Derek Blanton Email & Phone Number

Rejoined to analyze, strategize and implement enterprise-wide business operations strategy and forward corporate transformation to ensure companies seat as top-level global software provider for the travel and leisure industry.• Work with Executive leadership, Finance and Human Resources to develop and align operational and strategic initiatives to leverage best practices across enterprise • Lead various work streams to evolve and expand current operational practices across all business units and stand up and lead an operational reporting cadence• Execute rollout and communications plans to perpetuate the operations strategy• Lead initiatives related to labor capacity supply and demand analysis and reporting • Partner with cross-functional leadership/teams to drive cohesion in operational functions/reporting with full transparency to help transform organization away from previous siloed format

Western Slope Colorado

•Created from ground up the infrastructure, policy and procedures to ready for expansion•Developed and maintained marketing strategy, cost models, pricing structure and reporting for all facets of business and implement best practices to ensure success and profitability (achieved >7% growth y-o-y)•Created annual budget and profit projections for each location and track burn rates/KPI’s monthly to assess progress and identify and mitigate risks•Led quarterly executive meetings and monthly site manager meetings to train and align staffs with corporate goals and objectives•Served as “face” of the organization with site visits to assess financial objectives, strategic goals, mentor performance and overall restaurant operations and restaurant presentation

•Build relationships across cross-functional teams to obtain strategic alignment•Worked with Executive Management, Finance and Human Resources to develop and align strategic initiatives and leverage best practices across Sabre Technology groups •Prepared departmental budget proposals, business cases, justifications; develop team allocation models for budget disbursement to teams within the department•Tracked, reported on and control spend to budget for key categories: T&I, Employee Related, Professional Services, Headcount, Non-Cost Transfer, Labor Tracking, Interns, etc.•Facilitated and analyzed data collection for various departmental transformation exercises

• Oversight of enterprise daily operations and manufacturing production standards• Established costs of manufactured goods and created tiered pricing for sales staff• Developed annual budget as well as enterprise short and long term goals• Profit and Loss review and annual profit/sales projections• Lead weekly senior management meetings for partnership group• Developed policy and procedures of all facets of departmental operations

•Performed annual enterprise risk management for investigative/compliance audit categories and assist in development of annual rolling action plan•Stayed abreast of new regulatory changes in accordance to regulatory agencies (OCC/OTS) for continuous improvement to existing programs•Continuous review of fraud cases and hotline/helpline matters for trends and patterns. Adjust communications and training program as required and as violations/losses occur.•Managed department projects and supervise investigations•Presented monthly reporting of investigative team’s status and accomplishments to Sr. Risk Manager of Woodforest.•9 direct reports (3 fraud investigators, 4 ACH/wire transfer/identity theft/forgery investigators, 1 debit card investigator and two debit card support analysts) that exceeded expectations by limiting losses within 5% of projected losses for 2008•Oversight of monthly average of 100 client/internal investigations and oversight of 200 monthly helpline inquiries and documentation of guidance•Ensured that program meets expectations of Regulatory agency (OCC/OTS)

•Possess entrepreneurial mentality •Hired and developed management team and staffs for multiple branch locations•Hired approximately 155 direct reports (24 branch managers and branch staffs) and instilled passion for company and exceeded profit projections•Initiated a monthly communication/training and marketing campaign to surpass goals•Worked with senior leadership to ensure tone at the top and work from the bottom up to ensure all employees are engaged in company’s strategic objectives•Hosted regularly scheduled events such as motivational conference calls and meetings to keep strategic objectives and sales goals at forefront of employee’s awareness•Set expectations for business units by providing expectations from day one•Routinely visited locations to ensure strategic and training objectives are met•Prepared/reported annual financials for each business unit and region to Director of Retail Division and CEO•Implemented business plan for each business unit and project sales and financial growth annually•Successfully projected income for region within 2% of corporate profit model

Biology/Biological Sciences

Biochemistry