ROI’s Into the Corner Office Podcast: Powerhouse Middle Market CEOs Telling it Real—Unexpected Caree...

Bob Knakal, Chairman & CEO, BK Real Estate Advisors

Bob Knakal also known as "BK" has been a broker in NYC since 1984. Over that time, he has brokered the sale of over 2,348  buildings having a market value of approximately $22 billion. 

For 26 years of those years (1988-2014), he owned and ran Massey Knakal Realty Services, which sold more than 3x the number of properties as the #2 firm in NYC from 2001-2014. Running the firm with a Servant Leadership management style, focusing on empowering everyone on the team, intensely training them, and building their self-esteem, led to this overwhelmingly dominant platform. The firm was sold to Cushman & Wakefield in 2014 for $100 million. 

The Massey Knakal Legacy is illustrated by the fact that today in the New York City investment sales market, there are 30 companies, or divisions of companies, that are either owned by, or run by, folks who learned the business at Massey Knakal.   

Bob is a prominent thought leader in the commercial real estate business, frequently writing about the market, lecturing on the market, and appearing on podcasts and national television shows on networks like Fox, CNBC and MSNBC.  He is also the Chairman & CEO of BK Real Estate Advisors.

Re-Release: Chris Ford, Managing Partner and CEO of the Canadian Region, Capco

At the time of this recording, Chris Ford was the Managing Partner and CEO for the Canadian region at Capco.  

Chris has been focused on strategy and implementation of technology transformation services in the Canadian market for almost 20 years. He is a senior professional with experience leading architecture, business delivery, development, functional and non-functional and infrastructure work streams. 

Chris’ engagement experience spans customer-facing online channels, business process management (BPM), content management, payments and paper-based item processing for financial services. He is a software engineer by training and is a published author on Performance and Availability for enterprise financial services platforms. He also speaks regularly on technology and innovation in financial services.

Chris Ford is now the CEO and Managing Partner at Electric Mind. 

Re-Release: Herb Cogliano, Founder, Aspire Growth Advisors

Herb Cogliano leads his own advisory practice, Aspire Growth Advisors, leveraging the Scaling Up Performance Platform, described in Verne Harnish's award-winning book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits-Scaling Up.

As an International Business Coach, experienced CEO Scaling Up Practitioner, and Professor of the Scaling Up Masters Business Course, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges. Herb is pursuing his passion of working with leaders of growth companies to achieve more freedom by helping them create industry leading strategies, a culture of accountability, flawless execution along with a healthy cash flow within their organizations.

Herb was formerly CEO of Sullivan and Cogliano Designers, a 53-year privately held family owned, Technology Staffing and Workforce Solutions firm and in 1993, he also founded the Sullivan and Cogliano education business.

Sullivan and Cogliano joined a select group of companies that have appeared on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company list multiple times. The Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth over a four-year period. This achievement puts us in a unique position, especially if you consider that over 27 million businesses are registered in the USA.

His firm was a Multiyear recipient of Boston and South Florida Business Journal Best Places to Work Award. This honor recognizes Sullivan and Cogliano achievements for changing the business landscape, in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working conditions and company culture.

Herb Cogliano serves on the Carroll School of Management Board of Advisors at Boston College. He has served as a Board of Director of the American Staffing Association. He is past president of the Massachusetts Association of Staffing Services, and previously served on the boards of Employment Resources, Inc. and Junior Achievement.

He received his BSBA from Boston College in 1987 and his MBA from University of Massachusetts (International Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma) in 2016.

Re-Release: Brad Wolansky, CEO, Dover Saddlery

Brad Wolansky is the Chief Executive Officer at Dover Saddlery, the largest multichannel retailer of equestrian products in the United States.  Brad brings a wealth of leadership and experience to the business. His strengths in operational excellence, omnichannel marketing, product development, and over 30 years in retail both in the private and public sectors, coupled with his passion and drive to put the customer first, establishes Brad as a strong leader and mentor for growing brands.  

In addition to Brad’s current position as Dover Saddlery CEO, he spent time as Chief Digital Officer at Performance Sports Group via Boston’s B2C Partners, President, Consumer Direct, and President, Fundraising as well as Chief Marketing Officer for Yankee Candle, part of Newell Brands. Prior to joining Yankee Candle, Brad was CEO of The Golf Warehouse for Redcats USA and spent over 10 years with The Orvis Company, managing catalog, and product development and most recently VP of Global E-Commerce. Brad was also Director of E-Commerce Merchandising for Wilson's Leather, spent time at L.L. Bean, has engineered two start-ups, and for ten years ran a family-owned group of luggage and gift stores.

