Operations Manager or General Manager
Content
ROBIN "BOB" HARMS P.O. Box 328 Oakes North Dakota, 58474 Home (651) 460-4571, Cell (701) 710-1894 [email protected]
EXECUTIVE PROFILE Exceptional Operational Leader with a distinguished career driving top and botto m line growth, possessing the capacity and tenacity to form and manage productiv e teams. Effective and detail driven business builder with ability to create and execute strategic, high-value solutions. A Six Sigma Green Belt with a keen ins ight to solving business, distribution, and manufacturing problems. Adept at cre ating synergies that enable business growth through accelerated throughput, redu ced product lead times, increased capacity, reduced inventory, and increased cas h flow in both stable and unstable environments. SUMMARY OF CORE COMPETENCIES * Operational Excellence * Cost Reduction * Safety * Finance * Production Improvement * Loss Mitigation * Quality * Project Leadership * Finance * JIT * Testing * Training / Mentoring CORE COMPETENCIES DEMONSTRATED OAKES READY MIX LLC. OAKES, ND 2010 General Manager Scope; Recruited to open a new company. Issues that threatened the very existenc e of this company were advertizing getting the name out. Immediately implemented a new pricing program and started the bidding process on several projects. I im proved the customer service area and acquired additional work through the compan y's ability to service jobs and provide a quality product. * Testing and Productivity: Commissioned to reverse productivity losses leading to customer complaints. Spearheaded and led quality testing initiatives changing the cultural scope of the company to one of "quality minded". Virtually elimina ted customer issues within the first 30 days. This changed the mentality of the employees and improved corporate image and morale. * Finance Operations: Lack of accounting standards caused a weakened bidding pos ition prohibiting forecast accuracy. Partnered with finance leadership to build in cost accounting systems to mitigate the loss. Created a streamlined cost tra cking system, establishing financial controls and margin. Resulted in a strong b idding position and allowed the company to accure three large contracts. CEMSTONE PRODUCTS, MINNEAPOLIS, MN Regional Operations Manager 2004-2010
Scope; Recruited to reverse regional productivity and accountability issues that threatened the very existence of this company. Immediately implemented a restru cturing of regional staff and established operational enhancements with improved accountability. Within 4 months, eliminated 25% costs while more than doubling regional productivity, creating a streamlined, efficient, and sustainable SG&A t hrough the following initiatives; * Operational Excellence: Tasked by the Sr. Leadership team to reverse quality i ssues causing lost profit. Established and implemented quality metrics; communic ated trained and established accountability. Within 120 days, reduced errors 50%
improved satisfaction scores 47%, and saved lost profit. The improved procedure s were adopted permanently.
ROBIN "BOB" HARMS * PAGE 2 * Cost Reduction: With costs spiraling out of control, identified the need to im plement efficient cost reduction strategies. Analyzed project costs, and identi fied measures to reduce or eliminate inefficient processes. Within 30 days and w ithout additional expense, implemented process improvements that ultimately save d thousands within the year. These procedures were then adopted company wide. * Safety: Worker's compensation premiums rising with no established mechanism to limit liability. Created, introduced, and led training to heighten awareness of safety practices. Immediately reduced injuries 50%, which in turn reduced worke r's compensation claims 25% within a year. These lowered claim levels were maint ained an additional 6 years. CUSTER CONCRETE, WESTCLIFFE, CO General Manager 2003-2004
* Testing and Productivity: Commissioned to reverse productivity losses leading to customer complaints. Spearheaded and led quality testing initiatives changing the cultural scope of the company to one of "quality minded". Virtually elimina ted customer issues within the first 30 days. This changed the mentality of the employees and improved corporate image and morale. * Loss Mitigation: Challenged to recover receivables more than 1 year outstandin g. Identified and negotiated financially capable customers while implementing pr eventative cash only accounts, and small business loans. Collected 25% over due receivables within the first 6 months. This accomplishment brought the business to cash flow positive and became a "Best Practice" going forward. * Finance Operations: Lack of accounting standards caused a weakened bidding pos ition prohibiting forecast accuracy. Partnered with finance leadership to build in cost accounting systems to mitigate the loss. Created a streamlined cost tra cking system, establishing financial controls and margin. This event highlighted the profitability of the company causing the shareholders to sell it a year lat er. LAFARGE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS COLORADO SPRINGS, CO Concrete Plant Manager 2001-2003
