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CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - INTRODUCTION - - 5 - As the editor, it’s my pleasure to introduce the CEO USA Awards, an esteemed publication dedicated to recognizing exceptional leadership and business acumen in the United States. This year, among others, we are honored to feature two remarkable leaders who have made significant contributions to their respective industries: Peter Richards, Group CEO of Gulftainer, Bill Frame, CEO and Chairman of Kidder Mathews, and Manoj Padhi, CEO and Founder of Fan’sGlobal dba 4FANZ At the helm of Gulftainer, Peter Richards has distinguished himself as a global logistics and port management visionary. Under his leadership, Gulftainer has expanded its international footprint, demonstrating a commitment to efficiency, innovation, and sustainable practices. Peter’s strategic direction has propelled Gulftainer to new heights and positively impacted global trade and logistics. Bill Frame, leading Kidder Mathews, has been a transformative figure in the real estate sector. With his deep industry knowledge and forward-thinking approach, Bill has guided Kidder Mathews through periods of significant growth and market evolution. His ability to anticipate and adapt to changing market dynamics has been pivotal in establishing Kidder Mathews as a leader in commercial real estate services. We also recognize the CEO and founder of Fan’sGlobal dba 4FANZ Manoj Padhi, for inventing a new business process where businesses get more visibility when they promote talents and get an opportunity to list their business in zoned internet with premium domains that offers role based registration across 36 zones. When used with verified users, such a mutually beneficial business process got the potential to shake up the current internet advertising space and can create lot of local job opportunities. The CEO USA Awards are a celebration of the dedication, skill, and leadership these CEOs have demonstrated in steering their companies toward success. Their achievements serve as an inspiration to leaders across various sectors, showcasing the impact of visionary leadership in driving business forward. We are excited to honor their accomplishments and look forward to their continued influence in their industries.
FEATURED WINNERS PETER RICHARDS Group CEO Gulftainer Page8 MANOJ PADHI Founder Fan’sGlobal dba 4FANZ� Page16 BILL FRAME CEO & Chairman of the Board Kidder Mathews Page20
This journey has been truly captivating. I take great pride in our growth and success as a team here in the United States. www.gulftainer.com CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 8 -
Group CEO of Gulftainer Can you briefly describe your journey to becoming the CEO of Gulftainer (GT) USA? I first joined Gulftainer in the UAE in 1987 as a Superintendent at Khorfakkan Container Terminal - Sharjah. Then, I served in various senior roles, including Managing Director of the company, before I became the Group CEO in 2006. Before that, I worked as an officer on merchant vessels for 12 years, transporting similar cargo to what we now handle in our ports. In 2014, I also assumed the position of CEO of Gulftainer USA. In this role, I’ve had the privilege of leading Gulftainer’s operations in the United States, which presently only encompasses the management of Canaveral Cargo Terminal in Florida. However, in 2018, we were also awarded the 50-year concession to develop and operate the Port of Wilmington in Delaware. Unfortunately, we handed back this concession to the State in 2023 as there was a disconnect on the future development requirements. During our tenure as the operator of the Port of Wilmington, we improved its performance to totally remove the annual requirement eter Richards CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 9 -
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 10 - - FEATURED WINNER - of the Delaware State to subsidise the port operations. Despite the return of the concession, we were able to leave Delaware knowing we had added tremendous value to their port and improved its productivity to the extent that it could operate profitably, which was the first time in many years. This journey has been truly captivating. I take great pride in our growth and success as a team here in the United States, further enhancing Gulftainer’s status as a leading regional ports & terminals operator and a provider of niche supply chain and logistics solutions. We will grow and expand our asset base in the USA – watch this space! GT USA has placed a significant interest in expanding Canaveral Container Terminal (CCT). What prompted this decision and how do you see the transformation of CCT operations? When we first entered Canaveral Container Terminal in 2014, it primarily handled bulk cargo and was relatively modest in size. Fast forward nearly a decade, and the terminal has undergone remarkable growth. We’ve instilled our commitment to high productivity and safety standards into the facility, consistently achieving top marks in the annual US Coast Guard security inspections since the commencement of our operations. Canaveral Container Terminal is well-positioned to be the USA’s niche trade hub of choice for the southern regional markets of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama, with a total population of some 50 million people. Ideally located on the country’s East Coast, the terminal offers endto-end supply chain and dynamic logistics capabilities for the region, providing both importers and exporters with highly efficient, unrivaled, productive, and competitive trade solutions at its facility to customers. With Canaveral’s excellent road connectivity, Gulftainer had chosen to establish its first USA operations from Canaveral Container Terminal, which has a promising potential for trade growth, building on the momentum of the influx of new arrivals to the region post-covid. Also, free from congestion, the terminal offers an opportunity to establish an alternate maritime shipping hub away from the traditional ports of Miami, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa, Savannah, and Philadelphia. The terminal facility consists of two berths, two ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, two mobile harbor cranes, natural deep water, plenty of land and a highly