Larry Firestone Email & Phone Number

Carlsbad, Ca, Us

Freehold, New Jersey, Us

Canton, Michigan, Us

Yazaki North America, Inc. is part of the Yazaki Group. An independent automotive component maker founded in Japan in 1941, Yazaki is a global leader in the research, development and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions for automotive applications. Yazaki produces wire harnesses, power distribution & control products, connectors, driver information systems, sensors and hybrid & electric vehicle products.

Portland, 97220, Us

Eastside Distilling, publicly traded on the Nasdaq symbol; EAST, is Portland, Oregon’s premiere producer of premium crafted, small batch spirits including Burnside Oregon Oaked Whiskies, HueHue Coffee Rum, Oregon Marionberry Whiskey, Portland Potato Vodka, Below Deck Rums, Big Bottom Gin's and Single Malt Whiskey with a national distribution platform serving on-premise and off-premise accounts.

SITO Mobile (NASDAQ: SITO) is a $40 million mobile ad-tech company that provides business information by running ad campaigns on mobile phones helping brands track an individual’s movements and behavior to enhance ad effectiveness. SITO has 75 employees based in the US and serves global brands both directly and through ad agency channel partners. I joined as an interim CFO in the wake of a CEO/CFO departure for fraud two weeks before the 10k was due to be filed. On the second day, we were notified by one of our shareholders, the intent to take over the company in a hostile takeover as they waged a proxy contest, which turned into three separate proxy contests. Although this was a short-term assignment, highlights and accomplishments include:- Settled down the accounting team, situation and audit firm in the wake of the frauds, we completed the audit, hosted the earnings call on schedule - Filed the 10K after only a 2-week delay. - Closed Q1 2017 ahead of schedule, filed the 10q early. - Addressed the host of legal matters as follows: FINRA investigation, SEC investigation into the frauds, a shareholder class action lawsuit, a lawsuit involving the former officers. - Proxy contest activities:  - Implemented a section 382 shareholder rights plan to protect the company’s NOL’s- - Implemented an investor outreach program as the company had not been in front of investors for 7 months, yielding a doubling of the stock price.- Secured but did not close on an equity investment as a replacement for the debt held by Fortress.- Began work with several banks to install a line of credit to increase the company’s liquidity.- Began the SOX process documentation work as the company’s market cap moved above the small company reporting rangeThe activist shareholder had the votes needed for the consent solicitation and to complete the hostile takeover and therefore the board and management team were replaced.

FirePower Technology, Inc., dba PC Power & Cooling is a privately held designer and producer of high performance power supplies for various markets such as Crypto Currency mining, E-Sports and PC gaming, high end workstations and industrial markets. In February 2014, FirePower Technology acquired the assets of the power supply division of OCZ Technology, Inc. which included the well respected brands of both PC Power & Cooling and the OCZ power supply brands and all of the related products sold under those brands. FirePower Technology sells both online and through many channel partners around the world.

Irvine, California, Us

Qualstar was an awesome display of teamwork, passion and a culture change from a shy and defensive culture to a start-up company or rally culture where the entire company focused on changing the business to an effective business model, quickly. In just 54 weeks, we added sales leadership and strength, structure to the engineering and technology side of the house, outsourced manufacturing and spare parts remanufacturing, which resulted in a change from a high fixed overhead operation, to a variable cost of goods operation which resulted in smooth execution and a simple business model. We bolstered the team quickly including the board of directors and they moved decisively, and we were well on our way to building in top line growth, increasing margins and profitability to the future of Qualstar following a 9 year history of losses. We rebuilt the company’s brand on Wall Street by implementing a marketing campaign that garnered additional sell side coverage and buy side support which drove a rising stock price to peak levels over several of the prior years. Unfortunately the company fell to a dissident shareholder in the second round of a hostile takeover, and entire management team was replaced following the takeover. Qualstar was an awesome and unique opportunity to exercise all of the experience that I have gained over the 30+ years of my career. Although my mission was cut short by the takeover, I consider the improvements to the business and the drastic positive change in culture a huge success and a great segment of my career.

Colorado Springs, Co, Us

A privately held manufacturer of performance hard disk storage serving big data users. Led the turnaround of Xiotech in just 4 quarters, achieving EBITDA breakeven for the first time in 7 year history of the group. Initiatives included closing a redundant headquarters operation in Minnesota, streamlining the field service and repair business which increased gross margins, outsourcing re-manufacturing of field returns and streamlining G&A operations which resulted in a significantly reduced cost structure. The turnaround allowed us to raise lease financing and venture capital financing.

Denver, Colorado, Us

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado 2006 to 2010Executive Vice President and Chief Financial OfficerAdvanced Energy (NASDAQ: AEIS) is a $500 million global leader in innovative power conversion and instrumentation solutions for emerging, alternative-energy and IT markets with approximately 1,700 employees worldwide. AE focuses on high-growth markets including solar cell, architectural glass, solar grid-tie inverter, semiconductor, flat panel display, data storage and other industrial markets. After engaging Wall Street and adding sell side research coverage, our market cap doubled to over $1.1 billion dollars in 9 months. As the leader of the finance, IT, HR, Legal, Internal Audit and Investor Relations functions, we implemented significant change in the company with a few highlights as follows:• Led the reorganization of the G&A departments driving over $19 million in annual cost reductions.• Led various initiatives to restructure AE’s business model including site closures and consolidations, establishment of a shared services center for finance operations, implementation of a successful worldwide metrics system and continuous improvement program for the G&A organization, and implementation of a standard equity compensation plan • Set the G&A strategy to support the business in a scalable and flexible manner while energizing a LEAN culture driving high efficiency, effectiveness and low cost. • Designed and implemented a legal entity and intellectual property restructuring that delivered a 49% reduction in the effective tax rate in the first year yielding approximately $12 million to net income or $0.30 per share and in the second year will drop another 20% yielding industry leading leverage on the tax line.

Applied Films (NASDAQ: AFCO) was a $260 million global leader in thin film deposition equipment for the flat panel display, alternative-energy, architectural glass and various flexible packaging markets with approximately 800 employees worldwide. Key member of the executive team that led the transition of our company from a merchant coated glass supplier with approximately $25m in revenues and $11 million market cap to a industy leading supplier of thin film deposition equipment to several industries with global operations and more than $240 million in revenues, culminating in the sale of the company for over $460 million. I led the G&A organizations including Finance, Tax, IT, Internal Audit, HR and Investor Relations. • Led financing strategies including 3 public equity financings raising more than $200 million which allowed the company to complete two international and one domestic acquisition and three divestitures that reshaped the company for future growth. We acquired three competitors of various sizes and geographies including Germany, Taiwan, and the U.S., and sold three divisions in Colorado, Hong Kong and a joint venture in China. • Drove the manufacturing strategy that resulted in an increase to gross margins from the low 20% range to the mid 30% range with a key focus on cost reductions for legacy tools, component sourcing in Asia, and manufacturing in Asia. • In conjunction with the operations strategy, the G&A team drove an SAP implementation in two of three manufacturing centers. • Developed Applied Films brand equity on Wall Street through public stock offerings, investor conferences and 1:1 meetings with investors. Secured sell-side research coverage totaling 8 sell side analysts with major Wall Street firms. • Built a strong global team using LEAN, and integrated effective acquisitions and ERP solutions, as well as navigated the rapidly changing regulatory environment including certification under Sarbanes-Oxley section 404.