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

John Costello, the President and CEO of Cherry’s Industrial Equipment Corporation, is responsible for the overall development and success of the organization. He is experienced in every aspect of the company. John started out in the company as a sales assistant and moved up through the ranks to manager, partner, and sole owner during his 25-year tenure. John has been a leader and advocate for employee engagement and financial literacy, implementing open-book management in 2018 with tremendous results. John lives in Illinois with his wife Kim, three beautiful kids Jack, Grace and Leah, and their dog Millie who is adored and loved by all.  John attended Northern Illinois University. He belongs to several industry professional associations including: MHI (Material Handling Industry), EASE (Ergonomic Assist Systems & Equipment), MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association), and IARW (International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.) and actively participates in the open book community GGOB.  John enjoys swimming and competes in 5k open water swims and masters state and national championship meets holding top 10 times in many events.

Sean Caughron is a renowned leader and industry expert in the water treatment sector, with a  stellar reputation for driving innovation and fostering growth. With a successful tenure as the former owner and CEO of Chester Paul Company, now a division of Elbi of America, Sean has made significant contributions to both the company and the industry as a whole.  Throughout his illustrious career spanning several decades, Sean played a pivotal role in shaping the growth and success of Chester Paul Company. Under his visionary leadership, the company transitioned from the “soft drink” beverage industry to the drinking water and water treatment market. This strategic move allowed the company to flourish and solidify its position as a leading provider of water treatment systems and components worldwide. Sean's exceptional business acumen and strategic vision enabled the company to expand its product offerings, explore new markets, and forge strong relationships with clients.  Sean's commitment to excellence and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction earned him a stellar reputation within the industry. Known for his hands-on approach, he actively engaged with customers, understood their unique needs, and delivered tailored solutions that consistently exceeded expectations. His ability to build and nurture long-term partnerships significantly contributed to the company's continued success.  Recognizing the evolving landscape of the industry, Sean spearheaded the decision to sell  Chester Paul Company to Elbi of America. This strategic move facilitated increased synergy,  expanded resources, and enhanced capabilities to better serve clients and remain at the forefront of the industry.  Currently serving as the VP of Sales for Chester Paul, Elbi of America's Water Treatment division, Sean continues to contribute to the company's success by providing strategic guidance and leveraging his deep understanding of market dynamics to drive sustainable growth.  Beyond his professional accomplishments, Sean is actively involved in various not-for-profit organizations, where he serves on boards, committees, sections, and task forces affiliated with the Water Quality Association and its regional partners. His dedication to advancing the industry extends beyond his business endeavors.  Sean resides in Southern California with his wife Suzette and takes pride in being a devoted father to his two grown children, Brianna and Robert. In his leisure time, he has discovered a  passion for endurance sports and has completed numerous marathons and the ultimate test of endurance, the Ironman triathlon.

Paul Anton and Lyth Saeed are the co-founders of Huupe, the world's first smart basketball hoop.  Paul is the CEO of Huupe and is a Greek-American founder originally from Milwaukee, WI. Before becoming a founder, Paul was working as an intellectual property attorney in San Francisco, CA where he helped numerous companies obtain valuable IP. It was through his work in intellectual property where Anton learned about business and what makes a company truly valuable. Anton's first company, Atlas Media, was an out of home advertising startup that was acquired by one of the nation's leading advertising companies. Shortly after that, Anton went on to found Real Shot, an augmented reality basketball gaming company that became part of Deutsche Telekom's exclusive hub:raum accelerator. It has always been Anton's dream to build a way for people to play basketball against each other in different parts of the world. According to Anton, Huupe is a lifelong mission.  Lyth is the COO of Huupe and is an Arab-American founder originally from Milwaukee, WI. Previously, Lyth helped co-found a luxury ride-share app that has done over 60 million rides to date. After that, Lyth moved on to an AI-recruitment technology company that did 20 Million in revenue in its first year. Lyth has experience in early-stage startups and global expansion. As an operational leader, building successful teams and hitting deadlines is his expertise. His love for basketball, technology and blending the two together is the motive for creating Huupe.

