Kreller Companies

American corporate investigations and risk consulting firm

Kreller, Inc.

Corporate logo

Trade name

| Kreller Companies
Company type| Private
Industry| Business intelligence
Founded| 1989; 36 years ago (1989)
Founder| Joseph "Joe" Davidoski
Headquarters|

Cincinnati, Ohio

United States

Area served

| Worldwide

Key people

| Joseph "Joe" Davidoski
(President)
Harvey Rosen
(Chief Operating Officer)[1]
Scott Shaffer
(Managing Director, Global Due Diligence)[2]
Services|

* Corporate investigations
* Credit reporting
* Due diligence

Divisions|

* Kreller Consulting
* Kreller Credit
* Kreller Group

Subsidiaries| Smith Brandon International
Website|

* kreller.com
* krellerconsulting.com
* krellercredit.com

Kreller Companies is an American corporate investigations and risk management firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio.[3] Since its founding in the late 1980s, it has advised clients on their use of third-party business information vendors.[4] Today the firm offers a range of business intelligence services, including custom due diligence and investigations.[3]

Kreller Companies employs licensed investigators and analysts with experience in federal, state and local law enforcement.[5] Its corporate offices are located in the United States, and the company has official representation in Mexico, Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia.[6]

The firm operates globally across a number of industries, including health care, telecommunications, defense, energy, manufacturing, and finance.[2][7][8][9][10] Clients include companies, academic institutions, and government agencies.[7][11]

In January 2020, Kreller Companies announced that it had acquired D.C.-based Smith Brandon International.[3]

## History

[edit]

From 1982 to 1988, Joe Davidoski worked in sales for Dun & Bradstreet, a publicly traded company that, at the time, had a 90% market share of the credit-check market.[12] Davidoski was recognized as one of the company's top salesmen.[4][13] After raising concerns internally for several years, in June 1988, a day after the enactment of Ohio's Whistleblower Statute, Davidoski sent a letter to management detailing the misleading and unethical nature of the company's selling practices.[12] The story of his employer's alleged misconduct made front-page news, and Davidoski was featured on American news programs, including 20/20.[12][13][14] Davidoski's complaints led to several lawsuits and inquiries, including one by the United States Postal Service. In June 1989, Dun & Bradstreet agreed to settle a number of these for $18 million.[15][16]

In 1989, Davidoski left and formed Kreller, Inc., today known as Kreller Companies.[12] One of the company's initial services was to work with customers to reduce their spend on third-party data providers, including Dun & Bradstreet.[4]

In 1991, Kreller Companies began offering international credit reports.[7] In the mid-1990s, Kreller Companies began offering international due diligence services.[10] In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the company's profile rose and its business doubled as Fortune 500 companies sought to sever any possible links to Al Qaeda.[11]

In January 2020, Kreller Companies announced its acquisition of Smith Brandon International (SBI), a boutique corporate investigations and risk consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.[3][17]

## Companies

[edit]

Kreller Companies offers services across four associated companies: Kreller Group, Kreller Credit, Kreller Consulting, and Smith Brandon International.

### Kreller Group

[edit]

Kreller Group provides international due diligence and background research using local investigators for on-the-ground intel on entities around the globe.[5][11][18] Kreller Group conducts investigations into both companies and individuals with whom clients are considering business dealings, such as joint ventures or mergers and acquisitions.[5] Kreller Group also provides advice on how to select international business partners.[19]

In addition, Kreller Group provides guidance on adherence to anti-corruption acts, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.[2] In 2012, Kreller Group launched Kreller Online, an online portal to assist clients with ongoing regulatory compliance with anti-corruption acts.[20]

### Kreller Credit

[edit]

Kreller Credit conducts international credit queries, credit reporting, and in-country risk evaluations and provides assurances that certain credit transactions are authentic.[5][21][22] It also assists with collection efforts and asset recovery.[5][7][22]

### Kreller Consulting

[edit]