Dover Saddlery® brand riding apparel, equestrian wear, bridles, saddles and other tack is developed by riders, for riders. Leveraging nearly a half-century of equestrian expertise and world-wide contacts in the equestrian industry, product development teams at Dover Saddlery are able to offer just the right choices for you and your horse. Whether you compete at the international level, your local circuit, lesson weekly or simply enjoy leisurely rides, you can count on the Dover Saddlery brand for a full selection of products to outfit your horse and yourself in complete comfort and classic style. Every item is 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Nick Schneider, President & CEO, Arctic Wolf

As President and CEO of Arctic Wolf, Nick Schneider brings more than 15 years of experience in building global, high-growth technology companies spanning both emerging and established markets. As a veteran in the security industry, Nick has developed expertise in creating best-of-breed technology platforms and world-class sales organizations, which have been the driving force behind Arctic Wolf’s explosive growth and leadership position in the security operations market.

Norman Radow, Founder & CEO, RADCO

Norman J. Radow is the founder and CEO of RADCO, established in 1994 out of his passion for improving people’s lives and revitalizing neighborhoods. RADCO’s first major project involved the redevelopment of a distressed 53-story hotel, office, and condominium tower in Atlanta, which later became the Four Seasons Hotel. This transformative project helped put RADCO on the map. Since then, the company has completed over 150 successful real estate projects, establishing itself as a fearless and flexible leader in the industry, most notably in the multifamily sector.

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, RADCO expanded into hospitality, acquiring twelve hotels. The company manages its owned multifamily assets and offers a thriving third-party management service. For seven consecutive years, RADCO has been named one of the "Best Places to Work in Multifamily," based on anonymous feedback from its employees. RADCO is known for its people-first culture, valuing team member feedback and continuously striving for improvement.

Norman has a long history of service and philanthropy, largely focused on the importance of public education. He served as Vice Chair and then Chairman of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Foundation Board of Trustees for five years. In recognition of his significant contributions, KSU named the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Norman and his wife, Lindy Radow, are dedicated supporters of education and social equity, which is exemplified through the creation of The Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) at KSU. Their commitment extends to the Lindy Radow Scholarship, the Paul & Beverly Radow Lecture Series on Jewish Life, and “The Bev,” a dedicated social gathering and study area in the Social Sciences building lobby. Norman remains involved with New York Law School where he serves on the board and the Radow Lecture Hall is named in honor of his dedication and service to the school.

In addition to his work in real estate, Norman is a dynamic speaker and respected industry expert. He shares his insights on real estate and life in his long-running and popular blog, “Coffee with Norm.” Norman holds a Juris Doctor from New York Law School (1981) and a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Plattsburgh. Norman was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters by the Georgia Board of Regents in December 2023.

Re-Release: Ken Sobaski, CEO, America's Thrift Stores

Ken has been the President and CEO of America’s Thrift Stores since November of 2013 when he stepped off of the board to assume this role. He spent his first 4 years building the team (21 of ATS’s Top 25 leaders came from outside) putting in scalable systems and processes (Net Suite, Dundas BI tool, Day Force HCMS, Speed Rail Processing system), improving operations and cleaning up the balance sheet. All to prepare for accelerating growth. 

Today, America’s Thrift Stores (ATS) is America’s premier thrift retailer in the Southeast, with 24 stores on track to deliver over $80 million in revenue and $10 million of sustaining EBIDTA in 2021 at a 66% gross margin and $12 million EBITDA run rate.  In the last 24 months, during the pandemic, ATS has added 7 new stores to its base of 17. Prior to the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, ATS’s business was already incredibly healthy, growing total topline sales for 12 straight quarters and same-store sales for 11 straight quarters.  Reopening in June 2020, ATS emerged equally strong, with 4 back-to-back quarters of comp store sales growth, including a historic Q1 where both comp-store sales and Total Sales hit record-breaking levels. Sustaining EBITDA is expected to be over $14 million in 2022 and will more than double over the next 5 years as the company continues to grow comp store sales, opens 3-5 new stores annually, and enters the rapidly accelerating online thrift space. 

Prior to joining America’s Thrift Stores, Ken was a mentor, advisor, and coach to small and mid-size company CEOs as an Operating Partner with Alpine Investors LLC stretching across industries from Online Education to Online Retail Lighting & Design to Retail Furniture to Used Cars to Retail Thrift.  In this role, he coached CEOs and their leadership teams on helping them build and drive their growth strategies and sales & marketing execution. He also stepped into interim leadership roles and helped with sourcing and due diligence on potential new acquisition candidates. 

