Jim Thomas Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, Us

We can create a scope of work to address your needs building on competitive advantages.

With a confidential contract role at a client company, challenged as President & COO to organize family generational transfer and elevate process thinking to overcome disruptions. of faltering food, beverage, and restaurant company in a post-pandemic set of crisis. We successfully created inaugural Board of Directors, established new management practices, created a Talent Acquisition practice, elevated manufacturing, supply chain, restaurant operations, human resources, marketing, technology, and food safety practices with urgency after wide-spread failures.

Rosemead, California, Us

Facilitate the growth and development of Panda’s people, partnerships and processes meeting global growth challenges, while enabling our team to realize their personal and professional dreams in a culture of intensity, workability and integrity.

Denver, Co, Us

Supply chain business process outsourcing for familiar American restaurant chains across fast food, fast casual, casual dining and snack brands. We developed sourcing, supply management, demand management and quality assurance programs for 20 plus brands.

Orlando, Fl, Us

Senior Vice President – Supply Management and Purchasing, 2012 – 2015Vice President – Supply Management, 2007 – 2012TRANSITION MANAGEMENT │ PROCESS IMPROVEMENT │ COMMUNICATIONS │ STRATEGY DESIGNChallenged with building and directing scalable supply chain to support multibrand restaurant operations. Directed best-in-class North American supply chain representing multibillion-dollar spend for up to eight separate operating companies. Supported full range of food products, capital equipment and smallwares across 2,200 restaurants. Served on Specialty Restaurant Group E-Team that supported five brands and billion-dollar sales volume.DIVESTITURESProactive member of Divestiture Team for Red Lobster Seafood Company; designed spin-off supply chain entity to handle $1B in spend and structured transition services agreements.SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENTTransformed Darden’s supply chain and permanently cut $60M in costs through process improvements, such as replenishment automation and eliminating operational waste.COST SAVINGSSaved $25M in product cost each year over 10 years with repeatable margin expansion efforts across key areas – sourcing events, supplier relationships, logistics, product development and replenishment.PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENTMaximized vested partnerships among critical product suppliers, logisticians, buyers, production planners and Darden Direct Distribution operators.CENTER OF EXCELLENCEEstablished Demand Management “Center of Excellence” with Oracle’s Demantra software and Ariba’s sourcing software.CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLANNINGChosen to lead Hurricane Task Force and coordinate emergency planning and disaster recovery efforts to over 650 locations within potential impact area during Atlantic hurricane season.TALENT DEVELOPMENTEvery direct report thriving in greater responsibility (or retired).

Orlando, Fl, Us

DISTRIBUTION MODEL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION │ SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Focused on deploying comprehensive direct distribution model. In charge of coordinating all supply chain efforts for over 1,700 company-owned, full-service restaurants across North America. Utilized combination of third-party and company-owned distributors. Effectively operated within direct inventory ownership, vendor-managed inventory and consignment inventory.ACQUISITIONS AND INTEGRATIONSSucceeded in delivering $40M in synergy through smooth acquisition and integration of Rare Hospitality entity, including The Capital Grille and LongHorn Steakhouse concepts.PROCESS IMPROVEMENTAchieved $8M advantage by retaining internal processes for smallwares instead of outsourcing to external distribution providers.COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENTIntroduced CTPAT Tier 2 requirements that improved import compliance with over 1,000 containers.

Orlando, Fl, Us

TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES │ VENDOR MANAGEMENT │ SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS Navigated group after AmeriServ transition and facilitated service contracts with new providers. Responsible for third-party distributors’ service supporting billion-dollar sales to over 1,400 restaurants and distributing over 27 million cases across North America. Accountable for product supply and logistics involving over 600 vendors and over 1,800 SKUs in foodservice network. Handled relationships, RFPs, contracts, etc. with MBM, McCabe’s, Sysco-SYGMA, FSA, Gordon Food Service and others industry leaders.PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADESRecipient of elite “Brilliance Award” in 2003 for providing outstanding leadership, as well as strengthening contacts with 3PL transportation, warehouses and logistics firms.TEAM LEADERSHIPTeam-led conversion of 45% of network from Marriott Distribution Services to three additional partnerships.KEY RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENTEnhanced post-conversion restaurant operator satisfaction scores by over 30%.

North Aurora, Illinois, Us

BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION │ LOGISTICS │ QUALITY CONTROLInitially hired as Vice President – Logistics | General Manager – Route Sales to grow business. In charge of optimizing key functions – distribution, purchasing, production scheduling, inventory controls and warehousing. Provided hands-on leadership in manufacturing areas, including quality control, food product procurement, fluid milk processing and ice cream production.REVENUE AND PROFIT GROWTHQuickly expanded revenue and profitability by 30% annually in all route sales channels, leveraging synergies from competitor merger and operational consolidations.NEGOTIATIONSPiloted union negotiations with Teamsters to ensure positive engagement with plant and transportation staff, which eventually decertified.SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENTContinued to build industry reputation for excellence in supply chain processes, safety, service, cost, quality and market growth

Leadership positions with McCain Foods and Frito-Lay: Collaborated with third-party providers to transition distribution system from plant-based to regional mixing centers at McCain. Succeeded in increasing KPI metric of perfect orders from 68% to 95% through better transportation and delivery strategies at Frito-Lay. Gained hands-on expertise in cost controls, distribution networks, supply chain, vendor negotiations, order processing and regulatory compliance.

Executive Mba, Business Administration And Management, General

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Operations Management; Minor In Business Logistics