Newport partners have decades of experience running companies. We interviewed a number of them and asked them to articulate some basic principles about management that their experience has taught them.
Below are quotes that describe the basis for their work ethic, leadership qualities, and personal success. Newport Board Group partners offer advice and expertise to help CEOs and their organizations achieve the next level of growth.
Here’s what they have to say:
Jack Donahue: Jack is a strategic CFO with experience in public and private companies, generally high growth and acquisition-oriented. He has experience with private equity as CFO of portfolio companies and as an operating partner including helping to drive exits.
“Always set the bar high for the management team and all employees to draw out the best in everyone. This will make for a better work environment and enhance corporate performance.”
Steven Maxwell: Steve has a track record of international business growth and turnarounds as a CEO, business leader, board member, and advisor in the HR Technology, Business Services, Financial Services, and Health Care Payer industries.
“Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be led.” - Ross Perot
Caleb White: Since 2000, Caleb has been a Board Director with Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc., a portfolio of manufacturing companies whose products include pet foods, solutions for aerospace and defense, life science diagnostic testing, specialty chemical processing and commercial real estate.
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” - Michelangelo
Patrick Worsham: Pat Worsham is an example of how Newport serves middle market clients with executives who have proven themselves in the most demanding management environments. He has top executive team experience in environments ranging from the Coca-Cola Company to a privately-owned, mid-sized wholesale distributor and a start- up advertising enterprise.
“Don't be afraid for someone else to get the credit. Surround yourself with people at least as intelligent as yourself.”
Ferey Faridian: Ferey is a senior strategic investment professional with 25 years of experience spanning management consulting in 12 countries, investment banking and principal investing, as well as serving as CEO/President of high-technology ventures.
“I like to put the fire in people not under them. People understand the concept of quantity of money, but not that of the quality of money. The net present value of something achieved with integrity and passion is always higher than that of spectacular achievements arrived at through coincidence or via unethical short-cuts. “
Joan Saunders: Joan is a collaborative leader and champion of strategic use of information technology to engage customers, improve operational processes and reduce costs. Joan held a number of senior management positions with CNA National Warranty Corp, culminating as President and CEO.
“The Golden Rule: Treat others (customers, colleagues, vendors) as you would like to be treated.”
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Billie Otto: Billie was until recently Executive VP and CIO of TrueBlue Inc. (NYSE: TBI) the largest industrial staffing firm in the U.S. The company has nearly $2 billion in revenue, serves approximately 130,000 customers and deploys more than 375,000 temporary associates.
“Culture eats strategy for lunch.”
J. Ronald Frump: Ron has a diverse background as a CEO and senior executive in the consumer packaged goods industry, especially food, with public and private companies. Most recently Ron has been CEO of a publicly traded, Japanese-owned manufacturer of collagen products for food, medical and cosmetics markets.
“Change is like a steamroller, if you don't embrace change, it will run you over!”
Terry Copeland: Terry’s areas of expertise in the high tech industry include business development, turnarounds, culture change, identifying and executing on new avenues for business growth and developing C-level and Division level talent.
“If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got. If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Bill Heermann: Bill has deep expertise in building and running industrial manufacturing and construction companies. Most recently he was President of Precision Industrial Contractors, which serves the industrial construction market.
“Our customers are our most important asset.”
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Joe Devich: Joe has diverse experience as an operating executive, entrepreneur and advisor in the technology industry. He was CEO of a company called Knowberry, which was spun off from a market leader in environmental monitoring. He drove commercialization of technology and development of a business model based on ad revenue and a strategy to capitalize on social networks.
“The role of a leader is to help people get what they want.”
Sam Johnson: Sam is a seasoned executive with a proven record of developing and implementing strategies to enhance revenues and profits across a variety of industries. For the last 23 years he was part of the Graytrout Group, a Georgia-based consultancy, where he specialized in assisting clients in redesigning their sales organization and sales management processes.
“A quick NO is typically better than a SLOW yes.”
John Sullivan: John has delivered top- and bottom-line results running a wide range of companies and dealing with challenges like acquisitions, lean manufacturing, supply chain optimization/low cost sourcing, new product development and brand and channel management. John has been successful running several business units for United Technologies Co. (UTC) in the fire suppression business.
