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The road to the middle market CEO corner office is paved with mile markers that guide in surprising, unpredictable, and some might even say “mysterious” ways! But how do you get such a widely coveted position? This is the question often heard during decades of ROI’s executive search interviews, conducted with top-level executives. ROI’s Into the Corner Office podcast is a new inspiration and answer platform which premieres visionary tales of adventure with great endings and highlights, from powerhouse CEOs driving the formidable success of the U.S. economy’s middle market sector. The CEOs behind this impressive growth reveal insights which equipped them to lead their organizations. Showcasing dynamic leadership stories, Into the Corner Office dives into the heart of what informed and formed these CEOs. Guests share their backgrounds, talk about their early years, and explore what shaped them before they were known for their successes in growing, developing, and leading extraordinary mi...
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
With a lifetime of experience as a championship-winning rower, the former president of Chicago Union Rowing and Paddling, and the coach of the U.S. National Team, Bruce has always been passionate about moving the sport of rowing forward due to its positive impacts on the body and the mind.
However, you might say his life’s work was predestined. Long after he fell in love with rowing, Bruce discovered quite by accident that his ancestors were, in fact, a legendary rowing family. In addition, his great grandfather was a master boat builder in Cambridge who made the first sliding seats in racing shells.
Throughout his career, Bruce has remained steadfastly committed to improving communities by making rowing accessible to all, including his work previously as the executive director of Community Rowing in Boston. He also founded Lincoln Park Juniors, a rowing program in Chicago for underserved youth. Today, Bruce continues to thoughtfully innovate new ways to make the water and the rowing world more accessible, while also improving the communities in which we live.
Bruce will tell you it was the “swing” of the rhythm of rowing in perfect harmony with his teammates that bonded him to the boathouse and the lifestyle. And he says that same “swing” is what continues to move the entire rowing community into the future. Under his guidance, the Hydrow team has been able to create a world-class way to do that: our rowers. Together, we continue the movement, with a state-of-the-art home fitness offering that grants you access to world-class waterways, the sport’s most elite Athletes, whole-body health, and a community that spans centuries, and the globe.
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
I have been involved in business finance and investment for the best part of 30 years having started working for Merrill Lynch Investment Bank in Munich, Germany in 1987 at the tender age of 24. I now run an investment company and a knowledge platform teaching finance to entrepreneurs which goes by the name of Good & Prosper. My focus has always been on Small & Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) primarily in Germany and Europe and mostly in some sort of distress or need of restructuring. I work at the seam between strategy, finance and leadership and bring three decades of experience as a finance and investment professional to the world of SME operations. Good & Prosper also offers courses to entrepreneurs and SME business owners to enable them to further their expertise in finance, capital allocation, leadership, culture and strategy, as well as individual leadership coaching and mentoring.
My perspective on business, politics and society is shaped primarily by my alignment with the Austrian School of Economics. I was irredeemably inspired by my early reading of the Intelligent Investor at the age of 24 and am at a loss to understand why anyone would want to think differently about investing and capital allocation other than from a value perspective. I am a Christian Libertarian by conviction. You can read more about my own journey and the influences on my thinking by reading the blog post „why we do what we do“
I am an Englishman, born in Lancashire in 1963 who moved to Germany at the age of 24 after completing my education at Rugby and Durham University. Starting in 1987, I spent almost all of my investment career in Munich, Germany, before moving to Ireland with my family in early 2015. I now commute between Dublin and Germany and have come to the conclusion that there are worse things in life…I have been married to Britta since 2000 and our family consists of four children, three dogs, and a horse, all of whom live in Delgany, Co. Wicklow. I am an avid long distance trail walker (see www.peregrinations.eu for my trail blogs), cross country skier and sailor, I read voraciously, listen to an unhealthy amount of podcasts, write enthusiastically and drink large quantities of green tea every day.
I am also a founding member of the Small Giants Community ( www.smallgiants.org ), a wonderful, US- based organisation, that caters to companies that choose to be great instead of big and provides resources and a community to value-based leaders.
In addition I am an active supporter and mentor within the Ashoka Social Entrepreneurship (http://ireland.ashoka.org/ ) network, both here in Ireland and in Germany and Britta and I have been actively involved with Ashoka in one way or another since 2002.
In 2015 I was invited to join an interfaith delegation to the caribbean island state of Grenada, whose purpose was to coordinate a number of reconstruction and redevelopment projects for infrastructure seriously damaged by hurricanes a decade earlier. As part of that delegation representing the Anglican community, I was awarded with an honour bestowed by the Governor General into the Order of the Nation of Grenada with the rank of Knight Commander.
Since 2017 I have served as one of a number of business professionals working as mentors to high growth entrepreneurs with the Ryan Business Academy „Mentoring for Growth“ Program.
