Redefining Influence, Leading with Vision
There is a radical transformation happening in the way leaders are developing and showing
leadership, and how those leaders are laying the foundation for a new style of leadership that is progressive in nature yet essential as a requirement. These progressive leaders don't follow the traditional rules of leadership. They build cultures that embrace innovation and compassion in equal measure.Insteadofmeasuringtheirsuccessthroughthelensofpasttransactionalapproaches,theymeasure theirsuccessbytheirabilitytobuildculturesthatareresilientandinclusiveandproducelong-termresults. They share with each other via collaboration through their ecosystems of work or collaborative networks, based on a shared vision, and not on individual self-interest.Additionally, these are extraordinary leaders who have created a new way of approaching future development and implementation of long-term strategies that include both forward-thinking and ability to adapt in the face of immediate obstacles.Their influence on aspects of the world extend beyond the boardroom and industry, to impact community development,andprovideanexampleofwhatthefuturecouldlooklike.
AtCIOViews,wehonortheseempoweringleadersbydedicatingthisissuetitled“The10BusinessMinds Defining the Next Era of Leadership, 2026” to them. Featuring as the cover story, we have covered the successful&motivatingjourneyofValerioMatanò,ExecutiveChairman&FounderofPromoitaliaGroup. WehavealsoincludedtheinspiringstoriesofKestutisPagalys,CEOofUABServermall;MathieuGorge, CEOofVigiTrust;Dr.BradfordL.Sims,PresidentofCapitolTechnologyUniversity;RossRomano,CEO & Founder of September Strategies LLC; Darya Yegorina, CEO of CleverBooks; Agapol Na Songkhla, Chief People Officer at Thai Beverage PLC; Victoria Jenkins, Founder & CEO of Unhidden; Ben Granje, CEOofVFB;andFrankCorcoran,CEOofSierraVistaHospital.
CIOViews is a business magazine that mainly focuses on business leaders, their journey, views on current economic states, and all other relevant subjects that refer to the business world. Our goal is to be a leading sourceofinformationdedicatedtoprovidingourreaderswithdetailedperspectivesandviewsofsuccessful business leaders who are transforming the business outlook and redefining their goals. With exclusive editionsonvariousindustrieslikesoftware,education,healthcare,technology,realestate,andmanymore, CIOViewsisdriventopromoteexcellenceintheworldofbusiness.
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“THE
10. Valerio Matanò
22. Kestutis Pagalys
Mathieu Gorge 28.
Dr. Bradford L. Sims 32.
Ross Romano 38.
Darya Yegorina 42.
Agapol Na Songkhla 46.
Victoria Jenkins 54.
Ben Granje 58. Frank Corcoran 62.
THE INTERVIEW
uilding a successful company often requires the ability to recognize opportunities where others see uncertainty. It also demands the patience to adapt and evolve while maintaining a longterm vision despite changing markets and emerging challenges. Few understand this balance better than Valerio Matanò
As Executive Chairman and Founder of Promoitalia Group, Valerio Matanò has not only led the growth of one of the most dynamic companies in the beauty and aesthetic medicine industry, but has also witnessed the profound transformations of the market—from evolving consumer expectations to advances in science and technology that have opened new possibilities in beauty and wellness.
International expansion and business growth represent only part of his journey. Equally fundamental to his success have been his commitment to building lasting relationships, his constant pursuit of innovation, and his contribution to positive social change. Over the years, Valerio Matanò has developed exceptional expertise and a deep understanding of the aesthetic medicine market. Leadership, perseverance, scientific research, and the ability to keep an organization relevant in an everchanging environment are among the keys to Promoitalia's success.
In this interview, Valerio Matanò reflects on the experiences that have shaped his path, the values that continue to guide his decisions, and his vision for the future of an industry destined for continued growth.
What personal experiences have shaped your vision as the leader of Promoitalia Group?
My journey began long before the founding of Promoitalia. At nineteen, I made the difficult decision to leave home and build my own path. It was not easy, but that experience taught me resilience, independence, and the importance of taking responsibility for my own choices.
Around the same time, I entered the field of aesthetic medicine, which was still in its early stages. I had the privilege of growing alongside this industry, witnessing its transformation and contributing to its evolution.
Those experiences shaped my leadership philosophy. I learned that success is never accidental—it is the result of curiosity, perseverance, and the courage to pursue a vision before others recognize its potential.
Promoitalia was built on those values. To me, leadership means inspiring people to believe in possibilities, embrace innovation, and constantly strive to create something meaningful that improves the lives of others.
How has your professional journey prepared you for leading a global company?
I never approached my career with the sole ambition of becoming a CEO. Instead, I focused on learning every aspect of the business, understanding people, anticipating market needs, and building relationships based on trust.
I started from the ground up, working directly with physicians, distributors, and industry professionals around the world.
Operating in more than one hundred countries has taught me that leadership requires both consistency and adaptability. Different markets have different cultures, expectations, and challenges, but the principles of integrity, innovation, and excellence remain universal.
My experience has shown me that a global company cannot be managed from behind a desk. You must listen, travel, stay connected to market realities, and surround yourself with talented people who share a common purpose. More than anything else, that is what prepared me for this role.
What does success mean to you beyond financial growth and expansion?
Financial performance is important because it reflects the health and sustainability of a business, but it has never been my only measure of success.
To me, true success means creating a lasting and positive impact.
It means seeing our products improve people's confidence and well-being. It means witnessing the professional and personal growth of our team members. It means building a corporate culture that encourages innovation, loyalty, and collaboration.
Above all, it means knowing that what we do today will continue to make a difference tomorrow. Success is not simply about achieving results—it is about building something meaningful that outlives us.
How do you balance corporate leadership with your personal life?
Balance is not about dividing time equally; it is about being fully present in every area of life.
I am deeply passionate about my work, but I also recognize the importance of family, friendships, health, and those simple moments that bring joy.
I believe longevity is not only physical but also mental and emotional. Taking time to recharge, travel, enjoy good food, appreciate beauty, and reflect allows me to return to work with renewed energy and perspective.
Leadership is demanding, but it should never come at the expense of the values and relationships that define us as human beings.
THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I HAVE LEARNED IS SIMPLE:
What has been the most difficult decision you have faced as CEO?
One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is making decisions that prioritize long-term vision over short-term comfort.
Throughout my career, there have been times when I chose to invest in innovation before the market was ready to embrace it. Such decisions inevitably involve uncertainty and require conviction. I have learned that leadership is not about avoiding risks—it is about understanding which risks are worth taking.
Some of Promoitalia's most important innovations were initially met with skepticism. However, by remaining committed to scientific evidence, listening to the market, and believing in our vision, we were able to contribute to meaningful change within the industry.
Which aspect of your daily responsibilities excites you the most?
Without a doubt, working with people and creating new possibilities together.
No two days are ever the same. One moment I may be discussing scientific developments with experts, and the next I may be exploring new markets or planning future initiatives with my team.
What excites me most is transforming ideas into reality. Seeing a concept become a product, a strategy, or an initiative that generates benefits for professionals and patients is immensely rewarding.
Innovation is not a single event—it is a continuous process. And being part of that journey every day is one of the greatest privileges of my role.
V HACKER · BIOHACKING & LONGEVITY
What advice would you give to young leaders who want to make their mark in the beauty and wellness industry?
First, cultivate genuine curiosity. This industry evolves rapidly, and continuous learning is essential.
Second, remain authentic. It is easy to be influenced by others, but the greatest impact comes from pursuing your own vision.
Never underestimate the importance of people. Products and technologies are vital, but relationships, trust, and shared values are what build strong and enduring businesses.
Finally, be patient. Sustainable success rarely happens overnight.
Stay true to your purpose, adapt when necessary, and never lose sight of the reasons that inspired you to begin.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
When people reflect on my journey, I hope they will remember someone who had the courage to innovate, the determination to persevere, and the humility to recognize that no achievement is accomplished alone.
I would like my legacy to extend beyond products, patents, and corporate milestones.
I hope I have helped bring about a shift in perspective within our industry:
Above all, I hope Promoitalia will continue to inspire future generations of professionals to dream big, embrace change, and pursue excellence with integrity.
If I have contributed to creating a company and a culture capable of outlasting my career and continuing to improve people's lives around the world, then I will consider that my greatest achievement.
Looking Beyond Corporate Success
Over the decades, the beauty and wellness industry has undergone profound transformation. Throughout this evolution, Valerio Matanò has continued to embrace new ideas, promote a culture of continuous learning, and create lasting value for both the industry and the people who benefit from it.
The entrepreneurial spirit that has defined his journey continues to drive him toward new challenges and ambitions. His passion for innovation, integrity, and positive impact
demonstrates that true success is measured not only by financial results, but also by the ability to positively influence the lives of others.
Kestutis Pagalys is an experienced CEO at Servermall, with a strong background in management and leading teams across various organizational levels. In his current role as Director - B2B, he actively contributes to the company's project management strategies and plans, overseeing the entire operation encompassing sales, e-commerce/sales management, services, and pricing/invoicing. His expertise lies in building and managing high-performing teams that cater to diverse client needs, with a focus on ensuring customer satisfaction and fostering repeat business.
Kestutis effectively balances his CEO responsibilities with hands-on involvement in procurement activities. His day typically starts by reviewing emails and setting priorities for himself and the staff.
The fast-paced and demanding nature of his role requires him to be prepared for unexpected challenges and make the most of every minute. Kestutis thrives on the need to be both creative and technically proficient, leveraging these qualities to drive success in his position.
Throughout the day, Kestutis diligently oversees operations, with a particular emphasis on ensuring the timely dispatch of prepared orders. This underscores his commitment to efficient execution and meeting customer expectations.
Rediscovering Passion and ProfessionalAspirations
Kestutis' career journey before joining Servermall was characterized by unexpected turns. Initially working as an IT technician, he later transitioned to a sales role at Fujifilm. Although he achieved success in sales
KESTUTIS
and eventually became a commercial director, Kestutis realized that sales was not his true passion. This realization marked the beginning of his return to the IT field.
His path back to IT included a position as an IT manager at a government exhibition center. While
some may perceive his career path as convoluted, Kestutis believes that these experiences have actually reinforced his beliefs and professional aspirations. The twists and turns have provided him with valuable insights and a deeper understanding of his own goals and aspirations.
Building Trust and Unity
Kestutis believes that the most significant achievement for a business leader is establishing a trustworthy team. In order to foster unity, individuals must feel valued and understand the purpose behind their actions. It is crucial for the team members to collaborate harmoniously. Rather than competing for individual success, they should strive to be part of a supportive community. Kestutis does not subscribe to the notion of transforming work into an amusement park, as he believes that work should provide a healthy level of challenge to drive progress. However, it is important to recognize that people have diverse preferences, and this approach may not be suitable for everyone, including potential employees. Hence, Kestutis and the HR manager have the responsibility to find a middle ground that satisfies both the company's requirements and the employees' needs.
Perspective on Leadership, Mental Barriers, and Effective Communication
According to Kestutis, the presence of challenges is what makes work interesting and engaging. He believes that leaders do not emerge in environments devoid of problems. From his personal experience, he has found that the most formidable obstacles often stem from individuals' own mental barriers. Egos and internal limitations can hinder progress and prevent these barriers from being dismantled. It is not only one's personal challenges that need to be addressed but also those present in the minds of the people one interacts with on a daily basis.
Effectively communicating with others is yet another challenge that Kestutis emphasizes. Skillful
communication plays a crucial role in ensuring that everyone involved benefits from the interaction. By navigating these challenges adeptly, leaders can foster a conducive environment for growth and success.
Success through Exceptional Services
Servermall, a Lithuanian company, specializes in selling refurbished servers throughout Europe. It provides a wide selection of servers suitable for various tasks, offering a comprehensive range of IT equipment. With a strong focus on customer satisfaction, Servermall not only guarantees the highest quality of refurbished equipment but also strives to deliver exceptional service. From assisting customers in equipment
selection to ensuring prompt delivery and providing post-sales support, the company aims to set new standards in terms of both product quality and customer service.
As a trusted distributor and supplier of server and networking equipment, Servermall caters to the diverse needs and budgets of its customers by offering both brand new and refurbished options. The company's extensive services include remote or on-site support and maintenance, accompanied by a generous 5-year warranty on all products. Leveraging years of experience in refurbishing servers and possessing comprehensive knowledge of every component, Servermall fearlessly embraces projects of any complexity, demonstrating its expertise and
dedication to meeting customer requirements.
The success of Servermall can be attributed to its exceptional workforce and a distinct, yet courageous vision. The foundation of this achievement lies in a simple yet crucial formula, where each component plays a vital role.At Servermall, the management adheres to a people-centric approach that encompasses both employees and customers.
Internally, this approach entails understanding and accommodating the challenges faced by colleagues when encountering difficult tasks, ensuring that their situations are addressed without compromising overall productivity. Externally, Servermall demonstrates maximum
flexibility in resolving customer issues, whether they pertain to technical solutions, delivery logistics, support, or other aspects.