Kreller Consulting offers clients strategies to reduce their expense on information products sold by third-party vendors, particularly those related to credit, law, insurance, real estate, and debt collections.[12][22][23] It also advises clients on best practices when purchasing information service subscriptions.[23]

### Smith Brandon International

[edit]

Main article: Smith Brandon International

In January 2020, Kreller Companies announced that it had acquired Smith Brandon International (SBI).[3] SBI is a boutique corporate investigations and risk consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. The firm offers a range of services, including high-level political analysis, global due diligence, risk avoidance, corporate investigations, financial investigations, political risk assessments and business intelligence services.[17][24]

## See also

[edit]

* Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
* Smith Brandon International

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Key Leadership". Kreller Companies. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
2. ^ a b c Johnson, Heather R. (October 25, 1989). "FCPA Continues to Keep a Sharp Eye on Medtech". MDDI Qmed. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
3. ^ a b c d e Caproni, Erin (January 29, 2020). "Cincinnati Firm Acquires D.C. Competitor". Cincinnati Business Courier. Cincinnati, Ohio. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
4. ^ a b c Wolf, Barnet D. (May 12, 1989). "Letter Calls Dun & Bradstreet Practices Misleading". The Columbus Dispatch.
5. ^ a b c d e "Investigators: Compliance, M&A, JV, Due Diligence And More". Metropolitan Corporate Counsel. May 1, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
6. ^ "History". Kreller Group. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
7. ^ a b c d Braykovich, Mark (October 15, 1991). "Kreller can get scoop on foreign companies". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
8. ^ "NXT Energy Solutions Announces $8.9 Million USD SFD® Survey Contract in Nigeria" (Press release). Calgary, Alberta: NXT Energy. GlobeNewswire. March 28, 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
9. ^ Barth, Steve (September 1998). "An ounce of prevention". World Trade. 11 (9). Troy: BNP Media: 40–43.
10. ^ a b Kreller Business Information Group, Inc. Hoover's Company Records (Report). Fort Mill: Mergent. April 1, 2020. ProQuest 1860775134. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
11. ^ a b c Callison, Jenny (September 11, 2002). "Tristate Businesses Adapt". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
12. ^ a b c d e Bohman, Jim (May 1, 1989). "Davidoski vs. Goliath". Dayton Daily News.
13. ^ a b "Episode 919". 20/20. Season 1989. Episode 919. New York. May 12, 1989. ABC News.
14. ^ Roberts, Johnnie L. (March 2, 1989). "Credit Squeeze: Dun & Bradstreet Faces Flap Over How It Sells Reports on Business". The Wall Street Journal.
15. ^ Peers, Alexandra (October 25, 1989). "Six of D&B's Top Aides Sell Some Shares". The Wall Street Journal.
16. ^ Roberts, Johnnie L. (March 17, 1989). "Big Bank Demands Dun & Bradstreet Refund Up to $2.5 Million in Charges". The Wall Street Journal.
17. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". Smith Brandon International. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
18. ^ Mazero, Joyce (February 14, 2019). "International Franchising: Getting the Information You Need – and Why". Franchising.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
19. ^ "Advice on International Deals". Akron Beacon Journal. September 24, 2015. p. B6.
20. ^ "Announcing Kreller Online, a Risk Based Due Diligence Approach Addressing Requirements of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act" (Press release). Cincinnati: Kreller Group. PR.com. March 28, 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
21. ^ Schaeffer, Mary S. (April 26, 2001). International Credit and Collections: A Guide to Extending Credit Worldwide. Wiley. p. 30\. ISBN 978-0471406754.
22. ^ a b c "Key Leadership". Kreller Companies Services. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
23. ^ a b Kreller Group Inc v. WFS Financial Inc (Ohio App. October 10, 2003), Text.
24. ^ Larsen, Peter Thal (April 11, 2002). "Insecurity and fear feed a once secretive industry". Financial Times.