James Desmet Email & Phone Number

Louisville, Ky, Us

Louisville, Kentucky, Us

CRG Technologies is an Advanced Technologies Integration company formed to develop technical system solutions for our customers’ most challenging problems. CRG Technologies is a spin-off company from the award-winning Automation Integrator, CRG Automation.

Louisville, Ky, Us

An award-winning industrial automation company known for its range of creative solutions from complex integration projects to custom design-build automation equipment. CRG specializes in the packaging, material handling and manufacturing automation industries.• Fast Company – World Changing Ideas (2024)• Time Magazine – Best Inventions of the Year (2023)• Fast Company – World Changing Ideas (2022)• Robotics Business Review – RBR50 Innovation Awards (2022)• Fast Company – Top 10 Most Innovative Companies, Robotics (2022)• Kentucky Best Places to Work • Louisville Best Places to Work

502cares launched as a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to solving some of our local communities biggest problems. Our initial efforts started as a grassroots effort to manufacture the protective masks so desperately needed by our friends, family and neighbors in healthcare who are courageously responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. We organized rapidly, mobilizing and developing a first production run to provide more than 50,000 masks to those most in need. Beyond donations, 502cares seeks equipment, materials or simply introductions to those who can assist. And if you can’t give, please share our story so others might. We’re in this together.

Lexington, Ky, Us

Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, the company designs and manufactures high-end industrial, commercial and residential fans, LED lighting and automation controls. I joined the company in 2010 as Director of Engineering, rising to become Vice President with time spent overseeing engineering, research and development, operations, product management and web/e-commerce. During my time with the company, revenues soared from $35 million to $250 million with employment increasing from 150 to more than 1,000.PERSPECTIVE AND PATIENCEHelping team members see eye to eye isn’t always easy, especially when they come from different departments or different continents, and bring with them passionate perspectives. As an executive with a proven record of building consensus, I know listening is more important than talking, and fostering a respectful atmosphere is the best way to keep everyone working together to solve problems and move forward.⇨ Serviced four international subsidiary operations, seven foreign distributors and delivered products compliant in 80-plus countries.⇨ Oversaw engineering and operations teams in Malaysia, growing them from an acquisition of three people and a 500-square-foot office to 70 employees in a 44,000-square-foot regional headquarters.IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILSWhether spearheading Big Ass Fans’ expansion from industrial products to commercial and residential fans or shepherding its production teams through several factory rebuilds, I know no detail is too small when it comes to guaranteeing successful results. As an engineer, I revel in those details.⇨ Led manufacturing teams through transformations of 98,000- and 165,000-square-foot factories with zero downtime, on-time delivery exceeding 98% and inventory turns improving 28%. ⇨ Served as operations leader for the opening of seven facilities spanning more than 350,000 square feet and 10 new manufacturing lines.

Lexington, Ky, Us

Everyone knows the saying, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” but not everybody can do it. During my years at Big Ass Fans, the company grew rapidly, and I guided some of its best industrial and commercial innovations from concepts to award-winning products. But I consider one of my biggest contributions to be ensuring that discipline and structure didn’t get lost amid the frequent expansions. I credit my training at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy for my ability to maintain a steady course.⇨ Led teams developing four new product lines resulting in 23 major introductions.⇨ Established a facility in Lexington to produce the world’s first smart ceiling fan, which also became the first home ceiling fan to be manufactured in America in years.⇨ Developed an easy-to-use fan layout tool that creates renderings of customers’ facilities and automatically suggests fan placement with the goal of dramatically reducing energy costs and improving employee comfort.⇨ Introduced the company’s first lighting line with seven models, adding $36 million in revenue during their first full year.

Boston, Ma, Us

General Electric is not only one of the world’s largest conglomerates; it dates to the 19th century, when it was one of the original 12 Dow Jones companies. In my nearly 10 years at the industrial bellwether, I received eight promotions, rising from Product Quality Engineer to New Product Introduction Manager, and, in the process, successfully innovated and updated numerous products in the company’s appliances division. I also achieved Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification, training that has proved invaluable in helping me set, meet and exceed goals in all the years since.EXPAND AND EVOLVEProduct development requires a steady hand, as obstacles often appear out of nowhere. At GE, I was repeatedly charged with leading teams that both solved some of the appliance division’s biggest challenges and tackled its most exciting initiatives.⇨ Oversaw product development for GE’s home energy management system, the first full line of consumer electronic devices designed and produced by the company in more than 20 years.⇨ Implemented GE’s first-ever lean new product introduction process on a $73 million dishwasher portfolio redesign and factory transformation.⇨ Project lead for a $31 million redesign of a GE Monogram appliance, encompassing three countries, 19 organizations and 108 individuals.⇨ Drove product and process improvements on ice makers, resulting in 75% fewer service calls and $3.5 million in annual savings.

Bs, Marine Engineering Systems

Education record