John Simms Email & Phone Number

Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Outside business consultant with specialty areas in Operations (manufacturing, global supply chain, engineering, quality. Lean/CI), Sales/Sales Ops, New Product Development, Customer Service, Team building and organizational development, Finance, HR, IT, and Legal/Compliance/IP. Provides value to companies and organizations that need a qualified external resource to identify problems and provide data-driven, impartial recommendations and solutions.Catalyst for change - certified Change Agent to support organizations as they work through difficult strategic direction changes, impacts due to M&A activities, new executive/ownership changes, and planned plant consolidations.Short-term senior level Staff support for organizations in transition that need temporary leadership in key executive positions until the position is permanently staffed.

Indianapolis, Indiana Area

Part of Varsity Brands, a scholastic-based company focused on graduation products, cheerleading, sports & recognition products with $1.4bil USD in SalesCorporate-level Executive position responsible for all manufacturing Operations (5 business units and 7 plants) in terms of business transformation, cultural change management, and driving Lean/Continuous Improvement methodology and philosophy across the enterprise.Directly responsible for the successful implementation of a new company-wide ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365) to be implemented over a 3-year period, with workstream responsibilities for all procurement/sourcing; planning; quality; manufacturing; and warehouse/distribution functions.Direct reports within the corporate organization as well as direct reports in each facility in North America, with plant managers considered matrix partners within the Operations organization.One of a team of six individuals being held accountable to the President/CEO and Board of Directors for the successful implementation of the ERP project.

Rhode Island

Part of Varsity Brands, a scholastic-based company focused on graduation products, cheerleading, sports & recognition products with $1.4bil USD in Sales Hired specifically to consolidate multiple manufacturing plants into one location, guide the team through the organizational changes required, and assume full P&L responsibility for the consolidated operation once completed.Direct responsibilities included manufacturing, distribution, product development, engineering, quality, sourcing, planning, inventory management, customer service, HR, IT and finance. 9 direct reports and 400 total employees.Plant metrics included reducing manufacturing costs via Lean/Continuous Improvement initiatives, improving product quality, reducing mfg. cycle time, materials management, and achieving Budget financial targets (margin, COGS, and EBITDA).Emphasis placed on changing the culture, organizational development, succession planning/career pathing, employee retention, and instilling accountability/responsibility within the organization to achieve targets and goals.

Plattsburgh, Ny

A member of the Swarovski Group, a privately held Company based in Europe with over $3bilUSD Sales and employing almost 30,000 worldwideAs a member of the two-person Company management team, reporting directly to one of Swarovski’s corporate executive board members, full P&L responsibility/accountability for the Company as well as responsible for developing and executing Company strategies and for all Operations’ aspects of the global lighting business.Direct responsibilities include manufacturing in multiple global locations, product development, engineering, quality, global sourcing of materials and 3rd party manufacturers/system partners, procurement, supply planning, fulfillment and warehouse management, inventory management, human resources, IT, finance, and legal. 9 direct reports and 400+ total employees worldwide.Successfully integrated three separate global lighting businesses into one single business based in the U.S., reducing overall expenses by over $8mUSD.Metrics focused on reducing manufacturing costs, improving product quality, reducing customer order lead-times, significantly reducing the time-to-market for new product introductions, improving global supply chain performance, achieving financial and balance sheet targets, and building a global Operations team/organization.

Attleboro, Ma

Jostens, Inc. is a scholastic-based Company focused on graduation products, military, college, & sports with Sales of $1bilUSDResponsible for all plant operations in the Attleboro, MA location, which included all class ring manufacturing, engineering, procurement, quality, order fulfillment/distribution, product development, facilities/maintenance, finance, IT, and human resources.Reported to Sr. VP, Operations for the corporation. 8 direct reports with 400 employees in the MA facility.Successfully supported the integration of three manufacturing operations into two, reducing overall costs by over $10mUSD and increasing profitability by 15%.Plant metrics included reducing manufacturing costs via LEAN, Six Sigma, improving shipped product quality, reducing mfg. cycle time by 75%, reducing mfg. overhead costs, precious metals’ (gold, silver, palladium) controls and materials management, and achieving Budgeted financial targets.

Cranston, Ri

A member of the Swarovski Group, a privately held Company based in Europe with over $3bilUSD Sales and employing almost 30,000 worldwideStarted in the position of VP, Manufacturing, for the Consumer Goods Business (one manufacturing operation and distribution/fulfillment location) and was promoted to VP, Operations for all SNA Operations. Reported directly to the President of the SNA business unit. 9 direct reports and 400 employees in two mfg. plants.Responsibilities included full P&L responsibility for two manufacturing operations, one for finished consumer goods (high-end costume jewelry) and one for component/semi-finished goods sold to other manufacturers worldwide.Additionally responsible for new product development, engineering, quality, customer order fulfillment/distribution, procurement/sourcing, manufacturing planning, and supply chain.Metrics included all mfg. plant performance indicators (cost reductions, improved product quality, reduced mfg. cycle time, improved customer on-time delivery) as well as reduced time-to-market for new product introductions and achieving Budgeted financial targets.

Attleboro, Ma

Balfour was a scholastic-based Company focused on graduation products, including high school, college, military and sports’ ringsResponsible for all manufacturing operations in the MA facility, with 7 direct reports and 350 employees.Reported directly to the President of Balfour and was part of his executive staff.

Multiple Locations

Started career with Jostens, Inc. in their Denton, TX mfg. plant as Engineering ManagerWas promoted to corporate Division Engineering Manager located in Owatonna, MNWas promoted to Director of Manufacturing in the Attleboro, MA location

Paris, Tx

Campbell Soup Company is an International Company with Sales in excess of $7bilUSDPromoted from I.E. to I.E. Area Manager, reporting to the VP, EngineeringTwo I.E. technicians reported to me in this positionParis, TX facility was a 2500 employee heat-processing mfg. plant with a container plant incl.

Bs, Industrial Engineering/Industrial Mgmt.

Professional associations: APICS, ASQ

Mba Courses Taken, Focused On Operations Management