RHR International

New RHR International Blog Site

The blog site for RHR International can now be found on the company's website at www.rhrinternational.com.

High-Potential Program Increases Bench Strength

The management team of a construction material producer was going through a period of transition. This 40-year client of RHR had just promoted an internal candidate who then invited RHR to review the company’s current management needs. One of the company’s key concerns was succession planning. Two senior executives had recently retired and a number of high potentials at the next level had already been absorbed into new assignments. As a result, the company’s leadership bench was thin.

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What makes a leader great?

Canadian HR Reporter TV interviewed Dr. Richard Davis on his book, “The Intangibles of Leadership.”

View Video.

RHR International Headquarters Moves to Chicago Landmark

RHR International announced today that its corporate office has relocated from its previous setting in the western suburbs to one of the most prestigious addresses in Chicago – 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 9500, Chicago, Illinois  60606. The new headquarters are located on the 95th floor of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), considered to be the preeminent office address in Chicago and one of the premier properties in the world.

“This move reinforces our philosophy of being a market facing organization,” said Dr. Thomas J. Saporito, Chairman and CEO of RHR International. “It is my belief that our corporate center should reside in the midst of the center of commerce and I believe this location will represent us well.”

Joining the corporate staff at the new address will be the partners of the firm’s Chicago office under the direction of Dr. Grant Levitan. The Chicago office was previously located in the Civic Opera House building in Chicago.

The main telephone number for both the corporate and Chicago office is (312) 924-0800.

Visit RHR International’s website.

Management Makeover Makes Money

A consumer products company was mired down after a series of Private Equity ownerships and leadership changes. The relatively new CEO faced a number of operational challenges including:    1) a strong but largely ineffective core business; 2) a small business unit with a flat market and no plan; 3) critical new product projects that required flawless execution to succeed; and 4) increasing pressure from offshore competitors. RHR International was called in to conduct an extensive management and organizational audit designed to create a leadership team capable of delivering on the organization’s profit potential.

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Conflict Resolution Salvages Manager’s Position

A packaged goods company faced a dilemma with a very bright, middle-aged manager.  While upper management valued his technical expertise and job performance, his team members frequently complained to senior executives about his leadership style.  RHR International was asked to evaluate the problem and suggest a course of action which would resolve the tension within the work group.

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Structured Integration Program Reduces Turnover

A global leader in food and facility management services found that the turnover rate for external hires in their executive ranks was over 25%. The expense created by a constant cycle of recruiting, training and replacing was proving costly, not to mention the loss in productivity while a stream of managers worked their way through the system.  The company turned to RHR International to create a process which would facilitate the integration of executives into the corporate culture and improve the retention rate.   

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Long Term Succession Planning Takes a Turn

A large, privately owned company in the industrial research and manufacturing industry was planning for the retirement of its beloved CEO. The talent pool was deep at the senior management level and many of the organization’s executives considered themselves worthy of being chosen for the position. Within a year of beginning the selection process, however, the respected leader became ill and was forced to step aside. The Chief Operating Officer, with two years to go until retirement, was placed in the chief executive role on an interim basis. Faced with numerous contenders, and without the guidance of the former leader, he asked RHR International to review the company’s succession plan and make recommendations on how to select the best person for the top position without alienating the remaining internal candidates, all of whom were considered valuable assets.

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Action Learning Projects Add Seasoning

A global food industry company had a large group of high potential executives who needed practical experience in a wide range of disciplines including leadership, strategy, competitive dynamics, and finance.  The perception was that the next generation of management did not yet have the skills and behaviors needed to effectively operate existing businesses and imminent new acquisitions. The company was also experiencing difficulties with a variety of unresolved strategic issues.  RHR International was challenged with providing a solution which would efficiently address both situations.

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VC Firm Seeks Answers to CEO Transition Conflict

A venture capital organization had a significant interest in a promising software firm in Silicon Valley. As members of the board of directors, they were witnessing problems occurring as the leadership transitioned from the CEO/Founder to a new CEO. The VCs were unsure what the root of the problem was, but they suspected that the founder was having problems letting go of the company. They contacted RHR International to assist them in understanding and resolving the issues before they could impact the business.

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