skilled workforce – and its operations activity include containers, lumber, project cargo, dry bulk, PCC, and space maritime, all facilitated by Gulftainer’s highly capable team. To establish Canaveral Container Terminal as an alternate maritime shipping hub in the region, offering integrated supply chain solutions for our customers, Gulftainer has expanded its terminal’s footprint from 20 acres to 30 acres to cater to the growing demand for trade and shipping. It also plans to develop this additional land through a joint venture project to introduce a state-of-the-art multi-purpose facility offering other new services, such as dry, chilled, and hard frozen storage facilities for importers and exporters. Looking ahead, Gulftainer is building a fully integrated digital ecosystem in its ports and terminals that will also play a key role in optimizing our customers’ shipping and logistics requirements. Staying true to its vision, Gulftainer will continue to expand its footprint across the USA with potential new investment opportunities to the South and the West Coast and introduce new services such as manufactured goods, high-end timber products, bulk commodities, seafood, fruit, citrus, meat, dairy products, project cargo, new and used cars, military and heavy equipment. Clearly, efficiency is pivotal to the success of GT USA. What plans does Gulftainer put in place to secure a high level of efficiency in its operations? Efficiency has long been a hallmark of Gulftainer USA’s operations, and our ability to deliver seamless and efficient handling and cargo delivery in the region is a testament to our commitment to excellence. This comes as a result of strategic planning with strong local knowledge of the industry, technology integration and dedicated customer service. Our Canaveral Container Terminal enjoys a strategic location that gives a significant advantage to our operations. Moreover, Port Canaveral’s proximity to major transportation arteries, such as the I-95 highway, provides an efficient conduit for cargo movement, ensuring swift access to critical markets not only within Central Florida but also well beyond. GT USA’s consistent investments in cutting-edge infrastructure at the Canaveral Container Terminal include the deployment of state-of-the-art cranes, advanced container handling Canaveral Container Terminal is well-positioned to be the USA’s niche trade hub of choice for the southern regional markets of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama.
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 11 - - FEATURED WINNER - equipment, and a meticulously designed terminal layout that optimizes workflow. Modernizing our facilities has fortified our capacity to handle containers efficiently and expedite their transportation. We’ve been in the industry long enough to know that collaboration is the cornerstone of our success. We have created a synchronized and efficient supply chain ecosystem by fostering effective partnerships with key stakeholders, including shipping lines, trucking companies, and logistics providers. This collaborative approach ensures the smooth flow of cargo from the terminal to its destination, a fundamental element of our rapid container delivery services. Comprising the integration of advanced terminal operating systems, automation solutions, and a highly skilled workforce, our team works tirelessly to ensure the seamless flow of operations. Their unwavering commitment to safety, productivity and delivering exceptional customer service plays a pivotal role in defining our services in the region. Our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement is unyielding. We constantly aim to enhance our operations and provide our customers with logistics services that are not only efficient but also dependable. With Central Florida’s rapid population growth, how is GT USA preparing to accommodate the anticipated surge in imports and exports? Florida ports have been at the forefront of the booming demand at the USEC post-Covid. In 2022, the state’s seaports handled 4.3 million TEU, 112.5 million tonnes, 630,000+ vehicles, and 10.7 million cruise passengers. 16 Florida ports accounted for 13.3% of Florida’s GDP, supported 900,000 jobs and contributed $117.6 billion to Florida’s economy. Florida’s strong performance in answering supply chain demands by encouraging shippers to change shipping lanes and call on the state’s uncongested ports, such as Canaveral, has well-positioned Florida to gain an even larger market share over the next five years. As a consequence, Gulftainer has recently expanded its terminal footprint from 20 acres to 30 acres to cater to this growing demand. We are aware of the region’s burgeoning demand for goods and the imperative for efficient logistics solutions to accommodate the upsurge in imports and exports. To address this, we have also implemented several plans to expand our infrastructure and terminal capacity; this encompasses the augmentation of berths, the addition of container storage space, and modernization of our handling equipment. Technology will also play a key role in optimizing our customers’ logistics requirements via fully integrated digital platforms offered at our facility. The quest for cargo tracking and automation has deepened over the years – our state-ofthe-art IT systems provide supply chain visibility, enabling more efficient turnarounds for our customers. Our focus remains on meeting the evolving needs of our customers and tailoring our services to provide the most efficient and cost-effective solutions. As we expand, we acknowledge the dynamic nature of the logistics landscape. Therefore, we prioritize flexibility and adaptability in our operations and planning, enabling us to respond effectively to shifts in demand. Gulftainer USA - Port Canaveral
