EXECUTIVE PROFILE:
Hands-on, dynamic leader with broad-based design and manufacturing experience in a variety of industrial, automotive, and aerospace products, plus 10 years of P&L responsibility. Drove business growth through internal product and process development, supply alliances, and joint ventures. Experienced in facility relocation, business turnarounds, and change
management.
EXPERIENCE:
Vibratech, Inc. (formerly A Unit of IDEX Corporation), Alden, New York 1987 - 2002
Manufacturer of engineered heavy-duty vibration and motion damping devices for gasoline and diesel engines, automobile,truck, and rail vehicles, as well as for agricultural, marine, aircraft, construction, and a variety of industrial applications, for domestic and international markets, selling both directly and through distribution. Reseller of a variety of rubber and rubber-to-metal products, pulleys, and timing wheels.
PRESIDENT & CEO 1998 - 2002
Full financial, marketing/sales, and operations responsibilities for a 120-employee, multi-facility $25 million company, reporting directly to Board of Directors. Led management purchase of company from parent, with equity partners.
* Established strategic redirection, refocused market strategy and eliminated under-performing Product lines, restructured pricing and market position, and dramatically reduced costs, while attaining certification under QS 9000 quality standard.
* Reshaped the organizational structure and realigned responsibilities across departmental boundaries to provide more responsive, knowledgeable, and focused teams capable of supporting continuous customer satisfaction, through continual improvement of business processes and a manufacturing operation based on Lean principles.
* Reduced expenses more than $2 million in six months, lowered breakeven 35%, reduced working capital to less than 7¢ per sales dollar and increased cash flow by tripling inventory turns, reducing receivables to less than 35 days, and securing 60-day payment schedules with major suppliers.
* Introduced innovative approaches to marketing after-market products through distribution, finding new ways to provide sales growth incentives to distributors. Negotiated long-term supply agreements with large OEM customers.
* Orchestrated joint venture with, then progressive acquisition of, German competitor. As Managing Director, more than doubled that company's sales and took EBITDA from negative position to 20% sales in two years - integrated financial systems with parent, and improved engineering, manufacturing and quality assurance practices.
IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX - $750M Sales), Vibratech Subsidiary – Buffalo and Alden, New York
1987 – 1998
President 1992 – 1998
P&L and operations responsibilities for $15 million subsidiary reporting to Group Executive Vice-President.
* Doubled Rail business through product line expansion and sales to international markets. Expanded damper business into Powersports market and gained competitive advantage in existing low-margin OEM markets by maintaining a highly responsive, knowledge-based organization, empowered through cross-training, multi-functional teaming, and extensive use of advanced information systems.
* Developed domestic and international sourcing agreements, alliances, and licensee relationships to rapidly expand sales and gain access to new technologies and new markets, while reducing costs and minimizing consumption of internal resources.
* Purchased and directed the renovation of, and relocation to, a more appropriately sized, more cost-efficient facility.
Vice-President Manufacturing 1992 – 1995
Responsible for Production, Materials Control / Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Engineering, and Plant & Machinery Maintenance functions. High volume robotic cellular and low volume make-to-order production processes.
* Dramatically reduced product and process costs, improved cash flow, and reduced floor space requirements by 70% through improved process workflow utilizing Kaizen Teams, Lean Manufacturing principles, and a Just-In-Time inventory / Kanban system in a unionized workforce environment. Had excellent working relationship with Union leadership.
* Principally responsible for the development of a patented computer-controlled spin-forming process that revolutionized vibration damper manufacturing by reducing costs more than 50%.
* Established an integrated ERP/PC LAN/ Internet system to improve communications and workflow across the entire supply chain.
Vice-President Engineering / Quality 1987 - 1992
Responsible for product and technology development, product design, analysis and testing, production and customer support, as well as product and process Quality Assurance.
* Led fundamental changes in product / process development through strong team building and introduction of advanced CAD, Solids Modeling (ProEngineer), Finite Element Analysis, and Modal Analysis techniques into the design/development process to dramatically reduce time and effort from concept feasibility to production.
* Designed, developed, and helped market a performance automotive after-market product line of branded engine vibration dampers that grew to more than a $3 million business in three years.
* Introduced Statistical Process Control methods and Process Improvement Teams, and established Quality metrics, to permit continual measurement, monitoring, and improvement of manufacturing and business processes, leading to certification under the ISO 9001 and QS 9000 quality standards.
* Obtained nearly $150,000 in New York State grants to support training.
Ingersoll-Rand Turbo-Products Division, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 1976 - 1987
Manufacturer of pumps and compressors, hot gas expanders, power turbines, and steam turbines for general industrial, chemical, petrochemical, marine, power generation, and military applications.
Supervisor Product Design / Analysis 1979 - 1987
Responsible for the structural design and analysis of all turbo-machinery product components, encompassing conceptual design to production launch, as well as after-sale product support and reliability analysis. Developed the group into a high technology, product development resource for a number of Ingersoll-Rand divisions.
* Established structural design criteria, stress and vibration analysis procedures, component and material test specifications, quality criteria, and overhaul limits.
* Directed the development of computer automated design systems and linked them with CAD and computerized coordinate measuring machines to permit automatic drawing creation and part geometry verification.
* Also responsible for manpower development, budgeting, and prioritizing and scheduling work for the group.
Design / Analysis Engineer 1976-1979
* Designed, selected materials, and analyzed turbo-machinery components for stresses and displacements under linear and non-linear static and dynamic (including seismic) loads, and transient and steady-state thermal loads, using 2-D and 3-D
ANSYS and NASTRAN finite element programs.
* Evaluated components for mode-frequency and forced response characteristics, low and high cycle fatigue capability under complex load histories, high temperature creep, and elastic and plastic buckling capabilities.
*Performed Fracture Mechanics analyses, including low and high temperature crack growth and critical flaw size determination for setting quality criteria.
* Set up, performed, and evaluated component and machine tests using analog and digital data acquisition and reduction methods for confirmation of stresses, deflections, and vibration characteristics (including Modal Analysis testing).
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, East Hartford, Connecticut
1969 - 1976
Manufacturer of military and commercial jet engines.
Senior Analytical Engineer
Performed structural design studies and failure analyses of military and commercial jet engine components, from inlet fans through afterburners. Was a task force leader on several major projects.
EDUCATION:
Rochester Institute of Technology - Executive Program.
MSME Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartford Graduate Center.
BSME The City College of New York.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Co-Chair for the Industrial Forum of Eastern Erie County. Also on the Manufacturers Council of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and a member of APICS, ASQ, and ASME. |