By establishing clear objectives, Servermall upholds high levels of quality and transforms numerous ambitions into reality. This unwavering commitment to clarity empowers the company to fearlessly undertake new projects, leveraging its expertise and resources to deliver exceptional outcomes.
While it currently provides free shipping across the EU, Servermall is steadily expanding its reach beyond Europe to connect with new customers inAsia and the Middle East.
Approaching to Supplier Collaboration
Kestutis, like many others in the IT industry, acknowledges the abundance of talented individuals and wonders if he has made any notable contributions. His approach to working with suppliers revolves around a modified win-win strategy. By prioritizing his company's needs
and goals, Kestutis adopts a selective approach when it comes to potential partners, a cautious stance influenced by past unfortunate experiences. The presence of reliable suppliers brings about significant time savings, allowing him to focus on productivity rather than spending countless hours negotiating minor discounts. While this approach may not be universally applicable, it proves particularly effective in the dynamic IT industry, characterized by fluctuating prices, demand, and availability. Establishing early communication with new suppliers can be challenging, as it sometimes takes up to two years to reach mutually beneficial terms, despite the fact that we are constantly trying to speed up and start processes as early as possible. However, partners who share a similar mindset and perspective appreciate the way Kestutis conducts his business, finding it suitable for their own endeavors.
Navigating Servermall's Global Expansion Journey
Kestutis believes that Servermall has promising prospects as a rapidly growing market player. The
company's ultimate aspiration is to achieve a global presence. While Servermall primarily operates within Europe, it is actively expanding its reach towards the east, gradually integrating into the Middle East and SouthAsia. This expansion wouldn't be possible without the invaluable support and collaboration of its local partners in these regions. These partnerships play a vital role in facilitating Servermall's entry into new markets and establishing a strong foothold beyond its European origins. He says, “The European market is now challenging us every day with piles of jobs to be done. But we are doing well, as our sales statistics show.”
As a leader, Kestutis recognizes the importance of efficiently scaling processes and seeks guidance on how to achieve this goal. When a company reaches a certain level of maturity, it may appear to operate smoothly without requiring additional effort. However, during the transitional phase, critical decisions need to be made regarding what aspects of the business to expand, when to expand, the appropriate size of expansion, and how to execute the expansion effectively. This journey of scaling is both lengthy and fascinating. It is important to note that each individual and company follows a unique path, making it challenging to provide definitive advice on what actions to take. Kestutis can only speak from personal experience and perspective. In his case, ambition, a human approach, self-discipline, and a desire to delve into the core of matters have proven invaluable. These qualities have allowed him to navigate challenges, maintain resilience over an extended period, and minimize susceptibility to manipulation.
The 2008 Great Recession forced students to look harder at what they were gaining from their investment in a university education. Now, the Covid19 pandemic has once again underscored the importance of jobs for students' post-graduation. That is why Dr. Bradford L. Sims is focusing on careers. The President of Capitol Technology University is known for helping organizations achieve greater success through vision, insight, and strategy. He is also an educator, administrator and construction project manager, and has extensive experience in academia as well as industry.
Started by a former US Navy Radioman in 1927, Capitol Technology University has a long history of teaching students how to build radios. It has been offering only STEM or STEM Management
degrees since then, helping students obtain degrees that are in demand. In May of 2017, Dr. Sims started a limited number of on-campus bachelor's degrees, several online master's degrees in a synchronous format, and two doctoral degrees. Since then, “we have added numerous degree programs at all levels that are based on industry needs,” he says “Our online programs are now available in an asynchronous format, and our large number of online doctoral degrees have students from around the world. We have a new, onground, apartment-style student living facility, and the existing facilities have been upgraded, as well.”
Before Joining Capitol Technology University
Prior to his appointment as Capitol's president, Dr. Sims was interim chancellor and chief academic officer
at Embry-RiddleAeronautical University's worldwide campus, based in Daytona Beach, FL.As chancellor, Dr. Sims had the responsibility of administrative and fiscal oversight of a complex, global academic institution that serves 22,000 students annually in 130 locations across the world.
As chief academic officer, Dr. Sims had the primary responsibility of ensuring the academic performance of the worldwide campus. He led and managed academic affairs at the campus, spearheaded scholarly and research activities, and led the expansion of over 20 new degree programs.
Before moving to Embry-Riddle, Dr. Sims was a dean and professor at Indiana State University.As the dean of the College of Technology, he was responsible for oversight of degree programs, human and fiscal resources,
DR. BRADFORD L. SIMS
President, Capitol Technology University
much impact on their mode of instruction. Most of the Masters and Doctoral students are parttime or fully employed individuals, and they were simultaneously adapting, in many cases, to working remotely for their employers; so continuing their education in a similar format was not a difficult change.
Dr. Sims adds, "While we already had the capitol commitment where if an undergraduate did not have a job in their area of study within 90 days of graduation, that they could complete a certificate for free. During the pandemic, we added more guarantees for our on-campus undergraduate students in 2021 with a minimum 50K salary upon graduation or their student loan payments would be repaid every quarter."
Keeping Responsibilities at University and at Home
One word that defines Dr. Sims is "inspired". Being in the position of President of Capitol Technology University, Dr. Sims is responsible for the overall strategic success of the university. His day is usually filled with meetings -- marketing and partnership meetings, and strategy efforts -- that provide communications across functional areas so that the whole staff can work to support the university efforts as one big team.
"My spouse and I have two daughters in high school and several pets. While I am accessible seven days a week as needed for work, I spend time every day with my family and frequently travel to see my parents or meet
friends and enjoy some downtime," says Dr. Sims.
Dr. Sims emphasizes that he leads a university that provides great careers for students and their families. It is his passion to provide support for these students so that they can become successful industry leaders. He enjoys the job as it fits with what he believes is important to society.
The Future of Capitol Technology University
According to Dr. Sims, the university will continue to expand its on-campus undergraduate degree programs and online bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs to support the needs of the industry. The university wants to keep producing and advancing what is needed from employers of the future. The university is very industry friendly, and employers are welcome to contact the university if there is need for a degree offering specialization in a particular area, and the university will work with them to build something if there is a gap. Dr. Sims states, "We can move quickly being a private nonprofit, and we use industry experienced instructors to keep the course content as current as possible."
"My personal goals for the university are to keep expanding the awareness that Capitol Tech provides affordable, great, industry in-demand degrees so more and more employers look to partner with the university and to continue to expand our global reach with our online doctoral programs that do not require any physical visit
on campus. We do hope all students from any online program come to campus for graduation. It's always the best time of the year,” says Dr. Sims.
What is Success?
Dr. Sims sees success as a selfinternalized assessment. He opines that it has a different definition for each person. He states, "I didn't know where my career would go starting off as a graduate with a bachelor's degree in construction management and working around the United States in industrial construction." He learned a lot not only from a great career, but also from living in different cities across the United States and also in the Netherlands. Although he was pursuing a bachelor's degree at Purdue University to obtain a job at the insistence of his parents, he never looked back as it was a great start to his career. He also recommends to all new graduates the experience of living in multiple locations as he believes it is another valuable life experience. He recalls, "Not knowing what the future would hold, I then, accidentally, ended up in higher education and have been here for 25 years, starting many successful industry in-demand degrees along the way. I feel my success has been providing students great wellpaying careers where they can take care of themselves and their families for life."
Business moves quickly ― and without strong leadership, that movement is chaotic. Ross Romano, an entrepreneur, coach, and longtime organizational leader has learned from both the good and bad of leadership, in startups and legacy businesses alike. He's using those insights to help others go from chaos to control.
Companies and nonprofits in the education space (think edtech, publishers, events, and more) bring on Romano and his team at September Strategies as a fractional Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMO/CCO), an operations consultant, or a strategic advisor depending on needs, but across situations the pain points are relatively consistent. In particular,
founders and leaders want to figure out how they can succeed according to their ambitions while operating in a specific, challenging, and mission-driven market. To support these goals, Romano leverages his expertise in messaging and thought leadership strategy, team and talent evaluation, and sales enablement through content development and distribution, as well as his role as a strategic connector bringing together bright minds and big ideas.
Romano has furthered his support of ambitious professionals as a performance coach, working directly with founders, leaders, and “seekers” ― which he defines as high-performing, high-potential individuals looking to achieve that elusive 'something more' in career
and life. “I'm consistently amazed at how quickly we can surface major insights through the coaching process,” he says. “Just being part of the transformation people go through, the clarity of vision they achieve…that really means the world.”
Opportunity RequiresAction
“I knew it was time for a change,” says Romano when asked about the founding of September Strategies. “That there was something better, more impactful, more 'me,' in a sense. Realistically, I 'knew' even before I knew [that it was time to start a new endeavor], then I knew but didn't know what it would be, and then eventually I had a plan.”
ROSS ROMANO
CEO & Founder , September Strategies LLC
An Exceptional Perspective on
Transformation Through Leadership
Having worked in various roles and organizations, Romano had the privilege of acquiring extensive knowledge and experience. Through consulting alone, he had worked with nearly 100 companies, collaborated with diverse colleagues, and learned from a trusted network of experts in a variety of fields. Through conversations with others, plus ample time looking inward, it became clear that starting something fresh ― built on his personal vision and values ― was the right thing to do.
Equity and opportunity are the driving forces in all of Romano's work with September Strategies. It's what draws him to the K-12 education sector, supporting the various stakeholders who create a pathway to success for students. It's also what motivates him to introduce the opportunity for leadership development and performance coaching to professionals who've never felt it was within reach.
Purpose-Driven and Proactive
“When I started September Strategies, I described our work as 'guiding leaders and organizations on the journey from vision to decision,'” says Romano. “What I mean by that is identifying, articulating, and gaining buy-in for one's firmly held values and ambitious vision for success, and then constantly and consistently referencing those as the foundation for all decision-making moving forward.”
Acore characteristic of Romano's, evident in the way he approaches each of his projects, is that he's consistently “on mission.” “I honestly can't get myself motivated to do work that's not purposedriven,” he explains. “And how can I expect that of anyone else?”
He's also an advocate for the essential role of communication at all levels of organizations. Internal and external, from leadership engaging the staff to organizations engaging their communities, he believes a failure to effectively, proactively communicate is the factor that most often undermines even the best efforts. This is especially so in the education world, he says, in which there's so much misunderstanding of the intentions and excellence of educators and schools.
“Don't let other people tell your story for you and don't make it look like there's something to hide,” he says. “There's so much great work, and critical work, happening across the education landscape. We need to get out there and own that.”
The basic service offerings ― marketing and communications strategy, sales enablement support, ghostwriting, design services, content marketing, and thought leadership ― will sound familiar to many industry leaders, but Romano believes it's these core principles and approach that differentiate September Strategies.
StorytellingAmplified
Romano is also the co-founder,
along with award-winning former principal and longtime top-ranking podcast host Jethro Jones, of the Be Podcast Network. With more than 25 shows (and growing) covering various aspects of education including K-12, higher education, corporate learning and development, and parenting, the network's mission is to foster a collaborative community of voices that amplify each other's impact. The network collaborates with both individual creators and companies, assisting them in generating the reach, relationships, and engagement to make a meaningful difference in the field.
Jones shared his insights on the strength of the partnership that's enabled such rapid growth of the network: “Ross has an uncanny grasp of the challenges educators face on a regular basis. He's very good at seeing into their problems and finding a way to make them work out for the better. In our partnership building this network, we've worked together to leverage those insights for the benefit of individuals and organizations.”
Small Measures of Success
How do you know when you're succeeding? What acknowledgements do you care about?
Especially for someone involved in as many endeavors as Romano is, these seemed like fitting questions. Turns out, it's the little things that he cares about. He mentions receiving unexpected referrals from marketing colleagues as a particularly
meaningful gesture, as well as times when a potential client will comment on the thoroughness and fairness of a proposal. “Integrity and excellence are guiding values here. And those things tell me we're doing it right,” he says.
“Ross knows how to see value in things that most people don't see much value in,” adds his podcast network co-founder, Jethro Jones.
Romano believes this perspective has been invaluable in his coaching work, which he describes as his real passion. Professionals at all stages, from early career to chief executive, come to him looking for transformation. They're seeking answers to big, complex, ambiguous questions they may have struggled with for years or even a lifetime ― and trying to find those answers fast. When he's able to identify strengths and potential in people they haven't recognized in themselves, it creates the possibility to actually find those answers.
“What I see in people is one thing. But more importantly, it's what I will get them to see in themselves,” he notes. “Transformation is a big word. I only use it because I've seen it.And where it comes from is inside the individual; it's really amazing what people can accomplish.”
Defining Success On Your Own Terms ― With Big Results
Romano views success as subjective. It's personal, he says. One's ambitions and goals must be unique and shouldn't be compared to others. That's a common, dangerous
trap. This is true of both individuals and organizations, he adds.
“As individuals, the idea of comparing ourselves to others is easy to grasp. Whether we're feeling like imposters or that we fail to measure up, or we're feeling superior, it's bad either way,”
Romano says. “For organizations, same phenomenon. Companies that spend all their time just one-upping each other get sucked into an endless cycle. Meanwhile someone else out there is thinking big picture and five-upping whatever you're doing. You've lost the game.”
That doesn't mean being ignorant to the competition, he cautions. In his estimation, too many companies consider themselves “unique” only because they've failed to do the
basic market research.And that type of mentality undermines the potential for innovation. “Real innovation requires an understanding of the market, what it demands, and what solutions have or haven't shown potential.
Combining existing ideas in a novel way to solve a real problem ― that's often the most effective way to innovate,” he says.
Final Thoughts
Romano's advice to any professional is to discover your driving purpose and fully engage with it.
“I say find what animates you ― what genuinely brings you life,” he says. “Intrinsic motivation is powerful. Don't try to fool yourself with outside incentives. Tap into what authentically drives you.”
Success has a different meaning for each person: for some, it's a monetary achievement, and for some, it's making a difference. For Darya Yegorina, CEO of CleverBooks, success means making a difference along with the achievements of the company. CleverBooks operates in the education field. “Education has an impact on people's lives in the long run. When CleverBooks makes things happen, it makes a difference within our company's mission and vision, that's the success we want as a team and that's the feeling of winning with the difference we all have in mind,” she states.
Leading a company to success is not an easy road to take
The foundation for CleverBooks was Darya's own story of learning at school. She says that when she was at school, she had books around her to learn from and teachers who directed mainly to the books. Then technology
kicked in and it took time to learn and adapt. “Today, kids have a lot of learning opportunities, and educators have way more tools for teaching. This is truly inspiring - to deliver technology that can help teach and learn with ease, excitement, and inspiration for lifetime learning,” she further adds.
Augmented Reality for education is already a challenge from several perspectives: technology adoption by users and technology application on pedagogy and methodology. These are the main roadblocks that CleverBooks has on the strategic roadmap. They talk to their customers and improve their experience withAugmented classrooms, their flagship product. “Our customers help us a lot to overcome the challenges,” exclaims Darya.
CleverBooks - Its Growth & Success While Contributing To Redefining The Educational Industry
CleverBooks, a company based in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, delivers STEM solutions for K12 using Augmented Reality for meta-skills development and future-ready support. Augmented Classroom (ARC) is the only digital platform for K-12 that brings together 3 main pillars in the EdTech space: explore, create and collaborate in the multi-player augmented environment. Their values are equality, responsibility, caring about their planet, and straightforwardness.As stated on their website, CleverBooks empower kids of ages 5 to 12 years in finding a purpose and sustaining motivation in what theyre learning through an interactive ' discovery and fun experience. Since 2016 CleverBooks helps educators and parents to increase kids' engagement in class, inspire learning at home, spark their curiosity and imagination. They have always strived to bridge the gap between digital natives and digital immigrants.
DARYA YEGORINA CEO, CleverBooks
Redefining The Educational Industry With Innovative Computer Technology
CleverBooks makes a difference by combiningAugmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence and marrying them with traditional pedagogy, thanks to the their team. innovative spirit in “Innovation is the DNAwe all have at CleverBooks, this is part of our culture – to create an environment where everyone can contribute their ideas to make a difference,” states Darya. There is a strong element of R&D and CleverBooks does this continuously from both academic and technological business perspectives. They are creative and collaboration is the key for them even when it comes to like-minded competitors.
Our only plan for the future is to impact the education system, create new possibilities for teaching and learning and support innovation spirit in kids globally, one kid at a time.
They are present in different countries around the world and the objective is to continue organic growth.
Augmented Classroom won the GESAwards in 2020, the winning project of European Digital Innovation Challenge 2020, Reimagine Education Gold prize winner 2021, and multiple awards connected to e-learning, curricula , and pedagogical application relevance.
Leadership & Responsibilities
Darya states that her main responsibilities are leadership, inspiration, and empowerment of the team. “Motivation comes from inside,” she states. Her team is motivated with the zeal of changing the world of education and that is within their company. That is what 's mission motivates the team to serve their
customers with their best.
Being a professional speaker of 20+ global events yearly, Darya uses the power of creativity and innovation to inspire future leaders and build fair business advantages through teamwork and state of art strategy for resultsdriven companies. Her key strengths are Technology and digital transformationtrategic product , s management, and growth. Her focus areas are people, performance, productivity & profitability.
Agapol Na Songkhla is one of the most recognized HR leaders in SoutheastAsia with a career journey that resonates with big following from millennials to baby boomers. He currently serves as the Chief People Officer of Thai Beverage, with frequent contributions to the people development community inASEAN. He is wellversed in three languages—Thai, Japanese, and English—and has excelled in various fields such as broadcasting, management consulting, and banking before transitioning to HR.As the Chief People Officer of Thai Beverage, Agapol is responsible for managing a workforce of 60,000 employees, with about 40,000 based in Thailand. The rest are employed across Southeast Asian countries, working for renowned food and beverage brands like F&N and Sabeco. He has also been royally appointed to serve on the Civil Service Commission of
Thailand. Despite the challenges of overseeing such a vast and diverse workforce,Agapol views strategic planning for business growth as both challenging and exciting.
According toAgapol, Thai Beverage has evolved from being a national champion to a global player, with no signs of slowing down. He emphasizes the company's efforts to create regional capabilities and establish trust in new markets.
Before his tenure at ThaiBev,Agapol held a position as the Head of Strategy and Transformation at TMB Bank, where he served in several high-level strategic functions for eight years. He also worked as a principal and project lead at the Boston Consulting Group, where he gained valuable business experience that he now brings to ThaiBev. Currently, Agapol is working closely with his team at ThaiBev to take their
transformation efforts to the next level, recognizing that transformation is a never-ending process.
One ofAgapol's current priorities is to embrace the multi-generational workforce, which includes not only digital millennials but also baby boomers approaching or already in retirement age. He believes that people are at the center of everything they do at ThaiBev and that the potential of people is what drives their success. He takes pride in being part of a team that helps people realize their full potential and believes that HR can transform people's lives.
Agapol's career-defining moment was transforming their HR practice into a Human Capital mission in 2015, which had a significant impact on ThaiBev's growth and success, as well as inspiring a significant number of peers across industries. He is admired by the younger generation for his
AGAPOL NA SONGKHLA
Chief People Officer, Thai Beverage PLC
Sustainable growth through Human Capital approach
coaching and mentoring practices to university students as well has developing the uniqueASEAN internship programs. ThaiBev is a role model organization in recognizing talent potentials of all generations.
