Robert W. Knopik
President and Founder
The Leadership Search Group
Robert W. Knopik spent 30 years in leadership positions in both corporate and entrepreneurial environments prior to founding The Leadership Search Group in 2000. He began his business career at Inland Steel Industries (ISI), a $5 billion steel manufacturer and distributor. Over his career Mr. Knopik held many commercial positions in Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Economic Analysis and Strategic Planning at Inland Steel Company. He developed the business plan for the formation of Inland International Incorporated, ISI's global materials management company, and served as its Director, Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Chief Operating Officer. He was instrumental in growing the company to $700 million in sales by leading joint venture development in Mexico, China and India with such steel producers as AHMSA, Bao Steel and Tata Steel.
In addition to his corporate experience, Mr. Knopik has also led teams in entrepreneurial environments as president of a major apparel embellishment company. Here he restructured the balance sheet and created the company's strategic and marketing plan that led to a series of new customer acquisitions such as Nike, Reebok and Abercrombie and Fitch.
Mr. Knopik then joined a large, international executive search firm where he learned the search business prior to founding The Leadership Search Group in 2000. Since its inception, The Leadership Search Group has grown to serve a multitude of industries: steel, aluminum and specialty metals manufacturing, processing and distribution, general manufacturing in a wide range of industries and industrial trade association management. Mr. Knopik's team of research professionals all come from manufacturing environments and have worked in an array of industries over their careers.
Mr. Knopik has had significant experience in organizing, facilitating and leading teams in multicultural environments where he has developed and improved global operating, marketing, sales and organizational effectiveness strategies. He has integrated acquired business units on an international scale and has managed change in both growth and turn-around circumstances. Additionally, he has created human resource assessment techniques proven effective in the development of many international and domestic business units.
Mr. Knopik graduated from Drake University and completed the Executive Masters Program at the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Besides leading The Leadership Search Group, he serves as a director on the Board of Directors of a large Los Angeles-based steel tube/steel rack manufacturer. Mr. Knopik has also participated in community leadership where he has served on community and golf club boards. He and his wife reside in North Barrington, Illinois and La Quinta, California. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.
