RSM CEO Talks with Fellow CEOs about Leading the Real Economy

CHICAGO – (July 14, 2020) – RSM US LLP (“RSM”) – the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market – recently launched a video series featuring Managing Partner and CEO Joe Adams and fellow CEOs in virtual one-on-one conversations about how they are leading their businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic and into the economic recovery.

The series, titled “CEO to CEO: Leading the Real Economy,” examines business challenges and opportunities, as well as leadership philosophies and tactics, during these extraordinary times.

“It is enlightening and inspiring to talk to business leaders about how they are reacting and proactively responding to current challenges,” Adams said. “While many of the obstacles are similar, they affect businesses uniquely. These virtual discussions are sharpening my perspective, and the insights and lessons shared by these leaders will, no doubt, prove valuable to those who view these videos.”

The video series will feature more than a dozen episodes, each approximately 15 minutes in length. Adams hosts the conversations from his home office, where he connects with CEOs of middle market businesses from various industries, including health care, consumer products, real estate, industrial products and others. The chats center on business issues that transcend industries, including uncertainty and risk, liquidity and cost reduction, and workforce dynamics, but they also examine challenges and opportunities specific to each guest CEO’s company.

The first episode features CEO John Rowady of rEvolution, an integrated sports marketing agency based in Chicago. Episode 2 is a discussion with CEO Ron Heitzman of Parksite, a construction and building supplies company headquartered in Batavia, Ill. Episode 3 features Aurelio Fernandez of Memorial Healthcare System in Florida. The fourth episode is a conversation with Essentia Health CEO Dr. David Herman.

“I've had this business and grown this business through a couple of really severe economic recessions,” said Rowady in Episode 1. “This one, obviously, is different because it was hard to create traction. So I tried to bring the business much closer to me first because I want to manage from a position of strength.”

Watch the first four episodes of the series to hear more from Rowady, Heitzman, Fernandez and Herman. Future episodes of this CEO to CEO series will be released weekly and can be viewed from the Middle Market Economics section of RSM’s website.