Director Operations, Distribution and Supply Chain
Resume:
ARTHUR FOSTER
Dublin, OH 43016 ■
***********@*****.***
http://webprofile.info/artfoster/
VP/DIRECTOR: OPERATIONS / DISTRIBUTION / SUPPLY CHAIN
Customer-facing senior operations / logistics executive with established experience leading distribution functions,
process improvements, and business consolidations across diverse industries – generating millions of dollars to top and
bottom lines. Successful at building and directing multi-disciplined teams to design and deploy robust, cost-effective
solutions per business / customer requirements. Able to define and align business strategies and real world analysis to
deliver highest level of output at lowest marginal cost. Excel at leveraging account / supplier relationships, process
improvements, and negotiation skills to maximize quality, service and on-time performance. Collaborative leader with
proven ability managing business consolidations & turnarounds, contract negotiations, and complex problems.
CORE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Inventory & Supply Chain Management Continuous Process Improvement / Reengineering
Mergers, Acquisitions, & Consolidations Team Leadership & Collaboration
Customer Relationship Management Account Management & Growth
Contract Negotiations & Compliance Business Analysis, Reporting & Forecasting
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
VERTEX SYSTEMS – Westerville, OH 2010 – 2013
Software company serving not-for-profit agencies that place people with disabilities to work.
Chief Operating Officer
Selected to oversee day-to-day operations supporting software development, quality assurance, and customer service
functions. Supervised 4 direct reports and 17 total reports. Accountable for strategic planning & execution, new product
development, quality control, business development, contract negotiations, training, account management, process
improvements, and customer / employee relations.
$250,000 contract won by reengineering customer relationship, retraining and redeploying primary software, and
negotiating for
project
to
clean
up
client’s
accounting
database; all critical to winning back firm’s
top
account.
50% growth in software sales generated by leading team to
design
and
deploy
firm’s
new
Medicaid
Billing
System
that
eliminated up to 90 man-hours across billing process and improved cash flow.
40% in business growth achieved by evaluating client business requirements and providing training to successfully
launch billing software solution despite two failed implementations.
Reduced training time for warehouse supervisors from 3-4 days to 1-2 hours by leading design, testing and
implementation of iPad application.
Collaborated with Developer to modify EDI package to work with Medicaid billing product to provide non-profit
customers reasonable alternative to keypunching invoices – gaining Medicaid certification in 10 states.
Obtained order representing 20% of new sales by developing requirements to customize and integrate base software
within
client’s
accounting
system
– positioning client to be SAP compliant with inventory requirements.
Successfully renegotiated contract and added $26,000 (25%) to cover software development by presenting new
software design to meet customer requirements.
Secured system upgrade equal to 50% increase in sales and avoided potential loss in business by clarifying and
convincing large supplier
on
how
firm’s
accounting
system
product
would
achieve
accurate
inventory.
ANDERSON NEWS COMPANY – Knoxville, TN 1999 – 2009
Nationwide magazine and book distributor servicing 18,000 retail outlets with sales exceeding $1 billion.
Senior Director, Distribution / Purchasing (2005 – 2009)
Promoted to consolidate and manage distribution and purchasing functions to corporate office. Built and led 25-member
corporate billing team. Oversaw buyer relations, budgeting, and strategic planning & execution for distribution and
purchasing departments. Served as operational liaison for national accounts. Total managed was 5 direct and 42
indirect reports.
$10 million in handling costs slashed by combining billing and analysis departments and leading training and launch of
new processes to boost efficiency from 36% to 45%.
$6 million in profitability attained by introducing centralized controls for
company’s
computer
system to route changes
made by Manufacturing Representatives to buyers – generating 2% margin on 30% of
company’s business.
$1.5 million saved annually by consolidating billing department from 140 facilities to 1 centralized department.
ARTHUR FOSTER, Professional
Experience,
Continued… PAGE 2 OF 2
Anderson
News
Company,
Continued…
$350,000 saved per year by combining purchasing and category management departments.
$210,000 in annual cost savings generated by designing software and processes to close customer service calls in
of time it took locally and trained category management team to absorb 300-500 calls per week.
24% average promotional sales increase produced by developing and implementing strategic plan that segmented
category management team by national account to increase level of quality / customer service.
Director, Distribution / Allocation (2001 – 2005)
Led distribution activities and provided operational support
for
company’s
largest
customer,
Wal-Mart. Led incentive
department and regional distribution / analysis teams for total of 4 direct and 20 indirect reports.
4.5% sales increase captured by directing team in developing and rolling out 60 different merchandising templates
based on demographics and fixture size at W al-Mart’s 3,000+ stores nationwide.
Coached analysis department on presentation and communication skills used to win presenter of year three
consecutive years at company annual convention.
Increased sales from 90% of plan to meeting or exceeding 100% of plan and outperformed competition by designing
and deploying distribution computer tools to improve promotion allocation across all national accounts.
Mitigated potential one-time loss of $8.4 million and ongoing loss of $300,000 per week by finalizi ng payment process
that transitioned inventory from Wal-Mart to firm and documented how A/R disputes were handled in future.
Director, Corporate Distribution (1999 – 2001)
Hired to lead cross-functional team to develop and provide training for new, robust distribution / billing computer system
that included demographics and centralized functions. Headed incentive department and regional / cross-functional
teams covering total of 5 direct and 18 indirect reports.
$3 million in 9/11 commemorative sales increase at Wal-Mart obtained by tracking and managing quantities of
commemorative products on a national level
for
the
first
time
using
company’s
new distribution system .
$500,000 in annual labor savings captured by creating a new feature for distribution system that allowed end-users to
upload distribution data instead of keypunching.
Secured 2% growth representing $20 million in sales and $10 million in cost savings by spearheading five-member
cross-functional team to code, test, and launch new distribution and billing system within 18-month timeframe.
Established self-scoring certification system to train 300 end-users for new distribution system and provide 150
managers positive exposure to new processes, enabling firm to certify all 450 employees prior to software release.
SCHERER / UNITED MAGAZINE – Dublin, OH 1986 – 1999
Regional magazine & book distributor servicing 5,000 retail outlets with annual sales exceeding $300 million.
VP of Corporate Operations (1995 – 1999)
Promoted to direct daily operations supporting all aspects of sales, product lines, and P&L performance. Accountable for
due diligence, mergers & acquisitions and new system implementation. Served as customer liaison and led contract
activities and onboarding of new facilities. Dire cted purchasing / analysis teams and corporate A/R staff. Supervised 6
direct reports and 30 total reports.
Generated $7.2 million in sales growth and $2.4 million in annual cost savings by introducing distribution systems built
with newly-designed demographic tools.
$450,000 in labor savings attained by planning and coordinating consolidation of all allocation, distribution, and
invoicing functions – generating estimated 1% margin improvement.
Accomplished 79% target goal by crafting plan to collect $20 million in aged receivables owed by four customers,
withholding rebates and promotion allowances per contract terms.
Awarded 44 contracts accounting for $260 million in sales by playing key role as part of four -person bid committee
responsible for developing contract terms based on financial / business data that was successful for all parties.
Signed 400 independent customers representing $15 million in sales by creating independent contract that required
improved location and space / promotional plan to make store eligible for rebate.
$40 million bridge loan secured by serving as m ember of venture capital team responsible for presenting distribution
roll-up strategy
based
on
company’s
new
demographic distribution system.
Previous Concurrent Positions at Scherer/United Magazine:
VP of Manufacturing Operations (1991 – 1996) / Operations Manager (1986 – 1995)
EDUCATION
B.S. in Business Management & Human Resources, Franklin University, Columbus, OH
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