Our partners work closely with CEOs transforming their strategic vision into operating, financial and technological plans that are focused on key drivers. We believe a value generating tipping point occurs when an entire organization understands “the business” and employees are focused on providing value to customers.
When your people understand the business model and basic value propositions of your product or service, the full potential of your company’s human and technological resources can be reached in serving customers and identifying profitable opportunities in the marketplace.
| Mike Albert Andy Bach Fred Barone Robert J. Barreto Robert DeGarmo James W. Harris |
William Kearney Thomas C. Landrum, Jr. William M. Perry Frank Skorzewski Harold Van Horn Heidi Wilson |
Mike Albert has more than 30 years of diverse management and financial experience in private industry and public accounting, including as chief executive officer of a growing transportation company. His leadership competencies include strategic and tactical planning; marketing and business development; financial planning, analysis and budgeting; negotiating and managing joint ventures and alliances; corporate re-organizations and design; turnaround initiatives, and crises communications and issues management. As president and CEO of Billings Transportation Group, Mike led the growth of the company from $15 million annually in revenue to more than $50 million. He planned and coordinated a tax-free reorganization to a holding company with operating subsidiaries. He initiated the company’s expansion into Mexico, Central America and China. His experience also includes banking and financial relationships, including managing letters of credit, leasing arrangements and commercial loans with banks and asset-based lenders; labor relations in both union and non-union environments, and planning and executing the orderly cessation of operations. He began his career with Deloitte & Co. with a concentration in banking, finance and manufacturing for both public and privately held companies. Mike has the proven ability to manage in both high-growth and troubled environments, and his management style is effective in communicating with the boards of directors, as well as with personnel at all organizational levels. He holds a BS in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is licensed as a CPA in North Carolina. Mike is active in his community and serves as a trustee for the local community college, youth leader at his church and member of the board of directors and chairman for a $2-billion community bank.
Andy Bach, managing partner, has more than 25 years as a senior management leader in middle-market companies, most recently as management consultant at the chief operating and financial officer levels. He is skilled in financial analysis and forecasting and has a track record of restructuring for cost reduction, raising capital, developing strategy, managing investor and lender relationships, executing mergers and acquisitions, and mentoring and team building. His clients have include a partner-owned capital equipment assembler with multi- country locations, a family owned fleet leasing company, and the start-up of a golf driving range equipment supplier in the United Kingdom. His accomplishments for these companies include restructuring capital, turning operating losses to profit within 12 months, improving cash flow and balance sheet management, accurate and timely financial reporting, executing acquisitions and mentoring of managers. He currently is CFO of two software and communication services companies, one owned by a private investor group and the other by a sole entrepreneur. Before joining ER, he was managing partner for a national executive services and consulting firm. Earlier, Andy was executive vice president and CFO of TriPoint Global, a communications equipment company, which grew from $45 million to more than $250 million in revenues before successful sale to a Fortune 100 buyer. He also was president and CEO of AVO International, where he increased revenues by penetrating new export markets and forming strategic alliances, and a corporate professional with TBG, an industrial conglomerate, and with W.R. Grace. He began his career in commercial banking with Philadelphia National Bank. Andy has an MBA from The Wharton School and a degree in economics from Duke University. In his community, Andy is active with Rotary, Junior Achievement, the Boy Scouts and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Fred Barone’s career spans more than 30 years in public accounting, financial executive management and financial and management consulting His competencies include financial reporting, treasury management, capital formation, budgeting and planning and automated systems. His experience encompasses manufacturing, plastics, automotive, real estate, insurance, trucking, environmental services, health care and not-for-profit organizations. Prior to joining ER, Fred consulted for nine years. He served as finance director of a $900-million international automotive supplier, where he managed 11 plant controllers and implemented sophisticated budgeting techniques. As financial advisor to a new manufacturer of concrete products, he raised $4.5 million in debt funding. Working as CFO, he managed a $25-million budget, developed cash project models and arranged working capital for a not-for-profit organization serving the developmentally disabled. When shares of an environmental services company significantly declined in value, he stepped in to handle financial responsibilities and shareholder relations. Fred also provided strategic analysis and direction for a medium-sized trucking company during a major financing project, directed financial affairs of a plastic manufacturer through its liquidation, and supervised selection of financial software for a 65-member physicians’ group. Prior to his consulting ventures, Fred held CFO positions in both public and private manufacturing companies. At Invacare Corp. in the 1980’s he was instrumental in an IPO taking the company public and in negotiating several credit facilities, including working capital revolvers, leasing arrangements and Industrial Revenue Bonds. He holds a BS degree in accounting from Wheeling Jesuit University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Financial Executives International, where he served on the national board of directors.
