Company Info for us-search.com | IcebreakerMembers
Bob Schwartz’s mission is simple: "Enabling others' success, in life and business."
A Proven Leader in Driving Success and Building Value with 10 exits w 5 to 15x+ returns for founders and shareholders.
Starting as a self-taught programmer in the early 1990s, Bob developed the first online PC registration application, marking the beginning of a pioneering career in technology and commerce. He was an early innovator in ecommerce, by selling PCs online as well as building an online auction company acquired by Amazon.
Bob's career has been defined by transformative leadership and value creation. He has been a driving force behind the founding and growth of major companies, including Nordstrom.com, Magento (Adobe Commerce), and Wpromote, earning a reputation as a visionary serial entrepreneur and company builder.
Exceptional Track Record of Success
Bob’s achievements include:
- 10 successful exits, creating billions of dollars in value for shareholders and founders.
- Companies today valued in the hundreds of millions, with two reaching multi-billion-dollar status.
As a trusted CEO, President, advisor, coach, and board member, Bob has guided technology companies, consumer-facing commerce brands, and retailers toward sustained growth. His ability to align great execution with mission-driven cultures and unique branding sets him apart as a leader who understands what it takes to build truly enduring companies.
Impact Beyond Business
Bob’s commitment to making a difference extends beyond the corporate world. As a 12-year board member and 5-year chairman of Good360.org, he helped transform the nonprofit into the second-largest in the U.S., delivering over $3 billion annually in goods to other nonprofits and those in need. Under his leadership, Good360 became a self-sustaining organization, embodying the power of operational excellence for the greater good. 
Richard de Silva is the Founder, Managing Partner and Chair of the Investment Committee at Lateral Investment Management, LLC. With 27 years of experience in the industry, Mr. de Silva launched Lateral with a strategy to allocate first institutional growth capital to independent, owner-operated middle market businesses underserved by typical buyout firms. Under his leadership, the firm has a highly differentiated track record of turning successful, profitable companies into market leaders. Mr. de Silva serves as a member of the board of directors at several of Lateral’s companies, including Morae Global and Benchmark Builders.
Prior to Lateral, Mr. De Silva served as a Managing Director at Highland Capital Partners, a global venture capital and growth equity firm that has raised $7 billion in committed capital and invested in more than 300 companies1. At Highland, Richard focused on first institutional growth and buyout investments in leading technology and business services companies.
Mr. de Silva co-founded IronPlanet, a marketplace for construction equipment, which sold to Ritchie Brothers (NYSE:RBA) for nearly $800 million. He worked as a strategy consultant in the media and technology practice of Oliver Wyman Consulting.
Mr. de Silva received an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and an AB from Harvard College 
