The numerous challenges that I mastered on my way here prepared me to excel as a manager over people, processes and things. I consolidated what I knew about leadership by completing my MBA at Bethel U, careful to maintain balance between education, work and family. Qualitative/quantitative analysis were the tools I used to ensure $360M in product sales found a home in the warehouse complex and then reached our customers. As the operational environment took on many profound changes, I increased the performance of my teams and relentlessly pursued continuous improvement – because I knew I could. I utilized quality methodologies and data-driven strategies to maintain an enviable on-time delivery window for both unregulated and regulated freight. In deference to the budget, I led efforts to maximize limited resources by engaging 3rd party carriers and cost-effective storage alternatives that held the line on profits. Here are a few of my notable achievements in this high-speed, hi-demand role:→ Recognized as #1 performing DC, 2015-16 by merging people with processes, employing a range of leadership styles to motivate, change and meet team needs. • Led operations to achieve 96% performance to standard level using engineered standards to improve performance, expense, labor, overtime, contract labor and productivity, raising the level a full 15% in 2 years.→ Increased vol. capacity 30% in the face of 60% inventory increase by creating a “rolling warehouse” concept to manage floor locations, reduce fixed/ primary locations and support rising demand. → Presided over 457 days of 0 loss time by creating a dedicated position to support the training and safety program, creatively budgeting to afford the position and safeguard OSHA and other requirements. → Improved on-time delivery to 95%, 1200 DPMO, and 8-12% OT DC overtime performance by fostering a culture shift and employee engagement to ID issues and create solutions that improved team synergy.

It isn’t enough to execute the mechanics of a job and expect great results. Excellent outcomes require excellence in effort. In this brief tenure, which opened even greater opportunities for me, I led my teams to a 90% on time home delivery rate by adapting how we execute operations to meet fluid customer needs. And not in a closed-loop geographical region. I managed a 180-member workforce, in a range of high-tempo environments, across 20 states, where no single formula for success would apply. But succeed we did. By taking a relational approach to leadership with all team members, vendors and other cross-functional leaders, I stitched together the necessary buy-in and motivation to produce. I then weaved in data, KPIs and other metrics to fine-tune the operating cadence and generate consistent results using standards with built-in flexibility. I perfected a dynamic routing approach to home delivery by limiting delivery to geographical areas, factoring sales volume per market and enabling maximum truck loads that saved fuel and vehicle rental costs while increasing efficiency. Each time we avoided an inefficient route, we saved approximately $400 in labor, truck expense, and fuel. Multiply that by 20 states!

In addition to creating a positive reputation for achievement, I created a cycle of success by reducing labor expense by 10% over an aggressive goal and then used the savings to improve other processes and engage in new initiatives. These initiatives increased first-pass yield. By engaging the processes, I applied continuous improvement strategies to manage shipping that resulted in increased service levels. Over the course of this career building experience, I accomplished more than a few worthy outcomes: → Helped retail partners achieve 99% on time delivery by balancing backlogs in production and partnering with supply chain to get materials on time, resulting in greater cross-functional synergies to meet new growth. → Brought pump production output from 100 to 110 units by working cross-functionally with engineering to recalibrate machines and cycle times on tests, leading to accurate results needed to correct defects. → Increased on-time delivery performance from 92% to 99% within 5-day windows, by managing a build plan and leveraging enterprise system data to monitor order date and not build against backlog. → Expanded production capacity x 1000 units/ day by creating a second production shift, increasing output capacity, hire new talent and promote existing talent into management and a smoothly running operation. → Managed inventory to a 99.5% gross and 99.9% net accuracy by performing daily cycle counts and allocating dedicated staff to move components from reserve to WIP locations, reducing inventory swings and bringing control to cycle count, resulting in a $4 net write off 2011 and $0 net write off in 2012. → Created $10k annually income stream from recycling revenue by improving teardown and sorting processes, and also raised priority for reclamation of reusable components, yielding vital components at ¼ cost of new.

In this role I continued to rise to new challenges and levels of responsibility. I leveraged my own sense of empowerment to manage change without degrading service levels by driving new-found efficiencies and on-time performance to 99% while in the process of transitioning to a hub and spoke system. Our operations shipped 150K orders each year, both domestically and internationally, and accounted for 46% of corporate sales mix across the Western US. I nurtured developing leadership skills to manage 45 employees in 2 shifts over 4 critical areas: Home Delivery, UPS, Parts-and-Warranty and Receiving, and here are some results:→ Reduced lead time 25% by managing a range of issues to improve processes across operations, focusing on the end goal and working backwards to untie problems up and down the chain. → Drove record on-time delivery in 2010 and 2011 from 92% to 99% by streamlining shipping priorities and optimizing backlog management techniques with Planning Teams.→ Increased production efficiencies 20% by utilizing LEAN manufacturing principles and implementing visual workplace standards to reduce waste and increase productivity.→ Saved $120k annually in offsite storage by dedicating some warehouse space as a delivery hub, enabling staging of finished product for sequential loading and increased delivery volume. → Reduced storage costs by $10k per month by conceptualizing a plan to manage local Home Delivery orders.

Powered by a passion for success, I consistently hit on-time delivery targets of 99% for wholesale shipments to retail partners by creating synergies with other managers. The challenge was in meeting a range of metrics such as inventory control, row-rack-bin, and reclaiming components to offset costs, and by forming informal partnerships across shipping and production, the door was open for this kind of improvement. While performing this job, I was intentional about maintaining a safety culture, which I did by coordinating all plant safety training and team lead meetings.

The pattern of quick advancement had taken hold. In this role I continued to develop both leadership and management skills. I was attentive to what worked and what it took to motivate people and transition the individual employee into an integrated, high-performing team member. By applying these skills and illuminating shared goals, I was able to increase gross inventory accuracy by 20% with a commensurate decrease in shipping lead times by 50%. My mission became to manage and coordinate shipment of a $25M business segment by partnering with the Materials Team to implement row-rack-bin, which helped give the operation more capacity, which then put me in the position of having to stand up up a new 2nd shift fulfillment team.

I learned about business and operations through my bachelor program and now was the time and here was the place to put that learning into motion. By instituting measurable, attainable goals and creating a robust team hierarchy, I transformed operations to meet an unforgiving demand for a new B2B segment, which represented a significant change from how we ran the consumer-focused operation. I managed this change for 90+ Superstore employees that involved numerous iterations to scheduling, shift changes and coverages, and moving from a 5-day delivery schedule to 6 days along with routine 4/10-hour shifts.

This is where I first became exposed to shipping, logistics and supply chain management, albeit in a microcosm. I started by delivering product to customers. I gave the job my best and eventually transitioned to a leadership role, managing teams on 2nd and 3rd shifts to prepare for the next day’s delivery operations.