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 12 - - FEATURED WINNER - How do you position Canaveral Container Terminal against its competitors, especially with its unique location and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean? Canaveral Container Terminal (CCT) enjoys a unique position owing to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the major shipping routes. It has the unique ability to berth vessels faster than any of our competing ports, as the distance from the pilot station to the berth is less than a mile. This positioning enables Gulftainer to distinguish CCT in several significant ways, being a vital gateway to the Atlantic Ocean providing direct access to international shipping routes. This proximity stands as a substantial advantage for shippers seeking efficient routes to European, Latin American and global markets, ultimately reducing transit times and costs. With the region’s population and economic activity on the upswing, CCT serves as a convenient and efficient link to this dynamic market. We have made substantial investments in establishing excellent intermodal connectivity to major highways, railways and airports, facilitating the smooth transportation of cargo to and from the terminal. Our dedication to infrastructure investments, including the deepening and widening of berths, expansion of container storage areas and modernization of equipment, positions CCT as a state-of-the-art facility and sets itself apart through its strategic location at Port Canaveral, providing access to the Atlantic Ocean, Central Florida’s market and exceptional intermodal connectivity. GT USA emphasizes working in partnership to develop secure supply chain solutions. Can you share some examples of successful partnerships that have catalyzed growth for the company? Partnerships hold a central role in our approach at Gulftainer and in particular Gulftainer USA. Our collaboration with the Canaveral Port Authority has been pivotal in the development of the Canaveral Container Terminal (CCT), which allowed us to expand and modernize the terminal, transforming it into a state-of-the-art facility capable of handling larger vessels and a diverse range of cargo. This partnership has not only benefited us but has also contributed significantly to the growth and economic prosperity of the region. We have also forged robust relationships with major shipping lines operating in the region, which enabled us to attract a diverse portfolio of global carriers to CCT, ensuring a strong container volume activity and resilience for shippers. We maintain close working relationships with local and regional businesses, trucking companies and transportation
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 13 - - FEATURED WINNER - to offer customized logistics solutions. This involves collaboration with manufacturers, distributors and retailers to comprehend their unique needs and devise supply chain strategies that foster growth for their operations. These partnerships have allowed us to optimize the supply chain solutions and logistics services we offer, reduce transit times and enhance overall efficiency. We remain steadfast in our commitment to cultivate and nurture these relationships as we continue to innovate and grow in the industry. It is our intention to introduce new customer partnerships in the future, where we will provide fully comprehensive services and jointly invest in further facilities at our growing terminal. In your tenure as CEO, what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how have you addressed them? As a global operator, I have encountered a variety of challenges during my tenure, ranging from economic downturns and geopolitical factors to civil wars and coups, but my approach has always been the same – take a deep breath and find a solution. The Gulftainer l have helped create has learned to be fluid and can diversify our customer base and cargo types to mitigate the impact of market volatility by reducing our dependence on a single industry or region. The continuous expansion and modernization of our infrastructure was another approach we used to meet changing and growing demands from customers through making substantial investments in our terminals, equipment and technology. We’ve invested in advanced terminal operating systems, automation and data analytics to overcome any challenges in operational efficiency and ability to provide real-time shipping information to our customers. Sustainability has become a paramount concern for our industry. We’ve implemented eco-friendly practices, reducing emissions and exploring renewable energy options. Our commitment to sustainability aligns with the expectations of our customers and stakeholders. Looking ahead, what are some opportunities you see for GT USA, and how do you plan to capitalize on them? There are several exciting opportunities on the horizon for Gulftainer USA. Central Florida’s population and economy are experiencing rapid expansion, leading to increased demand for goods. We recognize a significant opportunity to serve as a vital logistics gateway to this thriving market. Our plan involves further expansion of our infrastructure, increasing capacity and enhancing efficiency to accommodate the expected surge in imports and exports. The ongoing e-commerce boom is reshaping the logistics landscape. We are poised to capitalize on this trend by offering tailored solutions for e-commerce companies, including efficient last-mile delivery options. To achieve this, we will continue to invest in cutting-edge technology and forge strategic partnerships to streamline e-commerce logistics and meet the evolving needs of online retailers. Building on our strong and lasting partnerships, we will actively seek strategic collaborations that expand our network, diversify our suite of solutions and reinforce our market position. To this end, our aim is to strengthen a customer-centric approach, which remains a top priority to drive our growth and innovation, that will create a real value proposition for our customers and prospects. We are presently looking at four other Ports and Logistics opportunities in the USA. As a CEO, how do you ensure that you’re always ahead of industry trends and shifts? In a dynamic and fast-paced industry such as supply chain and logistics, technology is the key driver for growth and opportunity. Several years ago, we embarked on an ambitious technology transformation strategy to implement innovations within IT, business procedures and engineering to achieve our goals. One of the notable achievements was the implementation of a bespoke Marine and Container Handling (MACH) Terminal I have encountered a variety of challenges during my tenure, ranging from economic downturns and geopolitical factors to civil wars and coups, but my approach has always been the same – take a deep breath and find a solution.
