Hyster forklift dealership covering west Michigan/north Indiana region with four locations servicing multiple industries ($20M Revs, 100 FTE) Challenge: Manage financial and operational aspects of a highly leveraged business with rapid growth requirement.Responsibilities:Operations - Cashflow management; expense control; performance metrics creation/monitoring; customer profitability analysis; sales trend analysis; legal; human resources & information systemsFinance - Business planning: Relationship with bank/floor-plan lenders, including debt structure, terms and covenants, collateral reporting, audits, and treasury management; credit management; customer requirements; equipment leasing; 401k trustee; P&C/Health insuranceAccounting - General ledger; financial reports; develop/implement policy; tax review; staff (7)

Steel processor providing first-operation blanking, slitting and material handling under a toll-processing supply contract with General Motors. ($35M revs, 350 FTE) Assigned as the representative of Kasle Steel Corp. (see below) in this joint venture with Japanese trading company. Challenge: Construct 625,000sf building and start-up operations capable of handling/processing 1.2M tons of steel per year. Result: Fully operational in one year, ramped up to full capacity within three years with QS quality certification. Responsibilities:Operations - Production metrics; Scrap yield reconciliation, Inventory control, Major purchasing; cost reduction/efficiency projects in production, material control, transportation, and quality; QS/TS Quality System; Freight negotiation; Local government relationshipFinance - Pricing; Forecasting; Insurance, Payroll/401k plans, Treasury functions; Construction and start-up funding; Multi-bank syndicate relationship; MEGA reportingAccounting - General Ledger; Financial reporting; Controls/Policy/ProceduresAccomplishments:Negotiated critical points of $68 million bank revolver/term structure lowering interest ratesEstablished all financial control and reporting systems for owners, banks and primary customerConstruction costs within 103% of $80M budget due to cost controls, completed in one yearDeveloped invoicing/collection process for paper and electronic payment systemsImplemented operational metrics that allowed continuous improvement in production efficiencyInstituted business planning process with full responsibility for multi-year forecastingMaintained positive relationships with all stakeholders (equity, banks, vendors, employees, city and customers) despite issues in construction, start-up, zoning, unionization, and supplier bankruptcy

Automotive steel supplier with six manufacturing divisions in Michigan and Canada. ($175M Revs, 300 FTE) Challenge: Provide operational cost improvements during management/ownership transition. Responsible for measuring, analyzing, reporting and improving operational performance. Developed "Balanced Scorecard" metric reporting process; implemented forklift fleet management; managed transfer pricing for US/Canada operations; optimized press capacity/loading projections; designed capital expenditure approval process, cost controls, inventory controls, and divisional budget planning. Coordinated financial analysis of two major start-up projects - RSDC (see above) and TSA. Assisted with customer contract negotiations, product pricing strategy, partner negotiations, location cost analysis, economic grant applications, utility selection, construction company selection and contract negotiation and initial bank facility structuring.

Managed $75M loan portfolio to closely-held manufacturing, construction and franchise companies. Responsible for marketing, rigorous credit analysis and detailed documentation. Maintained/developed relationships with entrepreneur-owners and financial officers. Negotiated loan structuring, interest rates, financial performance requirements, while meeting requirements of lending committees and credit department. Completed 2 year training program in credit analysis, asset-based lending, loan structuring and negotiation, customer management, and legal aspects of lending.