Resume

Skills

Growth Driver

Growing a business relies on the steady application of innovative culture development, continuous improvement, and change management. Introducing new processes, upgrading technology, and the development of a highly functioning team form the foundation for growth.

Servant Leader

Generational, cultural, and motivational differences are the very sources of markets, customers, and staff the modern organization operates from. These differences are also the fuel that drive the engines of collaboration, innovation, and team work.

Entrepreneur

Experience starting or running four companies (and selling one), a ongoing commitment to mentoring and teaching entrepreneurs, and research into what truly matters to an entrepreneur provide me an atypical perspective.

Brand Catalyst

As an energetic Brand Catalyst, I bring a broad spectrum of perspectives to the excavation, illumination, substantiation, and elevation of organizations serious about their brand.

Collaborative Innovator

As a time-tested Innovator, I grasp the interplay and importance that cross-functional collaboration and cooperation play in highly successful business development. New opportunities are led by fresh thinking, flexible plans, and an aligned organization.

Design Thinking

As a Design Thinker and systems expert I connect disparate, and often unrecognized, points of information into salient, relevant, and actionable plans.

Marketing Instigator

As an experienced Global Marketer, I look to advantage the unlimited variety of opportunities and challenges arising from cross border, cross markets, and cross culture interactions.

Technologist

I am a Technology Aficionado of long standing. From formalized engineering education to hands on product development, I recognize the value of technology and respect the boundaries of its abilities.

High Reliability executive with diverse corporate and entrepreneurial experience in Hi-Tech, manufacturing, and engineered product industries. Energetic, systems engineer with demonstrated ability to drive HRO principles to minimize risks and achieve strategic outcomes by bridging people, processes, and systems. Effective, change agent with a “lead-from-the-front” approach that connects long-term strategic vision to tactical execution across the whole organization, regardless of size.

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Highlights

♦ 25+ years adopting, adapting, & implementing high reliability principles, processes, operations, products, applications, and certifications to attain stretch targets & BHAGs.

♦ Turned around stalled High Reliability manufacturer, quadrupling company revenue to $16M & doubling workforce in 3 years. Achieved AS9100 Rev D/ISO9001:2015 in 6 months. (K-TECH).

♦ 15+ years success applying and validating the power of high reliability principles to achieve operational excellence and brand credibility in non-traditional industries. (ATTO, Brand Mother).

♦ Founded, grew, & sold High Reliability engineered products company operating globally in power, oil&gas & industrial environments (ICV).

Recent Experience

Vice President & General Manager

K-TECHnologies, Inc.2015-2018

Senior HRO/Organizational Excellence executive brought in to organize, lead, and grow a 20-year-old Electronics & Electromechanical Contract Manufacturer. Company had plateaued at $4M & 40 employees for previous 8 years. Quadrupled revenue and doubled staff by implementing and living HRO principles. Used full P&L, brand, and operational authority to implement high reliability strategic vision, tactical management, and leadership team.

♦ Revenue growth of 332% ($3.7M to $16M) and 96% staff growth (42 to 80 employees) from 2015 through 2018. Established processes, procedures, and metrics in every department to support additional high-reliability product growth while reducing dependence on “black widow” customers from 75% to 50% of revenue.

♦ Owned a High Reliability market niche with routine back-to-back 100% OTD/100% quality monthly metrics. Created operational, organizational, and market facing development strategies (One Page Strategic Plan/Business Model Canvas) to uniquely position in growth niches such as commercial satellite & space industries.

♦ Reduced staff turnover by 80% through company-wide HRO culture change. Recruited and developed high performance multi-generational (Millennials to Boomers) leadership team through coaching, mentoring, skills development, and LEAN/Six Sigma continuous learning. Drove empowerment and ownership mentality through all staff levels using performance management practices.

Executed multiple strategic initiatives to advance HRO principles across organization:

Established performance management-based leadership.
Achieved HRO AS9100/ISO9001 Quality Management System certification – 1st company in WNY & 7th in NYS to achieve Revision D status.
Drove creation of full-scale digital Contract Management System a.k.a. “K.I.R.A.” for sales/customer service/supply chain/N.P.D. along with corresponding QMS processes. Improved risk management, transparency, efficiency, reduced errors, drove customer satisfaction.
Sourcing, implementation, and integration of ERP system including internal integration with Contract Management environment tools (i.e. K.I.R.A.). Significant efficiency and improvement gains across organization.