Bill Canady is the CEO of Ohio Transmission Corporation, and the President and CEO of Swagelock.  is a global business executive in industrial, engineered and consumer products. He aligns with key stakeholders to set a clear and compelling vision that will rally the organization to drive growth, control cost, and increase profitability. Bill also develops strong leaders and management teams and establishes relationships with customers and stakeholders. Experienced in global public, ESOP, and private companies. Strategic Growth Mergers | Acquisitions | Divestment Acquisition Integration Business Restructuring International Business P&L Leadership Company Transformation Turnarounds & Profitable Growth Product and Market Share Growth People & Team Development

For nearly 22 years Thomas was a serial entrepreneur. He founded or co-founded six businesses in both the US and overseas in fields as diverse as construction, graphic design, and water bottling. He has an extensive cross-cultural background which includes living 10 years in the Middle East, traveling with significant cultural exposure in over 50 countries, and operating at different times in four other languages. He is fluent in Arabic. Thomas has also served as a professional educator, teaching recently as a Professor of Philosophy at CSU-Pueblo and PPCC. He has given guest lectures in many academic and professional contexts over the last 25 years on topics like business, startup principles, philosophy, theology, world religions, and cultural intelligence. Before starting ECatalyst, Thomas trained on the MIT method of entrepreneurship and set up for-profit ecosystems with LIFE (The Leadership Institute for Entrepreneurs).   Thomas has his BA from Cornell University in Mathematics, Psychology, and Religion, and graduated summa cum laude in his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He currently lives in Colorado Springs with his wife Stephanie and his two amazing red-headed kids

Adam Bryant is a respected and noted expert on executive leadership whose work includes 525 Corner Office columns for the New York Times. He joins Merryck & Co as managing director and partner after a distinguished career as an editor and journalist. Adam has a proven ability to distill real-world lessons and insights from his hundreds of interviews and turn them into practical tools, presentations, and exercises to help Merryck & Co clients deepen their leadership benches and strengthen their teams. He works with executive leadership teams and organizations to foster a culture of innovation based on a best-practice framework he developed for his widely praised book Quick and Nimble. Prior to joining Merryck & Co, Adam Bryant worked for thirty years as a journalist, including eighteen years as a report, editor, and columnist at the New York Times. Bryant earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree, English Language, and Literature, from York University in Toronto, and his Masters of Science, Journalism, from Columbia University in New York. He and his wife have two children and live in New York City.

Joel Penton is the Founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy, a program that provides Bible education to public school students during school hours. Since its launch in 2019, LifeWise has quickly grown to serve more than 100 schools across the U.S. each week. Nearly 14,000 students attend a LifeWise program and receive a Bible class as part of their public school day. Joel’s 15-year career as a nonprofit entrepreneur has been marked by the relentless pursuit of impacting students. He honed this skill playing defensive tackle at The Ohio State University where he relentlessly pursued quarterbacks for the Buckeye’s national championship football team. In his senior year at OSU, Penton received the Danny Wuerffel trophy, known as the “Humanitarian Heisman,” which is awarded to one college football player each year for outstanding community service. Upon graduating, Joel founded Stand For Truth and Relevant Speakers Network, a speakers’ bureau that has touched more than 3,000 public schools and 2 million students nationwide. As a public speaker, Joel has presented to more than 2,000 live audiences and over 1,000,000 people across the country. He is also the author of three books including DURING SCHOOL HOURS: Why and How LifeWise Academy is Reinstalling Religious Education into the Public School Day. Joel Penton lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Bethany, and their five children, where they all enjoy telling stories at the dinner table, watching sci-fi movies, and playing full-contact monkey in the middle.