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 14 - - FEATURED WINNER - Operating System (TOS). This system revolutionized how we operated our terminals, laying the foundation for further automation, including IoT, predictive analytics and mobility. The focus on technological innovations is paramount to meet customer expectations, deliver real-time shipping and cargo tracking information, as well as enhance seamless shipping. Gulftainer launched the “future of ports challenge,” aiming to identify groundbreaking and highly disruptive technologies that could redefine the supply chain and logistics industry. On the automation front, Gulftainer has executed projects involving Robotic Process Automation (RPA), IoT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analytics and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technologies for terminal operations. To achieve this, my experienced team and I rely on datadriven insights to track market trends, customer behaviors and competitive dynamics. This data-driven approach helps us make informed strategic decisions. At Gulftainer, we foster a culture of learning and innovation, to stay relevant to the industry trends. As always, we actively listen to our customers’ feedback. It is a top priority to understand their changing needs and incorporate their insights into our strategic planning. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career, and how has it shaped your leadership style? The best piece of advice l have received is to always respect people and, in particular, your workforce. People often ask how we achieve the results we do. How do we reach the productivity levels that keep Gulftainer recognized as one of the most productive port operators in the world? My reply is simple – my employees and the pride they have in what they do. The whole work ethos of the Gulftainer Group is based on pride in what we do. I’ve learned that if I want my team to be dedicated, collaborative and innovative, I must demonstrate these foundations myself. This sets a high standard for everyone to follow. Effective leaders communicate clearly and openly. By practicing transparent and honest communication in my own interactions, I encourage the same from my team. This helps promote a culture of open dialogue and demonstrates a strong commitment to our mission and vision. Leading by example is another element I stress. It encourages a culture of accountability within the organization, where everyone feels responsible for their actions and outcomes. In essence, the advice to “lead by example” has shaped my leadership style by emphasizing the importance of authenticity, consistency and personal accountability. It reminds me that my actions as a leader have a significant impact on the organisational culture, employee morale, and overall success. Given the current trajectory, where do you see GT USA and CCT in the next 5-10 years? The future is extremely positive for GT USA, and I envision significant growth and development for both Gulftainer USA and Canaveral Container Terminal (CCT) over the next 5 to 10 years. Gulftainer will continue to expand its footprint across the USA, exploring potential new investment opportunities on the South, East, and West Coasts. We anticipate further expansion of CCT’s infrastructure to accommodate the increasing demand for containerized cargo. This expansion will include the addition of berths, container storage areas and modern equipment to handle larger vessels efficiently. Our commitment to technology will continue to drive our operations. We foresee the integration of advanced automation, artificial intelligence and data analytics to optimize cargo handling, improve efficiency and enhance customer service. Sustainable business is another important area of interest for Gulftainer. We will further reduce our environmental footprint through investments in renewable energy, ecofriendly practices and emission reduction initiatives. This will allow us to adapt to changing trade dynamics and environment. We will strengthen our position as an end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions provider in the region. Forging strategic partnerships and alliances that extend our network, broaden our niche trade solutions and enhance our regional and international footprint. By staying agile, embracing technology, fostering partnerships and nurturing our talent, we are well-prepared to thrive in the evolving supply chain and logistics landscape in the years to come. The whole work ethos of the Gulftainer Group is based on pride in what we do. I’ve learned that if I want my team to be dedicated, collaborative and innovative, I must demonstrate these foundations myself. This sets a high standard for everyone to follow.
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 16 - Manoj Padhi Founder at Fan’sGlobal dba 4FANZ� “The year 2023 will be remembered as the year when a tiny company - Fan’sGlobal SocialNGN LLC. dba 4FANZ� - came up with a Next Generation Idea of More Human Less Web (MHLW) based services and challenged the No Human Everything Web (NHEW) based Services offered by all BigTech companies.” More Human Less Web (Patent Pending) (MHLW) Services – True Next Generation FANSIAL� Services The year 2023 would be remembered as the year when the Web or App Only services provided by Big Tech companies were challenged by a giant idea that is superior - More Human Less Web – a Next Generation Service Category called FANSIAL� Services by a company Fan’sGlobal SocialNGN LLC dba 4FANZ (For Fans) Background: Today we are equipped with cutting else technologies like AI and BigData Analytics in Cloud and yet closing eyes to problems we face on daily basis. In greed to increase user registrations, Big Tech companies who got millions and billions of users really don’t know how many genuine, bot or fake profiles they have and yet provide services like Facebook Market Place, Twitter (now X) Messaging etc. X might soon provide Everything as a Service to twitter users with lot of fake profiles and bots. The point we are trying to make is – in a real world, when bad guys are caught they are put in jail – what happens when bad guys target us while using the services in internet? Nothing. Let’s discuss a true incident with specifics. We had placed a too good to be true order on Facebook market place – Facebook order number 324255866784894 from a user Ryabb Prieto who had joined in Facebook in 2021. We placed the order trusting the bold claim - “Facebook has you covered”. The item was shipped, tracked but when delivery date came – was never delivered. FedEx won’t share delivery details with buyers who have never received the product, unless the seller authorizes!! A great incentive by FedEx to commit fraud! The seller went in to silence mode because she or he was a fraudster. A claim was made to Facebook and the claim number 5132746416849627 has gone to indefinite review. The claim was opened on 28 September 2023. What is the lesson from the above? Facebook was a web service specifically designed for connecting friends and since there are lot THE NEXT GENERATION OF SERVICES CAN’T BE JUST ONE APP OR WEBSITE www.fanzglobal.com
