Robert Devine

Bob Devine leads DAK’s Strategic Leadership Advisory practice. Bob has 35+ years of building high-performance organizations that deliver great results. His extensive experience as an executive, business owner and consultant – uniquely qualifies him to assist middle market family and entrepreneurial companies to create options for success. In a business environment that is transforming rapidly due to technological advances and impacted by a pandemic – companies must use their resources carefully to meet the changing consumer and business habits, needs and behaviors.

Bob has developed a proprietary program incorporating Peter Drucker’s Management by Objectives (MBO) model. This integrated program is essential to guide leaders and owners to determine how to position their business for survival and success. Today, Bob guides clients in the creation of the right plan and on how to execute for results.

Utilizing this program, Bob has the keen ability to; refocus organizations, establish a clear measurable Vision, develop strategic plans with time-bound KPIs, assess management teams and change companies’ cultures to execute effectively. He has incorporated this program throughout his career in both operating roles and on a consulting basis. Bob has bought, grown and sold businesses, partnering with privately held, public companies and private equity firms.

Mr. Devine started his own CPA firm in 1978, five years later he left to partner with a client the Wardley Corporation – a pet products manufacturer. Under Bob’s leadership Wardley grew 6-times and in 1994 he sold Wardley to The Hartz Mountain Corporation – the leading company in the pet industry for a 10x multiple. Over several years Bob attained more responsibility at Hartz and in 1999 he became the President and CEO. A year later Bob and his management team bought Hartz with J.W. Childs a major private equity firm. During the next 4 years Bob & Hartz participated in several mergers and acquisitions and he played a key role in the strategic acquisition of Meow Mix from Rolston Purina with J.W. Childs. His team setup a new operating model for Meow Mix – ran it as a separate business and sold the company for a substantial profit in less than 3 years. In 2004 J.W. Childs and Bob decided it was time to exit and sold Hartz to a multi-national corporation. During Bob’s tenure at Hartz sales increased from $220 million to over $430 million.

In 2006 Bob left Hartz and commenced his consulting career with a Toronto based process management firm – Managerial Design, which is now a division of Deloitte Canada.

In addition to business transformation, Bob has extensive experience in lean methodology, business sales and acquisitions. Bob received his bachelor’s degree in 1974 from William Paterson University. He is a retired CPA and co-authored a business book – Lean Competitive Advantage.