Francesco and Ignacio co-founded Grove Bay Hospitality Group and both are currently its’ Co-CEOs. The group has successfully launched an array of chef driven restaurants in partnership with celebrity chefs such as Jeremy Ford, Marcus Saumelsson, Jeff McInnis, Janine Booth and Giorgio Rapicavoli. Currently, the company owns and operates 9 different restaurants in Miami, and is bracing to launch five more, by the end of 2020. Grove Bay Hospitality Group was recognized by Restaurant Hospitality in their “RH 25 Most Innovative Multi-Concept Restaurant Groups”, was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as the “#250 Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America”, and was named the “Business of the Year” by the South Florida Business Journal. In addition, Ignacio and Francesco were Finalists for the “EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award” during 2018. Grove Bay Hospitality Group was created in 2010 with the idea that it would be fully connected to the community. Like our logo, our founders and core team members have deep roots in South Florida. For us, this connection to our community can be in the form of opening a great restaurant, providing new jobs for our fellow Miamians, or even donating our time and resources to the many charities we support. Named Best Places to Work in 2017 and 2022 by South Florida Business Journal, Grove Bay aspires to enhance the lives of its guests, employees, communities and investors as a restaurant industry leader by developing innovative, memorable and highly successful restaurant concepts. From ingredients to customer service, Grove Bay is committed to delivering only the highest quality across all levels of operation. We believe that if we provide our guests with exceptional hospitality experiences, if we train and take care of our people, and if we’re an active member of our community, then the performance and profits will take care of themselves. In 2022, two of Grove Bay Hospitality Group’s restaurants were recognized by the world’s most famous restaurant rating guide, Michelin. Stubborn Seed received one Michelin star and Red Rooster Overtown was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand. Additionally, through incredible chef partnerships, Grove Bay has been a multi-semi-finalist nominee by the James Beard Foundation.

As an International Best-Selling author and highly credentialed Investment Banker, Brian Callanan has created the program Chief Exit Officer™️. The vision was to simplify the very complex world of mergers & acquisitions for business owners. Brian’s experience in Private Wealth Management uncovered breakdowns costing these business owners millions of dollars in value and taxes. Owners often learn very expensive lessons after it is too late. Brian educates and aligns with the CEO to help them get maximum value for their businesses. Brian’s passion for people is obvious whether through his book or on stage.

Molly Sargent is Founder & CEO of ProImpress, a dynamic keynote speaker, a master facilitator and author of the forthcoming book, Mastering Authentic Influence™. Since 1985, Molly has successfully trained and coached tens of thousands of Trusted Advisors and teams (and the leaders who love them) to wield greater, positive influence in their client-facing and colleague-collaborating exchanges — face-to-face, voice-to-voice, pen-to-pen. As a business owner and corporate consultant since 1997, Molly’s roles have included: sales, sales management, curriculum and course design, meeting facilitation, front-line employee training, leadership training and development, executive development & coaching, strategic consulting, organization change management, and project management. The focus of her training and coaching is on helping Trusted Advisors and Trusted Experts make the most of precious facetime with clients and colleagues, increasing their influence during hard-won sales calls, high-risk presentations and hard-charging collaborative problem-solving sessions. Thanks to her highly discerning clients over several decades, Molly designed – and truth-tested – the no-nonsense training that makes up the ProImpress curriculum. The flagship programs include: Mastering Authentic Influence™ (sell), Presenting Yourself & Your Ideas with Impact™ (present), Dynamic Team Problem-solving™ (teams), Leader as Coach™, Leader as Change Champion™ (coach) and Leader as Culture Carrier™(peer-coach). More recently, as an outgrowth of her Leadership & Transformation Coaching Certification from the Hendricks Institute in Ojai, CA, she began teaching her course participants how to successfully and pragmatically leverage mindfulness practices in everyday business exchanges; for instance, she began demonstrating the power of breath to help ground nervous impulses in negotiations. She playfully refers to this research-supported curriculum as “Spinach in the Cookies,” so named because these “extra skills” are mixed into every core training from ProImpress. Molly earned her Bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate from Penn State University, and spent a year teaching at the Center for English as a Second Language in France. She has earned numerous Certifications and Master Certifications in training and executive coaching. A key specialty is organizational culture transformation—aligning behavior with corporate strategy and realizing better business results. Over the years, she has worked alongside representatives of McKinsey, The Boston Consulting Group and others to translate their recommendations from written reports into measurable behavior change on the job. Molly feels passionately about the work of her company and team: “There’s a bigger game at play here. Busy, accomplished professionals don’t always want to stop what they’re doing to focus on how they’re doing it. Yet, I’m convinced that by waking up super-smart professionals to the benefit (and the practice) of being more intentional in their communications, not only will their workplace relationships (and results) improve, their personal connections will deepen, as well.”