summary
A highly accomplished senior executive, board member and corporate officer with a balanced operations and sales background. Possesses diverse leadership experience in operational roles within distribution, technology, sales and marketing; strong financial disciplines, including business development, executing business plans that drive EBITDA performance and ROIC.
Mergers and Acquisitions Strategic Planning Organizational Restructuring
Banking Relations Process Improvement Connecting People to Strategy
Team Building/Leadership Segment consolidation Business Strategist
experience
Genuine Parts Company; Altrom Group February 2015 – April 2018
President, North America
Altrom Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (GPC); which is a publicly traded company with 2017 global revenues of $16.3 Billion. Altrom with head offices in Vancouver B.C. and Auburn, WA imports and distributes foreign automotive parts through 33 branch locations in Canada, 9 distribution centers in the US; Altrom’s annual revenue ~$200 million and is the second largest supplier of parts for import vehicles in North America.
Retained by the Board to develop and implement turnaround plan and leverage strategic operating unit in to core business. Appointed President by the Chairman of the Board.
Organic Growth; Implemented targeted customer segmentation growth plan resulting in 20%+ organic YOY revenue growth, 15%+ growth in EBIT and invigorated product development to align with target customer segments.
Growth through acquisitions; Doubled annualized revenue through executing key strategic acquisitions to build shareholder value quickly and acquire market share.
Established shareholder partnership with German based international group to solidify European supplier relationships and improve product acquisition costs.
Westborough Management Group, LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina October 2014 – January 2015
President
Solera Holdings; worked in the office of the CEO advising CEO and his team in Automotive Parts Segment
Recruited to consult by GPC, retained by the Chairman as President for GPC import parts division (Altrom)
Interamerican Motor Corporation, Los Angeles, CA January 2012 - October 2014
President, Chief Operating Officer
Interamerican Motor Corporation (IMC), is the third largest wholesale supplier of parts for European Import Vehicles in North America. With U.S. revenues in excess of $170 million, IMC has 600 employees, and 17 distribution centers in North America.
Recruited (by prior German ownership) to turn around the performance of the company which was experiencing declining profitability.
Reversed prior year (2011) losses of ~$9m to deliver positive earnings by end of 2013 fiscal period
Implemented numerous balance sheet working capital initiatives driving improvement in all key ratios:
oImproved Accounts Payable to Inventory ratio from 20% to 50%.
oImproved Days Sales Outstanding from 45 days to 32 days in the first year.
oImproved Inventory turns from 1.8 to 2.2 (industry leading).
Stabilized the company and built trust with the employees, customers, suppliers, Banking relationships and Board of Directors.
Increased annual revenue that produced +7% YOY growth in an industry segment with flat sales growth trends
Lead and completed successful sale process in 2014 that delivered significant double digit multiples of Pro Forma EBITDA and nearly record-breaking adjusted EBITDA valuation to shareholders for this industry.
Westborough Management Group, LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina 2010 - 2012
President
Established consultancy firm focused on distribution strategy, business development, management team placement and organizational structure. Established client base that included Affinia, Uni-Select, Arras Group and Interamerican Motor Corporation (IMC). Guide CEO’s on connecting people to their strategy.
Realigned management team, distribution footprint, expense structure and customer segments to leverage core capabilities and bring EBIT to acceptable levels to meet demands from the Board of Directors, Shareholders and within Bank covenants for ~$170 million North American auto parts importer and wholesale distribution firm and was recruited by the Board as President to run the company (IMC).
General Parts International, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina 2006 – 2010
Vice President, Customer Experience Officer 2008 - 2010
General Parts International, a privately held company, going to market as CARQUEST AUTO PARTS and WORLDPAC, was the second largest wholesale supplier of automotive parts in North America. The company, with revenues in excess of $2.9 billion, had over 20,000 employees, and 38 distribution centers servicing more than 3,000 stores.
Led executive team that included; VP Real Estate and Construction, VP Facilities & Energy, Director of Procurement, Director of Fleet Management, VP Credit & AR, Director of AP, VP Corporate Travel Services and Event Management
Successfully reshaped the shared services activities for the newly formed business unit structure. Reported directly to the CEO and charged with developing the over-all corporate strategy for retail and commercial consumer segments. Developed and implemented plan to consolidate Marketing, HR, Finance & Treasury, Credit AR & AP.
Vice President, Brand Management 2006 – 2008
Direct reports included; VP, Marketing communications, Director VOTC (Voice of The Customer), Director commercial segments, Director, sponsorship relations (Hendrick Motorsports Sprint Cup Sponsorship).
Marketing communications, third party advertising & marketing firms, NASCAR sponsorship activation and implemented metrics to measure results of capital deployed. Focused on B2B segments.
Aligned go-to-market business models of multiple business operating units to increase penetration in identified customer segments (retail, commercial jobbers, direct installer, national repair dealers) and created a category killer model.
WORLDPAC, Inc. (acquired by General Parts International, Inc.), Newark, California 1992 - 2006
Vice President, Sales and Operations 2004 – 2006
WORLDPAC, a privately held company, is the recognized leader in the importation and wholesale distribution of foreign auto parts in North America. The company, with revenues over $500 million, has more than 2,000 employees and 70 + locations.
Grew the company footprint to 55 locations in North America and sales from $350 million to $500 million.
Grew EBITDA from 6% to more than 8% and held inventory turns at greater than 2.0.
Led last two years of explosive growth through expansion of product offering, and branch expansion.
Vice President, Customer First 1996 - 2004
Direct reports included Director of Credit & AR, Director of AP, Director of Marketing, Director of product management and Director of WTI (WPAC Training Institute).
Introduced and deployed proprietary electronic catalog and ordering system (SpeedDIAL) to commercial customers throughout North America that resulted in more than 70% electronic sales transactions.
Lead executive that directed sale of the company to General Parts International, generating $325 million and a tenfold return on the original equity invested.
Regional Director, Sales and Operations 1992 – 1996
Dallas Texas
Additional Experience
First Choice Auto Parts 1988 – 1991
General Manager, Managing Partner
Beck Arnley Corporation 1985 - 1988
District Sales Manager
Various Sales and Management Roles 1979 - 1985
education
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
M.B.A., 2009
Matthew Johnson
Chief Executive Officer w Presidentw Chief Operating Officer w Board of Directors