Dennis Roberts is a senior executive with over 35 years experience in leading human capital initiatives in a variety of companies, large and small and in a number of different industries.
This experience includes leading significant organizational responses to challenges within a private equity firm and private equity portfolio companies, in North America, Europe and Asia.
Dennis has led HR-related activities involving pre-deal due diligence and in post acquisition integration of merged or acquired companies. He has also served on Boards of Directors for portfolio companies.
A list of companies he has worked with include Z Capital Partners, International Playtex, Beatrice, Inc., Bush Industries, Inc., The William Carter Company, Holiday Inn Worldwide, Nellson Nutraceuticals, Mrs. Fields Cookies, TCBY Yogurt, and non-governmental organizations including the United Nations/UNICEF. Mr. Roberts has also directly led recruitment efforts to identify and hire senior-level candidates at several companies, including C-suite positions such as CEO, CFO, Chief Marketing Officer, VP Information Technology, VP Human Resources and VP Operations.
Dennis is currently Chief Human Resources Officer at Max Finkelstein, Inc. a New York City-based wholesale distribution/logistics company with operations from Maine to Virginia.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters in Organizational Science. Dennis lives with his wife Sally in Port Chester, NY and is the father of two sons, one an attorney and one an Eagle Scout currently pursuing a Masters of Accountancy. He is a former Army Officer, an avid sailor, British sports car enthusiast and is an adult leader in the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.
More from Dennis…
Dennis understands the importance of engaging employees properly. He says if management is honest with staff, then they will be honest with management.
In that same vein, Dennis tells us hiring the right kinds of people is important, and setting them up for success at a company that isn’t your own is also critical down the line. He tells us:
“You have to have a vision for how you want the what I call the human capital function to look like. You have to have a vision for the kinds of people that will be successful there.
I like to hire people who can evidence that they’re not just doing a job, but they’re professional at it. The last payroll manager that I hired, I went out and it was very important to me, that person have a CPP, certified payroll professional certification, that they kept up with it, and that people are certified and professional.
And then there are the behavioral types. I mean, can I get you on the weekend? And you know, if something comes up, what do we do and how do we build relationships with our supported community. All of those things are very important.
When I was at a company called Bush Industries, the CFO told me once, and it was probably the best compliment anyone ever gave me and professionally was, it’s embarrassing when the HR department is the best department in the company.
So you have to, whether it’s turnaround or anything else, if you’re the leader, and you want to make an impact, you need to make that impact through not accepting the ordinary performance, not accepting the usual. And I tell people, if you come to work for me, my pledge to you is that your resume will look better when you leave. And oh, by the way, I expect you to leave.”
