Testimonials
“Between 2018 and 2020, Jim helped me identify, recruit and retain our CEO & CFO, launch an international sourcing program, implement Objectives & Key Results (OKR’s), and much more – all of which helped drive growth of our revenue by over 50%, and our EBITDA by a factor of over 3x.
This exceptional growth ultimately resulted in the creation and realization of nearly 5x our 2017 equity value. It also lead to the successful sale of the majority of my business to a $1 Billion + Private Equity firm in December of 2020. Jim became a true partner, confidant and team member to me, our CEO and other members of our executive team and remains an investor in JonDon and valued friend to this day. I highly recommend him as an excellent thought partner for any Founder or CEO looking to supercharge his or her growth.”
—John Paoella - Chairman and Founder, JonDon
“Having known Jim for over 20 years, in various roles, including CEO, active board member, and good friend, he possesses the rare combination of skills of getting the most out of people while getting most out of companies. At Trivest, all we do is invest in founder-owned businesses, and Jim has been able to build and maintain a strong relationship with the founders while helping them take the business to the next two or three levels. Any business and their management teams and employees would be better off having Jim involved adding value every day.”
— Troy D. Templeton - Managing Partner, Trivest Partners
“Jim developed and implemented the strategy that moved DEI from a niche automotive aftermarket player to the leading global consumer technology business it is today. He also put in place much of the leadership team that has continued to drive the business forward nearly doubling in size since his retirement. He continues as a trusted advisor & friend to me and the Company.”
— Michael W Choe - CEO, Charlesbank Capital Partners
“I have had the privilege of working with Jim in a variety of capacities for over 20 years and can say unequivocally that his advice and counsel have helped me to learn, grow, and develop as a senior executive. He is truly a mentor for life!”
— Kevin P. Duffy - CEO, DEI Holdings & Sound United
“Jim is an amazing mentor! As a first time CEO, having him by my side was an enormous help. Like any great coach, he knew when to let me figure it out on my own while providing valuable guidance. I am a huge fan.”
— Tarek Kutrieh - (Former) CEO, Directed Electronics, (Current) VP Finance, Activision/Blizzard
“Jim played a key role in recruiting me to join Jon-Don over a year ago. Since that time, we have worked closely together to develop and implement specific and actionable Objectives & Key Initiatives (OKI’s) to drive double digit EBIDTA grow over the next few years, which we are on track to achieve. It’s a privilege to work with Jim, he is a trusted advisor and friend to me, our Founder and many of my key staff.”
— Cesar Lanuza - CEO, Jon-Don
“Jim joined Advanced Powering Services (APSI) Board in July 2018, bringing a strategic infusion of experience and discipline to our team. Specifically, Jim provided direction for focusing our company’s energies on establishing clear, concise and actionable Objectives and Key Results (OKR’s) & financial tracking to obtain our EBITDA goals. We have also appreciated Jim’s interpersonal skills in patiently and artfully helping us resolve potential conflicts and keep a strong consensus on where we apply our time and energies throughout the company. To date, as our sales have grown steadily, our EBITDA has grown from the high single digits to nearly 30% of our revenue, with promising forecasts for both our sales and earnings for 2021 & 2022. I highly recommend Jim as a valuable addition to any leadership team and Board.”
-Joe Lusker - Principle and CEO, Advanced Powering Services, Inc.