In 2018 I was elected to serve on the founding steering committee (supervisory board) of the MyData Global Organisation, an Helsinki-based foundation set up to ’empower individuals with their personal data, thus helping them and their communities develop knowledge, make informed decisions, and interact more consciously and efficiently with each other as well as with organisations.‘ and was delighted to have been involved with that organisation in its founding year.
I believe that business can and should be a force for good in our society and that the more people take entrepreneurial responsibility for their lives, the better our society will be. I also believe in Benjamin Franklin’s dictum of “doing well by doing good” and in that Abraham Maslow was right when he wrote „The difference between the great and good societies and the regressing, deteriorating societies is largely in terms of the entrepreneurial opportunity and the number of such people in the society. I think everyone would agree that the most valuable people to bring into a deteriorating society would not be 100 chemists, or politicians, or professors, or engineers, but rather 100 entrepreneurs”. Amen to that.
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Rich Scanlon is currently serving as the CEO of Workspace. Most recently, Rich was CEO of ImageQuix and PhotoLynx, both ASG companies. Prior to that, he was Director of Business Operations at Medallia, a leading customer experience management SaaS company. Prior to Medallia, he was COO of RPM Worldwide Inc, one of the largest private concert marketing/ promotions companies on the East Coast. He started his business career as a Management Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. Rich received his MBA from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. Prior to receiving his MBA, Rich played five years in the National Football League as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants. Rich completed his undergraduate studies at Syracuse University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was captain of the football team.
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Claire Raab MD serves as the President & CEO of Temple Faculty Physicians, with over 600 physicians and 550,000 ambulatory visits a year, within Temple Health in Philadelphia PA. Prior to this role, Dr. Raab was Chief Clinical Officer of Temple Health responsible for inpatient quality, efficiency, and capacity management. Dr. Raab started her career as a Physician Advisor interfacing with payers focused on medical necessity. Dr. Raab completed her MD at Jefferson Medical College and her IM residency at Jefferson University Hospital. She continues to work with residents and students as a Hospitalist teaching attending at Temple Health.
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
Elliott Hyman serves as the CEO of Lyra Technology Group. He previously worked as Wolf Consulting’s CEO and Director of Business Development, as well as Chairman of Tech-Keys. Prior to joining Wolf Consulting, he held a diverse set of management roles with McMaster-Carr, a leading industrial supplier, and began his career working as a special education teacher with Teach For America.
Elliott earned a Bachelor’s degree in United States History from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Outside of work, Elliott enjoys spending time with his family, rooting for the New York Jets, and reading about history, technology, and business.
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
After starting, growing, and selling 3 different multi-million dollar businesses, Scott now delivers keynotes speeches and trains CEOs and executives in selling skills and leadership throughout the world. He has spoken in London, Paris, Geneva, Scotland, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Kuwait and throughout all of North America. He has also lived with the Hadza and Massai tribes in Tanzania.
Scott's first business was in partnership with Tino Lettieri, called Tino's Inc. and after 3 years was sold to Schwanns in 1989. From 1990 until 2003 Scott built and sold Benchmark Learning, Minnesota's largest technology training company, and then from 2004 until 2014 he built and sold Insights Twin Cities to Insights Global in Scotland.
He also learned lessons on life and leadership as a TEC/Vistage member from 1995 until 2003, and he has published four books: I Think I'll Stand Up, Get a Job Fast, GPS for Success, and Discover Yourself. He is also a highly rated speaker for Vistage International, the world's largest CEO member organization and has trained several dozen leadership teams running billion-dollar business units.
Today Scott and his team deliver increased sales, profits, and productivity in some of the world's best companies while traveling globally training teams, leaders and sales people, speaking to thousands, and reaching millions more via his live webinars, his videos, and his Ted Talk (www.scottstedtalk.com).
If asked "What's your dream job?", Scott would say, "EXACTLY what I do now... teaching people how to communicate better with each other.”
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Gigi Schweikert was promoted to the role of Chief Executive Officer of the parent company Lightbridge Holdings Group in 2021 after joining Lightbridge Franchise Company as President in 2014. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of the company’s strategy, leadership, governance and operations and was instrumental in creating and expanding the franchise system to cover seven states. Over the next five years, Gigi is preparing to triple the company size accelerating growth throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
Ms. Schweikert has a history of creating innovative strategies to ensure the delivery of high-quality early education and care programs. Early in her career, she was the Director of the United Nations Child Care Centre and later developed and managed on-site employer-sponsored child care programs for numerous Fortune 500 companies.
Her advocacy work extends both nationally and internationally and includes serving as a board member for the Early Care & Education Consortium, an advisory board member for Marco Polo World School and Seton Hall University. In addition, Gigi serves as the President of the Lightbridge Foundation, a non-profit 501-c3 providing over $500,000 in grants and scholarships to support the health, education and well-being of children and their families.
