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

In 1981 my grandfather passed away leaving me some of his woodworking equipment.  In 1988 at age 21, I purchased a rental property where I was able to set up and expand my woodworking shop. Following high school graduation in 1985 Conestoga Wood Specialties, Inc. employed me, as a door assembler in their production facility.  My intention was to work a year prior to moving on to a furthering of my education.  However, after seven months I was asked to join the sales and marketing department as a customer service representative.  During the next 6-1/2 years, I received frequent promotions to various positions within the sales and marketing department. While at Conestoga I learned a great deal about the kitchen and bath industry, particularly the cabinet manufacturing segment.  By 1989 I had developed a vision to start my own cabinet manufacturing operation.  With my younger brother just out of high school, we formed a partnership and started Signature Custom Cabinetry.  His role was a master craftsman.  I was responsible for all of the administrative, sales & marketing, product development, and strategic planning portions of the business.  For the next 3 years, I maintained my employment at Conestoga and maintained my responsibilities for Signature on evenings and weekends. By 1992 we had 10-12 employees. I resigned from my position at Conestoga and joined Signature Custom Cabinetry, Inc. full time. After one year of operation, we outgrew the small workshop I had purchased which was 1000 sq. ft. In 1990 we leased a 7,000 sq. ft building.  By 1994 we had reached $1,000,000 in sales revenue and desperately needed more space.  We purchased a 16,000 sq. ft. facility and underwent expansions in 1998, 2000,2002, 2004/05 and 2018.  With the 2018 expansion completed, we have a total of 77,000+ sq. ft., with room to grow.  Signature averaged 42% growth in the first 10 years and continues to grow each year.  Signature currently employees over 130 associates and is continuing to expand its team of skilled craftsmen and professionals. Signature currently has over 160 authorized Signature dealers who display our product throughout the United States.  While exporting is currently not a major part of our business, Signature has cabinetry in such faraway places as the Caribbean and Saudi Arabia.  Our mission is simple.  Build a great company by Honoring God & Serving People.  As we serve people, of most importance are the relationships with our valued associates.  Without the many skilled craftspeople, artisans, and professionals we would not have been able to reach our current level of success nor be able to continue to succeed.  Another vitally important set of relationships is those with our authorized dealers.  They are our retail partners with whom we attempt to cultivate long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.  We strive to serve our vendors/suppliers with mutually beneficial long-term relationships.  We also desire to be a positive influence in our community and make a positive difference whenever we can.   In 2013 Kent bought all the stock of Signature and is now the sole owner of the company.  Kent serves as President/CEO and leads gives leadership to the Executive Team.  Kent also serves as Chairman of BR Kreider & Son, a $50+ million PA-based site contractor, and on the advisory board of Fulton Bank, a Lancaster-based regional bank w/ 18 billion in assets.

Jeff Thomas is Founder and CEO of Archetype Wealth Partners. Jeff was named to Morgan Stanley's Chairman's Club in 2008, recognized within the top 2% of all advisors globally. From 2009 to 2013, Barron's magazine recognized him as "One of Texas' Top Financial Advisors". After 25 years of working at some of the biggest names on Wall Street, Jeff founded Archetype Wealth Partners, a pure fiduciary platform designed to help clients thrive across generations by connecting their money with their purpose. From advisors who are wired for more, to high-capacity business owners, Jeff is passionate about fueling leaders for greater impact. Jeff is author of Trading Up: Moving from Success to Significance on Wall Street.

Tim Kachuriak is the founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consulting firm that works with businesses, nonprofits, and NGOs to help them grow their resource capacity. A nonprofit thought leader, Kachuriak is the author of the book Optimize Your Fundraising, lead researcher and co-author of the Online Fundraising Scorecard, Why Should I Give to You? and The Midlevel Donor Crisis. Tim has trained organizations in fundraising optimization around the world and is a frequent speaker at international nonprofit conferences. He is also the co-founder and board member for the Human Coalition, a member of the board of directors for Open Doors USA, an Advisory Board Member for the SMU Digital Accelerator, Advisory Board Member for Kids Prosper Kids, and an Advisory Board Member for the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact. Tim lives in Prosper, TX with his wife Rebecca, and their four children.

Chances are, if you’ve spoken to Erik for any length of time, you’ve heard him talk about his family. His beautiful wife and kids are his world. Erik is a huge proponent of being intentional with time and keeping work at work -- which his wife thinks that’s pretty cool! You may also find Erik talking about spiritual disciplines well before business. His faith informs his work and leadership heavily, and his goal, first and foremost, is stewarding them in a God-honoring way. Erik’s career has been an evolution from musician to developer to entrepreneur. He has a variety of interests these days, but what ties them all together is a hunger to learn how and why things work. What was once “How does this chord progression work?” turned into “How does a dependable website get built?” and eventually became “What does it take to build and sustain a great company?” He has the pleasure and privilege of leading a wonderful team in their offices in Savannah, Georgia.

