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

Ambassador Ken Hackett, Former Ambassador to the Holy See and Former President of Catholic Relief Services

Ambassador Ken Hackett was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 14, 2013 to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. The United States Senate confirmed Ambassador Hackett on August 1, 2013, and he was sworn in on August 20, 2013.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Hackett was President of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international humanitarian agency supported by the U.S. Catholic community, from 1993 to 2012. As President, Mr. Hackett led 5,000 CRS employees in over 100 countries. He joined CRS in 1972, starting his career in Sierra Leone. Mr. Hackett also held CRS assignments overseas in the Philippines and Kenya. As regional director for Africa, he led CRS’s response to the Ethiopian famine (1984-1985) and supervised CRS’s operations during the crisis in Somalia in the early 1990s. It was under his leadership that CRS responded to recovery efforts such as those following the Rwanda genocide, the Bosnian and Kosovo emergencies, the Asian tsunami, and the Haiti earthquake. Equally notable was CRS’s work during his tenure as President on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. After a 40-year career with CRS, Mr. Hackett joined the University of Notre Dame’s Institution for Global Development in 2012 where he served as an advisor. Prior to joining CRS, Mr. Hackett served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana.

Mr. Hackett served on the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (2004-2010), a U.S. foreign aid agency dedicated to fighting global poverty. He was also a member of the Global Poverty Task Force led by the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. From 1996-2004, Mr. Hackett was Vice President of Caritas Internationalis, the confederation of Catholic humanitarian organizations. He has also served as a Member of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum – the Vatican body that coordinates the Church’s charitable work – and on the Boards of the Africa Society and Jesuit Refugee Services.

Mr. Hackett holds many distinguished honors. In 2004, he was named a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great, one of the highest papal honors. He holds 16 honorary doctorate degrees from various U.S. universities and was the 2012 recipient of the Laetare Award from the University of Notre Dame, the oldest and most prestigious award for American Catholics. Mr. Hackett has received recognition for his humanitarian work from foreign governments, including the National Order from the Republic of Benin (2008) and the National Medal of Honor from Sierra Leone (1998).

Mr. Hackett, originally of West Roxbury, Massachusetts, earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College.

Mark Bischoff, President and CEO, Starnet Worldwide Commercial Flooring Partnership

Mark Bischoff is the President and CEO of Starnet Worldwide Commercial Flooring Partnership, the leading marketing network of independent commercial flooring contractors in Canada and the United States.

His career in building products and construction services spans 32 years overall and 29 years in the commercial market. After a start at Sears in flooring retail, he spent most of his career at Johnsonite and Tarkett where he was part of the team driving Tarkett to industry-leading organic growth. 

While at Tarkett, Mark served in various roles such as Business Manager, Product Manager, Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Vice President of Sales. He went to the Mohawk Group for a brief period as Senior Vice President of the Healthcare and Senior Living end user-focused segment.

Due to his long history as a trusted vendor contact to the Starnet cooperative, he was recruited by the Board of Directors to provide the organization with a successful staff transition and leadership succession in 2018. In 2019 Mark became President and CEO of Starnet.

Mark Bischoff and his staff have dramatically expanded the visibility and thought leadership impact of Starnet in the construction industry. Starnet members now generate more than $4 Billion in product and installation sales.  His team has also led the member-owned marketing cooperative to record returns for the shareholders and record purchasing levels for their supporting vendors. 

 

Norman Wolfe, Founder & CEO, Quantum Leaders

With over 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 of work experience in various organizations from Fortune 500 to technology startups, I view each one as something that can uncover new possibilities for growth and development. Through encountering different perspectives, I am able to share my expertise in the following areas:

✔️ Leadership and Strategy

✔️ Change Adoption

✔️ Process Improvement

✔️ Organization Design

In my book, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, the process of flawless execution is being emphasized and highlighted which requires a deeply held purpose, efficient business processes, and enhanced talents, energy and maturity of people.

𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 help CEOs determine the critical issues blocking flawless execution bringing their senior executive team to new standards of performance just by using The Living Organization Model for success.

Before it began, I worked as a turnaround agent in the systems engineering, administration and sales organizations and was labeled as a 15-year veteran of Hewlett Packard. Later on, I became the head of Administrative Operations for the Western Sales Region, and was highly acclaimed for taking a failing $1.2 billion operation and setting new standards of productivity and customer service.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝘀?

🔹 We mainly focus on identifying new opportunities for accelerated growth.

🔹 We develop a sound executable roadmap that produces short term results with long term growth.

🔹 We provide execution improvement road-mapping that can define the areas that block flawless execution.

🔹 We assist executive teams with process improvement, organization redesign, and change adoption to ensure successful implementation of the strategic initiatives.

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬:

📍 Chairman of the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board for National Technical Systems, a NASDAQ traded company

📍 Chairman of the Board of Directors for Web Wise Kids, a non-profit agency educating youth on the safe and appropriate use of the Internet

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

💻 : www.quantumleaders.com

Stephen Strome, Former Chairman and CEO, Handelman Company

Stephen Strome retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Handleman Company, a New York Stock Exchange-listed corporation, in November 2007.  Mr. Strome served as Chief Executive Officer for 17 years following his election in 1991. He was elected Chairman of the Board in 2001.  He became a member of the Handleman Company Board of Directors in 1988. Handleman Company was one of world’s largest distributors of music CDs with operations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with annual sales of $1.3 Billion.

