Mike DeCandido

Co-Founder

Mike DeCandido was born in the Bronx, NY and raised in the middle-class New York City suburb of Peekskill. The oldest child of two elementary school teachers, Mike was taught at an early age the importance of education as well as the value of having a diverse group of friends to learn from, and more importantly, care about. After graduating from high school, Mike attended SUNY Oswego in New York, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

Since graduating college, Mike has a track record of success in every role he has held in his 30-plus year professional career. Mike currently is the Chief Operating Officer of CE3 Solutions, a boutique consulting firm specializing in operational and regulatory risk management, Human Resources, customer experience and process Improvement. While Mike has a unique ability to create a vision and deliver results supporting the vision, he truly believes his success is deeply rooted in his ability to bring diverse teams and talent together to achieve a common goal while developing future leaders to confidently lead and teach others. Mike greatest leadership traits are empathy and listening. He cares about the people who work for and with him and believes it’s his responsibility to create opportunities for those who have not been afforded them.

Mike’s upbringing has built a foundation for a continued passion in supporting education and inclusion. Currently, he is on the Board of Trustees at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, an all-girls college preparatory school in Pennsylvania. Mike is also on the Regional Board of Teach for America in Philadelphia. Mike previously has held board positions with diverse educational and social organizations such as the United Way, Urban League, InRoads, and Junior Achievement.

While recent events have shined a renewed light on the challenges we have with Racism, Inclusion and Equity, it has also caused Mike to reflect on his actions and involvement and provided a renewed passion to take a leadership role in educating and bringing together those that are privileged with those who have barriers put up limiting their opportunities to live an equitable and equal life.

CommonBondz has given Mike an opportunity to use his strengths and passions around relationships, education, empathy, and bringing diverse groups of people together to learn from each other in a safe, respectful and inquisitive environment. Partnering with Apryll Adams is a wonderful gift for Mike in his continued learning and education on the challenges that Black Americans have faced for generations, and the responsibilities for those who have the power to help to take the lead in driving change.