Ken Sobaski has been a visionary, strategic President & CEO with a history of significantly accelerating growth and inspiring teamwork on businesses across multiple different industries: consumer food, online e-commerce, recreational products, and giftware. He has over 30 years of experience at blue chip marketing-driven companies like Kraft, General Mills, Pillsbury, Polaris, and Capella Education Company, where he grew brands like Orville Redenbacher, Green Giant, Wheaties, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, and Polaris. 

Ken’s distinction is his ability to lead his teams to achieve significant levels of growth not reached before. Here are a few examples:

• At Pillsbury, he took a $600mm refrigerated baked goods business that was flat or declining for 5 years and added $120mm in revenue in year 1, and built a pipeline of new products that grew $270mm of incremental revenue over 3 years
• At Green Giant he successfully launched Create-a-Meal, a $150mm new frozen vegetable meal starter business, achieving record shares in frozen vegetables, moving to #1 position in the category in 12 months
• On Orville Redenbacher, he reversed 49-months of declines with 12 months of double-digit volume gains.
• At Polaris, he grew revenue +34% in just over 3 years by focusing/improving marketing execution and upgrading the dealer network
• At Capella Education Company (an online consumer education company) he took growth from +15% per year to +25% per year, adding $120mm in revenue in under 3 years

Ken has served on the boards of The Minnesota Diabetes Association, The Twin Cities United Way, and The Council on Aging – Orange County. 

Ken holds a BA in Economics & Urban Studies from St. Olaf College and an MBA in Marketing & Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University 

Re-Release: Tim Murphy, CEO, Boomers Parks

Tim Murphy is the CEO of APX Operating Company LLC, dba Boomers Parks, owned by Cerberus Private Equity ($60B AUM). Boomers Parks operates six family entertainment centers and two water parks in California, Florida, and New Jersey.

Since becoming CEO in 2020, Tim led Boomers Parks from bankruptcy to profitability within a year, amidst a global pandemic. Initially operating at a $10 million loss, he revamped the customer experience and introduced new revenue streams, resulting in a 180% revenue increase in 2021 and continued growth through today.

Tim began his 35+ year career at Walt Disney World and has worked with over 150 entertainment, restaurant, and food & beverage brands at more than 10,000 locations in senior roles. He is also a Board Director at Coney Park & Happy City, part of The Carlyle Group ($426B AUM), which operates 100+ family entertainment centers in Latin America.

Tim's expertise includes top brands like Disney, Darden Restaurants, Jimmy John’s, Applebee’s, and Sonny’s. He has managed over 35 transactions involving 1,200+ locations, negotiating deals from $11 million to $350 million+.

He is a member of IAAPA, CAPA, FAA, AAMA, NRA, CRA, WWA, ICSC, and IFA, and is a licensed commercial real estate broker in Florida. Tim holds a BS/BA in Accounting from the University of Central Florida and an MBA in Finance from Orlando College.

Connect with Tim at Tim@BoomersParks.com and on LinkedIn at TimMurphyCEO.

 

Andy Hilliard, CEO, Accelerance

At age 26, Andy Hilliard had a quarter-life crisis that changed the trajectory of his life. In an effort to find himself, Andy joined the Peace Corps in 1988. On assignment in Costa Rica, he fell in love with the culture—and the woman who became his wife. The experience led Andy to dedicate himself to enriching businesses and individuals through valuable cultural exchange. 

As CEO of Accelerance, Andy helps companies find the talent they need to scale high performing, globally distributed software engineering and product development teams. 

Andy and Accelerance travel the world, assessing and certifying development partners with a proprietary matching system, so clients can connect with confidence to the top 1% of outsourcing partners worldwide. The Accelerance team also helps clients optimize their outsourcing partner relationships through mutual understanding, communication, and effective management. 

Previously, Andy founded the groundbreaking nearshore software development services company, Isthmus Costa Rica. He began his global software services career as a Division Manager at Cognizant Technology Solutions during its formative years. 

Currently living in Kenwood, California, Andy has visited more than 60 countries. He holds an MBA in International Business, Finance, and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. 

Re-Release: Brian Will, Leader, Entrepreneur, and Author

Brian Will is a Serial Entrepreneur, a Two-time Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author, and an industry-leading Business and Sales Management Consultant.

Brian has created or co-created seven successful companies in four different industries during his career. These companies were worth over half a billion dollars at their peak. He has also done multiple turnaround projects for companies from startups to Fortune 500, and helped those organizations drive billions of dollars in sales. His multifaceted background allows him to understand and teach agile processes and principles and articulate their implications from multiple perspectives, from the development team to the executive board.

Today, Brian Will owns a growing chain of restaurants in the Atlanta area and a residential and commercial Real Estate business in Georgia and Florida. He also serves on the city council in his hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia.