JDG Associates Fills Senior Position for R&K Enterprise Solutions
April 23, 2025 – Rockville, MD-based executive search firm JDG Associates recently assisted in the recruitment of Jim Zopelis as the vice president of business development of R&K Enterprise Solutions. R&K is seeking a driven, high performing candidate with significant defense industry knowledge and experience, strong relationship management skills, and a proven track record in Department of Defense and/or federal civilian (FedCiv) business development with an eye toward profitable growth. Mr. Zopelis fit the bill. He has delivered more than 25 years of exceptional service to the U.S Government.
Mr. Zopelis has managed broad portfolios and led numerous large-scale pursuits of contracts, IDIQ’s, GWACs, and MACs. He is an experienced leader who is adept at developing comprehensive strategies and maximizing the capabilities of an expansive professional network. Mr. Zopelis maintains broad experience across the Department of Defense, contributing to wins in the Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, Department for the Navy, and U.S. Strategic Command.
Mr. Zopelis is a complex problem solver with a focus on continuous improvement using disciplined analytical methods while pursuing a wide range of contracts, including information technology, cyber support, instructional support, engineering support, logistics, exercise & training support, and health & wellness.
R&K Enterprise Solutions, Inc. is a certified service-disabled veteran owned small business with an earned reputation for delivering best-value services in information technology, program security, information assurance, cyber security, project and program management, exercise support, and a variety of administrative services to government agencies.
JDG Associates has been providing executive recruitment services to Fortune 1000 corporations, associations and non-profits, federal, state, and local governments, research and consulting firms, and defense contractors since 1973. The firm’s research-intensive process and personal approach have resulted in more than 4,000 senior-level searches across a broad spectrum of industries and disciplines in the Washington, D.C. region and nationally.
Darren DeGioia serves as president of JDG. He conducts senior-level search assignments for research and consulting organizations as well as the public sector. His areas of expertise include information technology, accounting and finance, the quantitative sciences, operations / general management, marketing, and communications. Prior to joining JDG, Mr. DeGioia spent four years in the hospitality industry with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Sheraton Hotels.
JDG Associates recently assisted in the recruitment of Ben Price as the new president and CEO of The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. The assignment was led by Paul Belford. (NBCOT). “Ben is an excellent choice to lead NBCOT,” said Dee Berline, chairperson of the NBCOT board of directors. “He stood out from a large field of highly qualified candidates with his problem-solving skills and legislative advocacy. The board of directors and I look forward to working with Ben and continuing the legacy of leadership for occupational therapy.”
Leading and Scaling with Talent
Talent has become the cornerstone of value creation in private equity, shaping the success of portfolio companies and driving superior returns. As traditional levers like financial engineering and cost optimization face diminishing returns, private equity firms are increasingly focused on leadership and operational excellence to unlock growth. The role of talent leaders has never been more critical—they are the architects of transformative strategies, aligning people and processes to maximize organizational potential and achieve sustainable scalability.
Hunt Scanlon Media is convening hundreds of operating partners, chief talent officers, and executive recruiters at the Harvard Club in New York on May 15, 2025. We will examine the vital role talent professionals play in driving value creation—from shaping investment strategies and operational initiatives to fostering leadership excellence and organizational growth.
Mr. Price brings more than two decades of leadership experience in health care, credentialing, and public policy, marked by strategic innovation and organizational advancement. Most recently, he served as CEO of the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), where he led the organization to growth in certification numbers, financial stability, and technological advancements. Before that, Mr. Price was the executive director of the Colorado Association of Health Plans, guiding legislative and regulatory efforts post the Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Belford has completed nearly 300 association searches, mostly at the CEO level. A professional search consultant since 1990, He joined JDG Associates in 1993. His clients have ranged in size from regional and state groups with staffs of ten or fewer to national organizations with budgets up to $75 million. Mr. Belford has worked with trade associations and professional societies from a wide range of service areas including heavy industry, information technology, finance, healthcare, engineering, government relations, communications, finance, and administration. Mr. Belford has also served on the CEO Advisory Council of the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives, as well as on three of their compensation survey councils. More recently, he spear-headed the development of JDG’s quarterly Association CEO Workshop, launched in 2009, and authored The Association CEO Handbook published in 2013.
Related: JDG Associates Recruits CFO for the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
