Brian Roper

*** ******* ******, ********, *****, 75605

Tel: 903-***-**** acqtks@r.postjobfree.com

Highly motivated team building leader with impressive manufacturing experience including experience as a Six Sigma Black Belt and Lean Practitioner. Calm under pressure with experience in turnaround management, complex labor issues and tight working capital constraints. Demonstrated ability to identify and capitalize on business opportunities (including acquisitions) and develop strategies to maximize cost reduction and set strategic sales plans to drive improvements in gross margin.

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration, University of Toronto, 2001

Bachelor of Engineering Science (Mechanical) Dean’s Honor List, University of Western Ontario, 1993

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

REPUBLIC CORPORATION 2005 – 2015

President & CEO

Lead $82,000,000 cabinet company, with turnkey design, manufacturing and installation services supporting the national multifamily construction industry. Full P&L responsibility including treasury and working capital management.

Selected Achievements:

Improved company EBITDA by $8 million since taking over as President of Republic Corporation.

Grew sales from a low of $24,000,000 to $82,000,000.

Successfully developed the strategy and lead the implementation transitioning the company from a low cost, low quality cabinet manufacturer into a value added multifamily interior subcontractor consolidating cabinets and stone counter tops.

Completed the acquisition of a stone counter top company, increasing the acquired companies top line by 230% in the first year of ownership.

Led restructuring of the business to compete in a contracting economy, reducing the number of SKU’s by 55% and the consolidation of two campuses into one.

Restructured manufacturing into value streams, implemented 5-S and a continuous improvement philosophy.

Successfully moved the product up the cost quality curve increasing the average selling price from $106/unit to $135/unit.

Expanded the sales channel to include private label products as well as company branded stores to move outside the traditional low margin multifamily business.

Improved working capital efficiency reducing receivables from 125 days down to 42 days while driving inventory down by $1,500,000 and payables up by 15 days.

Eliminated $1,200,000 in transportation costs by implementing an out-sourced transportation model.

Led the revolution in business ethics, eliminating the need for two full time company attorneys.

Reduced OSHA recordable rate by 75% over three years.

KITCHEN CRAFT OF CANADA LTD (Division of Fortune Brands/Master Brand Cabinets) 2003 – 2005

Vice President of Operations (10 Direct Reports, 2,114 Indirect Reports)

Led two facilities with sales in excess of $230,000,000. Responsible for all operational functions including Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Sourcing/Purchasing, Human Resources, Quality, Engineering, IT and Product Development as well as P&L responsibility for the Craft Line Counter Tops division.

Selected Achievements:

Led plan to reduce operating costs by $7,200,000+ in 2005 to offset weakening US dollar

Doubled profitability of Craft Line Counter Tops from 6% to 12% EBITDA by improving operational performance and introducing retail sales

Reduced OSHA recordable rate by 66% over 2 years

Led quality movement by introducing Six Sigma Black Belts and Green Belts as well as a Quality Certificate Training Program, resulting in a 25% reduction in warranty costs.

Led vision to transform plant flow from 5-day to 24-hour throughput through implementation of Value Streams aligning machining, finishing and assembly processes.

Improved Supply Chain Management by introducing, Available to Promise (ATP) and Customer Flexible Scheduling.

Reduced order processing cycle time by 60% through Lean Order Flow Management.

Successfully defended business against an organizing campaign by Canadian Auto Worker’s Union (CAW)

Developed new compensation and incentive plans for all hourly, salary and management employees, aligning performance with corporate goals and reduced labor inflation from 7.2% to 2.4%.

Introduced succession planning, employee development and retention plans reducing turnover by 46%.

Introduced highly effective product development process, resulting in improved market positioning and increased the frequency of product launches from annual to semiannual.

GENERAL ELECTRIC 1996 – 2003

Received 4 promotions in 5 years

Managed the only GE Lighting Plant to have an Accident Free Year (2000)

Achieved the highest percent variable cost productivity two years in a row with two different plants in GE Lighting

Plant Manager, GE Bridgeville Glass Plant (7 Direct Reports, 185 Indirect Reports), 2002 – 2003

Restored confidence in this key component plant in G.E.’s Lighting division. Focused the business on non-traditional markets to improve both margin and liquidation of costs.

Turned around the Bridgeville Glass Plant from 2001 and Q1 2002 losses

Reduced OSHA IR from 11.1 in 2001 to below 5.0 for 2002

Delivered quality improvements to help GE Lighting assembly plants

Successfully negotiated the transfer of the Finishing Department to Monterey Mexico

Plant Manager, GE -Willoughby Ceramics Plant (5 Direct Reports, 120 Indirect Reports), 2001 - 2002

Responsible for leading a team of plant personnel along with a group of highly technical researchers through the ramp up of a new molding and high purity ceramics sintering process.

Successfully implemented culture change in one of the most difficult unionized sites in G.E. Lighting

Delivered 9.2% in variable cost reductions in 2001 (highest percent in GE Lighting)

Reduced OHSA IR from 5.4 to 3.5 in 2001

Established customer service process, reducing work-in-process inventory by 52%

Transitioned high-labor cost inspection process to third party, reducing costs by 60%

Transitioned plant from high-cost, low-volume batch process to high-speed, low-cost manufacturing center

Worked with Product Managers and R&D to develop five-year plan for Ceramic Metal Halide Lamps; consolidated production from 3 plants into 1 and reduced order -to-distribution time from 16 to 4 weeks.

Plant Manager, GE - Special Pack Inc. (4 Direct Reports, 175 Indirect Reports), 2000 - 2001

Complete responsibility for operations including setting strategic direction and meeting financial and customer service goals

Reduced variable cost by 15.6% while volume expanded by 62% in 2000 (highest percent variable cost reduction in GE Lighting)

Reduced OHSA IR from 5.9 in 1999 to 0.0 in 2000 (lowest OHSA IR rate in GE Lighting in 2000)

Reduced span on customer delivery from 48 days to 9 days

Re-engineered supply chain allowing shipments direct to customers, bypassing distribution centers

Initiated product rationalization and created communication lines with sales force, reducing further SKU proliferation

Transitioned high labor cost products to low wage centers (Mexico/Hungary)

Identified plant redundancy and restructured distribution channel allowing for closing of Special Pack Inc

Initiated E-Auctions to drive down contract prices for 2001

Negotiated Memorandum of Understanding through Summit County Council to modify SPI’s property tax abatement agreement, maintaining the 75% tax abatement

Manager of Shop Operations, GE Oakville Lamp Plant, 1998 - 2000

Managed automated high speed incandescent lamp assembly and packaging operations including 125 personnel, with responsibility for budgets, day rates, yields, quality, delivery performance, and safety

Responsible for annual planning of capital investment, variable cost productivity and capacity utilization

Led team that developed alternative design for Wal*Mart packaging, avoiding $15MM capital investment

Six Sigma-Black Belt (Certified), GE Oakville Lamp Plant, 1996 – 1998

Managed fluorescent department’s Continuous Improvement Program

Acted as change agent, systematically driving and implementing change in fluorescent department

Mentored 12 Process Specialists and Engineers through their first Continuous Improvement Project

Worked as part of a team that developed a continuous improvement training program for hourly employees for world wide use by G.E. Lighting

Facilitated problem solving teams and taught these teams problem solving techniques

BICC Phillips Inc. Process Engineer (Building Wire) 1993 - 1996

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