Gigi is an international thought leader advancing the quality of early education and child care. With 30 years of experience and 18 published books, in three languages, Gigi has appeared on CBS, NBC, Fox, and the Wall Street Journal Lunch Hour News. Ms. Schweikert has been quoted in The New Times, Entrepreneur, and Forbes.
She enjoys reading, writing, and is proud of her greatest accomplishment; being mother to her four beautiful children.
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Gary Cohen is a global CEO and board director. He is currently CEO of Qualitor Automotive, Inc., a Wellspring Capital Management portfolio company. Qualitor is a leading diversified supplier of aftermarket safety and wear parts for the automotive industry. Through five global locations and two business units, Qualitor provides wiper blades and auto care accessories (Pylon) and brake hardware and related components (International Brake Industries) to the automotive aftermarket. Prior to Qualitor, Gary was President and CEO of Timex Group, a global manufacturer of watches, where he made significant improvements in expanding revenues of key product lines. At Timex, he was responsible for the Timex brand as well as licensed brands including Versace, Ferragamo, Guess, and Ironman.
Prior to joining Timex, Gary was Global VP/General Manager of Playtex, a business unit of Energizer’s Personal Care division. Among his achievements at Playtex, he helped acquire the Hawaiian Tropic sun care brand and expanded its distribution internationally. Gary joined Playtex in 2006 as part of a turnaround team that sold the business to Energizer Holdings.
Gary also held a succession of global marketing positions at P&G/The Gillette Company, each increasing in scale, scope of responsibility and complexity. By developing new products and focusing on transformational cost savings and productivity initiatives, he was able to deliver consistent profit growth in Gillette’s Oral-B and shaving businesses.
Gary is a board director of Horizons National, a not-for-profit that delivers summer and after-school education and enrichment programs to low-income children across the country. He chairs the marketing communications committee and serves on the strategic planning and compensation committees. He is also a board advisor to PrideGear, a start-up that customizes athletic logo-wear for college and club sports teams.
A native of Massachusetts, Gary graduated from Brandeis University and earned his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Gary and his wife, Carolyn, have four daughters and reside in Westport, CT.
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Jeff is the Founder and CEO of Evergreen Services Group and focuses his efforts on vision, capital allocation, team building and growth.
Prior to founding Evergreen, Jeff was a Vice President at Alpine Investors where he led investments in business services companies and was a board member of Risk Management Strategies, MidAmerica, YouCaring and Constructive Media.
Jeff graduated Phi Beta Kappa with highest honors from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley where he was President of the Berkeley Investment Group.
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
A transformational Global Senior Executive with extensive experience leading well-known consumer-facing brands spanning multinational public companies to owner-operator and founder-led organizations. Strong track record of driving results in general management, omnichannel, merchandising, consulting, and strategy development. A clear communicator and developer of high-performing teams and a cross-functional collaborator with global teams, vendors, customers, and investors. Known for solving problems, creative rebranding, commitment to the customer, and positioning businesses for innovative growth and potential sale.
SELECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Extensive turnaround experience in the omnichannel consumer sector.
- Experience working with private equity including both sell and buy-side.
- Implemented ERP, warehouse management, and new web platforms. Deep experience in product development, sourcing, and manufacturing.
- Recipient of leadership and product design awards including Women in Business Honoree - Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal, (2019) and Corporate Leadership Award, Melanoma Research Foundation (2018). • Member of private and non-profit boards of directors.
RELEVANT SKILLS
Strategic Planning & Execution, Growth Leadership, Change Management, P & L Management, Forecasting, Global Cross-Functional Team Leadership, Supply Chain Management, Lean Process Improvement, M & A, Integration Strategies, Retail & Industrial Channel Management, Organization Development, Global Partnership Development, Board of Directors, Product Innovation, Private Equity (PE), Transformational Leadership
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
HEARTLAND AMERICA, Greater Minneapolis, MN
Chief Executive Officer 2021 – present
In business for 40+ years, Heartland America is a private consumer-based company with investors that sells a full range of end-of season retail products through catalog, phone, and digital to consumers nationwide. 130 employees, ~ $50M annual revenue.
Hired to develop strategies and plans to turn around, stabilize, and grow the business. Report to the BOD Chair.
KCREICHENAU CONSULTING, Minneapolis, MN
Founder and CEO 2019 - present Support companies and PE firms to evaluate businesses with a focus on growth, opportunities, and customers.
Work with multiple private equity firms to help with due diligence and identify opportunities for multiple companies in the consumer space. Successfully conducted a business unit analysis for CEO/Board to decide how to grow a division of a $300M consumer-based company.
COOLIBAR, Minneapolis, MN
Chief Executive Officer 2014 – 2019 This mission-driven brand has introduced numerous innovative fabric technologies, raised standards in sun protective ratings, and designed a variety of UPF 50+ apparel. In 2016 the business was acquired by Olivarius Hospitality.
