Delany has giraffe's vision to help businesses with their strategy
If some job changes had not taken place, John Delany of Inverness would never have started Giraffe Strategy Consulting for Business, a Barrington consulting firm.
He was head of strategy for Sears department stores, a company now struggling to stay afloat. He also worked for Arthur Andersen before the major accounting firm fizzled in the wake of the Enron scandal.
What he learned from those experiences and others led him to develop Giraffe. He wanted to help companies avoid major problems and create a strategy and organizational structure so they could be innovative and have a long-term vision. Clients have included Midtown Athletic Club, Remke Industries in Wheeling and Perdue Agribusiness, part of Perdue Farms Inc.
His consulting firm handles projects nationwide. Delany's latest assignments have taken him from Wisconsin and Indiana to Arizona, Georgia, Washington, D.C. and Texas.
He developed a strategy program and consulting firm in 2003, but delayed in formally naming it Giraffe until 2007. It was named after the animal because of its keen long distance eyesight and how it quickly knows signs of danger.
That's basically the qualities some business leaders need, he said. "You need a plan for growth and figure out the future," Delany said.
He has also written a book called "Piloting Strategy," which focuses on how to transition from strategic planning to rebuilding an organization.
He works with companies to update their strategies at least once a year and help them be flexible and fast when change happens.
His firm has grown to five employees. At 66, he said he's reaching a point in life when he'd like to groom someone to help lead it.
"It would be great to have them take it to the next level," he said.
New help for retailers
Joe McKeska of Woodridge, a 25-year veteran of the grocery business who previously headed the real estate operations of Southeastern Grocers LLC and SuperValu Inc., inked a deal for a joint venture with Melville, New York-based A&G Realty Partners. The new Oak Brook-based venture, called Elkhorn Real Estate Partners, will help grocers, retailers and investors to maximize their real estate assets.
From city to suburbs
Derek Bradford of Elmhurst is founding partner of Bradford & Gordon, which already has an established law firm office in Chicago that focuses on matrimonial and family law, just opened a new office in Elmhurst to serve clients in Will, Kane, DuPage counties.
FastTrack
• Amy Pedone is the new director of sales and marketing at River Glen of St. Charles, a senior living community in the historic North Fifth Avenue neighborhood of St. Charles.
• Claudio Sanchez was named executive director of regulatory affairs for Latin America for Northbrook-based Astellas. The company's medications are available in more than 20 countries across Latin America, with a focus on immunology, urology and oncology.
• Richard "Rik" C. Master, senior manager of sustainability at USG Corp., has become a member of the College of Fellows at the American Institute of Architects. The fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a level of excellence in the profession through making significant contributions to the communities they serve.
• Thomas Castronovo of Geneva, and founder and financial adviser of Criterion Wealth Advisors in St. Charles, has been awarded the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies, the standards-setting body for fi360. The AIF designation signifies specialized knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and the ability to implement policies and procedures that meet a defined standard of care.
• Thomas L. Brown, vice president and chief financial officer of RLI Corp., and Stephen C. Van Arsdell, former senior partner, chairman and CEO of Deloitte & Touche LLP, were appointed to the board of directors of Itasca-based First Midwest Bancorp Inc., parent of First Midwest Bank.
• Ne'Keisha Stepney, Waubonsee Community College dean for business and career technologies, was appointed secretary of the Sugar Grove Chamber board of directors.
• There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people who make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.