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 17 - of users, it started a Market Place disregarding the concerns of buyers. In the above transaction we have lost $280. Similar frauds would most likely be taking place when the Everything App by X is launched. And the fun part is – the companies are only focusing on how to sell more without showing any concern for buyer’s remorse i.e. a Buyer pays and never get the product. Google, Facebook and Amazon have grown in to something like an ocean, where no businesses can establish themselves as a brand and always depend on a random sales based on luck or by chance. In Amazon Market Place, many businesses have to offer free stuff to users to get reviews assuming some users will buy if there is a good review. We know, unlike our city and streets, internet is unguarded without a gatekeeper and police. As per commonsense, when we know that our streets are unguarded, we need to have a stronger access policy for our home. We can’t let anyone enter our
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 18 - - FEATURED WINNER - home without validating credentials. For some strange reasons, BigTech companies didn’t follow real world best practices and made registration simpler and no verification needed. The BigTech companies always stay focused on quantity of users and not quality of users because investors love the words billions and millions of users. When BigTech companies with billions of users don’t verify users and promote them as seller by offering protection to buyer, we all are targeted, harmed and scammed by viruses, Trojans, spams , phishing and often lose our ordered items, bank balance and even life. In the aforesaid transaction, the bad guys invented, how to not ship the item they sold and had shown to Facebook that the item was delivered by FedEx, which is not true. Facebook will probably investigate forever because the volume of such fraud may be millions. The above transaction was $280.00 and imagine, if millions of users get scammed on daily basis and Facebook is not paying back their money in spite of a prior-commitment to protection, this should be a class action law suit but no one knows who else got scammed? The Solution is Talent Promotion as a FANSIAL� Service We are going to demonstrate the chain reaction of Talent Promotion as a FANSIAL� Service aka TPaaFS. In 2020, we announced the FANSIAL� Network as a Fan-Talent-Business centric collaboration network where Internet was Zoned and various roles and domains were attached to those zones. See the image below. Then, we had to zero in on an interdependent mutually beneficial business model to generate funds for talent promotion and building several web based premium listing and fan commerce sites around the premium domains in 36 different zones as shown in the above Wheel of Wonder diagram that shows the 36 zones. We made these web services complementary so that we don’t ever end up in being greedy like other Big Tech Companies.. These services are complementary for only those companies who believe in promoting local talents or at least any Talent. Those who refuse to promote, they can’t be part of our Premium Domain as a FANSIAL� Service aka PDaaFS. In order to keep the PDaaFS a premium service and to keep bad guys away, we have decided to keep this listing and Fan Commerce FANSIAL services complementary so that when we notice fraud or abuse, we simply can off board the sellers or buyers without any legal repercussions. No subscription, no case. After death of yellow pages, the search engines ruled for decades until the emergence of the Premium (Domain) Listing as a FANSIAL� Service by 4FANZ� in 2023 aka More Human Less Web Service. Here Businesses no longer need to depend only on a “No Human Web Only” service provided by Big Tech companies with billions of users. They have now given choice to sponsor talent focused smaller events for one year and let the Anchors, Talents talk good things about that Business for one year. Many businesses considered this as a super lucrative launching year deal where “When you pay money to talk a non-human like Facebook to promote your business, you can never be a brand. When other people, whom you have helped or benefitted directly or indirectly, talk about your business when you are not present, you are a brand. When you don’t sponsor events, why would someone talk about your business?”
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 19 - - FEATURED WINNER - for $500, they get introduced to event attendees, get interview opportunities, get a business pitch with a cool banner design and above all get listed in an appropriate premium domain. In addition to this, there are different tiers, when we do shows in theatre, they get a product or service demo space or virtual booth space on our premium listing space to show case their product and services. Let us see. How did we validate this Business Model? Watch a few videos at https://dbp.4fanz.com and also listen to the Radio Promos that we did to get attention of corporate sponsors. We took over managing a defunct talent meetup music loving group n 2019, named that DBP and started organizing events (DBP Shows) at various Restaurants after COVID ended. Once we had a passionate crowd around 50 or more we announced an annual sponsorship at $500 for small businesses and $5000 or more for big corporates. Our event anchors talked about our sponsors and even interviewed them before our audience. We created active WhatsApp groups where the members stayed connected daily basis and they even formed smaller groups themselves related to music or lunchdine out. Potential sponsors visited our events and watched music loving crowd performing. They felt obligated to sponsor such smaller events that big profit-seeking promotors would never do. We have returned the favor by talking about their contribution to talent promotion. Is not this like chicken-egg dependency? You may note that our goal is not to get more signups for our web services but get more and more sponsors onboard and utilize at least 50% of the sponsorship amount towards advance booking Theatres for whole year, Lease or Build Reality TV Studios so that even on weekdays we can create contents. If you take a look at the image, we have many other services where we use power of Artificial Intelligence to offer FanCash where $100 bill can have up to $120 buying power because of our algorithms of GrowMoney.AI. We are still gathering trading data as follows to improve our Daily Income and invest the amount for a day using AI – risk is all ours and buyers are awarded a proportionate income of the day. With AI in action with our researched algorithms, losing money is a rare possibility. In FanCash Commerce as a FANSIAL� Service. What is the point in having power of AI in our hands and not able to grow our money. We are a research driven innovative company and we do things that others don’t do or can. not do. In 2024, about 30 to 40 of our premium Domain Listing Services would go live along with our LatterBox� as a FANSIAL� Service and we will be spreading to almost all the cities. If in your city, you don’t have TPaaS or PDaaFS write to us at joe@4fanz.com.
