This has been a year of transition for Group O. After the death of company founder and Quad Cities philanthropist Robert “Bob” Ontiveros in February, Group O named Kevin Kotecki as its new chief executive officer in March – replacing Gregg Ontiveros in that role. Mr. Ontiveros (Robert’s son) continues to work with Group O […]
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This has been a year of transition for Group O.
After the death of company founder and Quad Cities philanthropist Robert “Bob” Ontiveros in February, Group O named Kevin Kotecki as its new chief executive officer in March – replacing Gregg Ontiveros in that role. Mr. Ontiveros (Robert’s son) continues to work with Group O and is focusing his time and talents on building new and existing client relationships, according to information from the company.
In previously announcing Mr. Kotecki’s hiring, Mr. Ontiveros – the second generation leader of the family-owned Group O – had this to say about the new CEO: “Kevin not only brings extensive experience in strategic planning, sales, marketing and operations, but a fresh perspective to a B2B (business-to-business) business model. Group O is ready to take the business to the next level and is excited to welcome Kevin to our Group O family.”
Mr. Kotecki is the former president and CEO of Pabst Brewing Co. and Brach’s Confections. He graduated from Rock Island High School and the University of Iowa, and earned his master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Group O team,” Mr. Kotecki said in March. “I have witnessed the company’s tremendous growth over the years, driven by exemplary leadership, clever innovation and world-class collaboration and teamwork. I greatly admire the amazing culture that Gregg and Bob Ontiveros have created and nurtured, and am excited to become part of it.”
Now on the job since this spring, Mr. Kotecki discusses the business’ challenges and other issues in this question-and-answer with the QCBJ:
What are the biggest economic/business challenges facing Group O?
“In a post-pandemic world, combined with today’s economic environment, Group O continues to successfully navigate and manage through material shortages, longer lead times, and staffing challenges.”
Many businesses in the region report the need for more employees. How can Group O attract more employees?
“In today’s tight labor market, job seekers across the country have many options. What sets Group O apart from other organizations is our strong employer brand built on our values and culture.
“Group O continually looks for ways to attract today’s workforce and works hard to identify what job seekers are looking for in a work environment. From competitive pay and opportunities for advancement, to casual work attire and employee engagement programs, we want our employees to feel like they are part of the team - part of our family.
“A strong employer brand is one of the most effective tools to attract and retain the very best employees. By building and nurturing our strong employer brand, Group O is able to grow our workforce organically through word of mouth. Our employees are our most valuable brand ambassadors – and who best to communicate our value as an employer than the staff who lives our culture every day?”
What do you expect from your Group O employees?
“Just as employees have certain expectations of their employer, Group O works very hard to create an environment to support what we also expect from our employees. We encourage all employees to identify ways to improve processes and demonstrate our core values of partnership, respect, innovation, dedication, and excellence. At Group O, our philosophy is that ‘everyone wins when people are given an opportunity to show what they can do.’ We take that seriously by offering our employees the opportunity to succeed both professionally and personally through continuous learning, career advancement, and philanthropic endeavors.”
What is the best advice you can give to a person going into business in this region?
“Successful businesses are launched with a solid business plan, good management and a clear vision for the future. But the key to becoming an industry leader is to embrace change.
“By being solution-oriented with a continuous improvement mindset, you can navigate change by focusing on the end result. Be persistent and work to solve problems for yourself, your employees, and your customers.”
What are you most proud of regarding the company?
“Our diverse corporate culture. As a Hispanic, family-owned company, Group O celebrates diversity in all facets of our business. That commitment to diversity can be seen not only in our 43% diverse workforce, but also in the suppliers we work with, and the organizations we support. Our employees donate and volunteer hundreds of hours each year to better the lives of those in the communities we serve.”
How do you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
“I thrive on change and helping others do the same. As a positive change agent, I try to ignite positive cultural transformation and build high functioning teams. By listening and collaborating with our teams on solutions for our company and our clients, we develop an environment where we all continue to grow and develop as leaders.”
How do you generate great ideas from the people with whom you work?
“It is critical to promote a fluid, collaborative environment that encourages our employees to think outside the box and challenge conventional thinking to deliver next generation solutions to our customers. By embracing the idea that virtually every business process can be improved, Group O can develop solutions that organizations don’t even know they need.”