Bob brings more than 30 years of diversified domestic and international business experience to small, mid and large companies in service, distribution and manufacturing industries. His areas of expertise include strategic planning, business and product development, sales and marketing program development, mergers and acquisitions, integration planning and execution, crisis and turn around management. He is proficient at identifying an organization’s core competencies and developing management teams and processes directed towards accelerated revenue growth and margin expansion. As a senior executive with a number of industry leading organizations, Bob has developed and led dynamic growth strategies through new product development, sales and marketing programs, mergers and acquisitions strategy, and infrastructure planning. As a key executive with Iron Mountain Records Management, Bob was an integral part of the senior management team, first focusing his efforts on managing key business development and growth activities as an Executive Vice President. Later, Bob led their strategic domestic and international expansion as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. This contributed to Iron Mountain’s growth from a multimillion dollar company to the industry leader with revenues over 2 billion dollars. Most recently, Bob was CEO and principal of an industry leading manufacturing company, driving the company from its singular core business to become a recognized competitor in four key industry segments. Prior to joining ER, Bob has been the principal strategist and lead negotiator in over 150 major contracts, mergers and acquisitions, both public and private. Bob has owned, managed, or consulted for numerous entrepreneurial ventures including start ups and existing companies as well as provided consulting services for several Fortune 500 corporations. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Finance from Clemson University.
Robert.Barreto@erExecutives.com
Bob DeGarmo, managing partner of ER, has more than 25 years of diverse experience in large and small companies ranging in size from several million dollars in revenue to more than $6 billion. He has participated in a number of corporate restructurings and entrepreneurial startups. His particular expertise is in strategic planning, corporate finance, project financing and management information systems. He serves clients in a wide diversity of industries: construction, engineering, manufacturing, communications, consumer products, industrial waste recovery, specialty chemicals and gasification. Prior to founding ER, Bob was managing partner for Tatum Partners in South Carolina. Earlier, he was vice president of corporate planning and development for a $3-billion food service company, where he refocused the company on its core restaurant business. Prior to that, Bob served as vice president of finance and corporate development for a $300-million industrial contractor. He played a key role in closing its European operation and refocusing its Latin American business. For 12 years, he held senior financial positions at Fluor Daniel, the world’s largest engineering and construction company. As senior vice president, he helped formulate a strategic plan and organizational structure for the new company, directed cost-cutting of $100 million and participated in a $90-million computer conversion for five major centers around the world. In addition, at Fluor Daniel, Bob directed sale-leaseback transactions, played a pivotal role in several acquisitions and divestitures and executed more than 20 real estate syndications through New York firms. He rose from group controller to president of a diversified division of five companies. Bob holds a BS in accounting from Indian University, a MBA from the University of Maryland and a MPE from the University of Pittsburgh. South Carolina awarded him the Order of Palmetto for his work in forming the South Carolina Research Authority.
Jim brings more than 25 years of diverse financial and executive experience in large and small public and private companies. He has participated in corporate restructuring, acquisitions and dispositions for companies whose operations include manufacturing, retail, distribution and import/export. Jim’s expertise lies in strategic planning, cash control, financial and operational reporting and analysis, lender and shareholder relations and executive management. Jim was a partner with Tatum for 13 years and served as chief financial officer, director and other executive positions for manufacturing, real estate, construction, high-tech, retail, distribution and import companies. He was instrumental in preparation and presentation of memoranda used in selling a client’s manufacturing division for a significant premium, raising debt and equity capital for a start-up import/distribution company, raising equity for a start-up hi-tech company and negotiating loans for clients with various bank and non-bank lenders. His ability to expand CFO functions by providing cash controls and strategic planning for stability and growth made him an integral member of his clients’ management. Working with attorneys and certified public accountants, he negotiated operating, sale and lease agreements and wrote memorandum for securing equity capital, debt capital and lines of credit. His experience also encompasses evaluation and implementation of IT systems and risk management programs. Jim’s management style enables him to deal effectively with every level of management, boards of directors, shareholders and commercial bankers. Jim began his career with the accounting firm of Ernst & Young. He holds a BS/BA in accounting from the University of Tennessee. He is a life member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is past chapter president and life member of Financial Executives International.