Thai Beverage PLC
Thai Beverage aims to become a sustainable and stable leader in the beverage and food industry in the ASEAN region. The company was established in Thailand by its chairman, Mr. Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, who consolidated various spirits businesses before expanding into the beer sector with its iconic Chang beer. Later, under
“Resilience is key to success.”
leadership of the Group CEO Mr.Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, Thai Beverage added a third leg of nonalcoholic beverages, including dairy products, thereby becoming a comprehensive beverage company. To better connect with end consumers and adapt to the changing behavior brought about by changes such as the COVID pandemic, the company added a fourth leg of the food business.
Today, Thai Beverage holds leading positions in fiveASEAN countries,
namely Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, and Vietnam. As anASEAN company, Thai Beverage has a deep-rooted mission to create and share value through growth. The company is committed to investing in and developing local markets, unlocking sustainable growth potentials ofASEAN countries.
Stepping into the Industry with a stand for Human Capital
After spending several years working in transformation,Agapol transitioned into the HR industry with a desire to make a significant impact by inspiring people. He believes it is crucial to differentiate between human capital and human resources.As perAgapol's
philosophy, resources are typically utilized and depleted, whereas capital is intended to be grown. Therefore, he and his team focus on growing their people to serve the business, rather than merely utilizing them, in line with their mission as human capital.
However, implementing this philosophy has been challenging in the face of competitive pressure, with many business leaders still viewing their employees as resources with a short-term focus on utilization and headcount expenses. Despite this, with the firm support of their Group CEO,Agapol's team has consistently pursued their human capital philosophy, with a focus on holistic people development and a long-term view of each person's unique life pace and journey.
Agapol acknowledges that they are still early in their journey and cannot claim success yet. However, he has learned two valuable lessons so far. Firstly, it is crucial to have employees be self-motivated about their own development, allowing the company to focus on nudging them. Secondly, it's vital to be consistent in what the company can afford to offer, avoiding unsustainable practices such as what is recently seen in the tech sector. Agapol advocates for a sustainable approach to employee development,
“The secret of success is consistency of purpose.”
combining a push for individual motivation with a realistic and sustained commitment from the organization.
Establishing Culture of Integrity and Innovation
Agapol emphasizes the importance of a strong and consistent tone from top management in shaping the culture of an organization.At Thai Beverage, the chairman, vice chairman, and Group CEO have provided such a tone and launched the company's mission statement, which centers around creating and sharing the value of growth and is supported by the three values of collaboration, creating value, and caring for stakeholders. These values were defined and refined
by the company's top 400 leaders and are now ingrained in the company's culture.
The company prioritizes sustainability and encourages integrity and innovation. It has been recognized as a world leader for sustainable development in the Beverage industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the past five years. Thai Beverage conducts mandatory annual training for employees to promote integrity, and it also has a WOW program that encourages process improvement and innovation ideas from employees at all levels. The company has allocated 10% of each employee's KPI to process improvement and people development initiatives, resulting in many cross-team initiatives and inclusive platforms for employees to share their ideas.
Leadership Principles
Agapol advocates for three principles
“Opportunities often come in disguise. Grab them and grow!”
that can be applied by human capital teams. The first principle is having faith in the immense potential of people.Agapol believes that every individual has the ability to achieve great things, and it is essential to trust in oneself and in each other.
The second principle is the belief that significant challenges will help individuals become stronger.Agapol encourages individuals to embrace challenges and use them as opportunities to learn and grow. When team members approach their leaders with complaints about the difficulty of their work, applying this principle involves assigning them even more
challenging tasks. This approach can make their previous work seem easier in comparison.
Lastly,Agapol believes that by developing others, individuals can also grow themselves. Leaders and team members have a responsibility to support and mentor those around them. It is important to communicate to the team that when faced with a large challenge, opting to confront it will lead to personal growth. On the other hand, walking away from the challenge will result in shrinking one's abilities. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage and empower employees to confront challenges and continue to grow.
Seeing True Success in Empowering Others
Agapol's career started at the Boston Consulting Group in 1997. He spent eight years at BCG, where he learned
about the potential to achieve significant impact through the power of ideas and working with a diverse range of decision-makers through effective communication.As a leader in a large organization like ThaiBev, Agapol feels that his best recognition comes from his contribution to inspiring the diverse workforce towards sustained self-development and the company's vision. Through the Dream Big programs, ThaiBev has helped thousands of employees rekindle their personal dreams and find relevance to their work, creating a culture where employees of all ages can strive for their entire long career.
Agapol takes pride in the belief that there are limitless opportunities
“Believe in human potentials for greatness. Believe in unbounded potentials.”
within ThaiBev and within each individual and the culture that they have built to support this belief. Agapol believes that success is defined by the impact one has on others. He strongly believes that by helping others grow, one can also grow themselves. Therefore, he finds it empowering and rewarding to help others succeed, even if it means not being in the limelight. This is a context in which he lives both in his professional and personal life.
You may be wondering what adaptive clothing is. The fact is that this is a question for many people since it generally stems from a lack of integration with others who are non-disabled. In other words, if you are not a member of the disabled community, you will never comprehend the significance of adapted clothes.
While adaptive clothing is not for everyone, it is critical for people who have difficulty dressing independently or who have access needs.Although corporations still have a long way to go in terms of understanding inclusion on a larger scale, several brands are taking the lead in this area.
Victoria Jenkins is a garment technologist with 14 years' experience in the fashion industry who became disabled in her 20s. She started Unhidden after a hospital meeting with a cancer patient that changed the path of her life. This is the narrative of Unhidden. She is a multi-awardwinning adaptive designer, disability
advocate, author, and speaker. Victoria also has experience in luxury goods, men's and women's tailoring, wovens, jersey, outerwear, fashion illustration, and textiles. She is a solid professional with a BAin Fashion Design from Istituto Marangoni and accessible testimonials from speaking engagements.
Starting Entrepreneurial Journey
Victoria had always been interested in fashion, but the transition from working for other brands to starting her own came from meeting someone in the hospital who inspired her to think about adaptive fashion—and then the transition came when she did more research and just wasn't seeing what she felt was needed. So Victoria decided to take the plunge herself. She says, "I had lived experience. I had years of garment construction knowledge that I figured could be put to better use!”
Victoria's first paid job after university was as a pattern cutter for an online
eCommerce brand—being able to pay rent and survive independently in London felt pretty amazing and was something she did for a number of years before going freelance and continuing that work until the pandemic hit. She says, "It's been incredibly varied, which I think has ultimately proved to be better for me in the long run."
