Rick H Stephens Mba Email & Phone Number

Greater Milwaukee Area

I was one of a group of six individuals hired by Rexnord for the purpose of providing key support in the relocation of the company’s engineering chain division’s union operations to a new facility [non-union operations] south of Milwaukee. In my position I purchased, and expedited, all steel requirements while reducing material flow into the operations in preparations for the operations transfer. In this role, I also provided leadership and support for the purchased component parts buyers at this location.Critical adjustments to Rexnord’s strategic decision to relocate its Milwaukee operations created a change that would significantly reshape their strategy—top management decided to leave the operations in Milwaukee and locally outsource all raw steel and component parts purchases. This decision to remain in Milwaukee would also have a disappointing impact on the individuals hired to manage and support the original relocation strategy—their [my] positions were eliminated.

Menominee, Michigan

I provided leadership in a growth business by creating a disciplined, consistent environment throughout the manufacturing and shipping operations—reinforced with strict enforcement of the labor agreement with the International Union. Implementation of fundamental manufacturing business processes provided value-added process workflow throughout the total operation. With the close participation and support of staff members, we achieved cost of sales improvements in terms of efficiencies, methods, quality and quantity of production. Combined efforts by all manufacturing departments provided continuous improvements in efficiencies, schedule realization, overtime, scrap and rework, as well as in direct labor as a percent of net sales. Manning levels, labor rates and standards were monitored and adjusted, on an ongoing basis. I represented the manufacturing operations on management’s union contract negotiating team in 2004.Unanticipated growth in domestic competition, created as the result of wicker furniture imports from China flooding the U.S. marketplace, created a sharp decline in the company’s business financials—forcing the closure of the parent operations in Fort Smith, Arkansas and the elimination of the product mix produced at that location. As the result of these and other financial impairments, I was placed on permanent lay-off—the last of four directors level positions to be eliminated over the course of my employment with Lloyd/Flanders.

Greater Nashville Area, Tn

I initiated strategic planning and profit turnaround in an extremely challenging assignment in a less than probable situation in a small Tennessee community—an area where leadership recruitment was likewise extremely difficult. Re-organization and the replacement of essential management responsibilities were required to insure high standards were met and delivering on business objectives was rapid and ongoing. Despite efforts to salvage the [McEwen, Tennessee] operations, the company owners determined that the plant’s financial situation was insurmountable and made the strategic decision to close the McEwen operations and consolidate its product lines with one of the other Tennessee Divisions. As the result of these decisions, my responsibilities were absorbed by members of management at the alternate location, eliminating my position.

Benton Harbor, Michigan Area

March 1998 – August 1999ERP Process Lead-Available to Promise—supported by the SAP R3 v3.1h systems ($150M ERP infrastructure project)Sub-Process Profiling, Scripting, Unit Testing, and Deployment – Manage Inventory, Inventory and Warehouse Management, Lead process trainer at the regional distribution center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and supported training efforts at the factory distribution centers across the United StatesJuly 1996 – February 1998 Global Business Process Manager—Member of organization responsible for the implementation of global manufacturing business processes, supported by leveraged information systems, North America, Canada, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, and Sweden. (required extensive domestic and international travel) I also developed the base for business process implementations in New Delhi, India (required a four month stay in the city of New Delhi)

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

I was selected to be a member of a seven person, cross-functional team from Benton Harbor, Michigan. The primary purpose of this team was to provide a clear vision and understanding of Whirlpool’s fundamental manufacturing business processes, project leadership and support, and a successful implementation of these processes at Whirlpool’s Mexican operations, Vitromatic, S.A. de C.V. An important part of my role in this critical initiative required a close, positive relationship with my Mexican peers, as well as with my direct and indirect reports.While in Mexico I had direct responsibility for the following organizations: January 1995 – June 1996Manager, Regional Commodity Procurement—I was the point of contact and project liaison for Whirlpool’s commodity procurement operations in Benton Harbor. I worked closely with our U.S. suppliers to develop plans for implementing Whirlpool’s domestic supplier sourcing strategy throughout the joint venture operations in Mexico.January 1994 – December 1994 Manager, Program Management—I created a program/project management organization—providing its members with a clear understanding Whirlpool’s process methods and measures used for establishing, tracking, and implementation of new product introduction projects at Vitromatic—the process also required written adjustments to Whirlpool’s support documentation. January 1993 – December 1993 Manager, Materials Operations—I partnered with the Vitromatic materials manager, and had the lead role in the management and direction required to successfully implement of Whirlpool’s materials management business processes and procedures throughout the materials management organization at our joint venture operations in Mexico. This process also included my involvement in the role of Business Manager—providing business project support for the implementation of Whirlpool’s MRP systems at the Vitromatic’s refrigeration operations.

Evansville, Indiana Area

Manager, Refrigeration Project Planning -- Working closely with refrigeration product development managers, I had lead responsibility for establishing cross-functional teams—providing leadership and assistance, while insuring that all minor and major projects for the Sears Kenmore refrigeration group met and/or exceeded the group’s implementation expectations in terms of new product introductions, current product modifications, and revisions.

Fort Smith, Arkansas Area

03/1984 – 04/1990 Supervisor, Inventory Control01/1979 – 02/1984 Materials Coordinator, Inventory Control07/1976 – 12/1978 Scheduler, Production Control04/1976 – 06/1976 Production Supervisor10/1972 – 03/1976 Hourly employee

Masters, Mba, 3.335

May 2010, B.S. In Organizational Management, 3.936

Graduated: Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.936)

Coursework In Accounting

Business

General Studies

Fundamental Electronics And Avionics