Vice President, General ManagerPraxair, Inc.January 2002 – February 2009 •V.P. General Manager of Praxair, Inc., a $10 billion North American leader in manufacturing, sales and distribution of industrial gases with headquarters in Danbury, CT.•Reporting to President of Praxair Distribution Inc ($1.5 billion manufacturing, wholesale and retail distribution company).•Led six autonomous divisions totaling over $550 million (USD).•Managing partner in two joint ventures… Show more Vice President, General ManagerPraxair, Inc.January 2002 – February 2009 •V.P. General Manager of Praxair, Inc., a $10 billion North American leader in manufacturing, sales and distribution of industrial gases with headquarters in Danbury, CT.•Reporting to President of Praxair Distribution Inc ($1.5 billion manufacturing, wholesale and retail distribution company).•Led six autonomous divisions totaling over $550 million (USD).•Managing partner in two joint ventures with sales approaching $220 million (USD).•Responsible for growing sales and operating profit, and improving cash flow and safety/compliance results at approximately 220 stores and 20 plant locations.•The divisions included all Canadian provinces and all states in eastern U.S. to Detroit, Michigan.•Total employees numbered 1800.•Success formula included providing consistently excellent service and product supply, growing revenue with a standard sales process, introducing new products and acquiring companies and then successfully integrating their employees and customers . Productivity exceeded three percent of cost stack every year. Show less

•Reporting to President of Praxair Distribution.•Responsible for six autonomous divisions totaling $300 million (CDN) and providing marketing, pricing and business development to Praxair Distribution.•Established marketing organization accountability with a $5.0 million budget.•In 2001, there were $18 million in new sales throughout the divisions due to new marketing programs, such as StarSolver ™, exclusive product line emphasis and promotion of unique products including microbulk,… Show more •Reporting to President of Praxair Distribution.•Responsible for six autonomous divisions totaling $300 million (CDN) and providing marketing, pricing and business development to Praxair Distribution.•Established marketing organization accountability with a $5.0 million budget.•In 2001, there were $18 million in new sales throughout the divisions due to new marketing programs, such as StarSolver ™, exclusive product line emphasis and promotion of unique products including microbulk, dry ice, and beverage carbonation. •Pricing rose in excess of inflation each year and in particular, hard goods margins rose across the business by an overall 4.5 percentage points, or approximately 20%.•New business development included exclusive alliances with Panasonic Automation, GTEC, Genesis, OKI and an emphasis on metal cutting solutions, including oxyfuel, high definition plasma, and laser-shape cutting. Show less

•Reporting to the Vice President and General Manager of Praxair Distribution.•Responsible for $150 million in sales and $31 million in operating profit, with approximately 220 employees. •Achieved plan all three years by driving a new sales process, engaging our employees in the business through PDI People Leadership Program, and by establishing and improving key performance measures by job including service levels and fill rates.•Responsible for perfecting the model of a… Show more •Reporting to the Vice President and General Manager of Praxair Distribution.•Responsible for $150 million in sales and $31 million in operating profit, with approximately 220 employees. •Achieved plan all three years by driving a new sales process, engaging our employees in the business through PDI People Leadership Program, and by establishing and improving key performance measures by job including service levels and fill rates.•Responsible for perfecting the model of a centralized hard goods warehouse supply to customers, a centralized, palletized, automated cylinder-filling plant, and centralized order entry at all cylinder distribution hubs that resulted in better service and significantly reduced capital and operational costs. This model was subsequently migrated across most company divisions. Show less

•Reporting to Altair President and then Praxair Western Region Vice President.•Was leader of $22 million organization in 1992 growing to $70 million in 1997 through acquisition (HI Tullis, Anderson Equipment) and organic sales growth.•Operating profit quality grew from single digit % to 20% over this period.•Altair’s successful track record of sales and profitability growth was the catalyst for Praxair to re-enter the cylinder gases and hard goods distribution business, after… Show more •Reporting to Altair President and then Praxair Western Region Vice President.•Was leader of $22 million organization in 1992 growing to $70 million in 1997 through acquisition (HI Tullis, Anderson Equipment) and organic sales growth.•Operating profit quality grew from single digit % to 20% over this period.•Altair’s successful track record of sales and profitability growth was the catalyst for Praxair to re-enter the cylinder gases and hard goods distribution business, after selling it off in the late 1980’s. •Business unit employed approximately 180 people. Show less