Before Unhidden, Victoria was a garment technologist who had worked with some wonderful companies and labels. However, due to her own health concerns, it became more about survival with no plan for her own future other than paying rent—not a nice place to be! She had always wanted to be a designer, but the path to that involved internships and working for free for far longer than she was able to afford-she graduated in 2008, and the landscape was different then, not to mention a recession. But Victoria made it work and met some wonderful individuals along the way, proving that the profession isn't always as awful as people believe.
Founder, CEO
Unhidden
Creating Sustainability and
Style
for Disabled Communities
VICTORIA JENKINS
As per her, the best recognition for her was probably doing her TedX talk; being accepted to do one was terrifying but proof that she had the knowledge and the voice to really say something.
Not Just a Brand
Unhidden is currently made-to-order. The core range addresses a variety of access demands, including dexterity, stomas, wheelchair users and cancer patients. Everyone, regardless of size or ability, may wear the range, excluding no one. Victoria is switching to a standard model with modest adjustable choices to reduce the price because her community (1 in 5 people in the UK) is 50% more likely to be poor, and she is well aware that she is still too expensive for the majority of people.
Victoria has numerous amazing collaborations in the works, some of which will be released towards the end of this year. Victoria serves on a variety of boards and committees to increase awareness and transform the narrative on disability inclusion from one of pity to one of creative, happy positive portrayal, and to urge other companies and sectors to make better decisions regarding inclusion in the future.
Victoria's current responsibilities include design, social media, networking, pitching, postman, and customer service. There isn't anything Victoria doesn't accomplish, but she is finally assembling a team to work with her! Victoria usually begins her day by checking her daily journal, her to-do list, and then social media. She then attempts to follow up on leads, develop content, or write copy. She is going to use the word some very good friends and peers use to describe her because it does encapsulate how tirelessly she has
tried to work to help as many people as she can—unstoppable.
Redefining the Industry
Unhidden is the first adaptive brand to join the British Fashion Council, was the first to sell in multiple retail outlets in London and Cambridge, has had global press coverage and has tried to ultimately do as much as possible in as many places to make people stop and think about what inclusion means and how to achieve it. Victoria is currently preparing for her first full runway show, which will be showcasing an array of disabilities (both visible and non-apparent) in September and hopes that it continues to change the narrative going forwards as well as championing other designers, brands, and people who fight for the same thing-equity.
Staying Motivated and Connected
For maintaining space between work and life, Victoria does have boundaries with other people on engaging with her, but she often sits and works or scrolls or contacts people outside of her self-imposed office hours. Her motivation never really wavers-until adaptive and inclusive design is normalized and on the high street and accessible, she has all the motivation she needs. She shares, "With my new team, it's trying to keep open and honest communication and working out how to support each other—as it's so new and exciting, motivation isn't what we lack—it's time to get it all done!"
Valuable Lessons
Victoria shares that having faith in her own abilities and ideas has taken a while—having mentors from a variety of people helped with that. Choosing to start trading during a pandemic, after
Brexit and targeting an audience that has been left out globally whilst trying to maintain sustainable and ethical manufacturing processes-she couldn't have thrown more obstacles in her own way-but there was no time like the present and her hope is that it will get easier. She asserts, "Getting nondisabled people engaged is one of the hardest roadblocks still, but thanks to a growing interest in social impact brands and better DE&I awareness, staying the course and having faith has worked for me."
Views on Success
While discussing her perspective on achievement, Victoria admits that defining success is difficult for her. She recalls that, because of the unpredictability that comes with freelancing and running a small business as a disabled woman, there is no disputing that success for her is predicated on financial remuneration, which she does not believe she has attained.Victoria does however also define success as knowing you're making a difference and having your work or voice recognized, shared, and impacting other people's perspectives and lives. She states, "Being happy in your work and being excited to work is also a good barometer of success-I feel very privileged to do something I adore."
Plans for the future of Unhidden
Victoria's future plans include workshops teaching people how to adapt their own clothing (80% of the disabled and chronically ill community were not born that way-that's a lot of clothes going to landfill) as well as expanding the range, having their own brick and mortar store that is fully accessible and beautiful and a place for people to hang out in as well as shop.
There are some partnerships she'd love to see come to life—the sky is the limit. There is not an area of the retail world that doesn't need an adaptive and inclusive update.
Word to Woman Entrepreneurs
As a disabled woman, Victoria does face challenges ultimately thanks to the people in charge and the stigma around disability- but she has hope that if even one person sees her trying and has the
faith to try themselves too then that is the best thing she can achieve. She asserts, "It is harder, there are challenges- big ones- but that doesn't mean your ideas and voice aren't worth trying to put out there."
Victoria's message for women entrepreneurs is to listen to your instinct and question where the unsolicited advice comes from. She also adds, "Make sure you have some savings, invest in learning parts of
what you don't know- for example, I paid to do a PR course and that has hands down been one of the game changers for Unhidden and continues to be helpful. Finally- have mentorsmore than one." She advises everyone to accept people who ask if they can help but also approach people you look up to and ask them as well- it is always worth asking and trying, shoot your shot!
Ben Granje, CEO of The Flemish Federation of Investors, believes that success in non-profit is the combination of certain metrics, namely, audience reach, profit, - impact and empowerment. He is leading his team in the right direction to fulfill all these metrics and grow even further.
Journey to success
Ben completed classical studies (Latin & Greek) in Belgium before spending a year in the US as an exchange student.After graduating with a Master's of Psychology, he started out in a consulting firm but quickly switched to -finance. He had excellent mentors that structured his path and pushed him to step into the world of investing.
He worked for Citigroup as an investment advisor and then joined InvescoAsset Management(a fund house). Soon, Morningstar offered him the chance to establish the company in Belgium and Luxembourg. He adds,
“This company was the perfect environment for me: excellent values, a focus on the investor as well as the investment, plus great leadership.”
After more than a decade, it was time to take matters into his own hands and start his own consulting firm. In 2017, he established Beconomics Consulting & Research, where the B signifies Behavior, Belgium, Ben, and Better Economics.
Within a year, VFB invited him to the board to help design a strategy to reconnect with growth. He grabbed the opportunity and took the onus for the role of CEO of the company. He states, “VFB aims to give a voice to the nonprofessional user of financial services, ensuring their interest is not overlooked by the regulator and the government.”
Growing stronger with the obstacles along the way
Ben believes there is much more to be learned in failing and trying again and
again than succeeding without any hurdles. Challenges are never easy, requiring the person to optimize one's resources, knowledge, network, and creativity. One of the first roadblocks in investing that advisors must overcome is the desire to control the client and the illusion of certainty.