Bill has more than 30 years of experience working with large and small entrepreneurially managed companies. He brings leadership to diverse corporate functions: financial planning and analysis, public and private debt/equity offerings, SEC and regulatory financial reporting, general accounting and budgeting, human resources and communications. As a management consultant, Bill has served as chief financial officer for a variety of clients, providing financial services to publicly traded companies in the pulp and paper, electronic and sports industries and to private companies in manufacturing, aviation and publishing. Among his responsibilities were business planning and analysis, SEC compliance, banking relationships and financial reporting. He has designed and implemented numerous forecasting systems producing financial and operating matrices for timely decision-making in private and public companies with domestic and international operations. Bill has worked closely with internal and external legal counsels and investment bankers to satisfy SEC financial reporting requirements for preparation of prospectuses for 12 public offerings of debt and common stock totaling $1.5 billion. He has negotiated lines of credit and private debt placements for a number of companies. He was graduated from Hofstra University and earned a CPA and a MBA from New York University.
Tom has more than 30 years of experience as a financial officer and in senior-level management for mature companies in transition, start-ups and not-for-profit organizations. He spent four years in management consultancy as interim chief financial officer of two of a private equity group’s portfolio companies. With one, he directed wholesale restructuring that included closing plants in the United States and Mexico, downsizing a United Kingdom distribution facility, transferring usable raw materials and machinery to an Asian plant and disposing of other assets, including real estate. The second company required completion of a budget, coordination of year-end budgets and external audits and preparation for relocation to another state. Other projects included preparation of a private placement memorandum for a start-up medical device company, review of the financial and operating environment of an under-performing mortgage banking subsidiary of a publicly held company, and development and implementation of a comprehensive financial and reporting system for a regional art museum. As a consultant, he also coordinated acquisition of a food processing company for a venture capital firm and led a needs assessment that resulted in a rural county saving $30 million by avoiding building its own hospital. Prior to becoming a consultant, Tom was chief financial officer of the largest cardiovascular hospital in South Carolina and, previous to that, was assistant controller of St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital/Texas Children’s Hospital/Texas Heart Institute in Houston. For more than 10 years, he worked for two national accounting firms where his client base included financial institutions, chemical manufacturing, and retail and health care entities. In both firms, he was an instructor of national education courses. Tom holds a BS in economics from Louisiana State University.
Bill has 28 years of diversified domestic and international business experience in large and small companies in manufacturing and real estate industries. His special competence is in entrepreneurial and middle-market companies. He has experience in fast-growth situations, management of complex company structures and locations, mergers and acquisitions, financial reporting, automated systems, budgeting and planning and tax administration. He is proficient in establishing lines of credit and other financing arrangements and in working with government loan guarantors. Prior to joining ER, Bill served as a Tatum partner for seven years. Prior to that, he co-founded and served as chief financial officer of Next Day Apparel Inc., a $110-million company with operations in the United States and Central America. From start-up through sale to Oxford Industries Inc. of Atlanta, he provided strategic financial and organizational leadership in a high-growth, undercapitalized environment. He was lead negotiator in the sale of NDA’s assets to Oxford. Major accomplishments included negotiating three leveraged buy outs, forging and managing long-lasting banking relationships, establishing international and domestic financial reporting systems and operating in zero cash, highly leveraged fast-growth situations. He was instrumental in relocation of manufacturing from the United States to Honduras. Before he co-founded NDA, Bill was a principal, vice president of operations and vice president of finance for NDA’s predecessor entities Marlene Industries and Booth Bay Ltd. He also served as controller of Marathon US Realities Inc., a diversified international commercial real estate development firm based in Chicago. Bill holds a BA from Vanderbilt University and a MBA from Tulane University. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the South Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants.
