The 2011 Top 25 Consultants: Mike Connolly

The size of Connolly's projects isn't the most impressive part of his resume; the true distinction is the sheer importance of the work he's doing. For example, the leaders at one client referred to his team's work as the most important element to their future success and another client shared that his project addressed the top priority issue for their core business. "Some of these client relationship are more than 10 years in duration," he says.

Before joining Booz & Company, Connolly was the head of consulting for what was then-DiamondCluster (which was first renamed and then acquired by PwC in 2010).

In 2001, he was responsible for expanding the firm's focus from financial services to healthcare. "The downturn in 2001 focused Diamond on core technology and operations expertise and personal attention on healthcare," he says. "That first year, I established two significant relationships. Those core relationships are still with me today."

After Diamond, he left the profession to become CTO and Deputy CIO of Aetna, the multi-billion dollar insurance company. He returned to consulting five years ago. While he's being recognized for his individual accomplishments, Connolly—like all of the other Top 25 winners—wanted to stress that he's simply the front man for a talented team. "Any great consulting firm has to balance deep and enduring client relationships with an equally deep and diversified talent bench," he says. "No one person can deliver everything a client needs."

—J.S.