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

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.

About Jonas Bordo Jonas Bordo is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dwellsy, the free residential rental marketplace that makes it easy to find hard-to-find rentals. Prior to co-founding Dwellsy, Jonas was a senior executive at several leading real estate firms including Essex Property Trust and Bentall GreenOak and was with the Boston Consulting Group after graduating with his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Jonas has had the good fortune to build, re-build and lead amazing teams across the multifamily and commercial real estate operational and strategic spectrum, manage large P&Ls, deliver big profit increases, orchestrate the sale of several businesses, develop a strategic plan for one of the world’s leading symphony orchestras, implement a Toyota production system and create more than 40 brands. He is husband to Rosalind and father to Bailey, Zach and Thea, an avid hiker, a lifelong learner and a maker of things, sometimes out of wood. About Dwellsy Dwellsy is a comprehensive residential home rentals marketplace based on the radical concept that true, organic search in a free eco-system creates more value than the pay-to-play model embraced by all of the current rental listing services. Indeed, while barely more than a year old, Dwellsy has more residential rental listings than any of the major listing sites—as well as the most diverse set of listings—including both affordable and higher-end properties. Dwellsy’s entirely different approach to residential rental listings focuses on presenting houses and apartments based on features renters need and want — not based on how much landlords pay to show their listings. Dwellsy investors include Blackhorn Ventures, Anne Wojcicki, Stanford Professors, and a number of residential real estate industry insiders.

Julie Tupler is a Registered Nurse, Certified Personal Trainer and Childbirth Educator. She is in the ‘better belly” business. Better belly after having a baby, better belly after abdominal surgery, and better belly after doing improper abdominal exercises like crunches. Pregnancy, abdominal surgery and crunches separate your abdominal muscles causing back pain, umbilical hernia, poor posture and GI and pelvic floor problems to name a few. This medical condition where your abdominal muscles separate is called diastasis recti and can also put a pregnant woman at risk for an unnecessary C section and a patient having abdominal surgery at risk for an incisional hernia where the stiches come undone after surgery. Her goal is that Everybelly® should be checked for a diastasis recti as part of any medical or fitness evaluation. That is because most people have this condition and just don’t know it! She says that you can only have a better belly, a flat belly and strong core that supports your back and organs if your abdominal muscles are close together! Julie has developed her research and evidenced based program called the Tupler Technique® to treat diastasis recti over twenty years. Dr Oz calls her an expert on treating Diastasis recti. She has written three books on the topic and produced five videos for women, men, children, pregnant women preparing for labor and patients having abdominal surgery to prepare for their surgery. She has developed a Diastasis Rehab Splint® and a Diastometer for measuring diastasis recti. Her program has been translated into six different languages. Julie trains medical and fitness professionals all over the world how to teach her program and is a frequent speaker at medical and fitness conferences. She is on the advisory board of Medical Fitness Network, Fit Pregnancy, Women's Health Foundation and the Women's Sports Foundation. If you should happen to get the opportunity to meet her, she is always glad to check you for a diastasis! Her website is TuplerTechnique.com