Jim Wood - a transformational business leader with deep experience leading middle-market and family businesses.
As SVP and Chief Strategy Officer for The Clemens Family Corporation (CFC), he developed the strategic vision and led
the Corporation’s growth and diversification, acquisitions, sales & marketing, and real estate development.
Upon arriving at CFC in 2000, Jim led a complex turnaround strategy and corporate restructuring of family ownership
that resulted in significant profit and performance improvements. This challenging transition of the 3rd generation from
“Family Business” to “Business Family” allowed the Clemens family to successfully retain ownership and preserve their wealth into
future generations. The shift was considered so progressive among Family Business practitioners that it was subsequently
written up as a case study by the Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In the subsequent 15 years,
revenue tripled from $300mm to $900mm, and average annual shareholder returns jumped from 4% to 17%.
While at CFC, Jim developed and executed a corporate diversification strategy, launching a real estate subsidiary focused on
development and acquisition of retail and industrial properties which grew from zero to over $90 million in assets. He also led
restructuring of the sales and marketing team, revitalizing a stagnant sales organization from flat to double-digit organic growth
in a mature category, generating record-breaking volume and profit growth.
Prior to joining CFC, Mr. Wood was the Director of Entrepreneurial Services for Ernst & Young’s New England
consulting practice, where he instituted strategic planning and performance management processes for
numerous middle-market growth companies in the Northeast.
Previously, he was with Inc. magazine, where he launched and managed Inc.'s Growth Strategy Consulting Group, providing
advisory services to Inc.’s audience of fast-growth companies. In this capacity, Jim consulted with hundreds of CEO’s in a
wide variety of industries on effective growth management and developed best practices for effectively planning and
managing growth. During this time he authored the book, “The Next Level, Essential Strategies for Breakthrough Growth.”
Jim serves on the Board of Directors at Costa Farms, a $400mm consumer horticulture business in Miami, FL. He previously
served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Third Federal Bank (THRD), a NASDAQ-traded community savings and
loan institution in the Philadelphia area.
Mr. Wood earned his MBA from the S. C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, a Master’s of Science
from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor’s degree from The State University of New York at Potsdam.
As SVP and Chief Strategy Officer for The Clemens Family Corporation (CFC), he developed the strategic vision and led
the Corporation’s growth and diversification, acquisitions, sales & marketing, and real estate development.
Upon arriving at CFC in 2000, Jim led a complex turnaround strategy and corporate restructuring of family ownership
that resulted in significant profit and performance improvements. This challenging transition of the 3rd generation from
“Family Business” to “Business Family” allowed the Clemens family to successfully retain ownership and preserve their wealth into
future generations. The shift was considered so progressive among Family Business practitioners that it was subsequently
written up as a case study by the Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In the subsequent 15 years,
revenue tripled from $300mm to $900mm, and average annual shareholder returns jumped from 4% to 17%.
While at CFC, Jim developed and executed a corporate diversification strategy, launching a real estate subsidiary focused on
development and acquisition of retail and industrial properties which grew from zero to over $90 million in assets. He also led
restructuring of the sales and marketing team, revitalizing a stagnant sales organization from flat to double-digit organic growth
in a mature category, generating record-breaking volume and profit growth.
Prior to joining CFC, Mr. Wood was the Director of Entrepreneurial Services for Ernst & Young’s New England
consulting practice, where he instituted strategic planning and performance management processes for
numerous middle-market growth companies in the Northeast.
Previously, he was with Inc. magazine, where he launched and managed Inc.'s Growth Strategy Consulting Group, providing
advisory services to Inc.’s audience of fast-growth companies. In this capacity, Jim consulted with hundreds of CEO’s in a
wide variety of industries on effective growth management and developed best practices for effectively planning and
managing growth. During this time he authored the book, “The Next Level, Essential Strategies for Breakthrough Growth.”
Jim serves on the Board of Directors at Costa Farms, a $400mm consumer horticulture business in Miami, FL. He previously
served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Third Federal Bank (THRD), a NASDAQ-traded community savings and
loan institution in the Philadelphia area.
Mr. Wood earned his MBA from the S. C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, a Master’s of Science
from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor’s degree from The State University of New York at Potsdam.