Gene Cone Email & Phone Number

Simpsonville, Kentucky, United States

Exceptional Leader and Business Builder with a distinguished career and demonstrated success developing profitability and restoring market share in highly complex and competitive business climates. Highly effective team builder and mentor with a keen insight into solving business and manufacturing problems, managing change, creating synergies that enable business growth through reduced product lead times, increased capacity, reduced inventory, and increased cash flow. Tenacious at identifying new revenue opportunities, securing customer loyalty, and forging solid relationships with external and internal business partners. A process oriented leader who can quickly identify opportunities for process improvements leading to significant cost reductions, quality improvements and throughput increases. Lean and Six Sigma savy.

United States

Involved in over 20 different Board memberships over the years. Manufacturing companies (8). Schools (4). Nonprofits (10)

Recruited by Private Equity Firm to start-up this new manufacturer/distributor, utilizing patented technology to provide technical products to the Military and Commercial markets world-wide.Recruited and managed a talented and multi-disciplined team of professionals to grow this new company into a well recognized and successful player in this highly specialized market space. The company exceeded the first year revenue plan and doubled revenue the second year Established and led a strong research and development team tasked with developing dozens of new products, eight being submitted for patents.Developed strong DRIFIRE brand, now the recognized leader in the marketLed the development of all business systems at the company, including SAP ERP system and an award winning web site, with a strong ecommerce sales history.Company won the 2008 Chicago Innovation award for the innovative products of the company, met with the Mayor of the city of Chicago after receiving the award.Led the development of a fully integrated virtual supply chain of 53 partners.

Recruited by Private Equity Firm, CGW to lead the recovery of this troubled $330 million, 2100 Employee Company, with 11 domestic manufacturing/distribution locations and international sales to over 25 different countries around the world. Evaluated the entire management team, recruited top talent in finance, sales, manufacturing, international sourcing and IT to overcome deficiencies in management, flattened the organizational structure, established incentive programs at every level of the organization, established communication and feedback vehicles. Led the team in developing new products, new markets, cost reduction, gross margin improvements, international supply chain expansions, all leading to a total restructuring of the company and sale of the business.

Recruited by the purchasers of a division of Colgate Palmolive to rationalize the business, develop the strategic growth plan and build the needed management team to facilitate this growth. Built the strategic plan, recruited and hired the new management team, identified and developed new markets, led the development of new products, led the development of new strategic customers, negotiated long-term agreements, and led the modernization of the company’s manufacturing, including setting an obsolete facility and building a new state-of-the-art facility. Identified four new markets and developed 20 new products to meet the needs of the fortune 500 companies in these markets, which led to the tripling of the company's revenue in four years. Directly negotiated and secured several long-term contracts, with new customers such as J&J, Kendall, Baxter Healthcare, 3M, Boeing, Lockheed/Martin, Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Merck, and others. Hired/trained and lead 10 new sales/marketing team members to increase sales to $75 million/year and increased gross margins from 20% to 40%+.Reorganized manufacturing management areas and directed the implementation of cost reductions of more than $15 million/year, improved quality levels from 88 % to 98%, on-time deliveries to 99%.Led the development of over 20 new products, 5 lead to new US patents, markets resulting in increased sales, margins and sustainable competitive advantages.Developed the plan and led the shutdown of a high-cost 150 year old manufacturing site and the start-up of a new modern manufacturing facility, reducing costs by $15 million/year and doubling manufacturing capacity to allow growth of sales from $25 million to $7 million/year.

Hired by Private Equity Group, Vencor, to work with company founders to expand manufacturing, sales and marketing the company’s products into the United States, from Canada. Led the establishment of modular manufacturing and distribution center in Houston TX, recruited and led the US sales team, established quality and process control procedures, led the development of new products and designs, led the development and negotiation of new major customers.

Hired by Springs Industries’ Chairman to developed start a new technical products business for the corporation. Developed the business plan, recruited and hired the entire team, consisting of finance, R&D, sales, marketing, manufacturing, quality and IT professionals. Led the team to develop the products, manufacturing plan, marketing/branding plan, systems, processes and controls to start-up this new technical fabrics business for this $2 Billion textile manufacturing corporation. Envisioned and built the business platform to grow the new company from zero to $85 million in sales in five years. Positioned the business for sale to a group of investors.Led the invention and launch of 20 new proprietary products; 10 resulting in patentsLaunched the start-up and management of two new manufacturing facilities with new proprietary manufacturing processes and technologies, achieving gross margins of over 45% for the products.Hired/trained and mentored a staff of 30 in the areas of sales, marketing, product development, quality, customer service and operations. Established all systems, procedures and controls to manage the business.

Served as vice president of sales for the specialty industrial fabrics division of Burlington Industries, leading the both international and domestic marketing, sales, forecasting, and new product development for all specialty industrial fabrics. Within one year, established a system to sell fabrics directly to the U.S. Military, resulting in the establishment of the new military fabrics division; promoted to vice president/general manager/Division President of this division.

Masters Of Management, Business Administration And Management, General, A

Masters In Management, Business Management

Engineering, Chemical And Environmental