Jim Weber Bio

BIO

Prior to forming New Century Dynamics in 1999, Jim Weber spent 22 years with Fortune 500 companies in Specialty Food Retailing and Restaurants where he developed a broad-based portfolio of “hands-on” line and staff experience in growth and turnaround situations.  Working full-time to pay for his education, Jim earned a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in Corporate Finance from the University of South Florida (USF) in 1977.  In 1982, he earned an MBA with an emphasis in Finance from USF, also while working full-time.  While working his way through school, Jim learned the value of planning, goal-setting, and commitment.

 

Since he had worked his way through school in the Restaurant Industry,  Jim had a number of offers to enter into management training programs with established restaurant chains. Notwithstanding these offers, he decided to pursue a career in corporate finance.  He jokes that his wife was instrumental in that decision as she was not keen on the idea of him working late night shifts in close proximity to scantily clad cocktail waitresses.  So, his first job was necessarily more conventional.  Still living in Tampa, Florida, Jim went to work in the real estate department for Li’l General, a convenience-store chain owned by General Host Corporation.  At that time, General Host was a billion dollar conglomerate based in Stamford Ct.  In this, his first job out of college, he began work as a financial analyst, responsible for the preparation of capital project requests.  Additionally, he was tasked with securing landlord agreements to add self-service gasoline service to the stores.  He became recognized for this work ethic and analytical skills which led to a major promotion.  His success in that position led to a key position working for the President of the Retail Group.  In this role, he was working on strategic issues with the operating company Presidents.  He also began working toward the completion of his MBA.

 

After completing his MBA in 1982, Jim moved his young family to Toledo Ohio to begin working for Hickory Farms, which had been acquired by General Host Corporation.  By this time, Jim had become interested in General Management, with full P&L responsibility.  His first opportunity was an interim role as Director of Production and Distribution for Hickory Farms.  That experience led to becoming the Director of Operations for the Western Region, in 1985 and a move to Denver, CO.  After the sale of Hickory Farms, and reorganization, Jim left the company and entered the QSR segment where he spent the next 10 years.  In 1989 and joined KFC as a fast-track, Operations Director.  The family moved to Dallas, and then Kansas City.  In 1990, he joined Long John Silver’s Restaurants as a Regional VP over Chicago and St. Louis.  He was soon promoted to Sr. VP and Northeast Division General Manager and moved to Pittsburgh.  In July of 1994, he joined Allied Domecq Retail US, as a Region General Manager for Dunkin Donuts.  In 1996, he was transferred to Atlanta, GA to take over 30 southeastern markets for Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins.

 

Jim left the corporate world in 1999 and founded New Century Dynamics.  NCD is a management consulting company engaged in Executive Search focused on the Service Industry.  Segments of interest include Franchising, Food Service Distribution, Restaurant and Hospitality, and Retail.  New Century Dynamics Executive Search specializes in C-level search for Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Business Development Professionals.   The Company is particularly adept at in the confidential search process.  New Century Dynamics provides Executive Search, the placement of Interim Executives and Manpower Planning support to our clients in the Service Sector with an emphasis on Private Equity owned brands.  Jim offers his clients the benefit of his broad-based portfolio of experience in “hands-on” line and staff roles for growing concepts and turnarounds.

Since 2006, most of Jim’s work has been with Private Equity Groups (PEGs) and their portfolio companies, placing C-level Executives, mostly CEOs, and CFOs.  His clients cover the spectrum of the service segment as well as luxury goods, consumer packaged goods, medical devices, and manufacturing.  In 2014, after helping many of his clients find consultants and project managers for short-term assignments, Jim, and three colleagues founded ITB Partners.

A proven Executive with exceptional Leadership skills, Jim has a strong financial background and heavy operations experience in specialty retail stores, quick-service restaurants, manufacturing, and distribution.  Jim’s background in Strategic Market Planning and his strong profit orientation has supported successful new business development projects, same-store sales increases, expense control systems, and labor productivity.  Through his leadership, he has developed teams that consistently delivered the profit plan, year in and year out.  His corporate training and experience provided the foundation to be successful at New Century Dynamics and ITB Partners.