Gary Reese Email & Phone Number

Erie, Pennsylvania Area

Sourced and qualified co-manufacturers to support the commissioning of new product concepts conceived by marketing. Led cross-functional teams between Welch’s and co-manufacturers to develop and execute an implementation plan. Provided direction for all third party warehouse providers within Welch’s distribution network by developing performance metrics and capacity models. Managed and developed 7 direct reports.● Negotiated $5M in co-manufacturing contracts with Florida’s Naturals and Peace River for the production of Welch's refrigerated and frozen products. ● Decreased product cost by $364K annually through labor reduction and improved efficiency by collaborating with Corporate Engineering to source an equipment vendor that automated a manual variety pack operation.● Collaborated with logistics consultant to develop and implement an automated warehouse management system that optimized space utilization based upon product velocity. System will deliver $100K in annual labor savings.● Reduced third-party warehousing reliance 20% by optimizing proactive space planning and implementing continuous improvement projects.● Saved $395K by leading efforts with co-manufacturers during contract negotiations to incorporate continuous improvement language which required annual savings initiatives to be implemented. Savings driven primarily through product standards and outside storage costs.● Achieved a 99.5% quality performance for co-manufacturers on conformance to product specifications.

Erie, Pennsylvania Area

Developed and managed $55M operations budget for two manufacturing facilitates including the largest plant in the Welch’s network. Provided leadership for 430 union employees and 11 direct reports. Operations consisted of six manufacturing lines operating up to seven days per week. Received and processed a 125K ton grape crop for 724 members of Grape Growers Cooperative. Responsible for preserving the quality of a 22M gallon juice inventory.● Achieved $3M in savings by developing and implementing a strategic cost improvement plan that involved technology upgrades, on-site supplier investment and restructuring of employee job duties. $2M in transportation savings were realized through a partnership with Graham Packaging to invest in onsite blow molding.● Saved $750K through the negotiation of two labor contracts resulting in health care contributions and the establishment of core work teams to improve employee business knowledge and accountability.● Delivered $800K in standard cost savings by extending the operational window between sanitation cycles to increase overall capacity and improve operational efficiency.● Yielded $700K in throughput and recovery savings through process improvements in juice batching and filtration.● Implemented Lean manufacturing techniques in two facilities to drive improvements in housekeeping (5S), material flow (Kanban), operating efficiencies ( Value Stream Mapping) and maintenance performance ( Total Productive Maintenance).● Achieved 95% “excellent” ratings for all third-party food safety/sanitation audits (ex. AIB, ASI, SQF).

Erie, Pennsylvania Area

Directed processing and packaging activities for a 6-7 day operation to achieve key metrics for the plant’s scorecard (Safety, Cost, Quality, Customer Service, and Continuous Improvement). Managed and developed three department managers and 12 supervisors for career growth and promotional opportunities.● Saved $550K annually by driving labor efficiencies and redesigning/eliminating positions.● Achieved one year with zero lost time injuries by conducting a job safety analysis for each position on the plant floor to identify training opportunities to lower risk factors.● Managed manufacturing material variances to at or below standards resulting in $800K savings over two years by enhancing juice recovery and packaging material shrinkage during changeovers.● Implemented “Smart Changeover” process for constrained packaging lines to increase capacity.● Established supplier tracking system for on-time delivery and CPK performance for key specifications.

Lawton, Michigan

Managed all operational and financial aspects of on-site and off-site warehouses distributing 18M cases annually to customers in the central U.S.● Increased productivity 15% and saved $250K annually by implementing employee performance management system that focused on efficiency (cases shipped/labor hour) and picking accuracy.● Developed warehouse allocation model to optimize space utilization in conjunction with production planning that led to improved flow of material handling.

Janesville/Beloit, Wisconsin Area

Managed three supervisors and 40 non-union employees for three shifts, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Monitored department performance against established goals and objectives, developed performance tracking systems, created performance improvement plans and identified training opportunities. Streamlined shipping activities to positively impact two key metrics- cases shipped per labor-hour and picking accuracy.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Business Administration And Management, General

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Management W/ Concentration In Production Operations, Minor: Economics

Activities and Societies: Intercollegiate athletics (Football)- 4 year Letterman, Co-captain, 3 years Academic All Conference. Beta Gamma.