Operationally combines the best of the museum and consulting industries.
Andrew Simnick, Ph.D. - Founder and Principal
Dr. Andrew Simnick founded Operationally in 2021 to help cultural organizations of all types achieve sustainability through strategic and operational transformation. Based in Chicago, Operationally has served clients across the US in art, science, garden, civics, and other types of cultural organizations. He believes in the importance of the cultural sector and its unique ability to create core memories and generational touchpoints.
His practice focuses on three critical components of lasting transformation - understanding and communicating each client’s distinct value proposition, achieving revenue growth aligned with each client’s unique financial structure, making the most of each client’s limited resources through operational excellence, and achieving digital transformation with each client’s existing software and data assets.
Andrew brings deep experience from both the cultural and professional service sectors, formerly as a senior executive with the Art Institute of Chicago and a consultant with McKinsey & Company. He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Science and Arts Academy in Des Plaines, IL and the Board of Directors of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores in Chicago, IL.
Museum Experience
Andrew worked with the Art Institute of Chicago for seven years across several roles, most recently as its Senior Vice President for Finance, Strategy, and Operations. Named to the Crain’s Chicago Business 40 under 40, he pursued initiatives on organizational transformation, financial sustainability, complexity reduction, and applied data and analytics. Highlights include operational transformation and organizational redesign of legacy functions, creation of multiple strategic plans, financial improvement via revenue growth and cost reduction, and understanding attendance and audiences via predictive modeling.
Consulting Experience
Andrew worked with McKinsey & Company for four years, most recently as an engagement manager focused on advising on strategy and operations topics. He worked across a wide range of non-profit and for-profit clients, including heath care providers, pharmaceutical companies, global distributors, civic organizations, and museums. Highlights include engagements focused on corporate strategy, pre/post merger integration, sales optimization, supply chain management, organizational design, staff development and training, and recruiting non-traditional talent.