“Honesty and integrity are more important than intelligence and ambition.”
Julie Rasmussen: Most recently, Julie served as Interim Chief Operating Officer for CVSL Inc., a publicly traded Dallas based holding company that owns and operates businesses in the direct selling and micro enterprise industries. .For a decade Julie held high level executive roles in the Russian and European business units of May Kay.
“Nothing happens until someone sells something. How often have I seen executives and sometimes whole companies treat sales like it's a dirty word. In my experience, they don't last very long, either the executives or the companies.”
Dan Crawford: Dan Crawford has over 30 years of experience with companies public and private; large and small; domestic and international. His expertise is directing cross-functional global teams to develop, sell, and deliver high technology enterprise solutions to drive competitive advantage.
“If you are not having fun, you are doing it wrong.”
Richard Lawson: Most recently Richard was the founder and CEO of Group Mobile, an e-commerce re-seller that provides rugged mobile computing products to the military, police/fire/ambulance, utilities, and other organizations that use computers in the field. Richard sold Group Mobile to a New York based investment group.
“Never tell people how to do things; tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
Woody Hobbs: Woody is an experienced executive who has served as CEO of several information technology companies and also as a CIO who has innovated new models. His career highlights include creating nearly $500 million in value and a 10x return for investors as CEO of a leading independent wireless synchronization and email company that was sold to Nokia.
“Plans don't work but planning does.”
Larry Aldrich: Larry has had a 30 year career as a leader of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Most recently he was the Founder, Chairman and Executive Director of the Arizona Business Coalition on Health, a non-profit membership coalition that addresses health and health care system issues.
“Embrace the random. Find the pattern. Know the difference.” - Michael Shermer
Tom Henricks: Tom Henricks began his four decades in aerospace as a fighter test pilot in the U.S. Air Force before being selected by NASA to become an astronaut. He received worldwide recognition on four Space Shuttle missions and commanded two of those flights. As a Management Astronaut, he was responsible for annual operating expenditures in excess of $500M.
“There is no "I" in leader.”
Bill Loughman: Bill was most recently CFO and COO of Avion Systems, a provider of staffing services to the telecommunications and technology sectors in Atlanta. In that role Bill was responsible for staffing, project management, human resources and finance functions, helping the company develop controls and forecasting processes.
“Hire people that are smarter than you!”
Keith Boudreau: Keith's experience in business and professional services spans 30 years across functions and industries. He has been president of operating divisions in 4 different Fortune 500 companies, with equal time spent in sales/marketing roles as well as COO and other strategic leadership responsibilities.
"A ship in harbor is safe... but that is not what ships are for."
Harold Grossnickle: Harold has a record of building lucrative enterprises, taking start-ups to the next level of growth, leading sales teams to significant competitive sales wins, and turning around troubled companies in telecom/technology and related sectors.
“Perfect Practice Makes Perfect”
Annette Jacobs: Annette is a proven wireless, technology leader and operating executive. As a President or CEO for twenty years, she has developed strategies, driven revenue and EBITDA improvements at multi-billion corporate and mid-stage, venture backed businesses. Most recently she was President, West Area for Cricket (NASDAQ: LEAP), a $3.1B wireless infrastructure service provider sold to AT&T.
"Only the paranoid survive" - Andy Grove
Ted Parrish: Ted Parrish has a strong background as both an operating executive and an advisor. He brings to Newport extensive background in financial services strategy and operations. As a consultant with KPMG and an independent advisor in Central Europe for more than a decade, Ted’s accomplishments include driving post-merger integration between large banks.
“Talk less, listen more.”
Alain Bouruet-Aubertot: Alain is a seasoned President and CEO with global experience transforming publicly traded and venture-backed companies in the basic materials sector (chemicals, building products, construction materials, minerals, ceramics, metals, etc.). Alain has held leadership positions with Lafarge, Minerals Technologies and Rhone Poulenc.
“If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk.”
Newport Board Group Partners help companies gain competitive advantage through expert advice to improve decision-making and execution. We serve emerging growth, middle market, and private equity firms and their portfolio companies. To help your company gain competitive advantage, contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation with one of our expert partners.
