Chief Operations Officer

David Behnen, JD

St. Louis, MO ***** **********@*****.*** 314-***-****

http://webprofile.info/davidbehnen

President / Chief Operating Officer / Corporate Counsel

Manufacturing Services Sector

Strategic Planning and Organizational Efficiency

X

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A Chief Operating Officer with a history of leading an organization from inception through product and process changes to an ultimate sale to a private equity company in the manufacturing services sector. Prolific at building corporate value using depth and breadth of business and legal abilities. Expertise in engineering and production management, quality, performance reengineering, cost control, profit improvement, legal expertise and overall corporate vision and strategy creation. US patent holder and licensed attorney.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Operations • Budget & Forecasting • Leadership

• Legal • Strategic Planning • Sales & Marketing

• Organizational Improvement • Financial Management • Transactions / Contracts

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

INTERIM COO AND IN-HOUSE COUNSEL 2015

GREETABL St. Louis, MO

A start-up, web-based consumer product / service company generating $400,000 in sales in the United States and Canada. Assisted in the pivot and relaunch by providing expertise in financial projections and overall company strategy. Defined substrate, the printing method and turnaround times for the production of a new, personalized gift box product.

$100,000 of investment capital acquired by assisting in creating investor information documents including a financial forecast / strategic plan and by developing a pitch presentation.

100% decrease in roll-out time achieved by developing a planning schedule for future product introductions that included a timeline for in and outside task completion.

Negotiated and drafted licensing agreements with illustrators and collaborators to establish a more attractive product line while eliminating an average of one to two days of in-house design time.

75% reduction in fulfillment time attained by strictly defining production metrics and qualifying an outside production / fulfillment vendor while increasing product offerings.

PRESIDENT / COO / IN-HOUSE COUNSEL 1994 – 2014

AMERICAN CARD SERVICES Chesterfield, MO

A plastic card manufacturing company with more than 30 employees producing $6 million in annual revenues at one domestic plant location. Founded and directed all operations of a short-run, fast paced plastic card company including sales and marketing, pre–press and printing, personalization, post–press processing and shipping, QA / QC, IT, HR, and accounting. Created business plans, marketing strategies and manufacturing and production planning tasks. Launched new products. Provided in-house counsel. Oversaw eight departmental level managers and 30+ plant employees. Grew sales from nothing to more than $6 million.

$6 million in annual sales realized by creating a plastic card manufacturing entity through market analysis, strategic planning, equipment procurement, plant design, staffing and operational leadership.

$2.2 million in annual sales, 3,000+ monthly orders and a gross margin of 30%, three times the industry average, all achieved by collaborating with a customer to establish a new product line.

DAVID BEHNEN ● **********@*****.*** ● 314-***-**** ● PAGE 2

Kept losses to only one employee out of 30 following a 25% across-the-board compensation reduction by stabilizing workforce and earning employee trust.

3,000 print orders per month handled with just two employees by developing and implementing an award winning customer service team.

Navigated gift card market demand downturns of 50% during one quarter while retaining permanent employees and maintaining accounts payable metrics.

11,900% decrease in order entry time realized by shrewdly leading a workflow reorganization with inside employees, an outside website developer and a customer team to affirm sole vendor status for a customer.

Developed an employee information program utilizing an employee handbook, an employee information board and on-line educational tools to reduce employee grievances that resulted in alleviating the average of one to two lawsuits per year.

100% sales increase over four years achieved by directing a strategic product change in response to market pressure.

50% production cost reduction and a $30 per order savings on 100+ daily orders realized through reorganizing production processes by creating Kanbans, standardized product offerings and unique fulfillment services.

Facilitated the deal, performed a document review and assisted in the due diligence on the sale of plastic card division that generated a figure of more than six times EBITDA to a private equity firm.

50% boost in production capacity calculated by performing an ROI analysis on a project to add digital printing, laminating and die cutting equipment to increase product offerings.

18.3% sigma rating increase attained and "Best in Quality" award from largest customer earned by developing an effective six sigma based program.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND PATENTS

Juris Doctorate (JD), St. Louis University School of Law

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines

Masters of International Business classes, Saint Louis University- Boeing Institute of International Business

CERTIFICATIONS

Licensed to practice law by the Missouri Bar

PATENT

Issued patent D374.401 for a beverage can cap design

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