* JIT: Excess inventory of raw materials led to poor inventory turns and increas ed material handling costs. Committed to reduce expenses and increase inventory turns. Implemented JIT and other inventory management systems. Reduced productio n and material costs and increased cash flow the first year. These initiatives c ontinued through the balance of my tenure. * Testing: Quality issues due to lack of testing mechanisms for products. Analyz ed issues and implemented testing measure by site prior to shipping. Increased q uality led to improved customer satisfaction scores 50% within the first few mon ths. Sales increased with customer satisfaction and Market share followed suit a t 10%. * Cost Reduction: Ever increasing waste caused poor community image and increase
d costs infringing upon profitability. Engineered and managed construction of a system for the re-use of agents to clean machinery. Reduced waste and enhanced o ur corporate image in the community. Received a commendation from the city for o ur efforts. * Project Leadership: Assigned the responsibility to enclose the plant to protec t it from the elements. Supervised the building of the outer structure. Complete d the project within 6 months, on time and under budget while actually increasin g productivity. Permanently established lower maintenance costs and increased lo ngevity of machinery. SEVEN ELEVEN DENVER, CO Field Consultant Store Manager - Training Specialist 1996 - 2001 1999 - 2001 1996 - 1999
* Training and Development: Recruited to improve the company's store manager tra ining program. Studied and identified weaknesses in current training model, reco mmended and implemented higher standards. Within 18 months, saw improvements in retention. Permanent improvements reduced training cost 55K annually. ROBIN "BOB" HARMS * PAGE 3 * Management: Poor store conditions and lack of cleanliness caused customer expe rience issues and lost sales opportunities. Established policies and enforced th em with daily inspections. Instituted POS initiatives. Immediately increased cus tomer traffic 5% and increased POS sales 20% as well as morale improvement. This event precipitated multiple promotions the following 4 years. MILITARY U.S. ARMY Carried out assignments in Combat, Reconnaissance, Logistics, and Medivac. Led s uccessful engagements providing relief for troops EDUCATION NATIONAL AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, COLORADO, SPRINGS, CO Bachelor's Degree, Applied Management 1999 AFFILIATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS 2007 Minnesota Department of Transportation (certified for aggregate analysis of ready-mix concrete) 2006 Mining Safety Health Association, Red Wing, MN 2001 Train The Trainer, Denver, CO 2001 Pro Act II, Producing Results with others, Denver, CO Six Sigma Green Belt certification Lean certification expected in 2nd quarter 2010 Black Belt expected in 3rd quarter 2010)
EXECUTIVE PROFILE Exceptional Operational Leader with a distinguished career driving top and botto m line growth, possessing the capacity and tenacity to form and manage productiv e teams. Effective and detail driven business builder with ability to create and execute strategic, high-value solutions. A Six Sigma Green Belt with a keen ins ight to solving business, distribution, and manufacturing problems. Adept at cre ating synergies that enable business growth through accelerated throughput, redu ced product lead times, increased capacity, reduced inventory, and increased cas h flow in both stable and unstable environments. SUMMARY OF CORE COMPETENCIES * Operational Excellence * Cost Reduction * Safety * Finance * Production Improvement * Loss Mitigation * Quality * Project Leadership * Finance * JIT * Testing * Training / Mentoring CORE COMPETENCIES DEMONSTRATED OAKES READY MIX LLC. OAKES, ND 2010 General Manager Scope; Recruited to open a new company. Issues that threatened the very existenc e of this company were advertizing getting the name out. Immediately implemented a new pricing program and started the bidding process on several projects. I im proved the customer service area and acquired additional work through the compan y's ability to service jobs and provide a quality product. * Testing and Productivity: Commissioned to reverse productivity losses leading to customer complaints. Spearheaded and led quality testing initiatives changing the cultural scope of the company to one of "quality minded". Virtually elimina ted customer issues within the first 30 days. This changed the mentality of the employees and improved corporate image and morale. * Finance Operations: Lack of accounting standards caused a weakened bidding pos ition prohibiting forecast accuracy. Partnered with finance leadership to build in cost accounting systems to mitigate the loss. Created a streamlined cost tra cking system, establishing financial controls and margin. Resulted in a strong b idding position and allowed the company to accure three large contracts. CEMSTONE PRODUCTS, MINNEAPOLIS, MN Regional Operations Manager 2004-2010
Scope; Recruited to reverse regional productivity and accountability issues that threatened the very existence of this company. Immediately implemented a restru cturing of regional staff and established operational enhancements with improved accountability. Within 4 months, eliminated 25% costs while more than doubling regional productivity, creating a streamlined, efficient, and sustainable SG&A t hrough the following initiatives; * Operational Excellence: Tasked by the Sr. Leadership team to reverse quality i ssues causing lost profit. Established and implemented quality metrics; communic ated trained and established accountability. Within 120 days, reduced errors 50%
improved satisfaction scores 47%, and saved lost profit. The improved procedure s were adopted permanently.
