Rick W. Baker

Plain City, OH ***** abhgwh@r.postjobfree.com Mobile: 614-***-****

Vice President / Director of Operations / General Manager

Strengthen operational performance through team-focused leadership, with

exceptional

change management and achievement record in fast-growing environments.

Quality-driven, strategic, and well-organized leader noted for championing

significant process and performance improvements. Valuable executive

contributions include operations standardization and product development.

Core executive team member and drive for bottom-line improvements in cost

containment, quality, and labor. Possess strong field expertise in a

production environment, with a proven ability to seamlessly transition into

new industries.

Recognized for high-profile operational turnaround achievements affecting

revenue, stability, and profitability. Documented record of economic and

cultural gains despite substantial industry changes and turbulence

affecting the competitive outlook. Creative leader with a proven ability to

catapult sales, initiate new-product development, leverage alliances with

industry partners, and drive profitability through focus on customer

centricity and innovation.

Core Skill Areas:

Strategic Business Continuous Process Improvement Lean dynamics

Planning Contract Negotiations

Multi-Site Operations Root cause problem solving Project design and

Vendor Relationships Profit & Loss Management oversight

Start-up Operations Operational Optimization Quality Assurance

Professional Experience

1

FIVE STAR CUSTOM FOODS, Nashville TN Mar

2009- July 2010

General Manager

Senior on-site manager, reporting to owners in TX, involved in the

transformation of empty 100K sq ft. dry warehouse into state-of-the-art,

cooked food processing facility. Project involved installation of

equipment, utilities, water treatment, flash freeze system and other

auxiliary services, as well as vendor selection/contract negotiations.

Hired and trained crew members for production, maintenance, distribution,

and water treatment, all from the local workforce and at entry labor rates.

Facility designed as a high performance operation with diverse equipment

different from home plant. Achieved outstanding first audits by customers,

exceeding their expectations and seeing us as a model plant.

Selected Highlights Include:

Plant Start Ran as true start-up with almost no supervisory help so one person

Up Activities was center of everything.

Researched, hired, trained local staff at entry level pay rates to

safely and effectively be food processing professionals, learning

GMP's, SSOP's, HACCP aspects, statistical data.

Yield and quality improvement were focused targets during the ramp

up. Extreme attention on thermal controls at raw, cooked, and

final freezing.

Process Continual developmental work as the plant gained throughput and we

Improvement uncovered items needed to be revised, from procedures to job

descriptions to engineering/equipment aspects.

Transitioned subcontractors from start-up to ongoing improvement

modes

Strategic Helped integrate sophisticated PC-based monitoring system of all

Planning equipment for trend analysis, rapid response, and general

oversight.

Team embraced bar code efforts that allowed development for later

incorporation at HQ. Some aspects new to company.

3 NATIONAL SIGN SYSTEMS, Hilliard, OH 2005-2008

Vice President of Operations

Hired to reinvent the company from an operational and branding point of

view, overseeing a diverse range of initiatives to transition a family-

owned, medium-sized company into an established market leader. Maintained

complete P&L accountability for a two-shift metal, wood, and plastics

manufacturing plant. Directed all operations, R&D, and business development

functions, working closely with the executive team to discuss comprehensive

business strategies and improve interdepartmental flexibility. Supervised

senior department managers responsible for resource planning, engineering,

customer service, inside sales, pricing, procurement, and plant management.

Selected Highlights Include:

Revenue & Led the company to all-time sales and profit records following the

Profit Growth execution of two national projects that catapulted the company to

premier supplier status with several key accounts.

Created the infrastructure for the company to handle rapid growth;

identified opportunities to enhance communications, systems, and

procedures across the organization.

Product Established new cross-departmental performance management metrics

Development for benchmark development; monitored and analyzed performance in

support of growth objectives.

Process Designed and rolled out the company's first quality assurance

Improvement program; consistently outperformed industry standards in multiple

quality, safety, and compliance tests.

Automated multiple production processes to decrease labor costs and

ensure higher quality products, maximizing profit margins while

keeping the organization lean.

Strategic Initiated a diversification strategy to expand the client base

Planning beyond the established, core accounts; kept the focus on

maintaining existing business while bringing in new accounts.

BIRCHWOOD FOODS, Columbus, OH 1988-2005

Vice President of Operations, Columbus Division <last title>

Charged with leading all tactical and strategic operations for a two-shift

food processing facility. Served as the senior manager at the facility with

complete P&L responsibility and oversight of all major functions of the

plant. Supervised a team that included managers from the Quality Assurance,

Microbiology, Accounting, Human Resources, Maintenance, and Production

departments. Created a work environment that was welcoming to employees

from a diverse mix of cultural and ethnic backgrounds; developed programs

and materials to accommodate up to 10 different languages. During the long

career here, took on varying levels of added responsibility including plant

manager and Director level positions.

Selected Highlights Include:

Corporate Developed a $55 million business with a large, multi-national

Transformatio client; transitioned a major quick-service restaurant chain from a

n raw ground beef product to a fully seasoned cooked product.

Converted a raw meat plant into a cutting-edge thermal processing

facility; spearheaded all remodeling and equipment upgrades to

become the QSR's largest single-plant supplier.

Strategic Partnered with another major supplier, utilizing each company's

Partnerships unique resources, to offer superior products and services and gain

entry into new shared markets.

Achieved multiple Supplier of the Year Awards from clients across

the globe, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality, mutual

business growth, and customer satisfaction.

Change Played a critical role in driving product improvement initiatives,

Management experimenting with ingredients, formula changes, and new equipment,

to maintain an innovative edge over the competition.

Developed company-wide retention strategies to dramatically improve

retention rates; worked hand in hand with union employees to create

a progressive, employee-focused environment.

5

Academic Background & Training

6

Bachelor of Science in Animal Science

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Received extensive training in the following areas:

Six Sigma Methodologies ? Lean Manufacturing ? Statistical Process

Control

Thermal Processing ? Food Safety ? Food Microbiology ? HACCP

Technical Proficiencies

9

Microsoft Applications: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook

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