Recruited to succeed the founder in 2014 to reposition the company for the next phase of growth.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP | STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT | CORPORATE ALIGNMENT | EXIT STRATEGY • Collaborated with the BOD and senior leaders to develop strategy and implantation plans, budget, and portfolio.
Kendra Reichenau – page 2
- Led the business turnaround with a successful transaction to new ownership in 2016.
- Deployed significant change management and prioritization methods including new systems, implementation, ERP integration, warehouse, and web platform.
- Led global growth including 200 retail and luxury resort wholesale accounts. Attained Double-digit growth for three consecutive years, with 100% growth in year five.
OPERATIONS | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
- Increased from 45 FTE employees to 100 global employees; added in-house production offices in Thailand and India. • Migrated 50% of all production away from agents to in-house to improve margins, quality, and supply chain. • Achieved strong growth by prioritizing e-commerce and Amazon businesses.
- Focused on growing new wholesale channels and strengthening core business, as well as identifying new product categories and brand partnerships.
- Built a strong online community through social media with a focus on education and support. Grew customer engagement by 300%.
KOHLER COMPANY, Kohler, WI
President, McGuire Furniture - San Francisco, CA 2011 – 2013 One of the largest privately-operated global firms with 48 divisions and ~$6.5B in annual revenue.
Led turnaround, management, and growth of an international, omnichannel luxury furniture company in wholesale, retail, manufacturing, and design. Managed a 300-member global team.
- Re-invigorated a 60-year-old heritage company known for high quality and beautiful design. • Managed full P&L for two manufacturing plants, three unions, and 120 wholesale partners globally. • Grew successful e-commerce and digital strategy.
- Won multiple design awards for new product launches.
- Created a strong foundation of sales and products for the successful sale of the company in 2015.
LUXOTTICA GROUP. Milan, Italy
Senior Vice President and General Manager - N3L Optics - Orange County, CA 2007 – 2011 Luxottica is a global leader in eyewear, with over 5,800 optical and sun retail stores in North America, Asia-Pacific, China, and Europe with a strong brand portfolio including Ray-Ban, the best-selling sun and prescription eyewear brand globally.
Reported directly to the CEO of Oakley. Managed 70 employees with full P&L responsibility. • Developed and launched an interactive, multi-branded sports performance sunglass retail concept. • Grew the business to 10 locations when successfully transferred over to the Sunglass Hut division. • Attained + 20% YoY store increase on 10% less inventory (2010).
- Created the branding, defined the consumer, and developed the PR/marketing strategy to drive awareness in national and local markets. Drove all assortments and visuals, and ensured field support and training.
Senior Vice President and GMM - Sunglass Icon, division of Oakley, Inc.
Responsible for the general management of a 125-retail inline and kiosk sunglass store chain. • Created the vision for all marketing, merchandising, and field training and execution.
- Negotiated new terms and relationships with the vendor community.
- Improved margin by 1.5 pts. Grew revenue by 6% to over $80M business.
- Led the migration of all 125 locations to be re-branded under Sunglasses Hut name and systems once Oakley was purchased by Luxottica.
REICHENAU CONSULTING, San Francisco, CA
Interim Executive and Consultant - San Francisco, CA
2004 – 2007 Worked with Board Members at Oakley, CEO of Gymboree, President of Dockers, and CEO of Crescent Jewelers to review existing product development processes, identify business opportunities, and implement organizational change.
Acting VP of Design for Dockers Women’s - Focused on improving fit and defining the design process by calendar month.
Acting GMM for Crescent Jewelers - Created a marketing plan, new brand image, and visual standard for all stores. Reduced inventory by 20%; improved sales by 10%.
Acting Head of Merchandising for Janeville (Gymboree) – Defined and clarified the customer, streamlined the product fits, and the go-to-market processes.
GAP, INC., San Francisco, CA - Senior Director and Divisional Merchandise Manager - Women’s NORDSTROM, INC., Seattle, WA - Vice President, Brand Manager, Halogen
ARTHUR ANDERSEN/KPMG, San Francisco CA - Manager
EDUCATION
SCRIPPS COLLEGE, Claremont, CA - Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Women in Business Honoree - Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal - 2019
Corporate Leadership Award - Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) – 2018
Several Design Awards for Product Launches - KOHLER COMPANY - McGuire Furniture
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
CHIEF (National Executive Women’s Group) – Selected Member 2022
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Member- WASHBURN CENTER FOR CHILDREN, Minneapolis, MN (2021 – present)
Board Member; Executive Committee - CRISTO REY HIGH SCHOOL, Minneapolis, MN (2015 - 2021) Board Member; Chair, Marketing Committee - IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY - Cristo Rey (2009-2013)