Robert Gross Email & Phone Number

Grand Rapids, MI, US

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

As President and Managing Partner of Rodolfo Gonzales Interiors, LLC, I am responsible for all non-design related aspects of this business. A new business start up in 2007, the business has generated average annual revenues of $1.1 million during the past 5-year period (a peak of $1.5 million) while maintaining industry-leading gross margins over the same.

Cary, NC

• The long range plan for this company was to capture market share via acquisition growing revenues at a modest rate for the mature business albeit with high margins. I served as the lead financial executive for 2.
• Process re-engineering of the entire financial reporting process (including enhanced Board reporting) to provide timely, accurate and relevant finance information and other key metrics to effectively manage the growing.
• Staffing upgrades in the Accounting & Finance Department with a focus on building a Team of business partners to the other disciplines vs. being viewed as pure “number crunchers” and “score keepers”; and
• An ongoing focus in the area of operationally efficiency to generate cost savings which could be used to invest in new revenue streams.

Chicago

• The last position held at DONTECH was Vice President – Finance and C.F.O. I was the 1st executive of that joint venture to be appointed to the senior team who did not come from either of the 2 partners – namely R.H..
• Provision of all due diligence support in the sale of the business to R.H. Donnelley including post-acquisition synergy identification and realization in excess of $12 million;
• Development of a strategic plan to guide a critical turnaround initiative and related restructuring;
• Provision of the factual and financial framework on an impartial basis to settle 3 material financial disputes between the partners totaling in excess of $40 million; and
• A focus on customer service to improve customer satisfaction and reduce financial claim settlements which resulted in a $10 million annual cost savings and positioned the company to be awarded the BBB’s Torch Award for.

Chicago

• G.R.I. was a publically traded direct marketing company with $100 million in annual revenues and 400+ employees headquartered in Chicago. I held 4 positions of increasing responsibility the last of which was Vice.
• An orderly liquidation of the company, under the direction of a court-appointed trustee, that resulted in the largest payout to creditors in the history to date for the Northern District of IL (which includes the City.
• Negotiation of a multi-year extension of the company’s credit lines despite material covenant violations and a weak financial position as a key member of a 3-member team; and
• Co-authored a 3-year strategic plan that guided the company’s turnaround effort while identifying major new business opportunities.Other positions held at G.R.I. included Director of Strategic Planning & Financial.

Managed various residential real estate rehab projects for a joint venture partnership.

Performed operational and financial audits of corporate subsidiaries and divisions.

Chicago

Planned, supervised and reviewed financial audits. Member of both the Computer and Banking Audit Staffs