Positioned company for continued HRO growth through tactical team and individual projects:

Implemented $1.5M in capital investment projects. Upgraded, built, and installed key high-reliability operational tools, systems, and software necessary for growth in all functional areas. Introduced and utilized technology to drive efficiency, communication, and transparency.
Implemented highly secure network system to meet DOD HRO security requirements (DFARS 7012/ NIST SP 800-171).
Drove evidenced-based decision making through empowerment, collaboration, and training.
Oversaw 54,000 sq. ft. facility handling routine preventative maintenance upto full scale construction projects.
Implemented state & local economic development funds ($700K) to support staff growth, increase training, and upgrade facilities and equipment.

Recognized in WNY region for results:

5th Fastest Growing Company in WNY (2017)
Manufacturing Award – Community Involvement (2017)
Best Places to Work recipient (2018)
INC 5000 ranked 2675 (2018)

Partner/Strategist

Brand Mother2008 – 2015

Co-owner of a strategic business consultancy focusing on positioning ambitious forward-looking organizations for growth, partnership, and sustainability. Addressed growing need for authentic strategies that outpace the market by improving decision making, clarifying the organization’s mission, and increasing staff and customer fulfillment through alignment between strategy and brand. Grew from 1 office to 5 offices on east and west coasts. Worked with all size firms and industries from private 3rd generation machine shop to Beijing Olympics.

Implemented High Reliability values and processes in both traditional and non-traditional HRO clients that could not risk failing. By leveraging HRO principles, led diverse organizations through an intensive process to diagnose, design, and implement scalable, workable, interdepartmental practices. Consistent outcomes validated the irrefutable power of high reliability practices to produce results. High reliability principles, practices, and processes were not treated as a siloed operational function of production, but, rather as an integrated approach to holistically lead, manage, and sustain high performance cultures of risk management and continuous improvement.

100% of clients achieved operational excellence that led to brand credibility. Partnered with visionary leaders willing to stretch their organizations to achieve exceptional standards of performance and distinction.

Applied Processes & Concepts: HRO 5 Principles, Statistical Analysis, Systems Thinking, Go-To-Market, Resiliency, Design Thinking, Business Model Canvas, Brand Excavation

Mini-Case Study (Product/Application): Brand Mother’s broad and deep interpretation of HRO principles uniquely qualified the consulting agency to work with corporate, not-for-profit, and entrepreneurial clients that could not afford to fail. Applying high reliability principles in traditional (healthcare, advanced manufacturing) and non-traditional (education, craft brewing) industries, across large (Beijing Olympics) and small (medical library service) ventures produced measurable results (regulatory standards, M&A buyouts, decreased sales cycle, industry designations, increased revenues, brand credibility, and Best Places to Work awards) that positioned the interests for long term growth and brand credibility.

Founding Instructor – Small Business Entrepreneurs

Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership – Univ. of Buffalo2015 – 2018

Created curriculum and teach annual class for 35 startup companies based on Business Model Canvas, Disciplined Entrepreneurship, Lean Startups, brand development, and experience.

ATTO Technology, Inc. Director of Marketing Private (Mfg) Hi-Tech 2001-2008

ATTO Technology, Inc. Director Product Mgmt Private (Mfg) Hi-Tech 2001-2005

DiRAD Technologies, Inc. General Manager Private (IT) IT/Telecom 2000

ABB Control Valves, Inc. US Sales Director Corporate (Mfg) Industrial 1998 – 2000

ICV, LLC. Founder, Co-Owner Start-Up (Eng, Mfg) Power/Oil & Gas 1993 – 2005

ABB Kent Introl, LTD. (UK) US Business Manager Corporate (Mfg) Power/Oil & Gas 1990 – 1993

Clarkson University Counselor Private (Higher Ed) Higher Ed 1988 – 1990

Allied Signal – Amphenol Sales Engineer Corporate (Mfg) Mil/Aerospace 1984 – 1988

Mars Hotel Beer Distribution Co-Founder Start-Up Consumer 1982 – 1984

Education

Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership CORE Program

University of Buffalo2007 – 2008

M.S. – Systems Engineering

Clarkson University1988 – 1990

B.S. – Engineering & Management

Clarkson University1980-1984