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 20 - Bill Frame CEO and Chairman of the Board at Kidder Mathews Bill Frame has navigated a distinguished path in the commercial real estate sector, culminating in his current role as CEO and Chairman of the Board at Kidder Mathews. Beginning in the early ‘90s and progressing through a series of strategic roles, his insights have helped shape the company’s trajectory. In this interview, we explore Frame’s journey, his perspective on leadership, the distinct characteristics of the West Coast market, and the essence of success in a highly competitive industry. Join us as we delve into the professional ethos and strategic vision that Frame brings to one of the leading commercial real estate firms on the West Coast. www.kidder.com
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 21 - Bill, can you start by giving us a brief overview of your journey in the commercial real estate industry leading up to your role at Kidder Mathews? I started as an agent in the Seattle market with Cushman & Wakefield in 1990. I then went to Kidder Mathews with a team of three in 1993. During my tenure as an agent in 2000, I became the managing director of our South Puget Sound office and a member of the Kidder Mathews board of directors until I took over the presidency role in October of 2016. Then in 2020, I assumed the role of CEO and Chairman of the Board. What inspired you to pursue a career in commercial real estate? I started my career in finance and accounting in 1987 working for Evergreen International Airlines. One of my responsibilities was securing real estate at various airports around the world, which led to an introduction to Trammell Crow of the Trammell Crow development company. He opened my eyes to the dynamic commercial real estate industry, which motivated me to make the career change. As CEO of Kidder Mathews, how would you describe your leadership style, and how has it evolved over the years? My leadership style is all about decision-making, efficiency, trust, and accountability. I achieve this through instilling confidence in our leadership by recognizing our successes and failures. We celebrate the successes and work relentlessly on taking corrective action toward our failures. When managers are given the flexibility to problem solve and make decisions, their confidence grows, and with that comes accountability and a more efficient organization. Leaders often have a mix of innate qualities and learned skills. Which leadership traits do you believe you were born with, and which did you consciously develop over time? I am not sure I was born with these traits, but I certainly learned about decision-making, a strong work ethic, focus, clear communication, fairness, determination, and an aggressive “will to win” from my parents (Bill and Nancy) at a very early age. The number one trait I have consciously developed over time is effective communication. People respond much better when you talk “with” them, not “to” them. CEOs often speak about the loneliness at the top. How do you handle the pressures and isolation of the CEO role? Yes, it is often lonely at the top, especially when you have almost “When managers are given the flexibility to problem solve and make decisions, their confidence grows, and with that comes accountability and a more efficient organization.”
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 22 - 1,000 people and their families relying on you every day to do the “right thing.” However, it is not nearly as lonely when you surround yourself with very capable senior leadership (most notably Brian Hatcher, our President & COO) and empower them to problem solve and make decisions. In what ways do you actively foster a culture of growth and continuous learning within your team? We have a high priority toward succession planning at Kidder Mathews. In turn, that fosters a culture of learning as much as possible about your area of responsibility, which results in striving to become a more comprehensive manager and eventually leading to career advancement. From your perspective, what are the unique challenges and opportunities of the commercial real estate market on the West Coast compared to other regions? The major drivers of West Coast commercial real estate are the Pacific Northwest and the State of California. To that end, our challenge is to continue to draw interest from the industry to locate and invest in these markets to remain competitive amongst regions beyond the West Coast such as Texas, the Carolinas, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. When you have major employment The significant increase in foreign and institutional funds has greatly enhanced investment across the commercial real estate landscape in multifamily, Class A office, and industrial space.
