLCx is a certified veteran-owned, 100% employee-owned customer experience (CX) provider delivering end-to-end, customized outsourcing solutions for Fortune 500 and enterprise clients. With U.S.-based leadership and global operations, TLCx supports voice and digital channels, back-office services, multilingual programs, and omnichannel orchestration across industries including Healthcare, Government, BFSI, Retail, Energy, and Media & Entertainment. Guided by a people-first culture, operational excellence, and intelligent automation, TLCx transforms every interaction for consumers, patients, members, and citizens. Visit www.tlcx.com for more information. Read the Press Release
CommonWealth Purchasing Group Expands Vendor Network with TLCx
CPG partners with TLCx to modernize patient access and healthcare TLCx for health centers nationwide BOSTON, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — CommonWealth Purchasing Group (CPG), a leading national group purchasing organization serving more than 900 community health centers and nonprofit healthcare organizations, today announced the addition of TLCx to the CPG Vendor Network. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) improve patient access, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen care continuity — while operating within the realities of funding and compliance. Adding TLCx Care Connect strengthens our ability to help members modernize patient access, reduce administrative burden, and reinvest savings into patient care.”Rich Napolitano, Executive Director & Senior Vice President of CPG TLCx Care Connect joins CPG as a Healthcare CX Transformation Partner, bringing a Human-First, Tech-Powered approach designed to modernize patient access strategies without compromising the community-centered care model that defines FQHCs. Why This Partnership Matters Now Community health centers nationwide face mounting pressure: Together, CPG and TLCx Care Connect will address these challenges at scale — helping members improve responsiveness, operational efficiency, and patient satisfaction while maintaining strict compliance standards. A Transformation-Led Approach In lieu of offering generic outsourcing services, TLCx Care Connect works through use-case-led transformation initiatives tailored to healthcare realities, including: TLCx Care Connect integrates people, process, automation, and AI through its LaunchPad™ enablement framework — ensuring work is sequenced strategically and aligned to measurable healthcare outcomes. Exclusive Access to TLCx LaunchPad™ As part of the CPG Vendor Network, members will gain access to TLCx LaunchPad™ — a modular healthcare CX transformation framework designed to accelerate digital enablement without operational disruption. LaunchPad™ enables health centers to: Rather than approaching modernization as a costly system overhaul, LaunchPad™ allows organizations to advance through focused, scalable phases that improve patient access, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen care continuity. Secure, Scalable, Healthcare-Ready Founded in 2007, TLCx employs more than 3,500 professionals across 14 global locations and supports services in 20 languages. The organization operates under SOC 2 (SSAE), HIPAA, and PCI compliance standards and conducts annual penetration testing to maintain enterprise-grade cybersecurity. CPG members gain access to scalable, compliant services, including: Executive Perspectives “At CPG, our mission is to equip community health centers with strategic partnerships that create measurable impact,” said Rich Napolitano, Executive Director & Senior Vice President of CPG. “Adding TLCx Care Connect strengthens our ability to help members modernize patient access, reduce administrative burden, and reinvest savings into patient care.” Bryan Gray, Chief Commercial Officer at TLCx, added: “Community health centers are under extraordinary pressure to do more with less. Our partnership with CPG allows us to move beyond traditional contact center services and deliver outcome-focused healthcare CX transformation. Through Human-First, Tech-Powered solutions, we help FQHCs improve patient access, alleviate staff burnout, and build scalable systems that support long-term care continuity. This is about measurable impact — not just answering calls.” This partnership reinforces CPG’s mission to enable operational efficiency so members can reinvest in care — aligning with a broader Vision 2030 focused on sustainable, technology-enabled patient experience improvement. About CommonWealth Purchasing Group Commonwealth Purchasing Group (CPG) is a national group purchasing organization serving more than 900 community health centers and nonprofit healthcare organizations. CPG helps members drive operational efficiency, reduce costs, and align with strategic vendor partners—enabling organizations to reinvest more resources directly into patient care. To learn more about TLCx Care Connect or explore enrollment through CPG, visit www.cwpurchasing.com or connect with your Member Resource Consultant. About TLCx Care Connect TLCx Care Connect is a certified veteran-owned company dedicated to transforming customer and patient experiences for Fortune 500 and healthcare organizations through innovative, human-first, AI-powered outsourcing solutions. Built on service, driven by people, and powered for tomorrow, TLCx Care Connect delivers tailored strategies and scalable execution that improve access, engagement, and outcomes. For more information, visit www.tlcx.com. Read the News Article
