Rob A. Karam - President and Chief Executive Officer
Rob is a co-founder of the company.
As President and Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Utility Services, Inc., Rob is primarily responsible for the shape, scope, velocity of the company's development. Rob works with the Consolidated Utility Services, Inc. Board of Directors to develop and implement a compelling long-range company growth and shareholder value maximization strategy.
As former Chief Executive Officer and President of the nation's largest underground utility locating firm, Mr. Karam led a senior management team that quadrupled company earnings and improved market share from third to first during the recessionary period of 2001 through 2002.
Divestiture in late 2003 led to the largest valuation in industry history, and a greater than 200 percent return on shareholder equity in 27 months of ownership.
Rob was instrumental in fueling company growth through leadership of multiple M&A due diligence and integration exercises, including the integration of a $23 million competitor. In the first 90 days following acquisition, he made changes to processes and staffing that created over $2.2 million in organizational synergies. The acquisition made the company the largest provider of contract utility locating services in the country.
Rob was also former President of Advanced Management Services, a management consulting firm focused on delivering pragmatic solutions to executives faced with strategy and operational execution issues in the manufacturing and distribution industries. Rob has held numerous other leadership positions with some of the premier operations implementation firms in the world, including North American Director of Operations for GPR Dehler and Director, Supply Chain Business Unit for The Highland Group. Other notable clients include Trans World Airways, ASA Airlines, Atlantic Richfield, Rayovac, Shearing Plough, Osmose and Enron Principle Investments Group.
Rob holds a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Brian R. Johnson - Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Brian worked with Rob Karam to co-found the company in 2004.
As Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Consolidated Utility Services, Inc., Brian's responsibilities include ultimate P&L responsibility for operations, operations support, quality and corporate IT services. Brian has 10 direct reports who manage over 800 field and field support employees in 24 locations in 16 states and two offices in Alberta, Canada. Brian is the executive responsible for development and execution of the company's operating structure and all key work processes.
As former Senior Vice President, Operations for Utiliquest LLC, Brian led the design, development and implementation of an industry-changing wireless ticket management system. The system was the first broadly deployed and commercially developed application of its type in the industry, and served as the touchstone that led to all companies of significance adopting this type of application over the past five years.
Brian has over 14 years of experience in developing and implementing operational process improvements, process engineering solutions and strategic concepts for clients in the manufacturing, financial services, software development and energy industries. Brian worked together with Rob Karam as Vice President, Marketing for GPR Dehler North America. Other notable consulting engagements include work with Equitable Bag, Poulan Weed Eater, Rayovac, ARCO Pipeline, AXA Advisors and Infrasource.
Brian holds a Bachelor's degree in English Writing with and Emphasis in Business from Florida State University. He holds a Masters of Science in Business Administration from Boston University.
Michael Johnson - Chief Financial Officer
Michael joined Consolidated Utility Services, Inc. in 2005.
As Chief Financial Officer, Mike and his staff are fully responsible for producing accurate, timely and well-explained financial statements and financial analysis, as well as providing operations and administrative support to the field organization.
Prior to joining Consolidatad Utility Service Inc., Mr. Johnson served as the Chief Financial Officer for Integrated Distribution Solutions, LLC., a provider of comprehensive and fully integrated enterprise software solutions to the food and consumer goods distribution industry.
Prior to his tenure at Integrated Distribution Services, LLC, Mike spent five years in public accounting where he was an audit supervisor focusing primarily on manufacturing and distribution clients. Mr. Johnson was previously a machine gunner in the U.S. Marine Corps. In addition, he successfully founded, developed and sold a local contracting business.
Mr. Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Nebraska where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Mr. Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant.