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Chief Executive
Officer
NCM
Associates, Inc.
Kansas City, Missouri
Sectors: Consulting, Training &
Development:
Search Completed
(View
PDF Profile)
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your willingness to review the enclosed profile.
I believe the following pages describe a relatively rare
opportunity for an experienced leader who would thrive on
repositioning a profitable business for future growth, while
fully developing a talented family of associates to meet the
challenge.
The following profile was written as a result of spending a
week’s time in both onsite meetings and conference calls with
the board, management and staff of NCM. This unfettered
access within our client enabled us to assess the culture of the
company, the personalities that make up the team and the
company’s goals, objectives, capabilities and hindrances. I
believe this is important for you to know because unlike NCM,
the HR practices and procedures within much of corporate America
today emphasize hiring speed over quality and performance over
values and cultural fit. These hiring practices are further
perpetuated by headhunters, who by seeking to maximize revenue
through a high volume of assignments, are eager to oblige client
requests for little consulting, quick delivery of resumes and
fast hires. The behavior of both groups encourage a never
ending cycle of executive turnover, unfortunately at the expense
of employees and shareholders. It also represents the
antithesis of our approach which aims to thoroughly assess each
client who retains our services and each individual desiring
candidacy. Only then can we insure the right match has made
those results in long-term economic value for clients and career
satisfaction for the individuals our clients employ.
By documenting our findings in the enclosed profile, we hope to
elicit positive responses from successful candidates. We trust
the following pages will achieve this goal and would welcome the
opportunity to talk with someone you know who meets most or all
of the requirements described in this profile. As to how they
can expect to be treated:
1. They can be assured of complete discretion on our part.
Neither their comments nor any other information they might
share with us will be distributed to anyone, including our
client, without their permission.
2. We treat everyone the way we would want to be treated if
our positions were reversed. This practically translates into
doing what we say we are going to do in a timely manner,
promptly returning phone calls and providing frequent and honest
feedback to both candidates and clients
As to our veracity in adhering to the above mentioned points, we
would invite all interested parties to “check us out” by
contacting anyone we have done business with before. You’ll
find we are unusual: we would much rather conduct a handful of
searches each year in an exceptional manner than executing many
in an average or mediocre manner. Why? Because we feel it’s
not only our mission, but our calling: To perform the highest
quality, most ethical search work that results in an exceptional
long-term value for both client and candidate.
Thanks again for your willingness to review the following
profile, and we appreciate your interest.
Jeffrey R Ketchum, President
Automotive Recruiters International, Inc., a division of
Lordstone Corporation.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Known throughout several segments of the transportation
industry, NCM & Associates assists both automotive and
non-automotive companies in identifying opportunities for
increased profits and revenue growth. Founded in 1947, the firm
is known for pioneering the concept of peer group networks
whereby 20 individuals, from non competing firms within an
industry, meet together to exchange ideas, experiences and
expertise.
Poised well for both a redevelopment of services and intensive
focus on top line growth, this profitable $15 million dollar,
100% ESOP owned consulting and training firm has a bright future
ahead. Talent is abundant within NCM, and when combined with
new vision and inspiring leadership should propel the company
well beyond its traditional twenty percent appreciation in stock
value, which the firm has achieved over the last two decades.
This opportunity would be well suited for a seasoned leader who
would appreciate the strong morals and traditional values
reminiscent of many firms found throughout the countries
heartland. Likewise, the right candidate will appreciate the
participative management style required by firms of a similar
structure and will find a hard working family ready to carry out
the new strategies and plans of the new CEO.
Many reasons may lead an experienced leader to explore this very
unique opportunity. However, the primary reason will be their
passion for and belief in the services that NCM provides.
Additional reasons may include:
Perhaps a candidate is working within a larger company where
they are a small spoke in a large wheel. What is attractive to
them is the opportunity to work within a smaller company where
they could have a significant impact on the entire organization,
enhancing equity.
Another candidate may be working for a publically traded company
whose focus is bent on meeting quarterly earnings estimates
rather than managing for maximum long-term value.
Still another individual may be attracted to the organizations
participative leadership structure and phenomenal growth
prospects.
The right candidate will be attracted to the company’s people,
its services and the tremendous potential for growth. This is
truly an exceptional opportunity for the right CEO.
THE COMPANY
NCM is a very unique organization with deep roots within the
automotive industry. The firm evolved from what was originally
The Dealers Analysis Bureau, founded in 1947 and Central
Services, a Kansas City based dealer management group. In 1966,
the corporation of Nichols, Campbell and Morrow was established.