2026: The Year AI Transforms Customer Experience
Customer experience is entering a new phase. In *”2026: The Year AI Transforms Customer Experience,”* TLCx Chief Commercial Officer Bryan Gray makes the case that AI in customer experience has crossed over from hype into real, measurable results. Long hold times and frustrated customers are giving way to AI agents that catch problems early, resolve issues on their own, and hand off to a human expert right when empathy is needed most. Bryan Gray calls this the “Digital Experience era” — a point where CX and employee experience (EX) stop being two separate things. The article walks through three big AI trends shaping the year ahead. Agentic AI systems — AI that can make its own decisions, like predicting churn and planning retention strategies — are delivering a 15–20% boost in satisfaction. Human-AI blended models let AI take on the repetitive, routine queries so employees can focus on the conversations that actually need a human touch, which helps both service quality and how fulfilled employees feel at work. And ethical AI frameworks, built on secure, AI-native platforms, are helping companies stay compliant with GDPR and PCI-DSS while building the kind of trust that 64% of firms now link directly to innovation. The numbers back this up. 45% of organizations report improved satisfaction from AI they’ve deployed strategically. 39% say AI is driving measurable revenue growth. Predictive analytics is helping cut churn by up to 20%. And real deployments TLCx points to show even stronger results — a 25–40% jump in first-contact resolution, a 35% drop in operational costs, and 92% employee satisfaction with tools that take mundane, repetitive work off their plate. Bryan Gray doesn’t skip over the hard parts either. Ethical AI deployment, proving ROI, and employee fears about job loss are all real obstacles. TLCx’s answer is to build in AI auditability and bias-detection tools, run phased pilots measured against clear goals (like NPS lift and cost-per-contact reduction), and stay focused on augmentation, not replacement. Citing Gartner’s prediction that 70% of customers will start service requests through conversational AI by 2028, Bryan Gray frames 2026 as the moment organizations need to move from small experiments to real, company-wide use. The piece wraps up with a look at TLCx Launchpad™, the company’s platform for AI-driven digital transformation. Launchpad offers assessments based on actual business goals (not vendor sales pitches), low-risk pilots that prove results before scaling, and built-in safeguards for compliance and bias detection — giving companies a practical, low-risk way into what Bryan Gray calls a future that’s “not just efficient, but profoundly human.” Download the Insight: 2026: The Year AI Transforms Customer Experience
Retail CX: Meeting the Demands of Digital-First Shoppers
Today’s shoppers are digital-first by default, well-informed, and — as TLCx Chief Commercial Officer Bryan Gray puts it — impatient out of necessity. In *”Retail CX – Meeting the Demands of Digital-First Shoppers,”* Bryan Gray makes the case that this isn’t a passing trend caused by eCommerce growth or mobile adoption — it’s a real structural shift in what retail customer experience has to deliver. Shoppers no longer compare a retailer to its competitors. They compare it to the best digital experience they’ve had anywhere, from any brand. The article breaks digital-first expectations down into three simple things shoppers want: instant support that solves problems in seconds (not necessarily from a human, but always effectively), personalization that’s actually relevant rather than generic or overly intrusive, and journeys that flow smoothly across channels, so a customer’s context follows them from mobile to desktop to in-store without getting lost. Bryan Gray points out what hasn’t changed, too — customers still want to feel understood and valued. Technology has just raised the bar for how consistently that has to happen. He also lays out where retail CX strategies commonly go wrong: automating too much without guardrails, organizing teams around channels instead of the customer journey, personalization that reacts to the past instead of predicting what’s next, and treating CX as a pure cost center — a trap that ends up eroding quality and wiping out the very savings it was supposed to create. TLCx’s answer is a philosophy it calls intelligent augmentation — deliberately built Human-AI Teams where AI handles speed, scale, and pattern recognition; humans handle judgment, empathy, and the exceptions that need a real person; and governance keeps the whole system trustworthy, compliant, and consistent. This