James A. Ackles

Tampa, FL

813-***-**** ac9ojy@r.postjobfree.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesackles

Senior Operations Director

Proven Operations and Supply Chain Specialist having delivered solutions for Fortune 500 financial, manufacturing, distribution, airline, and healthcare entities. Broad and hands-on experience initially as a management consultant in a Profit/Process Improvement Specialist role, then applied those skills while leading a boutique investment management firm with a targeted quantitative focus leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) designed to improve investment returns. Always striving to exploit the latest technologies to integrate into solutions to positively impact profitability and enhance customer experience.

Core Competencies:

Cross-Functional Leadership Process Reengineering Operations Research Analytical Business Modeling

Project Management Innovative Problem Solving Relationship Building Technology Early-Adoption

Professional Experience

LBS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. Tampa, FL 1991 – present

Pioneer in the application of Artificial Intelligence to managing investments. Gained “Inc. 500” recognition four times. Firm developed technology that earned first ever patent for applying neural networks to selecting stocks.

Director of Operations and Finance (7/96 to Present)

Turned firm around from marginally profitable to net income margins approaching 40%

Enhanced investment model performance improving client retention rates to 98%

Eliminated 92% of distribution partners to focus marketing efforts

Streamlined product suppliers by 94% to reduce administration/operations costs and improve research clarity

Consolidated 100% of research in-house to improve control and reduce costs

Implemented robust policies and procedures that ensured legal compliance with regulations

Operations and Finance Manager (3/91 to 7/96)

Improved productivity of operations personnel 125% by simplifying client service processes and automating firm and client accounting systems

Solidified 25% of revenue stream as primary point of contact for largest institutional client

Designed and was trustee to innovative 401k Savings Plan and Money Purchase Pension Plan

Evaluated third-party custodians and ultimately partnered to outsource 23% of account servicing

TRAYER PRODUCTS, Elmira, NY 2007 – present

Trayer, established in 1929, manufactures and supplies products to a broad customer base in the heavy truck, off-highway, construction and agricultural fields.

Board of Directors (4/07 to Present)

Provided guidance that turned around significantly unprofitable years into profitability within 2 years

Directed senior management to achieve record year (90 year company history) in sales and profits in 2014

Assisted company in navigating an environment of significant outsourcing to India and China

James Ackles, Page 2

813-***-**** ac9ojy@r.postjobfree.com

ARTHUR ANDERSEN & CO., ANDERSEN CONSULTING (NKA ACCENTURE), Tampa, FL 1984 – 1991

The former “Big 8” accounting firm split off its management and technology consulting division into Andersen Consulting in 1987. In 2000, Andersen Consulting renamed itself Accenture.

Manager, Business Consulting (Arthur Andersen & Co.) (1/1990 – 3/1991)

Managed and grew newly formed consulting practice within Arthur Andersen & Co.’s Tampa office

Established supply chain practice with engagements in the Distribution and Finance industries

Targeted candidates and led recruiting efforts to join our team. Grew the practice as we spread the spirit of entrepreneurship throughout

Led teams in business evaluation and recommendation building. Presented findings, action plans, and strategy to client management necessary to achieve process improvements

Manager, Andersen Consulting (NKA Accenture) (5/1984 – 3/1989)

Identified client business requirements and designed, implemented, tested, and rolled-out systems projects

Evolved into internal and external expert in the firm’s systems development methodology

Rose to be Profit/Process Improvement Specialist on large scale supply chain profit, productivity, and process improvement engagements

Client engagement roles included:

̶Evaluate and redesign specifications for the business process workflow for a major US airline used during scheduled plane refurbishments

̶Make warehouse process flow more efficient and reduce inventory costs for a regional home improvement retailer

̶Design the factory layout and manufacturing processes for a new plant for a Korean tire manufacturer

̶Design Just-In-Time manufacturing cells for a major US consumer healthcare products manufacturer.

̶Reduce inventory costs within a large regional health care facility

̶Design implementation processes and new software roll-out project plan for a large health care software company

̶Design and supervise the development of a custom inventory system at a large regional hospital

̶Evaluate customer requirements within transportation function to facilitate the implementation of a Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP) system for a major beverage processing plant

̶Developed processes to efficiently rollout packaged software within a large insurance company.

̶Implement a PC-based financial ratio package for a consolidated health care system

̶Software development for a PC-based distribution control system for a major consumer healthcare company

̶Internal technical resource for PC project architecture, systems troubleshooting, and Microsoft products

Education

Master of Business Administration (MBA), 1984, Finance/Marketing Analytics

Cornell SC Johnson Graduate School of Management

Bachelor of Science (BS), with Distinction, 1983, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Cornell University College of Engineering

Contact this candidate