Chris is the co-founder and CEO of SDLC Partners L.P., a business and technology consultancy that delivers commercial-grade solutions to clients that are optimizing and transforming their operations, experiences, and business models. His 30+-year career highlights executive leadership and success in growing businesses, building strong teams, and implementing strategies that drive growth. Under his leadership, SDLC Partners grew from a start-up to one of Pittsburgh’s largest and most recognized consultancies. His ability to align organizational mission, people, and services with market objectives is valued by clients who seek his counsel and deep industry knowledge. Prior to founding SDLC with his partners, Chris spent 15 years with a publicly traded global consultancy leading sales and operations thru those years. Active in the technology community, Chris has a decade of service as a board member for the Pittsburgh Technology Council; one of the largest tech councils in the United States. His passion for accelerating the value of technology is seen through his executive support of Women in Technology (WIT), Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), and various regional STEM initiatives. He holds a BS in Computer Science with a concentration in Business/Finance from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Chris resides in the Pittsburgh PA area with his wife and two children. He and his family enjoy the outdoors and have hiked in many areas of the United States.

Robert M. Brown is President, CEO, and Chairman of American Asphalt Company. It is believed that the owner of the business is actually God, and Bob has been entrusted to manage these people and assets while he is here on earth! Bob is the visionary of the business, looking for opportunities to grow the list of satisfied customers and also help the people grow who depend on the company for employment or economic benefit. Being a leader entails setting the “Core Values” of the company and maintaining alignment with them throughout the organization. These are the expected attributes and behaviors that are mandatory to be associated with Bob and the company. Our core values are about doing things “RIGHT”. We are performance-driven and treat others with Respect. We do what we say demonstrating Integrity We are accountable, our actions honor God We always deal fairly, safely, and Honestly. We care about customers and each other, earning Trust. In the past, Bob grew up in a family business and later, in 1986, purchased the assets of a small asphalt company that he grew from 5 employees to its current 150 employees. This growth meant being a multi‐tasking entrepreneur in the early years and learning each facet of the business, to now having a dynamic management team to professionally manage the business. Bob feels it is true that to be successful, it is imperative to surround yourself with great people that are aligned in culture and brilliant in their own specialty field. This has been accomplished over time allowing the company to not only flourish but to have the breadth to sustain challenges and the wide variety of talents needed to manufacture and place asphalt in almost any situation. The customers and people are our concern and Bob’s hope is that they will benefit greatly by doing business with American Asphalt Company, as all involved adhere to the core values and Christian principles. Bob actively participates in the construction industry and in the communities in which he works and resides. He served as the President of the Board of the Food Bank of South Jersey for nine years and is a past chairman and current Emeritus board member of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of NJ. Bob actively participates in C12, a Christian Business Owners Group, Utility Contractors Association (UTCA), and New Jersey Asphalt Pavement Association (NJAPA)‐ former Secretary and Treasurer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association, and The Builders League of South Jersey. Bob enjoyed being a volunteer fireman for over 30 years in his “spare time”. In addition, Bob is involved in industry lobbying and political efforts, believing in the Merit Shop philosophy in which American Asphalt Company has been built.

Thomas M. Troy is president and chief executive officer of CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer. With more than 100 years of experience serving AAA members, CSAA Insurance Group offers automobile, homeowners and other personal lines of insurance to AAA members through AAA clubs. CSAA Insurance Group has been rated A or better by A.M. Best for more than 90 years, and is one of the top property and casualty personal lines insurers in the United States. Mr. Troy is part of a leadership team that cultivates innovation in a customer-driven organization focused on serving AAA members during life’s uncertainties. He joined CSAA Insurance Group in 2019, and brings 30+ years of insurance experience to his role as president and CEO. He was previously an executive vice president at Allstate, where he led a $5 billion portfolio of Allstate Business Insurance, Encompass Insurance, Esurance and Ivantage. He was promoted to that role from executive vice president of Allstate Brand Operations, where his broad areas of responsibility included agency and customer service, operations support, strategic portfolio management, operations finance and customer experience. With a proven track record for working successfully with agents and brokers in a variety of distribution models, Mr. Troy understands deeply the changing needs and preferences of insurance consumers. Prior to Allstate, he was EVP and COO with Liberty Mutual and, before that, held senior leadership positions with Safeco Corporation and was a commercial underwriter with Kemper National Insurance Companies. Mr. Troy is a board member of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Bay Area Council. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and his MBA from Seattle University.

