Ben Korman Email & Phone Number

DayGlo and Radiant Products (US, Belgium)Create and execute product strategies and a strategic vision, evaluate growth options, assess new opportunities, and identify bottlenecks to meet business goals. Ensure that the product and executive team have a shared vision of our product offering and how it should evolve in the future to meet changing market needs.Develop product and manufacturing strategies working cross functionally with finance, procurement, operations and commercial and teams.Developed analytical approach by implementing product sales models to improve product offering and availability/service.• Standardize SKU classification for safety stock adjustments to reduce working capital and improve service levels.• Determine future forecast of sales and identify products to exit.• Map Working capital impact over time based on current inventory levels.Developed Global Stage Gate process from the ground up to improve new product development process.Developed business rules to meet customer’s service requirements and a well-defined MTO program that reduced working capital by over 50% for MTO products.Led Product rationalization programs globally that eliminating hundreds of SKU’s, across multiple categories, which improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced working capital.

Solon, Ohio, United States

Commercial Sheet (Heterogenous, Homogeneous and Linoleum)P&L Responsibilities:• Delivered YOY sales growth at a rate that exceeds market growth in a mature category• Reduced excess inventory by 40% and obsolete inventory by 80% improving cash flow• Increased profitability and sales by developing strategy on how to properly position products versus the competition in comparative bid opportunitiesProduct Introductions:• Rejuvenated Tarkett’s 120-year old Linoleum product as Lino, “Nature Flooring Solution” • Reposition Tarkett’s Performa targeting main street customer growing sales by $1.5MMarketing:• Modernized the “iQ Story” and created customer facing learning experiences to educate key decision makers• Created the Lino Marketing story, as the perception of Linoleum is not of the actual product and launched a updated offering with sales tools and customer learning experiences.

Solon, Ohio

Commercial LVT (Import and Domestic Luxury Vinyl Tile)P&L Responsibilities:• Improved profitability on existing Access product line by lowering product costs by 12%• Decreased cost on import products sales tools by 20%, that allowed us to offer sales tools at lower cost to our customers• Consolidate the LVT recommend adhesive, from 8 to 3, to make product selection easy for the customer Product Introductions:• Rejuvenated 3 mature product lines to ensure continued sales growth (Access, Aloft and Contour + Techtonic)• Delivered 5 new product lines from initial development to commercialization (Transcend SureSetTM, ID Principle, Resolve, NuGen Click and NuGen Glue Down)Marketing:• Developed customer learning experiences for the Contour + Techtonic launch that incorporate the introduction of a new industry leading urethane protective system

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

Lighting Systems BusinessProduct Management:• Responsible for Profit and loss of the Lighting Systems’ business unit • Develop and execute product strategies based on customer and business needs• Full life product management from concept through end of product life.• Analyze market pricing, align product requirements and cost to the proper price point• Develop relationships with key customers and their specific product requirements• Work with Engineering team to ensure that new products align with market needs and pricing• Manage and develop associate product manager and product coordinator to be competent in market needs and strategiesMarketing:• Develop marketing programs specific to market channels• Develop product catalogs, selling tools and digital media to increase conversion rates of the e-commerce channel.• Work with the Web Development Team to enhance user online experience• Monitor competitive marketing programs to ensure sales agencies have selling strategies specific to key competitors.Supplier Management:• Negotiate pricing for new products and lower cost version of existing products• Develop key manufactures/suppliers as growth, leverage or strategic partners • Work with manufactures/suppliers to leverage buying power and ensure products meet product requirements

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

Woodcare Category, Colorant Category & Third Party Certifications - North America Responsibilities:• Lead new product development initiatives for a various customers and business channels• Full life cycle product management from ideation into product launch to post launch analysis of performance versus projected.• Develop technology strategies that minimize raw material requirement and provide flexibility to meet changing customer needs. • Develop product strategies based on business line and customer requirements• Work with business lines, sales and research and development to implement new and existing technologies into the North American business• Develop certification strategies to align with market changes in LEEDS and other major industry certification providers.• Source and manage new product development partnerships with key suppliers• Implemented product improvement strategies based on competitor product comparisons and third party testing results• Manage the internal third party certification program for all business lines• Initiate and manage relationships with third party testing and certification organizationsNew Product Development:• Leading new product development projects worth ~$40M in incremental sales for the Woodcare• Leading the development of new technology for colorants to meet changing VOC requirements.Project Management:• Lead the implementation of multiple projects that provided cost optimization worth $5.5M in 2013.• Lead the implementation of a North American project for container conversion to meet customer needs.• Lead the implementation of our South Coast compliant colorant system into PPG stores and independent dealers.• Lead the implementation of formula changes for to meet global cobalt compliance.

Project Management• Led cross-functional teams on projects designated by the North American Executive Team and mentor Green Belts including project management; Serve as a Six Sigma resource.• Completed Projects:• Implemented new procedures for ready mix color formulas, with a current increase of 34% in RFT and 50% reduction in cycles• Implemented color prediction capability changes that reduced verification by 66% creating a reduction in material coast and increase speed to market.• Managed project that decreased color database preparation time 80% to high as 96%.North American Color Technical Support for Manufacturing• Qualified, designed, implemented and managed server based color support software for North America manufacturing locations.• Managed spectrophotometer profiling, color correction software and color correction databases for North America manufacturing.• Resolved color issues as communicated from manufacturing facilities in US, Canada and Puerto Rico.Managed Centralized Color Update System• Created a SQL Server based centralized data warehouse to manage and maintain North American color formula and product data.• Created Centralized Data Warehouse resulting in reduced point of sale deliverable delivery time by 80%, and allowed for a 60% reduction in color formulary.• Managed the Color Lab SQL Server and the GUI interface applications; Collaborated with customers to created solutions for new point of sale deliverables.• Developed multiple new Point of Sale tools to support customers’ needs.Managed Global Color Standards• Provide color standard support for all ICI Regional Color Labs• Document origin; Organize storage of physical standards and maintain electronic standards• Develop new color standards when required to support marketing.Managed Color Complaints for US and Canada• Assigned and Monitored Color Complaints for US and Canada markets

Supervision of lab technicians performing daily quality analysis-Troubleshoot manufacturing problems -Work with suppliers to assure a quality product-Refine guidelines on current products and develop guidelines on new products-Work with customers to ensure a quality productResearch and Development-Refine current processes: molding, printing, coatings and injection molding-Constant evaluation of new products to improve quality-Develop prototypes to new customer standards-Development of new processes for production

Masters, Business Administration

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Chemistry

Activities and Societies: Track and Field, Football