7Rivers names Ben Kerford CEO as it scales AI business

7Rivers named President Ben Kerford as chief executive officer, with founder Paul Stillmank shifting to chairman as the consultancy expands its work in data and AI. The move comes as the Milwaukee-based firm deepens its Snowflake partnership and pushes clients to turn AI investments into measurable business outcomes.

Why it matters: - 7Rivers is moving into a new leadership phase while trying to scale its AI and data consulting business. - The CEO transition is meant to support continued growth, deeper Snowflake alignment, and a sharper focus on client outcomes. - The change signals that 7Rivers is betting on execution, not just experimentation, as enterprise AI spending grows.

What happened: - 7Rivers named Ben Kerford chief executive officer. - Founder Paul Stillmank is stepping down as CEO and will remain chairman of the board. - The company announced the leadership change on Sept. 27, 2026, in Milwaukee. - Kerford had served as president since 2024.

The details: - Kerford has led sales and marketing, service delivery and financial operations. - Kerford also helped shape 7Rivers’ strategy, growth and operations. - Under Kerford’s leadership, 7Rivers reached Snowflake Elite Partner status. - The company expanded its AI capabilities, developed accelerators and launched applications on Snowflake Marketplace. - 7Rivers also continued investing in its Data Native™ model, which is designed to turn modern data foundations into intelligence, action and measurable business outcomes. - Stillmank will stay engaged in the company’s strategic direction while working with Kerford and the board. - Kerford brings 20 years of experience leading technology consulting organizations. - His background includes leadership roles at 7Summits, Johnson Controls and Accenture. - 7Rivers was founded in July 2023. - The company says it has grown quickly since then across data modernization and AI. - 7Rivers’ model centers on tying technology investments to tangible business outcomes. - The company says it helps organizations move from AI experimentation to broader business use. - The company also says it supports data modernization, advanced data science and enterprise LLM solutions. - The company’s website is 7riversinc.com.

Between the lines: - The appointment gives 7Rivers a CEO with direct operating experience inside the company rather than an outside reset. - Keeping Stillmank as chairman preserves continuity at a time when the firm is trying to convert partner momentum into broader growth. - The Snowflake connection remains central to 7Rivers’ positioning in a crowded AI services market.

What's next: - Kerford will lead 7Rivers into its next growth phase. - The company is likely to keep leaning on Snowflake-related services, AI deployment and client outcome tracking as key growth drivers. - 7Rivers says it will continue pursuing new growth opportunities under the updated leadership structure.