He adds, “I wanted to talk before I learned to listen. I was convinced of the solution before I understood the problem.As for many investors, the markets were a harsh teacher. For me, the 2003 tech bubble did the trick. I became a better investor because of it.”
Advising clients towards better investing with The Flemish Federation of Investors
Founded 40 years ago, the VFB is akin to theAAII in the US, a club for and by individual investors.
Ben states, “One individual would have a hard time getting access to corporate management, shifting through the noise, and being heard in
BEN GRANJE
CEO, VFB
Ensuring
financial wellbeing
with The Flemish Federation of Individual Investors
the rooms where policy is made. We offer information, education, analysis, and background on investing, plus a network of peers where all of the above is discussed and acted upon.”
VFB acts as a gateway to companies, inviting CEOs or CFOs to speak at their conferences or organizing on-site visits to production plants and, in reverse, offer companies a channel to build a relationship with a target audience of retail investors. VFB is a lobby group of sorts as well, providing insight on the individual investor to the regulator and government or bringing financial service providers / listed companies to the table to help them improve their behavior.
Redefining financial and investment management
Ben suggests that in a non-profit organization, the pendulum swings between the social and the economic goals. He aims to reconcile both into evidence-based management, and he broadly carried this notion with himself everywhere he went. He adds, “In the books and articles I published, the message is consistently to stop, think and reflect before acting on a whim.”
He believes that transparency is the key to look beyond the current market and listen beyond the noise to find the evidence that warrants any investment decision.
He states, “Investor protection does not mean prohibitions or limitations, but a level playing field. No cartels, no backroom dealings or insider trading, no cheating.”
Having learned all these values in his past experiences, Ben instills them into his policies, ensuring integrity and innovation.
Using smart ideas to stay ahead of the curve
The VFB was founded in 1980, and the operations were based on the means available at that time, namely, a printed newsletter and live meetings.Awebsite and e-newsletter were added later, but because the membership was mostly on the older side of the pyramid, things like social media were ignored.
Having long experience in the market, he knew it was time to change some things to pave the way to the top. He says, “You cannot engage people if you do not reach them.” So, his first order of business was to upgrade the website to modern-day responsive standards. Next, build a social media presence and start using new communication techniques, such as webinars, podcasts, and online learning tools. Invite outside speakers to connect to
underserved audiences: young adults, women, people with different backgrounds.
He expresses, “Our membership has quickly evolved from a gentlemen's club (older, white -or grey- male) to a more representative sample of society. VFB tries to get a seat at any table where financial goals are discussed so as to listen, and when appropriate, to inform and guide. “
Life
as the CEO of the company
Wearing the hat of the CEO, Ben likes to oversee everything. He likes to progress further by learning new things and helping others to improve by questioning what, why, and how.
He expresses, “My days at VFB are filled with questions and conversations, trying to clarify and pinpoint, to educate or challenge, and when needed to decide and direct. It's a perfect job for me, as there is always something new to learn in investing.And if you believe like me that everything is an
investment (of time, effort or money), there is always something new to learn about life, human behavior, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Knowing the potential of a solid team, he tries to keep them motivated by providing them enough flexibility in working hours or remote working, a lot of autonomy in how they organize their work, and a lot of empowerment in how to reach their objectives.
He expresses, “I believe the team is proud to be part of our work and of their contribution to this great effort. That, more than anything, motivates us.”
Future prospects of the company
VFB currently serves an audience of approximately 15.000 people. Ben aims to grow this audience significantly and reach all savers and investors in Belgium.
He expresses, “Rather than passively waiting for people to discover the benefits of VFB, my vision is to make all members active promoters of our club through word of mouth. My aim is to inform every Belgian that surplus money on current & savings accounts is losing value, and to maintain wealth this capital should be put to work. “
There are certain things the team wants to achieve in the coming years.
1.Reach a larger audience and help more people reach financial independence through investing.
2.Grow the membership up to the point where the voice of the individual investors carries sufficient weight to influence
regulatory policy and corporate management.
3.Improve the services and make VFB a lifelong learning environment.
4.Instill pride in their members to go out and talk about investing to their family, friends, and network.
5.Live richly, meaning rich in experiences and happiness, in values more than in value.
Being at the forefront of the healthcare industry is a formidable yet fulfilling task. The role demands a unique blend of expertise, skills, and personal qualities to drive positive change in patient care, organizational effectiveness, and overall health outcomes. In this feature, we delve into the inspiring journey of Frank Corcoran, CEO of Sierra Vista Hospital and Clinics, as he navigates the complex landscape of healthcare leadership.
In 2018, Frank Corcoran joined Sierra Vista Hospital as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) as part of a Turnaround Team led by Quorum Health Resources, now known as Ovation Healthcare.At that time, the hospital was facing financial difficulties, with only 5 days of cash on hand. In order to address these challenges, a loan was secured to fund a $65 million expansion project, aimed at replacing a 70-year-old building. However, realizing the need for financial prudence, the expansion was scaled down to a $40 million project, marking the beginning of a financial turnaround.
In 2019, Frank transitioned to another project in a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) capacity, focusing on a different turnaround initiative. However, in 2021, he returned to Sierra Vista Hospital as the permanent CEO. Through the collective efforts, Sierra Vista Hospital has made significant progress in improving the hospital's financial stability. Currently, it has achieved an impressive 135 days of cash on hand.
Forging a Path of Compassion and Leadership
Frank embarked on his professional journey in the Blood Banking Industry while pursuing a Pre-Med degree in college. During this time, he also volunteered at the University of New Orleans, participating in a Sugar Bowl Flag Football Tournament as a trainer and first aid station personnel. It was during this experience that he had the opportunity to care for an injured nursing student, who commended his compassionate bedside manner and encouraged him to consider a career in nursing.
Throughout his career, Frank has been fortunate to have several mentors who have played pivotal roles in guiding his path. However, it was Craig Cudworth, a seasoned hospital CEO, who recognized Frank's potential as an administrator and his innate desire to make a difference in people's lives. From their first meeting, Craig provided unwavering support and encouragement, propelling Frank into the role of an administrator.
While Frank has received numerous accolades throughout his career, one achievement stands out as particularly fulfilling. He spearheaded an innovative initiative aimed at monitoring patients across the hospital, implementing alerts for individuals exhibiting potential distress symptoms in the hospital setting.After a year of implementing this project, the organization witnessed a remarkable 40% reduction in mortalities and an impressive 76% decrease in Code Blue events outside of the ICU. This outcome brought immense satisfaction to Frank and reaffirmed the positive impact he could make through his work.
FRANK CORCORAN
CEO,
Read some awesome inspiring insights from the experts of the business worlds!
SUCCESS
JOURNEY OF
