RUSSELL A. SPEESE

*** ***** ******, ******, ******** 49336

Tel: 231-***-****

abhmhx@r.postjobfree.com

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

. Business professional with proven global experience in sales and

marketing, product development, business expansion, general management

and technology.

. Strong background in reducing inventory costs; increasing sales,

productivity and profits; training; developing work teams and

implementing ISO/QS 9000.

. Effective visionary leader and innovator in technical and manufacturing

companies.

.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

President, ERRAS Corporation, Howard City, MI, 2005 to Present

Family owned chain of convenience stores.

. Oversight of $7,000,000, 24 employee chain of convenience stores.

. Manage the daily operations, accounting, business development,

accounts payables, and inventory.

. Ensure total profitability of the corporation.

. Planned, designed and directed two $700,000 new startup locations.

Account Manager, Praxair, Inc., Burr Ridge, IL, 1999 to 2005

A manufacturer of industrial gases and related equipment.

. Reported to Vice-President of Midwest Region.

. Technical sales of industrial gases to industrial users and welding

supply distributors in western Michigan and northern Indiana.

. Grew territory to $12,000,000 plus annually.

. Increased territory sales each year.

. Led region in obtaining new accounts in 2002.

Hobart Brothers Company/ Illinois Tool Works, Troy, OH

A manufacturer of welding equipment and products.

Business Unit Manager, 1995 - 1998

. Reported to Executive Vice-President.

. Directed a $35,000,000, 105 employee business unit that provided

stainless steel and hard surfacing electrodes and wires to the welding

industry.

. Managed a staff consisting of manufacturing, sales specialists,

accounting, product management, materials, quality control,

application and development engineering personnel.

. Maintained business unit ISO-9000 certification and QS-9000

compliancy.

. Formed self-directed work teams, empowering employees to handle tasks

normally assigned to managers.

. Initiated cross training of personnel to teach overlapping tasks and

functions.

. Reduced work force by 10 percent through productivity improvements.

. Continually increased productivity by 20 - 40 percent through in

lining of equipment, raw materials and plant scheduling.

. Implemented the 80/20 rule to reduce raw materials by 40 percent,

finished goods by 30 percent, and active part numbers by 60 percent.

Increased bottom line profits, and provided outstanding customer

service.

. Planned and managed a $1,500,000 plant expansion, finishing on

schedule and under planned budget.

R. Speese - page 2

Vice-President Sales and Marketing, 1992 to 1993

. Reported to President.

. Responsible for all marketing, customer service and warehouse

distribution of a $32,000,000 line of welding electrodes and wires.

. Recruited, trained, supervised and retained a staff of 32 employees.

. Organized and executed factory move from York, Pennsylvania to Troy,

Ohio.

National Sales Manager, 1988 to 1992

. Reported to Vice-President, Sales and Marketing.

. Responsible for all sales and customer service.

. Organized, planned and presented numerous information and sales

training seminars.

. Created a telemarketing program, increasing territory sales by 60% in

year one.

. Developed, wrote and designed technical catalogs and literature.

. Youngest National Sales Manager in the history of the McKay division.

District Manager, 1984 to 1988

. Responsible for the sale of welding electrodes and wires to welding

supply distributors and manufacturers throughout eight Midwestern

states with concentration on the greater Chicago market.

. Increased sales from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 annually.

. Developed and maintained McKay's only million-dollar account.

Director of Sales and Marketing, Stoody Company/Thermadye Industries,

Bowling Green, KY

1993 to 1995

A manufacturer of welding equipment and products.

. Oversight of $30,000,000 sales and marketing effort of the company's

line of welding consumables.

. Directed domestic and international sales.

. Developed aggressive sales strategies resulting in increased sales and

profits in 1994 after declining sales for seven consecutive years.

. Managed a staff of 34 sales, customer service, technical service and

application lab employees.

Sales Representative, Masterweld Sales and Engineering Company, Hobart, IN,

1982 to 1984

A welding supply distributor serving the greater Chicago market.

. Responsible for technical sales of welding supplies to steel mills,

refineries, steel fabricators and other related industries.

. Increased territory sales by over 14%.

EDUCATION

Welding Engineering, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan

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