Today we’d like to introduce you to Doruk Borekci.
Doruk, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I completed my undergrad at The Ohio State University and received a B.S., Industrial & Systems Engineering. After graduation, I worked in the telecom industry in Miami for over two years to gain work experience. I returned to Chicago to continue my education at Northwestern University where I received my MBA. Following graduation, I worked for 6 ½ years with Phillips Electronics as the Global Director of Supply Chain. In 2004, I joined my family business, Borekci Holding, headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. Borekci Holding is a third generation real estate and construction company with five business units (real estate & development, construction, hospitality, food & beverage, and industrial & trade). I joined the board of directors and was tasked with expanding our industrial and trade business as well as expanding the real estate business internationally.
In 2006, we purchased Classic Stone, a natural stone paver company in Chicago, and I was appointed Chief Executive Officer. In the past 11 years, I have logged over 7 million airline miles around the globe transforming the company from a small product distributor ($1M in sales) in the Midwest to a global natural stone provider with five office locations scattered around the world and annual sales over $25M. I split my time between our US headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois and our global supply chain office in Ankara, Turkey, along with quarterly visits to our other international office locations.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges was expanding our operations internationally. Navigating thru different laws, cultures, and customs was exciting but difficult at times. Equally challenging was navigating and expanding our supply chain network – creating solid partnerships in the industry, and focusing on operational ingenuity with my team, was critical to be able to compete on the large-scale commercial projects that we work on today. My involvement early on was key and the global travel was very taxing. I was involved with every aspect of the business and visited the quarries, factories, project sites, and met with clients on a regular basis until our credibility, brand, and portfolio were established. At that time, I was able to hand over certain aspects of the business to trusted employees, many of whom have been with me on this journey since the beginning. I still travel to all the offices on a regular basis but focus my efforts on larger projects and nurturing key accounts globally.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Classic Stone is a natural stone supply company specializing in supply chain excellence and offering a unique quarry-to-project service approach. We are strategically located all over the world with offices in the US, Turkey, the UK, and Qatar. Our RPSS Advantage Model (Rock Paper Scissors Shoot) is a process that establishes operational ingenuity by replacing common pain points typically buried in the stone supply experience with advantages. We are known for finding and sourcing any stone desired anywhere in the world in order to deliver our client’s vision. Some projects will require over a dozen stones sourced from multiple countries – the coordination is immense. Additionally, unlike many of our competitors, we can supply stone for both interior and exterior applications and offer installation services in key markets.
I am most proud of our rapid growth internationally while maintaining consistency in our services and products. The company grew from a small product distributor in the Midwest to being recognized as one of the top stone supply companies in the industry. I am also proud of my team, many who have been with me since the beginning and are like family.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago is our headquarters and has been a great place to do business, both domestically and internationally, with O’Hare being a convenient hub for us. I love the Midwest vibe – everyone is professional and friendly. Even though I didn’t grow up in Chicago, it is my home away from home and one of the greatest cities in the world, in my opinion. I feel fortunate to live and work in this great city!
A few challenges for us are high state taxes and unions. The unions make it difficult for us to offer installation services in this market.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1420 Techny Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062 - Website: www.classicstoneadb.com
- Phone: 847.564.3300
- Email: info@classicstoneadb.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classic_stone
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/classicstoneadb
Image Credit:
Classic Stone, Laurier Fourniau
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