EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CEO/President/General Manage/Senior sales and marketing executive. Experienced in P&L, sales, marketing, finance and operations. Proven leadership in turnarounds, acquisitions, divestitures, integrations and cultural changes. Background includes: product sales, services, service centers, distribution and manufacturing in international and multicultural environments. A record of success in developing talent, branding, building market share and driving growth/profitability. Public speaker with fluency in French.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MICHELIN GROUP 1984 – 2004
TIRE CENTERS, LLC (TCI), Duncan, SC
One of the industry’s largest commercial sales, service, and distribution companies for tire products to retail auto and light truck dealers and heavy-truck fleets across the US, plus manufacturing from the nation’s second largest
truck tire retread manufacturing network with 14 plants. Subsidiary of Michelin.
CEO and PRESIDENT (2000 – 2004)
Chartered with providing both downstream revenue & earnings and upstream margins. Directed full P&L and provided day-to-day leadership for more than $600 Million in product sales, services, distribution and manufacturing with 2300 employees, 165 locations and 1400 fleet vehicles. Acted as strategic interface with parent company, Group Michelin – France, and product lines operating in US. Reported to member of Michelin’s Group Executive Council (internal Board of Directors) in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
-Converted money-losing, decentralized network of newly acquired service/distribution centers and plants, into national approach with common product/service offerings and consistent brand identity.
-Successfully converted a product sales-centric business model to customer-centric focus based on service excellence.
-Reorganized structure and leadership roles, into three divisions with consistent missions and business approaches that better met customer needs and improved operational effectiveness.
-Instituted strategic and annual planning processes that gained company-wide buy-in, clarified strategic direction, enhanced accountability and improved corporate performance.
-Grew sales by $100 Million across all business segments - despite a post 9/11 down-turned economy and reorganization and integration strains.
-Launched industry’s fastest growing distributor affinity marketing program, converting traditional wholesale model to partnership-based approach. Program gained national recognition, helping convert TCI into more critical part of parent company’s consumer brands business strategy.
-Improved company earnings by 35% and free cash flow by over $20 Million.
-Increased parent company’s brands share of accounts in all three divisions delivering additional upstream margins of more than $21 Million over four years.
-Augmented manufacturing production output by 43% and productivity by 27%, while improving production financials from $6 Million in losses to breakeven.
-Successfully converted break-even timeframe for 10 new wholesale distribution centers in new markets to a shorter 9 to 12-month window. This resulted in revenue growth and positive EBIT, which turned a floundering division into most profitable.
-Grew overall business base through 4 acquisitions and start-up expansions into 25 new markets. Conducted due diligence on 5 other potential acquisitions and divested 13 locations due to underperformance or lack of strategic fit.
-Created Strategic Accounts Management team that cultivated and strengthened relationships with leading transportation/services companies, including JB Hunt, Schneider National, Swift, UPS, Waste Management, U.S. XPRESS, Kroger, Dole and Penske.
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MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA INC, Greenville, SC
North American headquarters for the largest tire company in the world generating 35% of the company’s $16 Billion in global sales.
VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING and SALES (1995 – 2000)
Senior marketing and sales executive for $1 Billion business unit with more than 350 M&S employees in USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America. Managed distribution channel strategies for dealers, interstate truck stops and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Executed supplier strategies for five different OE markets. Created and deployed sales/marketing plans in freight, transportation, waste, logistics and government markets. Reported to Executive Vice President and COO (top executive) for North American business unit.
-Appointed to position as first American for family-controlled business to signal company’s move to more American marketing and sales approach and as integrator of disparate North American teams.
-Grew unit sales by more than 35% and revenues by more than $250 Million:
*Launched company’s first multi-brand strategy in product category that gained 4% market share and generated $150 Million of incremental revenue at targeted margins.
*Headed North American cross-functional team to re-engineer new product development process, resulting in 50% reduction in average time to market and revamping 60% of product offerings.
*Developed marketing plan and deployed retread franchise that gained 7% market share in three years.
*Negotiated preferred supplier position with major OEM partner that doubled account share in 2 years.
*Solidified channel position with independent dealer distribution through brand strategies, loyalty programs, sales account management deployment and dealer advisory council initiatives.
*Built strategic accounts group to cultivate relationships with critical decision makers and convert relationships into partnerships based on customer issues with a North American view.
-Transformed US sales teams from cost to profit centers while reducing sales regions from 31 to 21.
-Appeared on national television series World Business Review with Casper Weinberger during “Trends in Trucking” program as spokesman for company’s energy efficient product lines.
-Developed industry’s first suite of electronic commerce modules to enhance Michelin-customer-channel partner interface, as well as in-tire sensor for vehicle tire asset tracking and management.
-Reduced US sales force attrition from over 14% to less than 8%.
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GROUP MICHELIN, Annecy and Clermont-Ferrand, France
Worldwide headquarters for Michelin and base for all global product lines, R&D and support functions.
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER, Alps Region – Annecy, France (1994 – 1995)
First American to hold field sales management position in France, actively conducting business in French. Managed customer demand and sales force morale during critical supply shortages, involving forecasting, supply arbitration and direct communication with customers and regional sales teams. Achieved or exceeded assigned sales objectives for $9 Million multi-product sales region.
DEVELOPMENT ROLE, Clermont-Ferrand, France (1993 – 1994)
Conducted application-specific marketing study for French market, presenting recommendations to global product line head. Completed Group Michelin’s senior management development program. Researched Michelin’s European retreading systems and market approach.
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MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA INC., Greenville, SC
A multi-product category sales and marketing organization with $500 Million in revenue.
MARKETING DIRECTOR (1990 – 1993)
Created and led US marketing team of 20 professionals to position the company as technology leader for future growth. Reported to Vice President of Marketing and Sales.
-Formed specialized marketing department that supported needs of newly created business-to-business, commercial business unit to serve original equipment and after-market activities.
-Helped land GMC Medium Duty Truck business (OEM), moving from commodity product fitments to high-end differentiated product line. Initiated after-sale support program that linked OEM customer with after-market sales teams, which resulted in repeat business relationships.
-Conducted advertising agency review, subsequently developing and implementing integrated marketing communications plan, including trade print advertising, sales collateral, public relations and technical publications, helping position the company as technology leader.
-Re-established segment leadership in high-profile market by successfully integrating new technology.
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MICHELIN TIRE CORPORATION, Norfolk, VA, and Atlanta, GA (1984 – 1990)
US sales arm of single brand, multi-product line business, with 5 sales zones and 34 districts.
FIELD SALES and MARKETING ASSIGNMENTS
District Retail Sales and Marketing Manager, Atlanta, GA (1989 – 1990)
Territory Sales and Training Manager (major market), Atlanta, GA (1987 – 1989)
Territory Sales Representative (intermediate market), Norfolk, VA (1985 – 1987)
Sales Trainee, Lake Success, NY (1984)
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UNITED STATES ARMY 1976 – 1984
US Army Officer Captain -Awarded three Army Commendation medals for meritorious service.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MBA, Emory Business School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 1990.
BS, United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, 1976.
LEADING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2000.
EVA and CORPORATE FINANCE
Stern Stewart & Co., New York City, NY, 2000.
TEAM DEVELOPMENT; ADV. MANAGERIAL STRATEGIES; DIVERSITY Workshops
Michelin North America |
