John Ekblad Email & Phone Number

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

• Direct and oversee planning, operations, logistics, training, administration, and combat readiness of the 175-Soldier 1744th Transportation Company.
• Led the 1744th through three annual mission readiness evaluations.
• Led the 1744th Transportation Company to "Best Logistics Performance in 2020" award.
• Led the 1744th Transportation Company to win “Highest Readiness in the Nation by Soldier Readiness” two years in a row.
• Nominated for the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award by the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard
• Successfully commanded a hybrid Composite Truck Company comprised of Soldiers from three states during a month-long National Training Center rotation in Death Valley, CA.

Greater Chicago Area

• Responsible for the implementation of the first transit Safety Management System (SMS) in the U.S.
• Migrated informal safety reporting to a formal, online safety reporting tool.
• Queried multiple databases to analyze safety risk data and used PowerBI to communicate findings.
• Set up infrastructure to automate bus accident analysis using GIS data.
• Developed and managed project plans to guide the SMS implementation.
• Led three project teams in a matrixed structure.

Greater Chicago Area

• Supported the implementation of SMS at CTA. Acted as the subject matter expert on SMS.
• Developed a formal document control system for the Safety Department.
• Served on the federal government’s working group on employee safety reporting.
• Served as the sole U.S. transit agency representative at the International Transport Forum SMS roundtable in Paris.

Greater Chicago Area

• Responsible for identifying safety risks in bus and rail operations and maintenance departments.
• Conducted safety inspections, audits, and accident/incident investigations.
• Deployed Excel functions to rapidly identify patterns in customer safety complaints.

• Assisted in the development of operations orders and the establishment of standard operating procedures.
• Helped to determine training needs for the battalion and participated in the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP).

• Managed company administrative, logistical, and maintenance operations.
• Mentored four junior lieutenants.
• Managed a 120-person, multifunctional maintenance shop comprised of automotive, electronics, and weapons repair sections.

• Led a 40 Soldier automotive and truck maintenance platoon.
• Significantly increased the equipment readiness rate and technical performance of the platoon.
• Integral in the unit's achievement of a 94% score on the Commanders Maintenance Evaluation Team inspection.
• Maintained accountability of over $1 million worth of equipment.

Mundelein, IL

• Stood up the Electrical Manufacturing and Renewables Division, accounting for 12% of company revenue in its first year
• Billed more in first year than anyone other than the founding partners.
• Conducted all business functions including account management, business development, contract negotiation, consultation, client retention, and marketing.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Business Analytics

B.S., Economics

Econometrics, Studies interrupted by deployment to Afghanistan in 2008-2009