Keith A. Knights is a seasoned management professional with over 20 years of experience in the areas of business and economic development, construction and project management.   

 

Mr. Knights has a M.A. Degree in Management and Supervision with a focus on Organizational Development from Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan (Graduated Cum-Laude).  Knights also has a B.A. Degree in Urban Planning/Communications from Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio (Graduated Cum-Laude and was presented the Scholastic Achievement Award for maintaining the Dean's Honor Roll each quarter of his undergraduate career.  In addition to his formal education, Knights holds the following certifications:  Certification, Economic Development Finance Professional, National Development Council, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Administrative Planning and Decision Making, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Project Management,  Builders Exchange, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Rapport Leadership International, Las Vegas, Nevada; Certification, Columbus Area Leadership Program (CALP), Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Projected Diversity, United Way, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Ohio Procurement and Technical Assistance Training, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, Surveying and Site Layout Builders Exchange, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, OSHA Standards/Requirements, Chicago, Illinois; Certification, Andrews Connector School, Chicago, Illinois; Certification, Mortgage Loan Officer, Ohio Department of Commerce through Pyramid Mortgage Company, Columbus, Ohio; Certification, State Board of Education, Business Construction Management and Economic Development Certified Instructor, State of Ohio.   Memberships:  Builders Exchange, American Management Association (AMA), and Pentelicus Honorary Society (PHS).

 

Through independent contracts, Knights has over 15 years of management consulting services with the following organizations:  Computer Solutions, Inc., Dublin, Ohio provided a variety of organizational development activities including restructuring of the LLC, minority business certification consultation, and establishing a non-profit organization; Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Columbus, Ohio contracted to provide business consultation and advice, certification on-site reviews, and certification applications reviews for women-owned businesses throughout Ohio and surrounding states; Pickaway-Ross Career Technology Center, Chillicothe, Ohio 1) Contracted to instruct business, construction management, and economic development classes to area businesses such as Kenworth, Mead, NewPage, etc., 2) Develop the curriculum and instruct classes for the unemployed, welfare, and WIA program participants; Alpha Omega Telecommunication, Columbus, Ohio contracted to provide construction management, site development, and maintenance services on communication projects throughout Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania; Site Operation Services, Batavia, Ohio  contracted to formally create the company from incorporation, registration, bonding/insurance, and financing. Developed all personnel policies and procedures, safety program, identified the check writing service, legal and accounting services; Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, Columbus, Ohio research and development consultant to the Columbus area Four Corners Project, Linden Café Restaurant. Worked with the CUGC president, the architect, power/telco companies, state/local inspectors, and equipment companies to recommend equipment, design, and layout; Buckeye National Sales, Inc., Columbus, Ohio contracted to negotiate a sales agreement of the product Gum Arabic between the Gum Arabic Corporation in Khartoum, Sudan, and Buckeye National Sales, Inc. to market the product throughout the United States; Clean Serve Building Services, Columbus Ohio  contracted to assist owner with the purchase of an established company "American Cleaning," by changing the name, creating a new marketing concept, and establishing short-term receivables financing;  State of Ohio Treasurer Department, Columbus, Ohio organizational development contract to review the effectiveness of various departments within the State Treasurers Office. Made recommendations to the Treasurer resulting in the re-organization and consolidation of several departments; Transco Liquidations, Inc., Columbus, Ohio - 1) Contracted to open overseas markets in Nairobi and Mombassa, Kenya; Jidda, Saudi Arabia; Cairo, Egypt; and Khartoum, Sudan. Took sample medical, health, and non-perishables items for sale. 2) Shipped $20,000 worth of supplies to Senegal West Africa, generating 200% profit. 3) Developed the re-finance package for the 20,000sq.ft. facility. 4) Coordinated the renovation of the same facility.

 

Knights has over 10 years of telecommunication construction experience as a project manager, construction manager, and operations manager with the following organizations: Construction Manager, American Tower Corporation (ATC).  (ATC is the parent company of Specialty Constructors, Inc.).  Transferred to Tower Development Division as Construction Manager responsible for managing all aspects of each new tower construction, co-location, and redevelopment; Tower Operation Supervisor, American Tower Corporation (ATC):  Transferred to Tower Operation to help establish Tower Operations policies and standards responsible for managing over 200 towers throughout Central Ohio 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week; Project Manager, Specialty Constructors, Inc.  Promoted to Project Manager to establish satellite offices in Southern Ohio and Michigan. Responsible for sales, administration, resource management, customer relations, and budgetary operations.  Assisted the North East Ohio and Pennsylvania markets specializing in turn-key, co-locations, roof tops, water tanks, sectorization, and microwave projects for Nextel, AirTouch, Sprint, AT&T, Aerial, and others. Responsible for generating a minimum of $450,000 in gross revenue per quarter; Site Superintendent, Specialty Constructors, Inc. Promoted to Site Superintendent.  Responsible for coordinating all construction activities on multiple sites simultaneously, from permits, bid walks, site layouts, tower and shelter foundations, tower erection, platform, antenna and line installation, coordinated all inspections and completed closeout packages.  Generated in excess of $1.5 million during this period.

 

In addition, Knights has held several strategic positions under both republication and democratic administrations in the following areas:  Director, Minority Business Center, Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce.  Responsible for providing business development and strategic planning assistance to individuals, small businesses, community groups and non-profits.  The MBC provided it's clients with over $4.6 million in financial assistance; over $11 million in public/private sector procurement assistance; completed 85 business plans; 46 marketing/public relations campaigns; all of which created 121 new jobs and maintained 538 existing jobs; Deputy Director, Small and Developing Business Division, Ohio Department of Development.  Responsible for a budget of more than $20 million, a staff of 40-50 employees.  Managed four assistant deputy directors covering four strategic economic development areas including: minority business development, small business development centers, minority development financing commission, and the administration office; Assistant Deputy Director of Administration, Small and Developing Business Division, Ohio Department of Development.  Assisted the Deputy Director of the Small and Developing Business Division in the management, administration, policy and budget issues that affected the division; Assistant Deputy Director for Administration, Ohio Department of Development. Responsible for assisting the Deputy Director in the total administrative operations of the Ohio Department of Development, as it relates to personnel, budget, fiscal, audit, research, facilities management and office services.  The Ohio Department of Development had ten (10) divisions with over 600 employees in which administrative services are provided.

                                   

Mr. Knights is a consistent volunteer within his community by working with the following organizations: Member, Safe/Drug Free Schools Committee (4 years)-Assist Pastor Obadiah Harris and Ms. Joyce Atwood in creating and maintaining violence/drug free schools; Assistant Coach, CHS Boys Varsity Basketball (7 years)-Provided various game stats, team leadership and motivation, discipline, and bench management to head coach Gary Kellough;  Staff Assistant, Gus Macker Chillicothe (5 years)-Coordinator of the Dream Court, Registration or Hospitality Tent.  Also, member of the National Gus Macker Traveling Team to different cities coordinating tournaments; Assistant Coach, CHS Varsity Football (5 years)-Assisted Bill Davidson by providing sideline management, team leadership and motivation training; Assistant Coach, Future Cavs Pee Wee Football (7 years)-Assisted Rick Ferguson and Kevin Bass by implementing academic requirements, drug free education, and managing the concessions for all home games raising $6-7,000 per year for the program.

 

Knights is married and resides in Chillicothe, Ohio, and has four sons.