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - FEATURED WINNER - - 23 - and investment in certain areas, it leads to economic growth, which generates commercial real estate opportunities not only for those markets but also for the surrounding regions on the West Coast. How has the West Coast commercial real estate landscape transformed during your tenure with Kidder Mathews? The advancement of technology, life sciences, e-commerce, and the influx of foreign and institutional investment have transformed West Coast commercial real estate. The rapid development and corresponding expansion of technology and life sciences has created a need for intellectual capital, resulting in an enormous appetite for employment for both urban and suburban office space. E-commerce, in addition to employment, has created a major uptick in the need for strategically located warehouse space. The significant increase in foreign and institutional funds has greatly enhanced investment across the commercial real estate landscape in multifamily, Class A office, and industrial space. Lastly, with your vast experience in the industry, how would you summarize the essence of your success in commercial real estate, particularly in the vibrant and competitive West Coast market? Kidder Mathews’ and my success is directly related to the performance of our people, be it in revenue generation or administration. On the revenue generation side, we have brokerage, property management, and valuation consulting. Those three revenue streams have obtained success through employee/agent retention and recruiting as well as geographic, product type, and client diversification. On the admin/management side we have achieved success through our conviction of accountability, delegation, empowerment, analysis (inspect what you expect), clear direction, communication, financial responsibility, decision-making, fairness, and being solution-oriented all inside a professional, fun, and respectful work environment. The bottom line is that our employees/agents and clients want to work with people that they know, like, and trust, and that is the culture that we strive for every day at Kidder Mathews. “Our employees/ agents and clients want to work with people that they know, like, and trust, and that is the culture that we strive for every day at Kidder Mathews.” “When you have major employment and investment in certain areas, it leads to economic growth, which generates commercial real estate opportunities”
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 25 - - INDEX - INTRODUCING THE WINNERS.... IT SERVICES Abhijit Phanse United Layer BUSINESS SERVICES Adam H. Stedham GP Strategies FOOD & BEVERAGE Adam Romo Eatzi’s Market & Bakery INSURANCE Adam Shaw Builders Protection Group AI TECHNOLOGY Alexander Colosivschi Currux Vision CLOUD BASED SOLTUIONS Alexandra Alias Avaya CLOUD SOLUTIONS ALSCO MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURING Andrew Simpson HeartSciences
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 26 - - INDEX - LEGAL SERVICES Andy Crouppen Brown and Crouppen Law Firm SECURITY SERVICES Anthony Camilleri Jr. USA Security Services Corporation CYBERSECURITY Anthony M. Irudhayanathan Zillion Technologies NONPROFIT Arthur Blank Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation SOFTWARE Arun Kumar Kerika CYBERSECURITY Benny Czarny OPSWAT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Bill Frame Kidder Mathews INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION Blake Moret Rockwell Automation 32 20 ENGINEERING Bradley DeWolf Bolton & Menk FINANCIAL SERVICES Brett Martinez Redwood Credit Union CONSUMER FINANCIAL SERVICES Brian Doubles Synchrony HEALTHCARE PROVIDER Carl S. Armato Novant Health PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES Charles Lambert Charles Lambert Divisions ENGINEERING Christian J. Agulles PAE Engineers SOLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS Christopher Kemper Palmetto Clean Technology, Inc. ACCOUNTING & CONSULTING SOLUTIONS Corey Troutman Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting Solutions, Inc. 34
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 27 - - INDEX - 44 HEALTHCARE Courtnay Thompson Select Health of South Carolina MANUFACTURING CY Zheng Sanhua North America REAL ESTATE Dan Leigh Corman Leigh STEEL David B. Burritt United States Steel MEDICINES MANUFACTURING David Ricks Eli Lilly and Company IT SOLUTIONS Donald Weaver Weaver Technologies/ McCollum Technologies CONSTRUCTION Doug Bauer Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. Toll Brothers, Inc. CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Duane Cook Right Angle Solutions, Inc. SUPPLY CHAIN Eddie Capel Manhattan Associates LEGACY PLANNING & WEALTH MANAGEMENT Enzo Calamo Lugen Family Office ENGINEERING CONSULTING Eric Soederberg Sunrise Labs, Inc TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS Gar Grannell Mohawk Global INSURANCE Gary C. Bhojwani CNO Financial Group CYBERSECURITY SOFTWARE George Kurtz CrowdStrike DATA ANALYSIS Glen Brown Global Accountancy Institute, Inc. 36 38 42 40 46
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 28 - - INDEX - BIOTECHNOLOGY Gregory D. Kunst Aurion Biotech TECHNOLOGY Heather Brunner WP Engine CREATIVE MARKETING & BRANDING Jahna Eichel The Creative Agency PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT James Chang Ponderosa Land Development Company AUTOMOTIVE James Miller Georgia Avenue Body Shop, Inc. SOLAR ENERGY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER Janet Foots Solarugreen HEALTHCARE Janice Nevin ChristianaCare ENERGY AND UTILITIES Jerry Norcia DTE Energy BUSINESS CONSULTING Jim Talerico Greater Prairie Business Consulting, Inc. PAYMENTS SOLUTIONS John Kucyk Merchant Lynx Services BANKING John McDearman III Wilson Bank & Trust MANUFACTURING Jonathan Coors CoorsTek FINANCIAL SERVICES Jonathan Wilk CompoSecure, LLC TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS L. Pierre de Rochemont Frontier NanoSystems, LLC PAYMENT SYSTEM INNOVATION Lara O’Connor Hodgson NOW Corp TRAINING, NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTATION Larry Pepe 56 54 52 50 48
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 29 - - INDEX - ENERGY Leo Denault Entergy Corporation COACHING SERVICES Madeleine Blanchard Ken Blanchard REAL ESTATE Mahbod Nia Veris Residential INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY Manoj Padhi Fan’sGlobal dba 4FANZ� MANAGEMENT CONSULTING Margaret Rogers Pariveda Solutions SOLAR ENERGY Mark Richardson US Light Energy SOFTWARE Marty Vanderploeg Workiva FINTECH Melissa Smith WEX, Inc RECYCLING Michael Buzard Beverage Destruction Service, Inc. CALIBRATION SERVICES Olivier Delrieu Trescal METALS Peter Matt Commercial Metals Company INTERNATIONAL PORTS & LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS Peter Richards Gulftainer CLOUD TRANSFORMATION & DATA ANALYTICS Raj Babu Agilisium PHARMACEUTICALS Reshma Kewalramani Vertex Pharmaceuticals HOSPITALITY Rick Cardenas Darden Restaurants RISK ADVISORY Robert Penshorn Deloitte 66 64 62 8 60 14 58
