SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Industrious, creative, and customer-focused BUSINESS MANAGEMENT / MARKETING / PLANNING executive. Persistent and analytical problem solver who excels under pressure and consistently gets the job done. Practical and dedicated team player who possesses outstanding interpersonal and group communication skills. Firm but fair leader and motivator, quality-driven planner and hands-on negotiator consistently dealing effectively with all levels of management. Accustomed to a fast pace and multiple projects, meeting priorities and deadlines while achieving / exceeding corporate objectives.
Areas of Expertise: General Management including manufacturing and distribution operations, finance, purchasing, international engineering management, and administration. Industrial Marketing including channel analysis / development, pricing analysis and implementation, and product planning and promotion. Sales including key account selling, distributor sales, and contract negotiations. Planning including short and long range business and marketing plans, market / industry research and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, strategy development, capital project analysis, and productivity assessments.
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
MOST RECENT EMPLOYER 2000 - 2003
A high technology materials manufacturer which markets ionization sources and static control devices worldwide. Company, which is an LLC, is owned by a privately-held, diversified US/UK holding company, and employs approximately 100 associates in New York.
PRESIDENT - Full P & L responsibility for leading and managing the company.
* Initiated a strategic planning process to invigorate historically flat sales. In five months of development using inclusive techniques, the plan of acquisitions and organic growth was approved by senior holding company management. Top line growth rate is expected to be 14% per year.
* Led team which evaluated market-based wage surveys, productivity standards, and historical internal pay differentials. The result was net productivity increased 7.55% and the company gained the ability to cross-train and ‘flex’ production associates among departments.
* Commissioned, trained, and developed self-directed work teams for sales engineering and customer service. Customer response time improved by 15% and two management positions were eliminated.
NEXT MOST RECENT EMPLOYER 1997 - 1999
A privately-held manufacturer of large-scale, custom engineered capital equipment marketed to the process and power generation industries worldwide. Employs approximately 350 associates at three plants in New York and Mississippi.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER - Full P & L responsibility for leading and managing company for owner.
* Quickly improved bottom line performance by hiring a professional purchasing manager and establishing a centralized procurement department. This resulted in lowering the breakeven point by $650,000 per year.
* Established a worldwide compressor market presence through effective negotiations and an exclusive three year agreement with Dresser-Rand for lube, oil and gas seal consoles worth over $6 Million per year. The result was that defined ramp-up period goals met expectations.
* Purchased MRP II enterprise system to replace rapidly failing dBase information system. All project milestones were achieved, and the system was fully operational within five months.
SECOND MOST RECENT EMPLOYER 1976 - 1997
A leading worldwide supplier of industrial gases and related products.
DIRECTOR, PACKAGED GASES TECHNOLOGY (1995-1997)
Led development of technology strategy for high growth, global packaged and specialty gases business. Managed engineering, R & D, and technical services organization with thirty associates located in Tonawanda, NY; Chicago, IL; Mississauga, ON; Montreal, PQ; and Kingman, AZ. Provided technical support to rapidly evolving Brazilian, Italian, and Far East strategic business centers.
* Visited key Asian operating sites to review technology skills and development programs. Analyzed plans and processes, and recommended to senior regional management that technical resources be significantly reallocated from operations to market / sales development. The recommendation was approved and initiated.
* Led training in teamwork skills to improve the department’s management processes. Five self-directed / managed work teams were formed, and simultaneously Praxair acquired Liquid Carbonic Industries; new associates from that company were successfully integrated into Praxair.
DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION (1990-1995)
Managed all administrative functions associated with a 1300-associate, campus-type environment. Site departments included design engineering, research and development, project management, manufacturing and distribution, and accounting. Direct responsibility included site engineering and construction, public and community relations, health and safety, environmental protection, maintenance and utilities, office services, telecommunications, and site security. Managed 145 associates and a $13 Million budget.
* Successfully developed a ten-year master plan to step-change improvement in site infrastructure and operating systems. The project included a new 25,000 sq. ft. national operations control center, a state-of-the-art telephone system ($2 Million), and a security system ($750,000).
* Obtained a detailed appraisal and led negotiation efforts to align property assessment with current market values. Achieved a 49.3% assessment reduction and $640,000 annual property tax savings while maintaining excellent relations with government leaders.
* Led management team through extensive contract negotiations to modernize relationships with bargaining unit employees. The result was a “win/win” settlement with a greatly simplified contract, job classification structures and work processes, and a market-based wage schedule.
BUSINESS MANAGER (1986-1990)
Full P & L responsibility for manufacturing and product management organization including strategic plans and annual business plans. Directed capital investment programs, R & D projects, project engineering, market research, and quality programs. Managed organization of 190 associates at five locations and a $47 Million budget. From 1988-90, also had P & L responsibility for packaged and bulk gases marketed through industrial gases and welding products distributors; $45 Million budget.
* Principal negotiator for a competitive bid to secure rare gases raw material supply. New source valued at $1.5 Million per year was won with 15-year exclusive rights; worldwide market share leadership for ultra high purity finished product expected for succeeding seven years.
* Co-led task force that refocused marketing and technical activities on strategic markets / products. Analyzed current plants and developed proposal for a $16 Million state-of-the-art specialty gases plant. The project was approved and funded with a new plant constructed, old plants restructured, and unprofitable products rationalized for elimination, all of which enhanced profitability.
* Managed “sell” effort to fill twenty-four critical positions in a very remote location. Successfully filled all of the positions resulting in $155,000 savings in hiring and recruiting fees.
* Proposed and justified a plant reconstruction to reduce neon manufacturing costs. Cost savings on new rebuild netted a 13-month payback on a $1.3 Million investment.
MANAGER, FINANCIAL PLANNING (1981-1986)
Planned, administered, and analyzed annual budgets and reforecasts for a $360 Million business consisting of 21 subsidiaries, 270 independent distributors, and numerous direct accounts. Assisted with the preparation of strategic plans and acquisition / divestiture programs. Administered $35 Million departmental budget and information systems development programs. Managed three financial analysts.
* Developed an innovative proposal to increase market share by purchasing a $30 Million helium production facility and long-term raw material supply. The proposal was keyed for a one-time, upfront payment. The project was completed with the initial payment formula intact.
TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE (1978-1981)
Managed a customer service group with nine associates located in San Francisco, Long Beach, CA and Denver, CO, and provided technical sales support to customers, distributors, and general sales representatives. Sold to key accounts.
* After lengthy, detailed negotiations, regained largest national sterilant gas account ($900,000) lost five years earlier.
PRODUCT MANAGER (1976-1978)
P & L responsibility for various specialty gases and related products with a $10 Million budget.
* Sole negotiator for sulfur hexafluoride manufacturing joint venture with European producer. Analyzed market and project economics. Recommended project be terminated after 12-month effort resulting in a $3 Million savings.
EDUCATION
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Master of Business Administration, marketing management and operations management, 1976.
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Bachelor of Science, chemical engineering, 1974.
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, Buffalo, NY
Board of Managers, 1993 - 2002
Treasurer 1995 - 2001
New York State Chemical Alliance, Albany, NY
Board of Directors, 1990 - 1997
Chairperson 1995 - 1997
Treasurer 1993 - 1995
Town of Tonawanda Development Corporation, Tonawanda, NY
Board of Directors, 1990 - 1995
Vice President 1993 – 1995 |
