As a leader, Robert Mueller said his passion comes through building a company that is inspired to do great things, continually challenging the status quo. “The ideas and creativity that come from people throughout the organization is impressive,” he said. “As leaders, our job is to inspire the team to be at their creative best and feel safe to put themselves out there. At RIM, we believe we do that better than most.”
Mueller, the president of RIM Logistics, said his journey into entrepreneurship began before his father launched the logistics and supply chain company. “I knew that I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps,” he said. “He was always a willing and demanding coach/mentor, and I was fascinated by his travels all over the world. Who better for me to learn from?”
Following a few years in the industry, working for competitors, Mueller learned the business and began to build a network of clients, partners and prospective team members. Once his father’s firm began to expand, Mueller joined the team and took the helm of the family business when his father passed away. “While losing our visionary leader with heavy hearts, we were able to stay true to his vision and continue on our journey while he watched over us with pride,” said Mueller.
Mueller has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s presence in Asia during the critical period of China’s economic opening. Based in Hong Kong for nearly a decade, he forged relationships, established partner networks and helped position RIM Logistics as a significant player in the region.
Returning to Chicago in 2005, he transitioned into sales and operational management roles, culminating in his appointment to the executive team. By 2019, Mueller had taken the reins to lead the company through a period of substantial transformation, even navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
His leadership has led to accolades, such as being recognized as a top 100 emerging leader under 50 by Diversity MBA. “They recognized RIM because of our efforts to promote all people in our company – they were able to see the impact we made with our team members,” said Mueller. Today, RIM consists of over 50% female employees.
In addition to his role at RIM, Robert serves on the board of directors for Uniforce, a global network of family-owned businesses, where he helps small companies compete on a global scale.
“Protecting our people and investing in them to help them on their own personal journey is a top priority in addition to giving back to the local community, mentoring the next generation and building up people so they believe in themselves,” said Mueller.