Clark Gilder is the innovative CEO and driving force of GSF. His extensive operations and management experience as an angel investor combined with his extensive software industry experience brings to GSF a keen insight into the application of technology to addressing business problems. During the 12 years he spent at Microsoft he delivered results in various operating roles including Technology Evangelist and Lead Program Manager on the Windows development team shipping Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. His accomplishments include being a 2 time winner of the Microsoft Windows Division “Gold Star” award. Clark joined the software industry after graduating in 1987 from The Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in Systems Engineering, with a focus in Operations Research.
Clark’s first software startup was in 1988 when he co-founded Touch & Go Systems where he created the first Windows based touch screen Point of Sale system. Learning from that experience, Clark joined Compaq Computer Corporation in 1990 where he lead the team that developed their first dynamic manufacturing process control system. Clark left Compaq to join Microsoft in 1991 where he spent the first four years working with a direct sales team to sell and support Microsoft Windows and related products to large and medium size corporations. In 1996, he moved to Redmond, WA where he was a member of a small team of Technology Evangelists who worked on a world-wide basis to drive the adoption of platform technologies into the ERP, Document management and CRM markets. As a Technology Evangelist, he worked with senior executives at the top software companies around the world as well as with Silicon Valley startups, but in 1999, Clark was recruited by a Vice President of the Windows Product Development team to lead the Server Application Compatibility program for Windows 2000. Recognized as successfully turning around this critical project in under 6 months he was awarded his first "Gold Star" award for innovation, leadership and technology excellence. After shipping Windows Server 2003 and accomplishing his career goals, Clark left Microsoft, moving from Seattle to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue the next phase of his career: evaluating and investing in high tech startups as well as executive management development. Since joining the Atlanta Technology Angels (ATA) investment group in 2005, Clark has lead the group’s due diligence process for software based businesses seeking angel capital. During one of these ATA due diligence sessions, he met his business associate and started Global Standard Financial Inc.