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 30 - - INDEX - INSURANCE Rusty Reid Higginbotham CONSTRUCTION Ryan Marshall PulteGroup, Inc. SOFTWARE Sam Khashman Imagine Software BIOTECHNOLOGY Saqib Islam SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. FURNITURE MANUFACTURING Sara E. Armbruster Steelcase INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE EQUITY Scott Dahnke LCatterton NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Sean Browne Prolific LOGISTICS Shane Sinnemon Spice Logistics, LLC HEALTHCARE RECRUITMENT Sharon Collier Five Starr Healthcare Staffing, LLC MARKETING & ADVERTISING Shawn Riegsecker Basis Technologies ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING Shelley Hines DCG Environmental, LLC CANNABINOID BIOTECH DEVELOPMENT Sohail Zaidi Ananda Scientific FINANCIAL SERVICES Steve Booth Robert W. Baird & Co. TRUCKING SERVICES Steven Fisk Slidell Moving and Storage GOVERNMENT Steven Lawrence Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority 68 70 72 74
CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - 31 - - INDEX - UTILITIES Susan Hardwick American Water Works, Inc. RELOCATION CONSULTING Sylvia Ehrlich Intrepid Relocation International NATURAL HEALTH & WELLNESS Terrence Moorehead Nature’s Sunshine PHARMACEUTICALS Tim Walbert Horizon Therapeutics HEALTHCARE Todd LaPorte HonorHealth INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Tom Leighton Akamai Technologies OIL & GAS Vicki Hollub Occidental Petroleum Corporation BANKING Vincent Delie, Jr First National Bank 80 78 76 CEO T O D A Y BUSINESS WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2024 VOTING OPEN Click Here to Submit Your Vote www.ceotodaymagazine.com
ABOUT ARUN KUMAR Arun Kumar is the founder and CEO of Kerika, a privately held software firm that has developed a task management and team collaboration app that’s designed specially to meet the needs of distributed teams. Kerika is used by people around the world, ranging from children in middle schools to global manufacturers and government agencies, to manage their work and get more done. Mr Kumar is also an inventor, who has been awarded two US patents for inventing nested collaboration spaces. At Kerika he leads the product design and customer success efforts, while also overseeing a distributed workforce with team members in the United States and India. Prior to founding Kerika, Mr Kumar had a long and successful career in the software, consulting, and financial services industries. He led Morgan Stanley’s efforts to create the Jiway stock exchange in London, which was the world’s first cross-border exchange with an integrated back office that brokers across Europe were able to use to drastically lower the cost of buying and selling shares across borders. He has also served as a nonexecutive director of a software firm based in Stockholm. Mr Kumar started his career in the software industry, as a user interface developer at storied Bell Labs, before moving into consulting. He has built and led teams in New York, London, Stockholm, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Mr Kumar was educated at The Doon School, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and Washington State University. CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - WASHINGTON - - 32 -
Kerika is a privately held software firm, based in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah, that focuses exclusively on helping distributed teams get more done. Its app is the only task management app that was designed from the beginning to meet the collaboration and coordination needs of teams that are distributed across multiple locations -- Kerika’s focus on distributed and remote teams long predates Covid. We want to bring modern, effective methodologies from industries like software and manufacturing to the more general white-collar world of knowledge workers in corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Kerika has popularized the use of Kanban boards, which originated with automobile manufacturing, to environments as diverse as school classrooms, professional services firms, and even government agencies. In nearly all cases, our customers had never used a visual task management and collaboration tool before; they came from a world of overflowing email inboxes and spreadsheets. Our product has the best user experience in the industry, and this has made it easy for non-technical people to quickly come up to speed with the idea of Task Boards. It’s not often that you will find an app that’s useful and usable enough to cover the needs of people as diverse as Arun Kumar Founder and CEO of Kerika school children in the Canary Islands, global automotive manufacturers, and government officials. Kerika is headquartered in the United States and relies upon a global team that spans several countries, with software development based in India. Over 80% of our users are from non-English speaking countries so we started an AI-based program to create versions of our app in dozens of languages. We have always believed in the idea that all high-performing teams will eventually become global teams, and so from the start we organized ourselves as a distributed team that spans many time zones and languages. And from the beginning we have believed in the concept of “eating your own dog food” and we used the Kerika app to run our entire business, effectively “using Kerika to build Kerika”. As a small company with dozens of larger competitors, Kerika relies very much on great product design to differentiate itself in the increasingly crowded market, and nearly all of its user growth has come from word-of-mouth: until recently, we did no marketing at all. What we hear consistently from our users is that Kerika is the easiest project and task management app that they have ever tried. And that’s what we are all about. ABOUT KERIKA CONTACT Kerika, Inc. PO Box 514 Issaquah, Washington 98027 United States +1-425-200-4185 info@kerika.com www.kerika.com “From the beginning we have believed in the concept of “eating your own dog food” and we used the Kerika app to run our entire business, effectively “using Kerika to build Kerika.” CEO Today USA Awards 2023 - WASHINGTON - - 33 -
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