Karen F. Puchalsky is co-founder, president and COO of Innovate E-Commerce Inc., Pittsburgh-headquartered business-to-business e-commerce consultants founded in 1997. Innovate’s expertise is empowering customers with technologies that maximize information accessibility along the entire value chain, resulting in highly efficient, cost-effective and secure collaboration, internally and externally. Innovate was ranked #111 on the INC. 500 list of America’s fastest-growing privately held firms for 2002—the highest ranked high-technology company on the list in Western Pennsylvania.

An e-commerce pioneer, Puchalsky’s experience spans 25 years, including assignments in management, consulting, marketing and sales. In 2002, Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker named Puchalsky one of the state’s “Best 50 Women in Business.” Puchalsky has also been recognized twice in Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” competition.

In addition, in 2002 Innovate E-Commerce was identified as one of the top 10 information technology companies in the region in the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s “Tech 50” awards; and Innovate was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the six-county area on the Pittsburgh Business Times’ “Pittsburgh 100” list.

As Innovate’s president and COO, Puchalsky oversees the day-to-day operations (management, finance, sales, marketing, client development, human resource development) of the organization and works directly with Innovate’s consulting experts and clients to plan, implement and manage e-commerce initiatives.

Puchalsky formerly worked for Omega Systems, where she created the EDI (electronic data interchange) Consulting Division—the first e-commerce-focused initiative in Pittsburgh, and for Sterling Software, where she co-founded the first comprehensive EDI solution, “EDI Complete,” which became the company’s marketing focus for three years.

Puchalsky is a founder of the Greater Pittsburgh E-Commerce partners, an ambassador for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, and a member of the Corporate Sponsorship Committee for the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. In addition, she is a member of, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Executive Women’s Council, TEC International Organization of CEOs, Women in Technology International, and the River’s Club.

Puchalsky holds a BS from Saint Vincent College in Business Administration and Computer Science and an MBA Management from Carnegie Mellon University, a world leader in applying information technology to business processes.