About The Data Forge
Rich Bellantoni
Global Director of Data Platform at Xplor Technologies
Technology and data executive with 18+ years of experience building teams, platforms, and data organizations from the ground up. Four-time founding technology hire. Builder of things that last.
The Short Version
I lead a ~20 person global data team at Xplor Technologies, responsible for centralized data strategy, engineering, analytics, and platform development. Previously, I managed the payments data team powering analytics for 45,000+ merchants and over $16 billion in annual payment processing volume.
But titles only tell you what someone does today. Here's how I got here — and why it matters.
The Builder's Path
I didn't come from a prestigious CS program or a big-tech pipeline. I started as a part-time electronics associate at Staples in Plaistow, NH — while still in high school. After graduating, I worked my way up to store manager while putting myself through night school at Southern New Hampshire University. When it was time to break into technology, I made a deliberate choice: take a pay cut and leave management for a part-time IT position that would get me hands-on experience in my field.
That decision led me to Student Loan Solutions, where the CTO — Erik Barcza — saw something in me and trained me from an IT technician into a .NET developer. C# and SQL Server became the technical foundation I built everything else on. When the company closed, Erik founded Upland Consulting Group and brought me along to help build it. That was my first experience building a company from the ground up — a pattern I'd repeat three more times.
A Career Built on Repetition
There's a pattern in my career that I'm proud of: join early — often as the first hire — build the technology and team from zero, scale through hyper-growth, and navigate through acquisition or transformation. I've done this successfully across four organizations and multiple industries.
VP of Data Operations → Global Director of Data Platform
Joined as the first full-time employee of a boutique fitness data company. Built the team from just me to 10+ engineers, established partnerships with major fitness platforms, and delivered enterprise analytics for well-known brands in the fitness and wellness space. After two acquisitions, I now lead a ~20 person global data team managing a Snowflake lakehouse, Azure Hyperscale SQL Server Data Warehouse ingesting from 37 source systems, self-service BI platforms, and predictive analytics for churn, retention, and customer acquisition. Previously managed the payments data team powering analytics for 45,000+ merchants. One project stands out: my team built a unified corporate dashboard for an enterprise customer in 6 months — a capability the internal team had attempted for 3+ years. That solution is still in production 5 years later.
Chief Operating Officer
Partnered with the CEO of this security startup to repurpose their authentication platform — pivoting from consumer password management into a Chromium-based browser security system targeting a Department of Defense contract, and enterprise internet access control for local businesses. Gained C-suite operational leadership and security/IAM domain expertise.
IT Consultant → Vice President of Information Technology
Recruited as the first full-time technology employee at this healthcare-tech company. Designed and built the core ERP/CRM system from scratch, grew the team from 1 to 25+ engineers, and supported the company's growth from a small spinoff to 150+ employees through multiple rounds of VC funding and acquisitions. Owned all technology strategy, infrastructure, budgeting, and vendor management.
.NET Developer → Sr. Developer → Solutions Architect → Sr. Solutions Architect
Four promotions in under three years. Joined as a .NET developer, helped rebuild the legacy CRM/ERP system for Medicare Set-Aside processing, and grew with the company from 25 employees through the Verisk Analytics acquisition to 150+. Post-acquisition, led a team of 10 developers under the ISO/Verisk brand. Won Most Valuable Team Member in 2014.
Lead .NET Developer / Team Lead
Helped co-build an IT consulting firm from inception alongside the founder. Delivered full-stack web applications and data solutions for clients in natural gas management and ecommerce. Led a team of 4, and built the company website — which is still live 15+ years later.
By the Numbers
What I Bring to the Table
I've spent my career at the intersection of data, technology, and business outcomes. That means I don't just understand how models work — I understand why they fail in production, why data initiatives stall inside enterprises, and what it actually takes to deliver AI-driven value at scale.
- Data Platform Architecture — Snowflake, Azure Hyperscale SQL Server, Amazon Redshift, lakehouse design, self-service BI with Tableau and Power BI
- Enterprise Data Strategy — Building and scaling data organizations, governance frameworks, cross-functional executive partnership
- AI & Predictive Analytics — Churn prediction, retention modeling, customer acquisition optimization, practical ML in production
- M&A Technology Integration — Unifying disparate data ecosystems post-acquisition into cohesive, scalable platforms
- Full-Stack Technical Foundation — Started as a developer (C#, SQL Server, Python, .NET, JavaScript) and solutions architect before moving into leadership — so I can go deep when the situation demands it
- Multi-Industry Depth — Insurance, healthcare-tech, fitness/wellness SaaS, payments processing, security/IAM, financial services
Credentials
- B.S. in Business Studies (Information Technology & Business Administration) — Southern New Hampshire University
- Software Development Certificate — Southern New Hampshire University
- Certified Scrum Master — Scrum Alliance
- Employee of the Year — Adaptive Analytics LLC (2019)
- Most Valuable Team Member — ISO Claims Partners / Verisk Analytics (2014)
Why I Started The Data Forge
After years of leading data and AI initiatives inside enterprises, I kept running into the same problems — and having the same conversations. Teams excited about AI but stuck in pilot purgatory. Executives asking for "AI strategy" without understanding the data foundations required to support it. Companies scaling fast but treating data as an afterthought until it became a crisis.
The Data Forge is where I share what I've learned in the trenches. No hype. No vendor pitches. Just honest, practical insight on what it takes to build data and AI systems that survive contact with reality.
A forge is where raw materials are transformed into something useful through heat and pressure. That's what we do with data — and it's rarely as clean or easy as the conference talks make it sound. This blog is for the people doing the actual work.
What I Write About
- Enterprise AI Integration — The real challenges of getting AI from pilot to production inside organizations
- Data Strategy & Operations — Building data-ready organizations, governance frameworks, and scalable data platforms
- AI & Machine Learning — Hardware constraints, code quality, LLMs, practical applications, and what leaders actually need to know
- Data Engineering — Pipelines, architecture patterns, and the modern data stack
- Leadership & Culture — Building data-driven teams and navigating the organizational side of technical transformation
Connect
I'm always happy to connect with other data and AI practitioners. You can find me on LinkedIn or check out what I'm building at Luminary Analytics on GitHub.
Have a question, feedback, or want to collaborate? Reach out on LinkedIn — I read every message.
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