Customer Service Supply Chain

Jeffrey A. Cowan

* ******* **. ************, ** *8844

Phone: 908-***-**** E-mail: ********@*******.***

Objective: To secure a leadership role in a world class supply chain organization.

Summary: Experienced Supply Chain professional with an extensive background in production planning, inventory management, order

management, transportation, customer service, and business integration in large and small companies. A results oriented leader with strong

interpersonal and problem solving skills with proven results in achieving corporate objectives and productivity savings.

Experience:

Unilever - A global manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer packages goods including food and personal care products.

April 2005 –

Present

Senior Supply Chain Go To Market Manager – Englewood Cliffs, NJ (June 2007 – Present) – Manage all aspects of customer

service and forecasting for Unilever’s Sauce, Margarine, Frozen Meals, and Side Dish businesses that generate approximately

$1.3B annual sales. Responsibilities include analysis of end to end inventory and cycle time, creation of strategic forecasts,

identification of forecast error between short and long term forecasts and root causes for fluctuations in demand, coordination of

production and deployment of inventory with supply partners to optimize overall supply, long term plan communication with

customer service and sales teams, and facilitation of Supply/Demand reviews, consensus meetings and S&OP reconciliation

meetings.

Accomplishments:

• Implemented weekly category customer service reviews to improve communication across functions and service.

• Improved forecast accuracy by 5% to improve customer service by 7%.

• Successfully launched 15 new items across all brands generating $50MM in incremental sales.

• Received 2 “Value In Action” awards for leading customer service efforts for innovations.

• Received “Real Accountability” Award for leading cross functional team executing a sharebuilder program

generating $10MM in incremental sales.

Senior Supply Chain Planning Manager – Englewood Cliffs, NJ (April 2005 – June 2007) - Manage the logistics functions for

Unilever’s products in the sauce, chilled and frozen platforms. Responsibilities include long range capacity and capital planning,

finite production planning and deployment of age sensitive inventory, develop end to end cycle time view across supply chain for

each category, maintain high customer service levels, management of working capital and reducing operating costs.

Accomplishments:

• Created long range capacity planning “toolkits” for frozen and chilled businesses.

• Reduced working capital by $5MM while improving service by 8%.

• Led transition of chilled business from co-packer distribution network to 3PL network. Annual savings at $650k.

• Revised run strategy to reduce obsolete inventory by 9%.

• Coordinated project management and new product innovations by managing master capacity plans with project

timelines.

• Received 4 Value in Action awards for leadership and service during 2006.

Pinnacle Foods Corporation - A manufacturer of Hungry Man and Swanson frozen dinners, Vlasic pickles, and Open Pit

Nov 2003 –

barbeque sauce. Acquired the Aurora Foods portfolio of brands in March of 2004.

Nov 2004

Vice President Logistics, Cherry Hill, NJ – Managed all supply chain processes, and integration of acquired businesses into the

existing Pinnacle Foods processes. Supply chain processes include production scheduling and deployment, transportation,

customer service, and warehousing functions.

Accomplishments:

• Rationalized the Aurora Foods and Pinnacle Foods third party warehouse networks. Negotiated new warehouse

contracts. Savings estimated at $6M.

• Established an internal transportation group to negotiate rates and tender orders. Transitioned the transportation

planning process from third party providers. Savings estimated at $2M.

• Established an enterprise planning group to manage forecasting, consensus planning, capacity planning, and master

scheduling functions. Formalized monthly meetings with key stakeholders to review forecasts and production

capacity to improve customer service levels and production efficiencies.

• Streamlined the Aurora Foods supply chain functions into the Pinnacle Foods structure with less than 50% of the

combined headcount.

Jeffrey A. Cowan

Ultimate Juice Company - A manufacturer of Zeigler’s Cider and Naked Brand natural smoothies distributed nationally though

April 2002 –

company owned and third party distributors.

Nov 2003

Director Logistics Operations, Lansdale, PA and Basking Ridge, NJ - Managed all supply chain functions in the Eastern and

Central manufacturing locations. Supply Chain functions include procurement of ingredients and packaging materials, production

planning and scheduling, transportation, fleet management, customer service and co-pack manufacturing management.

Accomplishments:

• Consolidated and negotiated regional puree, and powder contracts to national contracts to leverage volume for a

better price generating annual savings of $3.5 M.

• Renegotiated packaging and labeling contracts to leverage the whole Ultimate Juice portfolio generating annual

savings of $4.0M.

• Reconfigured the scheduling process to better manage production in efficient batch sizes.

• Established a weekly consensus call with cross-functional participation to review forecasted sales against capacity

constraints. Results led to increased fill rates, improved on-time delivery, and more efficient production runs.

• Created inbound and outbound distribution network for new Berkeley, IL facility. Negotiated carrier contracts to

support the new network.

• Launched four new items a month ahead of schedule by aggressively negotiating production time, material contracts

and releases, and securing transportation for new lanes.

Nabisco Inc. - A world leader in consumer packaged goods with brands that are synonymous with high quality and

June 1985 –

April 2002 superior value in more than 170 countries and territories.

