Principals

James H. Hopkins President & CEO - Southeast Region  Dirk H. Hilkmann Executive VP  - Southwest Region Damian C. Georgino Executive VP - Northeast Region
James H. Hopkins, President & CEO James (Jim) Hopkins, 56, is the founder and CEO of Strategic Ventures Group, LLC a North American venture development and consulting firm.  The firm’s principle focus is to launch and operated start up ventures, and to acquire and operate existing under performing companies capable of significant profitable growth improvement. Mr. Hopkins is responsible for the overall management of the firm with primary focus on portfolio company acquisition, operational oversight and overall strategic growth of the firm. Prior to founding Strategic Ventures Group in 1999, Mr. Hopkins served in a variety of Fortune 100 corporate executive management positions and has extensive experience in managing businesses, venture development, information technology, global marketing, total quality management, sales and sales management, and entrepreneurship. He has driven results in building, growing, and restructuring businesses, acquiring and divesting companies, developing and expanding markets and products, building and deploying total quality management tools, and in developing customer relationships and growing sales. He has also co-authored a book focusing on creating, building, and measuring customer satisfaction.  A global business man, Mr. Hopkins has done business in 25 countries in five continents around the globe. In addition to serving as Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Ventures Group, Mr. Hopkins has been very involved in the academic arena. Mr. Hopkins has served on Duquesne University’s Business School Marketing and Information Technology Advisory Board, and has served on the Business School faculty as an adjunct professor teaching senior level marketing.  Mr. Hopkins currently serves on the faculty at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business as an adjunct instructor specializing in entrepreneurship/new venture creation, small business management, international strategic management, and business ethics.  Mr. Hopkins was named “Management Teacher of the Year” in 2006 by UGA's Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity for his teaching effectiveness and contributions to business students at the University of Georgia. Mr. Hopkins is very active in the business and local community. He serves on the Advisory Board of Clayburn Inc. a global refractory company based in Canada with facilities in Canada, the U.S. and China.  He serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the Athens Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hopkins is active in the Athens, GA Rotary Club of Rotary International, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors and is President-Elect.  In addition Mr. Hopkins was awarded membership in Gridiron at the University of Georgia where he has been a member for over thirty three years. He and his family are members of Athens First United Methodist Church. Mr. Hopkins has held various executive positions throughout his professional career including President, Tifton Aluminum Company; President, Stolle Products, Norcold & Arteck; Director, Global Information Services - Alcoa Inc.; Manager Corporate Development - Alcoa Inc.; International Marketing Manager - Alcoa Inc.;  and Sales Manager - Alcoa Inc. Mr. Hopkins earned a MBA in 1976 and a BBA degree in 1975 from the University of Georgia where he graduated with honors.  Dirk H. Hilkmann, Principal & Executive Vice President - Southwest Region Dirk Hilkmann (49) is a principal and Executive Vice President of Strategic Ventures Group with primary focus on leading M&A client engagements, and on business development in the Southwest Region. He has tremendous executive management experience in international banking and corporate finance. Mr. Hilkmann has extensive global client advisory experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, raising capital, structured and leveraged financing, foreign exchange, risk management, and investment management. Mr. Hilkmann has advised clients on domestic and international buy and sell side acquisitions, and has led interactive strategic planning workshops. In addition to serving as Principal and Executive Vice President of Strategic Ventures Group, Mr. Hilkmann also serves as CEO of Certes Environmental Laboratories based in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Hilkmann has held the following positions during his professional career: Partner - Riverview Group LLC, a corporate finance advisory firm; Vice President and Member of the Management Committee - Harbison Walker Refractories Company; General Manager, Minerals Division - Harbinson Walker Refractories Company; Senior Executive - Bank of America and it's predecessor Continental Illinois Bank of Chicago. Mr. Hilkmann held various international assignments in the bank's Belgium and Netherlands operations before moving to it's headquarters in Chicago. Mr. Hilkmann graduated summa cum laude and first in his class from the Solvay School at the University of Brussels, Belgium in 1977 as a Commercial Engineer. He has completed executive education classes at Harvard Business School, and Northwestern University in Chicago. Damian C. Georgino, Principal & Executive Vice President - Northeast Region Mr. Georgino (43) is a Principal and Executive Vice President of Strategic Ventures Group, with a specific focus on venture acquisition development and transaction leadership. Prior to joining the firm, he served in a variety of executive management positions in legal, corporate finance, and corporate development. Mr. Georgio has extensive experience in leading and completing more than 250 acquisitions and in overseeing hyper-growth acquisition integration within billion dollar corporations. In addition to serving as Principal and Executive Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Mr. Georgino also serves as President & CEO of Georgino Industrial Supply, a regional industrial distribution company based in Pennsylvannia, and as Managing Principal of Greenbrier Capital, a merchant bank Mr. Georgino has held the following positions during his professional career: Partner - LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP, a global legal services firm; Director - Laurel Mountain Partners; Executive VP, General Counsel, & Corporate Secretary - United States Filter Corporation; Manager Corporate Development - Alcoa Inc.; Corporate Associate - Houston Harbaugh PC. Mr. Georgino earned a JD/MBA degree from Emory University in 1986, and a BS degree from Dickinson University in 1982. Information If you would like more information about our company or services, then contact us at info@strategic-ventures.com