GENERAL MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS - SPECIALTY CHEMICALS
Maximizing sustainable business results and growth and achieving high level of employee commitment and engagement
SUCCESSFUL GENERAL MANAGER AND TEAM LEADER with proven results in analyzing and identifying critical business requirements, pinpointing deficiencies and potential opportunities, and developing cost-optimized and innovative solutions to maximize business results and market position. Passionate about developing engaged and committed teams with a sense of fulfillment and achievement in their work.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: Extensive experience in general management, plant management, financial controlling, manufacturing, and engineering in the hazardous chemicals industry. Broad knowledge of the safety, environmental, and transportation regulations of hazardous chemicals. Proven skills in union and non-union (self-directed work team) environments in multi-national matrix, JV, and traditional organizations.
MARKETS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE: Commercial experience includes coatings, adhesives, oil & energy, consumer products, solid surface, and specialty applications. Expertise in engineering and regulations for liquefied gases, anhydrous propellants, and highly corrosive chemicals.
FUNCTIONAL EXPERTISE
* Multi-Operations P&L Management
* Business Analysis / Strategic Planning
* Customer Relationship Maximization
* Sales / Production / Supply Chain Optimization
* Employee Commitment and Engagement
* Continuous Process Improvement Culture
* Six Sigma Manufacturing
* High Performance Work Team Leadership
* Fast-Track Business Growth Projects
* OSHA, EPA, DOT, and CWC Regulations
* Recruitment and Talent Development
* HCN and Downstream Value Chain
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
EVONIK INDUSTRIES AG | EVONIK DEGUSSA INC - Parsippany, NJ 2007 - 2013
Evonik Industries AG (Evonik) is a ¬14.5B international company in the specialty chemicals sector, active in over 100 countries. The Specialty Materials segment, comprised of 2 business units (Performance Polymers and Advanced Intermediates) produces monomer / polymer materials and their preproducts, and additives.
General Manager - Acrylic Monomers Business Line
Performance Polymers Business Unit
P&L responsibility for the $250M+ Acrylic Monomers business line with 3 production plants in Alabama and Louisiana, 8 product lines, and $200M+ in operating costs. Provide leadership and direction to a 5-member management team and 110 employees in Sales, Manufacturing (3 hazardous chemical production plants), Marketing, Business Development, and Customer Service departments. Report to the president of Performance Polymers NAFTA Region and to the global executive of Acrylic Monomers in Germany.
* Transformed negative profit business line into 20+% ROCE profit center. Increased profit by $22M+ and sales volumes by 18% through plant investments, improved customer service, strengthened teamwork environment, and a continuous improvement culture.
* Tripled production capacity and sales of specialty chemical monomers. Increased product line portfolio with the building of a new $30M domestic production plant.
* Improved profit margins and sales volumes across 8 product lines to set record profits, while increasing customer satisfaction 80%.
* Achieved highest global ratings in survey results for employee commitment and engagement; results in 2012 were 10% improved over the previous survey year.
* Developed and implemented intensive sales force training program resulting in 15+% volume and margin growth at key accounts.
DEGUSSA CYRO INC. - Parsippany, NJ 2005 - 2007
Director of Financial Controlling / Corporate Controller - Acrylic Monomers
Performance Polymers Business Unit
Following Degussa's acquisition of Cyro Inc., a JV company with operations in 5 states, personally established the Corporate Controlling department for the $500M+ Performance Polymers business unit in the NAFTA Region. Responsible for directing 4 business line corporate controllers while concurrently serving as corporate controller for the Acrylic Monomers business line.
* Developed and led controlling department staff to optimize business results while integrating parent company corporate financial analysis process into newly acquired JV processes.
* Provided leadership and focus to maximize the value and accuracy of Corporate Controlling output during SAP implementation, while minimizing conversion disruption.
DEGUSSA AG - Frankfurt, Germany 2003 - 2005
Global Manufacturing Director
Relocated to Germany to direct the global performance of 2 intermediate chemicals manufacturing plants in Europe and a JV facility in the NAFTA Region.
* Led cultural transformation integrating manufacturing expertise and resources into the technology licensing and business development processes.
* Captured expansion and growth opportunities in low cost regions by establishing appropriate business processes for doing business in Russia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Determined partnership structures (e.g., JV, licensing, or third-party financing).
DEGUSSA INC. - Mobile, AL 1995 - 2003
Production Superintendent
Recruited to manage production operations of 3 manufacturing units for 2 business divisions in intermediate and specialty chemicals. Directed a production team of 90 employees for a $50M+ cost center. Managed regulatory compliance for the manufacture of highly hazardous chemical products, with one plant covered by international chemicals weapons convention (CWC) regulations.
* Set new production records in all 3 plants while reducing safety incidents by 60%. Reduced scheduled and unscheduled downtime by 40% with improved production and maintenance processes. Consolidated staffing to reduce costs by $1+M. Reduced environmental emissions by 90+%
* Member of the Maintenance Module Team for SAP implementation. Ensured smooth conversion of systems throughout the maintenance organization across the NAFTA Region.
OLIN CORPORATION - McIntosh, AL 1980 - 1995
Maintenance Engineering / Production Engineering / Production Management
Held positions in maintenance engineering, production engineering, and production management in herbicide production, chlorine and caustic production, Hydrazine production, and utilities plants with union workforce. Served as technical representative to trade industry safety association, and manufacturing representative serving on business development team negotiating $100M+ government contracts for chemical supply.
* Developed process improvement that yielded $1M+ savings for a multi-stage caustic evaporation plant (published in Chemical Processing magazine).
* Project manager / production manager for $50+M government contract for new rocket fuels production plant that generated approximately $40M in annual revenues.
EDUCATION | INTERESTS
MBA, University of South Alabama - Mobile, AL, 1982
BSME / BSEA, Engineering and Business, University of Delaware - Newark, DE, 1980
Lived in Germany and traveled extensively in Eastern Europe and Russia. Working knowledge of conversational and business German language. |