ROBIN "BOB" HARMS * PAGE 2 * Cost Reduction: With costs spiraling out of control, identified the need to im plement efficient cost reduction strategies. Analyzed project costs, and identi fied measures to reduce or eliminate inefficient processes. Within 30 days and w ithout additional expense, implemented process improvements that ultimately save d thousands within the year. These procedures were then adopted company wide. * Safety: Worker's compensation premiums rising with no established mechanism to limit liability. Created, introduced, and led training to heighten awareness of safety practices. Immediately reduced injuries 50%, which in turn reduced worke r's compensation claims 25% within a year. These lowered claim levels were maint ained an additional 6 years. CUSTER CONCRETE, WESTCLIFFE, CO General Manager 2003-2004
* Testing and Productivity: Commissioned to reverse productivity losses leading to customer complaints. Spearheaded and led quality testing initiatives changing the cultural scope of the company to one of "quality minded". Virtually elimina ted customer issues within the first 30 days. This changed the mentality of the employees and improved corporate image and morale. * Loss Mitigation: Challenged to recover receivables more than 1 year outstandin g. Identified and negotiated financially capable customers while implementing pr eventative cash only accounts, and small business loans. Collected 25% over due receivables within the first 6 months. This accomplishment brought the business to cash flow positive and became a "Best Practice" going forward. * Finance Operations: Lack of accounting standards caused a weakened bidding pos ition prohibiting forecast accuracy. Partnered with finance leadership to build in cost accounting systems to mitigate the loss. Created a streamlined cost tra cking system, establishing financial controls and margin. This event highlighted the profitability of the company causing the shareholders to sell it a year lat er. LAFARGE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS COLORADO SPRINGS, CO Concrete Plant Manager 2001-2003
* JIT: Excess inventory of raw materials led to poor inventory turns and increas ed material handling costs. Committed to reduce expenses and increase inventory turns. Implemented JIT and other inventory management systems. Reduced productio n and material costs and increased cash flow the first year. These initiatives c ontinued through the balance of my tenure. * Testing: Quality issues due to lack of testing mechanisms for products. Analyz ed issues and implemented testing measure by site prior to shipping. Increased q uality led to improved customer satisfaction scores 50% within the first few mon ths. Sales increased with customer satisfaction and Market share followed suit a t 10%. * Cost Reduction: Ever increasing waste caused poor community image and increase
d costs infringing upon profitability. Engineered and managed construction of a system for the re-use of agents to clean machinery. Reduced waste and enhanced o ur corporate image in the community. Received a commendation from the city for o ur efforts. * Project Leadership: Assigned the responsibility to enclose the plant to protec t it from the elements. Supervised the building of the outer structure. Complete d the project within 6 months, on time and under budget while actually increasin g productivity. Permanently established lower maintenance costs and increased lo ngevity of machinery. SEVEN ELEVEN DENVER, CO Field Consultant Store Manager - Training Specialist 1996 - 2001 1999 - 2001 1996 - 1999
* Training and Development: Recruited to improve the company's store manager tra ining program. Studied and identified weaknesses in current training model, reco mmended and implemented higher standards. Within 18 months, saw improvements in retention. Permanent improvements reduced training cost 55K annually. ROBIN "BOB" HARMS * PAGE 3 * Management: Poor store conditions and lack of cleanliness caused customer expe rience issues and lost sales opportunities. Established policies and enforced th em with daily inspections. Instituted POS initiatives. Immediately increased cus tomer traffic 5% and increased POS sales 20% as well as morale improvement. This event precipitated multiple promotions the following 4 years. MILITARY U.S. ARMY Carried out assignments in Combat, Reconnaissance, Logistics, and Medivac. Led s uccessful engagements providing relief for troops EDUCATION NATIONAL AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, COLORADO, SPRINGS, CO Bachelor's Degree, Applied Management 1999 AFFILIATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS 2007 Minnesota Department of Transportation (certified for aggregate analysis of ready-mix concrete) 2006 Mining Safety Health Association, Red Wing, MN 2001 Train The Trainer, Denver, CO 2001 Pro Act II, Producing Results with others, Denver, CO Six Sigma Green Belt certification Lean certification expected in 2nd quarter 2010 Black Belt expected in 3rd quarter 2010)
