Duane R. Deason is President of The Efficacy Group, where he helps organizations lower costs, strengthen profitability, and upgrade operational efficiency. Having held positions as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Procurement Officer, Duane brings enterprise-level experience in identifying common culprits of waste and inefficiency that hinder profit, productivity, and innovation. He holds an MBA from Georgetown University and is the author of Operationally Svelte: Manage Costs to Increase Profit and Enhance Performance (forthcoming October 2025). Duane shares a practical playbook for CFOs, COOs, and PE portfolio ops leaders to build a sustainably lean organization that can best compete in the marketplace, weather economic downturns, and adapt to change.