Biography Summary
Robert Popovich is an award-winning international business and governmental consultant, speaker, speechwriter, professional interpreter/translator, bestselling author, political parodist, and poet.
His assignments range from Fortune 500 companies to the White House. He has lived and worked in major capitals throughout the world that has afforded him the opportunity to bring a broad and valued perspective to his consulting practice.
Freelance Consultants designs customized business strategies for domestic and international clients who seek to gain a competitive edge in their industry or organization.
He provided support in assisting the Yeltsin, Gorbachev & Putin administration make the transition to 'free markets' that began in 1996, Glasnost and Perestroika movements. His assignments include providing Russian translation support for geological studies in the search for new oil and gas fields in Siberia.
He co-chaired a (pro bono) 1-year fundraising drive, throughout Russia, for all innocents of the Bosnian War—Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. The tragedies of war don't differentiate between ethnicity, religion, or boundaries.
Speaker Topics
Revolutions - Hostages - Earthquakes - Spies
The Iranian Revolution
A Prisoner's Perspective
In 1979, Mr. Popovich was in route to attend a business meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan. HIs last refueling stop was in Tehran, Iran and landed into the middle of the Iranian Revolution only three days after the American Embassy was stormed and many Americans taken hostage.
He was accused of being a CIA operative and was taken into custody, and what followed was nothing short of an experience worthy of a John Clancy spy novel.
Great Alaskan Earthquake
A Witness Perspective
Mr. Popovich served as a US Army Security Agency (a subgroup of NSA) Russian Linguist/Cryptographer from 1962 until 1965. His was stationed on the furthest most island in Alaska's Aleutian chain, "Shemya, Island," 2,300 miles from the eastern coast of Russia.
West Berlin
An Information Collector's Perspective
From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Popovich worked in West Berlin until the Wall fell on November 9, 1989. He lived less than 100 feet from the wall and on many a night he heard the unmistakable sound of machine gun fire as East Berliner's, mostly young people, attempted to climb the wall to escape to the West.
He made numerous trips into East Germany as a tourist, and eventually became 'An Information Collector.' He was arrested more times than he cares to remember and recounts the different methods he used to convince those who held him in custody he was just a student tourist.
Russia
A Businessman's Perspective
Russia's History: Dark + Painful = Mistrust
Mr. Popovich has been working in Russia for over 25 years and provides a rare insight into its government and private sectors. He shares what it was like to live and work in the former Soviet Union and the lengths that were taken to maintain his privacy as to not draw any attention to his activities.
His involvement began in 1992 when he was asked to co-chair a fundraising drive for all innocent victims of the Bosnian War. After the fundraising drive ended, he was asked by his co-chair, and President of a prominent bank in St. Petersburg, Russia, to stay on and provide consulting services to the bank.
The president of the bank was Alexej Novachev, a former high-ranking KGB officer. Mr. Popovich initial interview is in striking contrast to those in the west.
Siberia--Oil & Gas Exploration
Dog Sleds - Horses - Caribou - Freezing Temperatures
Mr. Popovich provided administrative support to oil and gas exploration geologists in western Siberia. With temperatures ranging from 35 below zero to 90 below - not for the faint of heart. The conditions are man's worst enemy and any disrespect toward the elements your fate is sealed.