Chris Richards, Mba Email & Phone Number

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to Customer Experience, Consulting Services, and Project Management Organizations, with locations in Europe, US, and India. Ensure executive-level support to global customers.
• Facilitated Arkieva's organizational transformation, creating a new Customer Success and Consulting Services organization within 12 months.
• Spearheaded initiatives that contributed to an 8% increase in company revenue within 12 months by ensuring successful project delivery with existing customers.
• Achieved a remarkable 45% increase in Solutions Team productivity within one year through the implementation of key performance indicators (KPIs), targeted training, resource planning, and efficient onboarding.

• Strategically collaborated with CPG and Retail customers to ensure supply chain excellence through process and tool development.
• Drove 20% growth in account revenue by partnering with global customers, providing consulting and delivery of strategic initiatives.
• Provided hands-on oversight to consultants who completed 18 S&OP, inventory management, and scheduling initiatives.
• Utilized subject matter expertise to achieve a 30% reduction in inventories and a 15% increase in planner efficiencies in 4 months through a supply planning and inventory optimization improvement project.

• Designed, institutionalized, and provided leadership for Arkieva’s Project Management Organization and mentoring to consultants and Project Managers regarding project delivery.
• Institutionalized project management methodology, tools, and processes.
• Reduced non-billable project effort from 36% to below 5% through process development, standardization, and coaching Project Managers.

Fond Du Lac

• Charted strategic direction of Grande's supply chain including planning, purchasing, warehousing, logistics, scheduling, and customer success. Scope: $165M purchasing spend, $57M budget, 53 team members.
• Realized cost-savings of 5.3% vs. previous year's total spend through supplier collaboration and negotiation, risk management, and new purchasing policies.
• Led startup of a new company-owned warehouse, increasing productivity 27% by leveraging metrics and process improvement while achieving 0 lost time safety results.
• Controlled Supply Chain budget and capital projects, achieving 12% below planned expenses.
• Developed Supply Chain strategy gaining C-Level approval for Integrated Supplier Data / Contract Management, Production Planning Solutions tool, Customer Success positions, and an updated WMS system.
• Attained 96% approval rating for Supply Chain organization in company culture and engagement survey.

WI

• Responsible for all supply chain activities at plant level, including the materials handling value stream (shipping / receiving), production planning, purchasing, PFEP, and logistics.
• Facilitated office takt time / productivity kaizen reducing overtime by 10%.
• Led extended value stream event with key customer improving customer service from 88.9% to 96.3%.
• Sponsored Materials Handling “Break Through” kaizen Event resulting in 32% productivity improvement and 5.5-day lead time reduction vs. 7 days.

Led SAP Warehouse Management System implementation including system testing, training warehouse associates, and developing new processes. Completed AS IS vs. Should Be warehouse flow and gap analysis.

• Pioneered a new supply chain organization to prepare the company for future business growth. Activities included organizational design, implementing strategies and new tools, and hiring personnel.
• Led High Performance Improvement Team for key product line improving profits 7% in 6 months.

• Oversaw strategic direction for Supply Planning Team, including network optimization, strategic capacity planning, production planning and scheduling, inventory optimization, and materials management. Responsible for.
• Led implementation for supply side of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), saving $3M in overtime.
• Gained $6.1M in freight savings due to network optimization.

Mba, Business Administration

Worked full time while gaining degree

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate

Bba, Operations Management & Management Information Systems (Double Major)

Activities and Societies: Member of Student Activities Board, Member of APICS (held position of Vice President), Member of Information.