carries into AI-driven personalization, where TLCx builds AI directly into frontline agent workflows instead of hiding it in a dashboard, so agents become “signal interpreters, not script readers” — turning personalization from a buzzword into something that actually moves the needle. The article also covers how TLCx supports 24/7 omnichannel service across chat, voice, social, and messaging, and how it helps retailers connect eCommerce and in-store experiences by keeping customer context consistent across systems and giving store staff and contact center agents the same customer intelligence. Finally, Bryan Gray introduces TLCx LaunchPad™, a modular framework built for retail’s naturally uneven growth — seasonal spikes, promotions, market expansion. LaunchPad lets retailers roll out intelligent augmentation, quality intelligence, and predictive personalization step by step, with governance built in as what he calls “the hidden differentiator” as AI systems get more autonomous. The article ends on TLCx’s core message: in modern retail, experience isn’t just part of the brand — it is the brand. Download the Insight: Retail CX: Meeting the Demands of Digital-First Shoppers
From AI Pilots to AI Mastery: The CTO’s Playbook for Scaling Intelligent CX in 2026
In “From AI Pilots to AI Mastery: The CTO’s Playbook for Scaling Intelligent CX in 2026,” TLCx Chief Technology Officer DeJon Gaines takes on one of the biggest headaches facing CX leaders right now: the gap between AI pilots and real, company-wide AI adoption. His argument is simple — the gap isn’t about what the technology can do. It’s about execution and getting the operating model right. And he lays out a clear playbook for closing that gap. The article starts by naming what DeJon Gaines calls the “pilot trap” — a pattern he’s seen across CX teams over the past 24 months. A chatbot cuts handle time here. A summarization tool speeds up after-call work there. Individually, these wins look good. But they never add up to real business impact. He points to three reasons why: pilots stay isolated and never connect to the broader customer journey, they’re unmeasured against actual business outcomes (tracked instead by technical numbers like model accuracy), and they’re unowned, with no one person or team responsible for taking them from pilot to full scale. He contrasts this with what real AI mastery looks like: AI that’s built into the whole customer journey instead of bolted onto a few touchpoints, tied to measurable business goals, designed to support agents rather than replace them, and governed with clear accountability. This changes what the CTO’s job actually is — no longer just picking platforms, but acting as what DeJon Gaines calls “the primary architect of transformation,” shaping strategy and operating model design, not just tech choices. The core of the article is a five-step playbook, meant to run in parallel rather than as separate phases: 1. Start with use cases, not tools — get specific about the problem first (like “reduce patient no-shows by 30% through proactive outreach… measured over a 90-day window”) before picking any technology. 2. Define success in business terms — swap out technical metrics like model accuracy for ones that finance and leadership actually care about, like cost-to-serve reduction and CSAT. 3. Build modular, not monolithic — roll out targeted capabilities, prove they work within 60–90 days, and grow from there instead of trying to build one giant system. 4. Align technology, operations, and sales — because most AI efforts stall not from bad tech, but from teams not being on the same page, so shared accountability matters. 5. Turn pilots into proof points — document what worked, turn it into a repeatable template, and package the results so sales can confidently bring them to clients. DeJon Gaines also spends real time on what he calls “the human factor,” pushing back hard on the idea that AI exists to replace people. He argues that thinking is not just wrong, it backfires — it creates resistance among frontline staff and leads companies to build AI that optimizes for the wrong things. Instead, he says the best AI implementations focus on real-time guidance, less cognitive load for agents, and more room for genuine, empathetic conversations. The real measure of good AI, he says, isn’t how many interactions it handles — it’s how much better every human interaction gets. The article wraps up with a clear picture of what 2026 will reward: not how many AI pilots a company has launched, or how impressive its tech stack looks, but whether it can turn investment into results that are repeatable, measurable, and easy to explain to leadership. DeJon Gaines frames AI mastery as a shift in how the whole organization works, not a tech milestone — and leaves readers with a direct challenge: audit your pilots, pick your best proof points, build real alignment across teams, and commit to the change. As he puts it: “Will your organization stay in pilot mode — or build the capability to scale?” Download the Insight: From AI Pilots to AI Mastery: The CTO’s Playbook for Scaling Intelligent CX in 2026