ROBERT L. LANKFORD, CPSM, C.P.M., CPIM

**** ****** ***** *****, ******** Springs, CO 80906

Email: abnudd@r.postjobfree.com ● Cel 719-***-**** ● Home 719-***-****

Purchasing Leader

Experienced, innovative purchasing and supply chain management leader with the proven

ability to achieve dramatic improvements in quality, processes, and costs (improving

material quality while reducing costs by $1.5 million, implementing supplier certification

standards, developing a purchasing card program). Success in improving supply chain

capabilities and aligning purchasing with operational strategies and tactics. A natural leader

who creates and maintains an environment in which the best ideas win.

QUALIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS

Negotiation Critical to Quality Metrics ISO

Supplier Qualification Lean / Six Sigma Continuous Improvement

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Vestas Nacelles Americas, Denver, Co Aug 2008 – May 2009

Purchasing Manager, System Leader North America for Indirect, Transport & Capex

Responsible for the Procurement functions for assigned commodities, including sourcing,

contract bid process, and negotiations with Suppliers. Acted as liaison to other corporate

divisions in Sales, Travel, Towers, and Blades. Provided support to the project team in the

provision of capital assets as far as mobile equipment and specialty building fixtures.

Responsibilities included the customs clearance function, and compliance of 10+2

provisions, as well as the negotiation of transportation contracts, and the management of

operation personnel doing the domestic bookings. I also coordinated strategy with Category

Business Managers located in Denmark, and provided input to sourcing and building

Projects. Approximate spend of $100M per year.

Eldorado Stone, Pueblo, Colorado, and San Marcos, Ca Jan 2006 to Mar 2008

National Purchasing Manager

Analyzed purchases and provided strategic direction for raw material and indirect purchases. Acted as

the fleet and leasing manager. Developed the Procurement Card program and acted as P-Card

Administrator. Negotiated national contracts, and coordinated with Legal and Finance for approvals.

Arranged rail and truck logistics with suppliers, transporters, transloaders, and receiving personnel.

Led the plant buying group. Created item catalog, implemented P-Card use, and developed Fastenal

as a consumables vendor. Ensured SOX compliance in regards to purchasing procedures. Multi-plant

environment, including the US, Mexico, and the Philippines.

1 Oversaw raw material and indirect purchasing of $70 million.

2 Negotiated nationwide contract for MRO’s with Fastenal.

3 Negotiated nationwide contract for Iron Oxides and Chemical Additives.

Documented savings for 2006 exceeding $1.5 million.

4

5 Negotiated claims against vendors, obtaining credits exceeding $100K.

6 Reduced open PO’s and resolved accrued purchases balances.

Holcim Cement Plant, Florence, Co Jan 2006 to Mar 2008

Plant Purchasing Manager

Negotiated and executed purchases for fuel and raw materials such as gypsum, limestone, mill scale,

etc. Sourced and purchased quarry and plant fixed and mobile equipment. Coordinated with Project

Managers to negotiate and purchase capital expenditures and services. Produced the procurement

portion of the 5-year plant improvement plan. Estimated level of purchases $50 Million. Led the

Procurement Department during ISO 9000 and ISO 14001 audits.

1 Negotiated fixed price diesel contract at well below market prices. Extended the agreement

to other plants.

2 Obtained alternative raw material and fuel sources to guarantee supplies and better costs,

considering ownership, strategic partnerships, and other schemes to assure supply of services

and materials.

3 Implemented partnerships with other company divisions to lower logistic costs for European

suppliers and located US sources for foreign products equivalents.

4 Implemented pre-receipt procedures for Ariba consumables, solving timing issues with

accounts payable problems.

5 In addition to improving plant costs, improved other KPI’s such as inventory accuracy,

requisition processing time, ATFPO, open purchase orders, service receipts, etc.

Del Monte, Coral Gables, FL Aug 1999 to Feb 2004

Corporate Purchasing Manager

Purchased retail packaging and supplies for wholesale fruit distribution and vegetable and fruit

processing. Annual spend about $40 million. Purchased capital equipment such as buildings,

refrigeration rooms, heavy equipment, etc. Implemented annual Purchase Orders for high volume,

high cost consumables. Worked with overseas divisions in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brasil, Cameroon,

Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and North American Divisions (Distribution Centers, Fresh Cut

Operations, and Hawaii Ops) to define specifications and evaluate bids. Provided local support to

Central and South America.

1 Guided newly acquired companies into compliance with corporate purchasing standards.

Achieved 15% TCO reduction in assigned commodities by adjusting requested quantities to

2

match economic shipping quantities and inventory needs.

3 Consolidated yearly requirements into bid packages for vendors, resulting in additional

savings of 8%.

4 Led item master database clean-up of duplicate items and vendors.

5 Trained new buyers in Oracle and purchasing/negotiation techniques.

6 Coordinated TCO analysis with in-country personnel to shift purchases globally according to

lowest TCO, obtaining benefits exceeding 25% in assigned commodities.

The Industrial Company, Miami, Fl Apr 1997 to Jul 1999

Purchasing Agent

Performed all purchasing functions for a $56 million project in Miami, building a new cement plant

for CSR Rinker Corp. In conjunction with discipline coordinators and superintendents established

contract requirements to specs, scheduling, and logistics. Coded for job cost and coordinated with

warehouse and accounting.

1 Analyzed local industry and selected qualified local, national, and international vendors.

2 Provided data input to critical path for project engineer.

3 Performed purchase/lease analysis on capital equipment.

4 Contracted all support agreements for facility maintenance.

OTHER PURCHASING AND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

Mining-Country Purchasing Manager, Greenstone and Triton Mining, Nicaragua,

December 1994 to March 1997.

Mining Exploration-Country Administration Manager, Canarc Resources, Venezuela,

December 1993 to December 1994.

Hospitality/Retail-Commissary General Manager, US State Department, Nicaragua,

September 1991 to December 1993.

Construction-Office Manager / Vice President, Active Drywall, Miami, Florida,

October 1986 to July 1991.

MILITARY

Storekeeper First Class (E-6), U.S. Navy, June 1978 to October 1986.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor of Science, Florida Intl. University, 1991.

Federal Acquisitions Institute FAR training 2001

Effective Negotiating Seminar, Chester Karrass, June 2005

Center for Creative Leadership, La Jolla, CA, October 2005

Certificates: Certified Professional in Supply Management, CPSM, ISM, 2008

Certified Purchasing Manager, CPM, ISM, 2004

Certified Production & Inventory Manager, CPIM, Apics, 2001

Certified ISO Internal Auditor, 2005

Computer: Oracle Purchasing Module, SAP Material Management, Great Plains

Purchasing Module, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Accpac, etc.

Languages: English and Spanish with complete fluency.

Training: Trained Six Sigma/Lean Philosophy-BYU, October 2006.

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