Dean Sims Email & Phone Number

Lenexa, Kansas, Us

Tasked with stabilizing the company's transportation function, I managed internal transportation operations, overseeing 1,000 weekly shipments across various modes with a $72 million annual spend. I facilitated collaboration between supply chain teams and managed transportation partners, optimized distribution center workflow, and improved carrier relationships. Select Achievements:★ Achieved a remarkable 19% reduction in transportation costs through meticulous carrier procurement events and ad hoc mini bids, striking a delicate balance between cost savings and service quality. ★ Improved on-time delivery rates by 2%, elevating the overall on-time delivery performance to an impressive 94% to 96%, solidifying the company's reputation as a reliable provider in the industry. ★ Implemented sailing schedules for less than truckload orders, reducing less than truckload carrier pallet volume by 41% and increasing truckload utilization by 10%, leading to cost savings of over $4 million in the first year. ★ Transitioned seamlessly from traditional third-party managed transportation services to the innovative Uber Freight managed transportation solution. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, the company streamlined administration processes. ✓ Implemented Descartes MacroPoint real-time shipment tracking and visibility solution.✓ Revolutionized delivery appointment scheduling processes through robotic process automation (RPA).✓ Yielded savings of $500K through the optimization of co-loading opportunities with other shippers.✓ Utilized improved carrier scorecards to drive carrier performance discussions and delivery improvements. ★ Demonstrated a commitment to Corporate Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goals by eliminating 750 annual 53-foot-trailer shipments by deploying 57-foot-trailers, reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

Smithfield, Virginia, Us

Promoted to oversee daily operations of the Transportation department, managing the coordination and swift handling of up to 4,800 weekly shipments of Smithfield products, including raw materials between plants and finished goods to distribution centers, 3PL warehouses, and customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Leading by example, I spearheaded the expansion of our team from 8 to 14 direct and indirect reports to accommodate company growth, prioritizing employee training and motivation to maintain operational excellence.Select Achievements:★ Led transportation business efforts for a large-scale SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and SAP TM (Transportation Management) implementation project, streamlining operations for 40,000+ employees across 4 merged entities.★ Seamlessly managed annual fourth-quarter seasonal surges, expediting 5,000 additional shipments to meet holiday demands, while optimizing processes to save time and resources.★ Created Excel-based tools like the "Seasonal Surge Master File" to automate manual processes, saving hundreds of labor hours, and ensuring efficient warehouse load management and order fulfillment. ★ Orchestrated the annual truckload carrier bidding process for a vast network of 200+ carriers, effectively managing expenditure growth from $145 million to $290 million, leveraging Jaggaer for streamlined operations. ★ Negotiated competitive rates with carriers to minimize cost increases, strategically balancing financial considerations while maintaining optimal service levels. ★ Managed rigorous exception audits of freight bills and closely monitored priority customer shipments, guaranteeing precision and punctuality in delivery timelines. ★ Analyzed and responded to seasonal fluctuations and shifting shipping needs following mergers and acquisitions. Implemented seamless transitions to mitigate disruptions and uphold customer satisfaction.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Served as a key player on the team charged with implementing SAP Transportation Planning and Vehicle Scheduling (SAP TP/VS) system. Gathered and analyzed functional and process requirements, led user acceptance testing, and trained 12 end-users on the new system. Worked alongside the IT team and carriers to solicit feedback and pinpoint operational concerns with the system.Select Achievements:★ Launched a proprietary website that allowed carriers to accept loads and provide shipment status updates as well as carrier EDI transactions, including EDI-204 (load tender), EDI-990 (carrier response), and EDI-214 (shipment status updates). ★ Developed weekly, monthly, and quarterly KPI reporting tools to measure departmental performance.