Director Customer Service, East Hanover, NJ (May 2001-April 2002) – Managed customer service and order management

functions for all warehouse delivered products. Customer Service functions include CRP/VMI relationships, building and

maintaining customer and selling team relationships, and leading transition teams to Kraft platform.

• Led a cross-functional project team to implement Manugistics Networks transportation package for all warehouse

delivered products. Annual savings estimated at $1M.

• Led order management integration of Kraft confections business into existing Nabisco network and processes.

• Led integration of Favorite Brands business to Nabisco network and processes.

• Integrated Specialty, Cream of Wheat, MilkBone businesses, and customer service functions to Kraft processes.

Director Logistics Business Development, Parsippany, NJ (Feb 1999-May 2001) - Developed and executed customer

partnerships relating to logistics that creates mutual benefits for Nabisco as well as our customers. Responsibilities include

establishing the logistics arm of the customer selling teams for the Eastern US Retail Foods sales region, National Food Service

sales, and assigned Drug, Mass Merchandiser and Club accounts by identifying areas to expand ECR initiatives.

• Key accounts included Kmart, CVS, Wakefern, Roundy’s, Marsh, Sysco, US Foodservice.

• Led a company wide initiative to combine warehouse and DSD items on a common order for delivery and

invoicing. Pilot program led to 3% increase in sales in the convenience channel.

• Implemented logistical programs generating $325k savings.

• Selected to participate on industry-sponsored EFR Logistics Optimization sub-committee responsible for

identifying productivity opportunities across Food Service industry.

Director Product Supply, Parsippany, NJ (Oct 1996-Feb 1999) – Managed all Supply Chain activities that support corporate

strategies and objectives of the Food Service Company. Supply Chain functions include production scheduling of 75

manufacturing locations, managing inventory levels of 1100 SKUs, maintain specified customer service levels, accurate entry of

customer orders, and building customer relationships.

•Coordinated relocation of office from Winston-Salem, NC to Parsippany, NJ with no disruption of service. Responsible

for training and development of all new employees.

•Initiated programs that resulted in a 3% improvement in customer service levels versus prior year.

•Reduced monthly average finished goods inventory levels by $6.6m.

•Initiated process to review age levels of all products to provide fresher product to our customers and reduce spoilage

write-offs. Obsolescence reduced by $3.5m in the first year.

Jeffrey A. Cowan

National Inventory Manager, Winston-Salem, NC (Nov 1993-Sept 1996) - Managed planning, scheduling, and inventory

strategies for the LifeSavers Company. Responsibilities include maintenance of customer service levels, integrity of the

production requirement passed to the plants, control of finished goods inventories ($45-$50 million), transportation costs of

product deployment, obsolete product management, and supervision of department personnel.

• Directed programs with LifeSavers marketing and production departments resulting in a $5.7m reduction in

inventory levels, and reduced obsolescence by $2.2m while increasing case fill rates by 3%.

• Coordinated programs to reduce transportation costs by reducing distribution center transfers, using more

intermodal transportation, and increasing plant direct shipments. Savings estimated at $400k.

• Implemented inventory strategies during roll out of LifeSavers longer roll to ensure a seamless transition while

minimizing write-off of old product.

• Directed production and deployment for successful launches of LifeSaver Bags, Gummi Savers, IceBreakers, and

Crème Savers.

• Received 5 President’s awards for managing new product launches, product transitions, and maintaining high levels

of service.

Food Service Customer Service Manager, Winston-Salem, NC (Dec 1991-Oct 1993) – Managed the daily activities of the Food

Service and Export order processing group to provide a high level of customer service. Transitioned Customer Service functions

from 3 regional offices to a national office with no disruption of service. Developed training procedures for all new personnel to

ensure unique requirements of each region were maintained. Established a Strategic Business Partner program with key customers

and field sales to promote high levels of customer service. Integrated Nabisco’s Vend division and Plush Pippin Pie acquisition

into the Food Service customer service responsibility.

National Order Processing Manager, Wilkes-Barre, PA (July 1988-Nov 1991) – Managed the daily handling of all Nabisco

Foods Company order processing to support customer service objectives. Transitioned Nabisco Foods Group order management

responsibility from three regions into a centralized location in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Coordinated Nabisco Foods’ transfer of order

management responsibility to Winston-Salem, NC for Planters and LifeSavers business.

Transportation Supervisor, Wilkes-Barre, PA (Aug 1986-June 1988) – Managed the transportation activities of all warehouse

delivered products for the Eastern Region. Led regional staff to maximize assignment of carriers and achieved savings of $2m

versus budget in 1987. Developed electronic exception reporting process to expedite issuance of customer credit, and minimize

disputes.

Transportation Analyst, Wilkes-Barre, PA (June 1985-July 1986) – Managed all outbound shipments from various regional

distribution centers within the Eastern Region. Integrated a third party logistics program into the Nabisco network.

Education: Bachelor of Science, Logistics

The Pennsylvania State University

Additional: The Ohio State University – Logistics Executive Management Program

Proficient in all Microsoft Office Applications

References Available Upon Request

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