Rob Eickhoff:
CLASS OF 1970
Rich Central High SchoolClass of 1970
Olympia fields, IL
Rob's Story
In 2011, Rob acquired CertaPro Painters of Roswell, a full service residential and commercial painting company and built the new franchise company from a start-up to a $ million plus business, in six short years. After a record breaking 2016, he sold the business, in mid-2017. Under his ownership, the business garnered much recognition including CertaPro’s 2013 Marketing Award, NPS (Net Promoter Score) Pioneer Award for his work in helping to drive and introduce this consumer rating system throughout CertaPro’s 365 businesses nationwide. Rob was then inducted into the President’s Club for outstanding business achievement and CertaPro of Roswell was also awarded, in 2015 and 2016, “Best of Roswell’s” award in the painter category.
Prior to his CertaPro success, he served as the Senior Vice President, Operations, for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was named to that position in March 2007 and in it, led nearly 3,300 sales, distribution, manufacturing, and information technology employees and contractors with an annual operating budget of $178M and revenues of $76M. He joined the company as Vice President, Circulation, in March 2005. Under his leadership, his team contributed nearly $100M to the company’s operating profit guiding the company’s return to profitability, helping to turn an $80 million profit deficit into a $10 million advantage, in 5 years.
Prior to the AJC, he served as Director/Vice Presiden, Operations,
at Orlando Sentinel Communications. He joined the Sentinel, in 1993, after a thriving 15 years in various management and director roles at the Chicago Tribune, another Tribune Publishing paper. He also consulted at several Tribune Publishing properties in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Palo Alto and New York. While at the Tribune, his varied positions included Customer Contact Center Manager, Metro Circulation Director, Transportation Planner, National Sales Manager and Business Marketing Analyst. While at the Chicago Tribune, he the division’s annual college recruiting efforts and his intuition for talent is illustrated by the success of several of his recruits. Additionally, he directed the Tribune’s first venture int...Expand for more
o satellite printing adding two sites, in the Midwest, converted the employee delivery system to independent contractors. During his tenure, at the Orlando Sentinel, he transferred the privately owned transportation fleet & maintenance responsibilities to a 3PL multi-year contract, centralized Sentinel distribtion centers by constructing the first experimental “build to suit” facility and directed multi million dollar capital projects that enhanced press color capabilities & paging and improved product flow & assembly.
Rob also has a distinguished record of military, community and industry service.
He has served as Chairman & President of The Southern Circulation Manager’s Association, Chairman & President of the Newspaper Association of America’s (NAA) Circulation Federation Board and led national NAA committees on the future of distribution and advertiser satisfaction.
Outside of his industry, he served on Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre’s Board, the Foundation Board of Directors at Orlando’s Valencia Community College and Chairman & President of Orlando’s Salvation Army Advisory Board
He was a faculty member and executive-in-residence for The Maynard Institute for Minority Journalism Education, at Northwestern University, and… has been a frequent guest lecturer at Northern Illinois University’s College of Business, for their MBA program. He also served on the Executive Advisory Board of NIU’s College of Business.
He holds an Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Science (from NIU) degrees and an M.B.A.
He also holds an Executive Certificate, in Business Strategy, from Kennesaw State University’s Cole College of Business.
Rob’s military background includes Viet Nam era service with The United States Army’s legendary 82d Airborne Division, an infantry spec ops paratrooper.
Currently, he funds Veteran’s Scholarships, at both Northern Illinois and Governors State Universities where he maintains advisory roles in their efforts helping student- veterans.
He is currently retired and lives in the Northeast Georgia mountains.
He has been married to Nikki for 48 years having met her shortly after being inducted into the Armed Services in ‘early 70’s
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