Before being named President in 1990, Mr. Strome served as the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for two years.  Before being appointed COO, he was Executive Vice President and President of the company’s video and home computer software division.  In 1985, he pioneered the home video “sell-through” business to the mass marketplace.  The home entertainment industry recognized Mr. Strome for this accomplishment by electing him to the Video Hall of Fame.

From 1974 to 1978, Mr. Strome was employed as a Regional Manager of Labor Relations for Fruehauf Corporation.  He began his career with Kmart Corporation in 1968, holding positions of increasing responsibility until 1974.

Mr. Strome was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of AmerUs, a NYSE-listed life insurance and annuity company with over $26 billion in assets, from 2003 through 2007, when the company was sold.  He served as Vice Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and a member of the AmerUs Compensation Committee.

After retiring, Mr. Strome was appointed Executive in Residence at the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University. In that position, he worked with the Career Planning and Placement Office perusing additional firms to recruit at the business school. He also mentored students to help them achieve their career goals. Mr. Strome also consulted for a small growing internet distribution company seeking to grow its online business.

Mr. Strome was and remains an active board member for several tax-exempt organizations. Currently, he a board member and serves as treasurer as well as chair of the finance and audit committee for the Federation of Greater Naples. Mr. Strome also serves as past chair on the board of the Holocaust Museum of Naples.  Previously, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Detroit Public Television and remains an emeritus board member.  He also served as the former Chairman, and is an emeritus board member of the Board of Visitors of Wayne State University’s Ilitch School of Business Administration. He is also an emeritus board member of the Wayne State University Foundation. Mr. Strome served as a Vice Chair of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion (formerly the NCCJ) and was a board member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Oakland County.

Mr. Strome earned his Masters of Business Administration from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hillsdale College.

John Munsell, co-founder & CEO, Bizzuka

John Munsell is the co-founder and CEO of Bizzuka, a Inc 5,000 company and a clear force in the world of AI strategy. Through his proven methods, John has helped over 600 business leaders in the past year alone! His frameworks - AI Strategy Canvas™ and Scalable Prompt Engineering™, are transforming AI implementation across businesses and has become a mandatory part of LSU’s AI curriculum. John is dedicated to not just making AI accessible and profitable for all but also making employees more effective and valuable, allowing companies to retain their workforce and thrive in the AI revolution.

Ingrain AI framework: https://ingrain.ai/

Jim Eickhoff, President & CEO, Creative Dining Services

Jim Eickhoff is the President and CEO of Creative Dining Services based in Zeeland, MI.

Jim joined Creative Dining in 2015 after 35 years of Senior Executive leadership experience from his time at Fortune 200 companies across the U.S., including the University of Phoenix/Apollo Education Group, Sallie Mae, HOSTS Learning, and The ServiceMaster Company. Under Jim’s leadership, Creative Dining has experienced 50% growth and leaped to the 24th largest food service management company in America. 

He is the first non-founder serving as President & CEO and is focused on excellent client experiences: providing outstanding dining programs with the highest level of customer service and integrity. Jim is committed to upholding a company culture of family while coaching employees to leverage their unique strengths to reach their highest potential.

Jim Eickhoff received his B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  Jim and his wife, Lynn, reside in Holland, Michigan.

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.

Chelsea Jubilee, co-founder & CEO, Energized Health

Chelsea Jubilee is the co-founder, CEO, visionary, and driving force behind the company Energized Health, which is dedicated to helping Americans optimize their health at the cellular level. With over twenty years of experience in operating businesses, the Southern California native, along with her Co-founder husband John Jubilee, is pioneering cellular health awareness. Energized Health utilizes a protocol to reduce the need for medication, prevent disease, and reverse ailments. Chelsea Jubilee aims to develop a company to help people get healthy in body, mind, and spirit.

Dr. Matt Lucas, President & CEO, Our Daily Bread Ministries

Dr. Matt Lucas has served in Christian non-profits for 20 years. Presently, he is serving as the CEO/President of Our Daily Bread Ministries, a global Bible engagement ministry with a staff of 700 serving in 32 offices to distribute hundreds of millions print and digital resources in 58 languages in more than 150 countries. Prior to ODBM, he served in Christian higher education as Provost at Corban University and Chancellor at Indiana Wesleyan University. He writes for ODBM, speaks regularly, and works with churches around the world. In his spare time, he loves to hike with his wife, Tammy, and spend time with his six daughters and three grandchildren.

Thomas Ryan, CEO, Bigly Sales

Thomas Ryan, CEO and founder of Bigly Sales, is a visionary leader transforming business communications with innovative AI solutions. With a background in staffing and executive experience at Workbeast LLC, Thomas identified the need for more efficient processes and founded Bigly Sales in 2020. Under his leadership, Bigly Sales is revolutionizing the industry by replacing traditional call centers with advanced AI technology. This approach offers 24/7 multilingual support in English and Spanish, significantly reduces operational costs by up to 90%, and boosts conversion rates, all while ensuring full compliance with TCPA and HIPAA standards for data protection.

Thomas's dedication to efficiency and client satisfaction positions Bigly Sales as a trailblazer in the tech industry, committed to enhancing business communications through the power of artificial intelligence.