Ray Steele
president & ceo

Ray Steele is a seasoned technology executive and strategic advisor with more than four decades of experience leading enterprise IT transformation and service delivery across Fortune 500 companies and emerging technology ventures. As President and CEO of Lighthouse CIO Group, he partners with organizations to align technology strategy with real-world business needs—cutting through the noise of “what’s new” to focus on what truly matters.

Known for his ability to uncover the root causes behind complex challenges, Ray has served as a trusted consultant to companies including The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, and The Florida Legislature. His leadership roles span a wide range of organizations—from founding and steering AVA Connect as President, CEO, and CTO, to executive positions at Aptos, ECRS, and KeHE Distributors, where he served as CIO and Vice President of IT.

Raymond holds a Master of Science in Decision Sciences and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Systems and Actuarial Science from Georgia State University.
 

Cassie HoleKamp
Director of operations

Cassie Holekamp is a dynamic operations and logistics leader based in Chattanooga, TN, whose career spans over a decade of driving strategic improvements, building high-performing teams, and enhancing customer experience.

In this role, she oversees all the operations and account management for Lighthouse CIO Group.

She continues to work with Ray at AVA Connect, overseeing all operations for the company.

Previously, Cassie worked as the International Account Manager at Steam Logistics, where she cultivated strong client relationships across domestic and global channels. She coordinated seamless international shipments, and aligned internal stakeholders across sales, marketing, and finance, and consistently delivered account growth through tailored, solution-oriented service.