Fee Stubblefield is the CEO, Founder and President of The Springs Living with its home office in McMinnville, Oregon. Fee started The Springs Living in 1996, with an idea to build a retirement community his grandmother would want to live in as she faced the challenges of aging. Today there are 12 communities in Oregon and 5 communities in Montana. They offer senior living with options for independent retirement living, assisted living and memory care. The Springs Living has never focused on being the biggest, but simply to offer a high-quality experience for its customers and employees. Fee embraces the fact that the “magic” of our profession is in the daily interactions between the residents and direct care staff. The Springs Living has grown organically through acquisition and ground up development. The Springs at Lake Oswego, Oregon and The Springs at Bozeman, Montana are the newest communities that opened in the winter of 2019. Each community offers a full continuum of living options that include independent living, assisted living and memory care. Fee is married and has three adult children. He is the Immediate Past Chair of the Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA) and on the Operator Advisory Board of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC).

David Lancashire is the Co-Founder & CEO of projekt202, an experience-driven transformation firm headquartered in Dallas, TX. Over the past 16 years, projekt202 has refined a methodology for creating and delivering improved experiences for employees and customers everywhere. By observing people in their everyday environments, projekt202 can reveal the reality of their needs to drive real technology innovation. Under Mr. Lancashire’s leadership, projekt202 made the Inc. 5000 list for seven consecutive years and the Dallas 100 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies for six straight years. Today the company has over 400 employees with offices in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Renowned industry analyst firm Gartner noted, “The perspectives and processes projekt202 is focusing on will, over time, become standard operating procedure for any application development project.” Before joining projekt202, Mr. Lancashire was the founder and CEO of Geniant, a technology management consulting firm. From its inception in 1998 to its acquisition of three business units by 2005, Geniant became the third fastest-growing tech company in the FastTech 50, gained recognition as one of Microsoft’s top National Partners and was a three-time Dallas 100 award winner. Geniant’s success led to its 2007 sale to EMC, a transaction valued at 181 times the original invested capital. Mr. Lancashire has previously served in senior management roles for ObjectSpace, Uniplex, and Amstrad PLC. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, graduating from the CASS Business School in London. Mr. Lancashire and his family reside in Dallas.

Steven J. Shifman is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Michelman, a large privately held global technology and manufacturing company. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and employing approximately 500 associates Michelman has sales and administrative offices, technology centers, and manufacturing operations in the United States, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Singapore, China, India, and Japan. Michelman’s purpose is to Innovate a Sustainable Future with Expert Materials, providing solutions through applied chemistry in a variety of industrial market segments ranging from printing and packaging, to industrial coatings, to glass and carbon fibers. Industry leaders call upon Michelman to develop sustainable solutions that help them to address their challenges, deal with a rapidly changing global and regulatory environment, and to grow their businesses. Steve has had a diverse career both before and at Michelman. His experience has ranged from sales and sales management, to Finance where he served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer, to leadership of one of the company’s business units, ultimately culminating in his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer in 2003. During his tenure, Michelman has quadrupled in size and profitability, and has become a much more global business. Originally, primarily a North American business, over this 16-year period, the company has diversified globally with now more than 50% of its business being generated outside of the United States. The global business has been built both organically and through acquisition. For these accomplishments, Steve Shifman was named the Ernst & Young Regional Entrepreneur of the Year for the manufacturing sector in 2013. Shifman is a progressive leader whose results are measured not only in the impressive numbers Michelman has delivered but also in the dedication and commitment his team offers to all of the company’s stakeholders. Shifman is a firm believer in purpose driven leadership, and has worked to engage every Michelman associate in the organization’s journey. Under his leadership Michelman lives by the values of Integrity, Respect, Success, Collaboration, Curiosity, and Giving. These values inform both Shifman’s leadership philosophy and the company’s decisions around strategy, hiring, and investments. Michelman is committed to building its business for generations to come, while at the same time delivering against aggressive annual performance expectations. And, Michelman associates are actively engaged in communities around the globe. You’ll find members of the Michelman team serving on boards, coaching, tutoring, mentoring, and raising funds for those in need. In addition to serving on the Michelman Board of Directors, Shifman also serves on the Board of Magnum Venus Products, a private business based in Knoxville, TN. He also has a portfolio of community board responsibilities, including serving as the Vice-Chair of the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee, as the Chairman of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and was a founding member of the Board of the Preschool Promise. He recently completed a term as the Board Chair for Teach for America in Southwest Ohio. He is currently serving on the RESTART Cincinnati task force charged with leading Cincinnati out of the Covid-19 crisis. Steve and his wife Julie reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, and have four adult sons. Along with his business and community commitments, Steve is an avid cyclist, skier, hiker, and runner. He is also passionate about travel, the arts, great food and wine. Steve got one new grandson in 2020.