In 1988, Messrs. Campbell and Morrow, the remaining principals,
sold their interest in the company to an Employee Stock
Ownership Program (ESOP) and the corporation of NCM Associates
was formed.
The mission of NCM is to provide financial analysis, meeting and
consulting services to clients in the business community. Their
mission is three fold:
To be prepared to provide for clients’ ever-changing needs by
continually improving their own products and services.
To provide for all associates the opportunity to develop both
professionally and personally.
To ensure that NCM will prosper as a business and, therefore,
provide a reasonable return for stockholders, the employees and
owners of the firm.
NCM Associates, Inc. is best known for pioneering the original
20 Group process, which is an organized forum whereby 20
individuals, from non competing firms within an industry, meet
together to exchange ideas, experiences and expertise. In
addition to automotive 20 groups, NCM has formed a division call
Xscend to introduce the 20 group concept into a number of other
industries including power sports, construction, food and
beverage distribution, transportation services and the travel
industry.
The company also is growing business in other divisions, all
providing a full menu of in-house consulting and training
services within automotive dealerships. These divisions
include:
In Dealership Solutions
Dealer Services Corporation
Jeff Sacks & Associates
The firm currently employs 93 talented individuals and is known
for being a big, friendly family where all enjoy coming to
work. Recently though, morale has been deteriorating due to
prior leadership practices that created both physical and mental
segregation between management and staff. Whereas employees
once felt they had a voice in running the business, many have
been reluctant to offer ideas and input, due to a lack of
objective consideration or for fear of criticism. To correct
the situation, the Chairman of the Board, Paul Stowe, has
stepped in as interim CEO and is implementing policies of open
communication and transparency in the decision making process.
By doing so, he aims to pave the way for a new CEO who
demonstrates a participative leadership style and who can
reinvigorate and energize a team of highly talented, dedicated
stockholders.
THE POSITION
It will be the overall responsibility of the CEO to make
decisions and act in a manner which will carry out the mission
of the company as previously stated. In keeping with the
mission statement points, several focus areas are noted:
To better meet the realities of today’s marketplace and the
reinvented automotive industry, the board of NCM recognizes that
its core services and how they are delivered need to be
critically assessed and redeveloped in order to continue
business growth. Additionally, a unified and up to date
marketing and business development strategy needs to be
established across all divisions to maximize revenue
opportunities. Achieving both will provide NCM with a sure
footing for delivering the very best consulting and training
programs in the 21st century, while creating value for all
shareholders.
To prepare the firm for continued growth and stability, the
board recognizes the need for a formal recruitment, training and
development plan. The new CEO will play a key role in designing
such a plan to prepare all for future expanded roles and
increased responsibilities.
The new CEO of NCM Associates, Inc. will serve at the pleasure
of the Board of Directors of NCM Associates, Inc. and will
manage the company based in Overland Park, Kansas, on a
day-to-day basis. He/She will be tasked with planning,
rebuilding the family spirit, keeping the team motivated and
running the business rather than “doing the work” and being
bogged down with day to day producer responsibilities or
travel. The new CEO will need to eliminate all departmental and
divisional silos, while incentivizing communication and business
development so that every team member feels just as important as
the next. He/She will build consensus around how they are
going to grow revenues and will establish strategic, tactical
and budgetary plans to carry out the chosen direction.
He/She will manage all executive level staff and will have
oversight of all divisions and locations. The right candidate
will be proficient in setting up the right organizational
structure and be a person who can challenge the way things have
been done, to insure optimal architecture and employee
performance. In conjunction with the board, they will help
establish a compelling vision and strategy for the business.
They will then translate these into an action plan, with
accountability/performance measurements and will be charged with
executing the plan in an accelerated, transparent manner.
The new CEO will need to be aggressive about getting new
business both inside and outside of the automotive industry.
Although much growth and market share remains obtainable within
the automotive sector, non automotive business will be critical
to the firm’s short, medium and long range objectives of
increasing shareholder value. The new CEO will need to
establish a formal marketing function, which utilizing
e-marketing concepts, enables all targeted industries to be
aware of NCM’s services and capabilities. He/she will need to
be technologically savvy.
He/She will need to unify the company by bringing together all
staff and divisions into one functioning unit that gels rather
than grinds, with standardized processes, procedures and
incentives. He/She will need to clearly define the roles and
responsibilities of all divisions, departments and team members,
not just on paper, but practically. He/She will see that
training procedures are developed and that mentoring and
development occurs at all levels to insure fully active
participation. The right candidate will patiently encourage all
to be proactive, empowered, creative, vocal and to be equally
valued.
