Christopher O'Connell Email & Phone Number

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

• Developed and implemented data-driven corporate procurement strategies for 170+ vendors and $65M+ in annual operating materials and outside service provider category spending for products used in titanium manufacturing for the defense and aerospace industry. • Led the analysis, creation, negotiation, and management of long-term corporate supply agreements for bulk chemicals, lubricants, and industrial gasses. Evaluated commodity indices, service level needs, plant requirements, and profit margin goals. Sample contracts included: o $12M, three-year helium contract amidst a global shortage and price fluctuations, guaranteeing supply and limiting price increases to 4% from a previous ceiling of 15%, resulting in substantial cost avoidance and maintaining budget stability. o $16M contract for lubricants and oils included consignment inventory, index-based pricing, new business rebates, and guaranteed annual savings of $80K. • Achieved significant cost avoidance impacts and savings in a challenging market by negotiating contracts with more favorable terms than the previous one, resulting in improved profit margins and sustained supplier relationships. • Negotiated long-term outside provider agreements that guaranteed pricing and capacity, established rebates, and defined delivery lead times and penalties. Contracts ensured uninterrupted production throughput at market-leading prices. • Conducted cost-benefit analyses and presented business cases to senior leadership, securing CEO approval for contracts >$10M.

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Newly created role to oversee consolidation of supply chain functions and strategies for four different business units. Commonization of purchasing practices/procedures between all business units. Created and distributed supplier excellence manual, created and distributed supplier scorecards, assigned supplier ratings based on supplier performance. Identification of spend patterns for each commodity category, created strategies based upon data results. Implement practices to become more proactive and less reactive.

Serve in newly created role, leading strategic large-scale corporate supplier resourcing projects, site-level outsourcing projects, and site-level insourcing projects. Act as project manager in driving advanced quality planning process (APQP) completion for projects, ensuring adherence to project schedule and communicating site quality and engineering/customer requirements between suppliers, Eaton sites, and customers. Direct international cross-functional project teams (internal customers) onsite and remotely. Create resourcing standard operating procedures (SOPs), workflows, processes & policies. • Created a unified process of execution for large-scale, cost-out projects by frontloading project with increased levels of information; led to achievement of higher project completion rate due to greater visibility and accountability and corporate-wide process adoption.  Streamlined after feedback from stakeholders; integrated with SIOP; trained supply chain and commodity management onsite teams resulting in $3M savings in 18 months on work transfers of 300 components on initial project using streamlined process.

Oversaw purchasing and inventory control departments for industrial automation business unit. Supported daily production requirements and developed, implemented, and managed purchasing, inventory control, cost reduction, process improvement strategies and supplier web portal installation, training and management. Utilized production methods that ranged from cellular, configure-to-order processes for encoder product line to customized, engineered-to-order processes for AC and DC drive systems. • Improved on-time delivery of portal suppliers 25% to long-term visibility of production needs and stabilized workforce by introducing a web-based supplier portal to enhance supply chain visibility and order confirmation process.

Analyzed and mapped current business process and managed supply chain improvement projects, including oversight of supply agreement negotiations, inventory reductions, direct cost reductions, global sourcing decisions and supplier consolidation. • Created new, scaled-down product launch process to fit a smaller, hands-on company; trained functional managers and stakeholders on processes and employed process with cross-functional team to launch next product line. Launched new product line under budget and prior to expectations, process ultimately adopted for all subsequent product launches.

Directed new product launches for foundation brake products. Headed international coordination for North American application of European-designed, Asian, U.S, and European-sourced, and U.S. assembled braking systems. Led a cross-functional team comprised of production, quality, purchasing, finance, sales, marketing, and engineering disciplines.• Provided regular project status reports/presentations to Bendix Leadership Group. • Managed plans using Business Engine Network (BEN) and MS Project.• Created and executed new product launch plans for variety of products to supplement/replace existing product line/ managed product lifecycle.

Oversaw strategic global sourcing of cast iron and machined components and finished assemblies. Functioned as primary negotiator and strategist for all cast iron and machined components used for current and future production, including new product launches. Scope included 2 OE production facilities and 1 aftermarket production facility, totaling $30M spend. • Developed iron supply base, identified and managed cost reduction transition projects to international low-cost regions, and handled global strategic planning, including inventory management and logistics.

Management of cross-functional team consisting of design engineering, manufacturing and purchasing. Value Analysis of each truck family to identify direct material cost reduction opportunities. Sought cost reduction opportunities from global sourcing strategies for American, Japanese and European operations, value analysis and re-design of direct materials, price negotiations, make/buy decisions, and manufacturing improvements. Priority responsibility is profitability of all new MCFA products. Developed work process, procedures and reporting methods for analyzing and identifying cost reduction action items. Team reported directly to President of MCFA.

Management of a team of Purchasing professionals responsible for procurement of all metal products, including raw material, fabricated plate, sheet metal, and machined products used for existing and future production (approximate spend $50 million). Primary negotiator for all metals sourcing for new MCFA products. Also, responsibilities included coordinating team work load distributions, team project planning, team cost reductions and staff training activities.

All functions related to production procurement; analysis of supplier capabilities including production methods, quality systems, financial stability and competitive position; negotiation of commercial relationship, mediation of supplier disputes; purchased parts cost reduction programs including review of supplier’s current manufacturing methods, current materials, and current part application, as well as recommendations for improvement.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Finance, Marketing

Master Of Science (M.S.), Manufacturing Managmenet

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.)