Manager Customer Service
Resume:
STEPHEN J. LOWE
Wheeling, Illino is 60090
SJL1210@com cast.net
Summary of Experience
Accomplished purchasing professional with over 20 years experience. Organized problem solver with excellent
communication, analytical, and negotiation skills with a proven track record of achieving results. Resourceful
facilitator with the ability to identify/obtain needed information utilizes resources and contacts to drive cost
reductions.
F.J. KERRIGAN PLUMBING CO, Wilmette, Illinois (www.kerriganplumbing.com ) 2003 to 2009
Multi-million family owned service & contract plumbing business for over 55 years.
Purchasing Manager Reported to President & Vice President. Direct purchasing operations. Managing service
stock inventory in three locations including one primary warehouse. Research and purchase capital assets. Source
MRO supplies and small tools. Bid material for large contract jobs. Purchase and manage services including,
utilities, advertising, telephone systems, data lines, GPS tracking, and security. Weekly bid commodity items for
service stock.
• Implement purchasing module Microsoft Dynamics G.P. enterprise software (formerly Great Plains). As
part of this process effectuated the item master data base for inventory system (approx.10,000 SKUs).
Designed all the reports, setup procedures for receiving and payable processes. Working with controller
and outside software consultant we made sure that the new purchasing module assimilated with the
accounting and management systems.
• 2004 Created shared access Excel spreadsheet to log invoices and track them through the approval process.
Tremendously improved the payable efficiency and allowed us to take advantage of cash term discounts.
Something that we were just not able to do prior to 2004.
• 2005 Developed just-in-time system for the service inventory based on cards (similar to a Kanban – pull
system) that greatly reduced shortages and ordering lead time for stocked service items.
• 2005 Researched and purchased GPS tracking hardware and software system for the fleet of service
vehicles. Dispatcher uses this system to track and control our vehicle and manpower utilization. We also
use this system to generate reports to verify time spent at a job location, engine idle time, and speeding.
• 2005 Engineered and purchased bar code software, thermal printer, and hand held computer to make the
annual physical inventory more efficient. Created item bin labels for our entire inventory and we placed
these labels on the storage primary location for the item.
KAR PRODUCTS LLC, Division of Barnes Distribution, Cleveland, Ohio 1990 to 2003
(www.barnesdistribution.com) Multi-million distributor of expendable after-market maintenance, repair and
operation (MRO) items. Operates 11 distribution centers with 3,000 employees in the United States and Canada.
Senior Buyer/Planner (2002 to 2003) Reported to the Director of Materials Management. Responsible for
managing assigned inventory lines to maximize service levels and inventory turns, maintain department goals for
overstock returns, vendor on time performance, demands forecast adjustments, eliminate stock outs, and execute
order review – weekly buys and resolve receiving – invoice discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Maintained 98.2% service level on assigned product lines in 2002 (plan goal 97.2%).
• Achieved 2.5 inventory turns on assigned lines for 2002 (plan level was 2.3 turns).
• Handled product-sourcing problems for Materials Planning Department based on well-rounded industry
knowledge of commodity groups.
• Trained Material Planning Department on use of Microsoft Great Plains e-Enterprise purchasing module.
Senior Buyer/Analyst (2002 to 2003) Reported to the Director of Corporate Purchasing. Responsible for
completion of special assignments, provide leadership for implementation of new purchase module. Created and
maintained monthly performance metrics to ensure department and individual performance objectives. Mentor
buying staff on negotiations with key suppliers.
STEPHEN J. LOWE Page 2
• Implemented proactive supplier management program for storage equipment product line involving
negotiation of long-term contract, development of supplier performance improvement plan(s) and leverage
of supplier technology.
Team Leader-New Enterprise Software Implementation (2001 to 2002) Reported to the Director of
Corporate Purchasing. Responsible for implementing the purchasing module for Microsoft Great Plains
enterprise system. Worked with senior management, end-users and outside consultants.
• Wrote work instructions and created training documents/exercise for new Great Plains purchasing module.
• Scheduled and conducted software training for Purchasing, Materials Planning and Product Line Dept.
• With the assistance of a Microsoft Great Plains consultant I created all the purchasing management reports,
including the new corporate purchase order form using Crystal Reports and other report writing software.
Buyer (1990 to 2001) Reported to the Director of Corporate Purchasing. Responsible for determining and
negotiating with the proper sources of supply for the most economical purchases consistent with quality and
customer service standards. Arranges and evaluates competitive quotations, for dependability and resourcefulness
of supplier in meeting requirements.
• Led Purchasing Department in the implementation of cost reduction and cost avoidance for eight out of the
eleven years that I was in the buyer position. The documented average annualized reductions were over
$120,000 per year.
• Created a database form/report that was adopted as the company standard for reporting cost reduction and
cost avoidance.
• Assisted in the writing of ISO 9001:2000 purchasing standards and procedures for documenting our efforts
to control cost inflation in our stocking product lines.
ACCO WORLD COMPANIES, Wheeling, Illinois (www.accobrands.com) 1988 to 1990
Manufacturer and distributor of office products.
Buyer for Acco/Wilson Jones/Swingline Brands (1989 to 1990) Reported to the Purchasing Manager.
Responsible for reviewing purchase requisitions, selecting vendors, soliciting and analyzing quotations.
Accountable for ensuring adequate service levels and for maintaining acceptable product quality standards. Some
import buying experience. Negotiated annual blanket order for major product lines.
Distribution Analyst for Wilson-Jones (1989) Reported to the Logistics Manager. Responsible for developing
time phased net requirements for finished goods. Use forecasting system to set-up annual blanket orders.
• Established receiving procedures for import shipments into East Coast branch and West Coast freight
forwarder.
Buyer for Wilson Jones (1988 to 1989) Reported to the Purchasing Manager. Responsible for soliciting and
analyzing quotations. Issued purchase orders without supervision. Resolved receiving and invoice issues.
• Saved Wilson Jones’s Hinsdale printing plant over $80,000 per year by changing chipboard-packaging
requirements to a new supplier.
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts, Major: Business Administration
Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Associate in Applied Science in Industrial Engineering Technician
Gateway Technical Institute, Racine, Wisconsin
Certificate Materials Management with High Honors
Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Illinois
CERTIFICATIONS: Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.), National Association of Purchasing
Management (NAPM) now known as Institute for Supply Management (ISM), 1994
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