QUALIFICATIONS
Given that NCM is an ESOP, the inspiring CEO will need to build
vision through consensus and obtain results with a participative
management style. They will have a strong record of effective,
collaborative leadership. They should possess a high degree of
intellectual firepower, combined with the ability to communicate
exceptionally well. They will be skilled at relationship
building and will be approachable by all, willing to speak and
listen to anyone, regardless of their position. He/She will be
comfortable around people, and when listening, gives others
their full and undivided attention. In prior positions, they
will have put their time and energy into developing and growing
people.
As to character, the new CEO should be honest with themselves
and others and possess a degree of humility and sincerity.
He/She must be beyond reproach morally and operate in a mode of
transparency and trust. He/She will have a strong work ethic
and possess a high degree of energy. At their core, the new
President/CEO will be a “principled leader” and will exude
integrity in the highest degree. He/She is progressive in nature
and maintains an insatiable desire to improve themselves and the
company on a daily basis.
Ideally, the CEO will be coming from an industry where they have
experienced declining revenues or restructuring. He/She will
have realigned a business to an altered reality resulting in
products and services being developed for a new or redefined
customer base. They will have a head for business and be
revenue driven rather than focusing primarily on cost
containment.
Given that the core of the firm’s business is in the automotive
industry, it is highly preferred that prospective candidates
have a “retail” facing background within the industry. This
will enable the company to continue to grow as a great deal of
opportunity exists within the automotive sector and many dealers
are not aware of NCM’s market presence. However, what is also
important is someone who can capitalize on opportunities outside
of the auto industry as fresh perspective and new ideas would be
well appreciated.
The right individual is confident in their decision making
skills and history has proven them right. They are
collaborative in their approach and foster respectful, open
discussions, carefully considering opposing viewpoints and
perspectives.
The right candidate will have an accounting or technical
background and be able to understand budgets, cost contracts and
financial analysis, yet also have a talent for developing
business with a salesman’s mindset.
THE LOCATION
Americans are flocking to places that offer big-city
opportunities and amenities with a lot more green space and a
lot less stress. Overland Park is frequently distinguished with
national awards in business and quality of life rankings. It was
ranked #6 in Money magazine's "Top 10 Best Places to Live" in
2006. It is the largest city in Johnson County, which was ranked
#3 in the best counties in the nation to raise a family by
Forbes.com. The March 2005 issue of Expansion Management named
Overland Park as one of America's "Best Places to Live and Work"
and also rated it a "Five-Star Community." Johnson County's
quality of life quotient was ranked seventh among all 3,150 U.S.
counties by American City Business Journal.
With a rapidly-growing population of nearly 160,000 residents,
Overland Park is the second largest city in Kansas. Yet, less
than 50 years old, it is one of the youngest cities in the
nation. It is located in thriving Johnson County in the
southwestern reaches of the Kansas City metropolitan area. While
maintaining its own identity in the Greater Kansas City area,
Overland Park steadily has built a wider reputation as one of
the nation’s most dynamic corporate centers. It is home to more
than 3,800 companies and the headquarters of major employers
such as Sprint Nextel Corporation. Its campus occupies 240
acres in the city, and employs about 18,500 people. The city is
also the headquarters for YRC Worldwide, local
telecommunications carrier Embarq, restaurant chain Applebee's,
and the employee-owned Black & Veatch Corporation.
The city recently began building a dozen soccer fields to host
national tournaments. Development hasn't paved over the green
space, though, and the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens covers
300 lush acres. There are six major medical centers in Overland
Park and schools are among the best in the nation. Public
education is provided by several school districts including
Shawnee Mission School District, Blue Valley School District and
Olathe School District. The Johnson County Library serves the
city. Overland Park is the location of five branch institutions
and highly-ranked educational institutions including 22
colleges, universities and professional schools all within 30
miles.
In Overland Park, workers and residents enjoy a beautiful and
safe suburban setting, plus excellent restaurants, theatres,
fine shopping, miles of walking/biking paths, golfing, fishing,
boating and several tourist attractions. The median age is 38.4
with 84.9% completing some college. 61.3% are married. The
median family income per year is $99,078 and the median home
price is $233,887.
The city’s close proximity to Kansas City also means easy
access to the amenities and diversity of a metropolitan area.
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