Les Joel, General Manager / Vp Operations Email & Phone Number

Salem, Oregon

Transformer Technologies (TT) is an environmentally sound oil and metal recycling facility for a 10-state region, processing 43.5M lbs. annually for major utilities, municipal utilities, industrial facilities, and electrical contractors. The company has 55 employees, with $15M in 2015 revenue.I was recruited as GM, holding P & L responsibility and providing operations oversight including finance, marketing, production, audit, and compliance. When I first joined, TT solely provided… Show more Transformer Technologies (TT) is an environmentally sound oil and metal recycling facility for a 10-state region, processing 43.5M lbs. annually for major utilities, municipal utilities, industrial facilities, and electrical contractors. The company has 55 employees, with $15M in 2015 revenue.I was recruited as GM, holding P & L responsibility and providing operations oversight including finance, marketing, production, audit, and compliance. When I first joined, TT solely provided metals recycling of unregulated electrical equipment. I was able to expand the operation to include oil recycling and regulated equipment, creating a win-win situation where our customers could use just one service provider, and TT accomplished a healthier bottom line. Achievements include:==Service Development/Marketing: Gained competitive advantage as a one-stop shop by expanding metals recycling operation to include oil recycling business, growing volume to 1.4M gallons and $750K annually.==Project Management/Production: Designed and constructed the 22,000 sq. ft. Salem facility on budget, incorporating multiple innovative design elements, with zero disruption to production or customer service.==Business Development: Outperformed competition and expanded PG&E business by $500K annually, after receiving EPA Region 10 approval for a PCB Commercial Storage Facility.==Safety: Maintained a <0.85 Experience Modification Rating annually, beating the 1.00 industry average.==Leadership: Integrated 2 distinct cultures to create a single cohesive, high-performing team able to meet growing customer demands in a rapidly evolving environment.==Conference Presenter: “Environmentally Compliant Recycling of Oil Filled Electrical Equipment,” Northwest Public Power Assn. (NWPPA) Environmental Task Force, Doble Life of a Transformer, Weidmann Diagnostic Solutions, Investment Recovery Assn., Joint Utility Vendor Audit Consortium, 2008-2014 Show less

Oregon City, Or

I was originally hired by Jefferson Smurfit Corporation in an MBA entry position working in the Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategic Planning Department. From there I rose through the ranks as production assistant, department supervisor, becoming department manager in 1995, retained when the company was purchased by Blue Heron.Blue Heron was a high recycle content newsprint manufacturer (producing 700 tons/day) with 300 union/management employees and $80M in 2005 revenue. The… Show more I was originally hired by Jefferson Smurfit Corporation in an MBA entry position working in the Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategic Planning Department. From there I rose through the ranks as production assistant, department supervisor, becoming department manager in 1995, retained when the company was purchased by Blue Heron.Blue Heron was a high recycle content newsprint manufacturer (producing 700 tons/day) with 300 union/management employees and $80M in 2005 revenue. The company serviced major West Coast newspapers, commercial printers, and fast-food bag manufacturers.I was a member of the senior management team that converted the plant to an autonomous, 40% employee owned company, accountable for 19 employees and a $25M+ budget for this 24/7 operation. Achievements included:==Co-leading a $12.5M capital expansion and modernization project, growing capacity by 100 tons daily.==Saving $1.4M annually by reducing raw material costs by transitioning from a captive to an independent buyer.==Increasing daily average production by 16%, reducing downtime from 244 to 65 hours annually, and saving $1.1M.==Being selected to lead the first multi-disciplinary customer support team, assigned to the LA Times, the company’s largest customer.==Structuring and documenting job descriptions and establishing a comprehensive employee training program. Show less

Mba, Finance And Marketing

While obtaining my degree, I worked part-time restoring an 1880 Victorian mansion.

Ms, Manfacturing Engineering

Activities and Societies: General Electric Manufacturing Management Program

Bs, Mechanical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Kappa Sigma Fraternity Double Major in Engineering and Public Policy