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Taylor H. Devine Founder and Managing Partner Phone: 703-754-8829 Email: tdevine@cdisolutions.net |
Taylor founded Corporate Development International, LLC, dba The CDI Group in 2001, after completing the sale of his last company where he served as Chairman and CEO. Taylor founded The CDI Group because he recognized certain groups of people were being under served:
These insights come from a long and distinguished career, starting in 1963, spanning both domestic and international business. Taylor has the experience that comes from growing multi-million $ revenue private and public companies while a business owner, Chairman, CEO, President and/or COO. His experience includes having lead a very successful IPO as that company’s President and CEO. Taylor started his career in 1963 with Saga Corporation in contract management services and chain restaurant management. Over an 18 year period with Saga, Taylor progressed from unit management to the executive level, serving as that company’s first Director of Strategic Planning, later as a Marketing VP, and then as a Division VP and General Manager. Taylor helped build two divisions on a national basis. Saga reached the $1 Billion revenue in 1983 and was sold to Marriott in 1985. During his last two years with Saga, while working full-time, he also earned his MBA from the University of Chicago. Leaving Saga in 1981, Taylor joined Arthur D. Little, Inc, world headquarters in Acorn Park, MA (Boston suburb) as a Senior Consultant, Strategic Management Unit. Specialized practice area: The Strategic Management of Technology on a national basis. The skills and knowledge gained in that practice in the early 1980’s help CDI’s technology Clients today. In late 1982, a then young couple by the name of Debbi and Randy Fields wanted experienced leadership in building and expanding a very small but very special company that had just 35 stores at that time. Debbi, Randy and Taylor all moved to Park City UT to build a national and later international chain: Fields Financial Corp, dba: Mrs. Fields Cookies (MFC). Over the next 41 months, with Taylor as the EVP and COO, they built MFC from 35 units to 255 units across the United States. All company owned at that time. Having invested the prior 22 years building and consulting for others, in 1986 it was time start his own enterprise. Combining technology and management, Taylor recruited the Salt Lake City IBM Branch Manager and they formed one of the first voice mail and IBM 36/38 data input/output service bureaus in the United States. In late 1987, another company builder / entrepreneur by the name of Wayne Huizenga and friends purchased controlling interest in a then 19 store chain. Wayne knew how to recruit people who knew how to build and operate national chains where there was a finite time window of opportunity to win the war. In October 1987 Taylor joined Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation, parent of Blockbuster Video, with responsibility for approximately 1/3 the United States. Taylor and his team proceeded to open 176 stores in 12 months, or approximately 1 new store every 48 hours. This included company owner stores, franchisee owned stores, joint-ventures and acquisitions. Near the end of the first 12 months, Taylor was promoted to a corporate officer and given responsibility for 5 of the 7 operating regions in the United States. Within the next six months, Taylor was again promoted to Vice-President, International Operations. Taylor moved to London, England as the International Corporate Officer with marketing, operational, financial and real estate and construction responsibility for Europe, Asia, and South America. Over the next several years, using London as his base, Taylor opened company, franchised, joint-ventured, and/or acquired operations in 9 countries outside North America, with due diligence going on in another 12 countries, and on the largest competitor in Europe, having 850 stores. Taylor returned to the US in 1992, investing in and taking Board seats with several entrepreneurial companies headed for national and international expansion. It was during this period that Taylor moved to Portland, OR, as President and CEO of a young, pre-IPO company by the name of Coffee People, Inc. Taylor again built a management team and architected a national expansion. After closing a Private Placement Memorandum and leading a successful IPO, Taylor expanded the company organically and thru a strategic acquisition. In late 1998 a large international based company wanted a public stock vehicle as an entry into the United States. Taylor managed that sale transaction. In 1999, Taylor returned to east coast to become Chairman and CEO of ICTS Inc. Innovative Community Technology Services, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, and in partnerships with Colleges and Universities, trained people so they could earn computer, IT and security certifications from organizations like ComTIA, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco. With campuses in Baltimore, Md, Alexandria, VA, Hampton Roads, VA and Atlanta, GA, in the next two years, Taylor and his management team increased Revenue from approximately $12 Mil to approximately $16 Mil. In mid-2001, a company intent on doing a technology certification training roll-up made a highly desirable offer for ICTS. Again, Taylor managed that transaction. Having enhanced the value, purchased and sold several companies in the United States and Internationally, and desirous to stay in the Northern Virginia area, in late 2001, Taylor established Corporate Development International, LLC, dba The CDI Group. The CDI Group is a financial and consulting services company, organized to serve the needs of business owners, those who want to be business owners and corporate leaders who want to increase the value of their company, and/or outsource the M&A function. Taylor understands business owners, those who want to be and corporate executives, because he has been and is one. 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