Steven A. Kalsch

Mount Vernon, IN ***** 812-***-****

ac59zp@r.postjobfree.com linkedin.com/in/steve-kalsch-a2b91656/

Operations Executive

Highly successful operations, distribution, and Fulfillment manager

Entrepreneurial operations executive with organizational management expertise within both the private and publicly owned company sectors. Experience in high-level management positions including directing order fulfillment, warehouse operations, supply chain and logistics, vendor negotiations, marketing initiatives, ecommerce sales, process improvement, and risk management. Cross-functional team manager with a malleable leadership methodology recognized for steering teams through successful Lean Six Sigma changes. Adept communicator able to deliver complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders. Continuous improvement champion known for driving performance-driven results and leading with transparency and integrity. Well positioned for a senior leadership role within a small or large organization.

Highlights of Expertise

Strategic Business Planning

Direct Fulfillment/Warehousing

Operations & Fulfilment

Recruiting and Staffing Initiatives

Contract Development / Negotiations

Budget Administration / Management

Continuous Improvement Management

Manufacturing Distribution Operations

Logistics/Supply Chain Management

Team Building and Leadership

Career Experience

XP Innovation, LLC, DBA Dan’s Competition, LLC, Mount Vernon, IN

Provided executive-level leadership with full P&L accountability for all business activities for largest bicycle motocross (BMX) hard goods and lifestyle products provider.

President/COO (June 2005 to November 2017)

Led the business after building a management team to initiate a management buyout in 2005. Held concurrent responsibility for high-level management, warehouse and order fulfillment, customer service, multi-channel marketing initiatives, merchandising, creative design, and pagination. Led recruitment and training, while designing engaging training programs for all senior management. Championed successful merchandising negotiations with vendors resulting in record-setting revenue. Implemented organization-wide cost cutting measures designed to reduce operational risk and increase revenue. Directed a remote inventory management team in the development of a successful purchasing strategy designed to minimize backorders and increase profits through higher fill rates. Deployed TQM, Six Sigma, and pkMS methodology to improve operations and reduce upstream error rates.

Delivered record sales growth of 50% and increased EBITDA by 30% within a five-year period.

Achieved positive net freight revenue after successfully negotiating freight and service contracts that mitigated annual rate increases by 5%.

Streamlined warehouse risk management strategies resulting in an average inventory shrinkage rate of less than .05% annually.

Worked with key vendors to ensure a clear understanding and working knowledge of CPSC and CPSIA changes and testing requirements of manufactured goods due to new import/export rule changes.

Saved over $2.1M in labor costs over three years after implementing a continuous improvement and monetary incentive program using engineered standards and encouraging team input.

Increased net freight revenue by $2M over three years after negotiating alternative inbound and outbound shipping methods.

Remotely guided a corporate inventory management team in the development of a purchasing inventory strategy designed to minimize backorders and increase profits in the absence of executive management.

Career Note

Director of Operations Dan’s Competition, LLC, (Division of Alloy, Inc.), Mount Vernon, IN

Recruited to manage the sale of the business from a private single owner to Alloy, Inc., a publicly traded organization to reflect a turnkey management team.

Managed all fulfillment and customer service operations for a direct-to-consumer specialty product provider.

Created a communications protocol to streamline internal departmental operations and remote site communications efficiency.

Oversaw organizational training and development strategies for all intermediate management; leveraged new communications protocol to communicate Sarbanes-Oxley reporting requirements with corporate New York headquarters.

Led successful annual freight and expandable supplies negotiations with vendors.

Deployed risk management and operational strategies designed to reduce overhead spend and shrinkage while driving increased ROI.

Director of Distribution National Catalog Corporation (New Roads), Portland, TN

Directed a management team in a 350K sq. ft. facility responsible for order fulfillment for 10 ecommerce clients with annual order volumes exceeding 2M orders.

Additional Experience:

Director of Operations Norm Thompson, Inc., Kearneysville, WV

Operations Department Manager Gander Mountain, Inc., Wilmot, WI

Non-Commissioned Officer E-5 United States Army, Turkey

Education & Credentials

Associate of Science

McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, IL

Professional Development

Business Management – University of Wisconsin, Parkside

OSHA Certified Industrial Equipment Operator

Myers-Briggs Evaluation Workshop

Predictive Index Management

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