Frank Skorzewski specializes in managing, assessing and directing finance and business operations. His 27 years of experience demonstrate results-oriented performance with small to large companies, including Schumacher Homes, Tire Centers, Michelin, Uniroyal-Goodrich, First Energy and Sherwin Williams. He demonstrates strategic and analytical thinking and negotiation skills capable of assessing problems and devising creative solutions. His excellent communications and interpersonal skills result in high employee motivation and morale. Prior to joining ER, Frank was interim CFO for Schumacher, a leading regional custom homebuilder with $150 million in sales in seven states. During his contract period, he led a team that reduced annual expenses by $3.2 million. At Tire Centers, Frank was responsible for all administrative functions, including finance, information technology and mergers and acquisitions. He was responsible for an annual budget of $72 million. In partnership with the CEO, Frank changed the company business model and cultural dynamics that resulted in a turnaround from a four-year average loss of $10 million to profitability in two years. As vice president of finance and treasurer for Michelin North America, Frank directed the company’s financial, risk management, credit and treasury operations. He utilized strong negotiating skills with external finance companies to lead various teams to successfully close financial transactions, including capital lease financings, asset securitizations, DRD structured financings and leveraged and double-dip lease financings for corporate aircraft and real estate. Frank holds a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of Akron.
Frank.Skorzewski@erExecutives.com
Harold is a managing director of ER. He is a highly effective financial and administrative operations executive with more than 35 years of experience in small and large corporations. He has broad experience in commercial, DOD and international ventures with high technology content, including research and development, systems engineering and development, software development, hardware manufacturing and integration, engineering services and telecommunication systems. Prior to joining ER, Harold assisted a Central Florida start-up in establishing a finance function, obtaining audited statements, establishing credit lines, preparing a business plan and conducting due diligence that resulted in the sale of the company at four times projected revenues. From 2000 to 2003, he was vice president of finance for CeLight Inc., an optical telecom start-up. As chief financial officer, he established the controllership function, set up essential internal controls and helped secure a second round of $43.5 million in equity funding. Prior to that, Harold served as director of finance and business operations for two large divisions of the Systems Integration Group of TRW, where he began his career in 1979 in Melbourne, Fla. In his 20-year career at TRW, he rose to the division directorship after holding progressively responsible accounting positions that included general accounting, asset management, inventory control and cost and system analysis functions. Harold holds a BS in accounting from Rochester Institute of Technology and a MBA in logistics planning from Florida Institute of Technology. His executive training includes mergers and acquisitions from Wharton, strategic planning from Case Western and government contract law from the University of Virginia.
Heidi Wilson has more than 20 years of experience in entrepreneurial ventures, financial investment, real estate, development, accounting and management. Most recently, she served as executive vice president for Cogdell Spencer Inc. She joined Cogdell Spencer during its second year as a public company, taking over leadership of asset management, human resources and IT. She directed a division of 65 employees with annual revenue of $66 million from a portfolio of 115 medical office properties. She was a member of Cogdell Spenser’s pre-merger team that effected the ground-breaking merger with Marshall Erdman & Associates, creating the nation’s most integrated healthcare facilities company. Prior to joining Cogdell Spenser, Heidi was a principal and owner of First Colony Corp. and of Beck Lindsey & Co. In 12 years at First Colony, she served as president and chief executive officer of First Colony Healthcare, the company’s medical development affiliate, chief corporate financial officer and president of the office division with responsibility for management of the firm’s office buildings. Heidi began her career at Deloitte, Haskins & Sells before becoming a partner at Beck, Lindsay. During 10 years at Beck Lindsey, she was the firm’s accounting and audit partner and successfully recruited both individual and business clients for the firm. She is a licensed real estate broker in the state of North Carolina, a licensed certified public accountant in North Carolina, a Certified Commercial Investment Member and is active in numerous industry associations. Heidi holds a Master’s of Science from Helsinki University of Technology and studied accounting at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina.