Procurement Professional: Helping organizations move to a more strategic level in their procurement process.• Provided pricing outlooks, cost savings opportunities and competitive alternate supplier options as due diligence for a PE firm to identify opportunities which led to a new acquisition• Reduced costs by over $600K for Beef, Oils, Cheese and Rice while increasing overall quality for a fast-casual seafood dining firm of around 220 locations• Developed and coordinated several successful Supplier Forums

Dairy, Eggs, Dressings and Oils, Energy, Desserts, Pasta, Italian Specialties• Key driver in developing an alternative cheese blend replacing Pecorino Romano saving $6.5M followed by a change to Domestic Romano saving an additional $2.6M.• “This project will probably go down in the annals of history regarding the sensitivities and complexities which needed to be navigated to be successful. Your persistence, patience and passion to see this to completion enabled it to happen!!! Great job and thank you for all that you continue to do to create value for the business” Jim Lawrence SVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer• Recipient of individual “Joe R. Lee Brilliance Award” awarded to employees that "solve problems, do the work, take risks and innovate" for my vision and execution in successfully directing the development, sourcing and transition to trans fat free frying oil.• “John aligned Darden with strategic sources of supply to guarantee our needs were met while others in the industry were struggling to secure their needs. Red Lobster has indicated they will save $2.9M dollars as a result of the new fry oil management program… John ultimately led the concepts to restaurant operating excellence” Jeff Spotz VP of Commodities and Risk Management• Recognized the need and expanded our commodities risk monies through Board approval raising the level from $5M to the $20M.• Implemented Natural Gas hedges that provided risk avoidance in excess of $30M at the market peak and ultimately a cost savings of $4M in 2005. • In my first year I implemented futures and options strategies in dairy saving over $1.81M.• Negotiated a reduction in processing fee on a single sourced and patented processed item by 15%.

Managed staff of 4 Senior Managers and 1 Administrative Assistant and directed the procurement of ingredients and packaging products valued at $50M.• Negotiated lease agreement for packaging equipment saving 17%.• Leveraged purchase requirements for multiple plant locations saving 11%.

Provided consulting services for commodities to commercial and individual clients.• Developed and implemented comprehensive, personalized, quarterly marketing plans to over 30 commercial/farm clients utilizing cash, futures and options to maximize income and minimize risk.• Composed daily analysis/recommendations on world/domestic commodity markets for over 200 electronic subscribers.• Conducted quarterly marketing seminars designed to provide information on price targets and time objectives for developing individual marketing plans.

Provided technical and fundamental expertise to commercial and individual clients regarding commodities futures and options. Major emphasis in the soybean complex, corn, and wheat markets.• Keynote speaker on grain pricing/risk management at Urner Barry Executive Conference.

Commodities Manager: Developed/implementing procurement and hedging strategies for Dairy, Wheat, Soybean complex and Eggs valued in excess of $130M. Managed staff of 4 at locations in Ohio and New Jersey. • Reduced annual Cheese cost by $500K • Saved $9.5M or $.475/bushel on Wheat utilizing futures, options, cash, basis and identity preserved purchases• Negotiated fixed forward contracts on liquid egg whites saving vs. market of $2.5M. • Named Food Service Division’s Most Valuable Performer by using “diligence and judgment” to increase egg products profit contribution by more than 2 times or $1.3M. • Converted wheat procurement system from commercial/brokerage-based firms to buying directly from country elevators in Michigan, Ohio, and New York lowering cost by $.03 - $.20/bushel. • Developed South American producers of rawhide savings of over 50% vs. domestic sources.