Davis E. Houston

*** **** ******

Trussville, AL. 35173

Phone: 256/426-9898 ~ Email: acx3u0@r.postjobfree.com

Summary of Qualifications:

Manager with over 25 years of leadership experience.

Prior operational and production responsibilities include:

oScheduling, organizing, and directing strategy meetings for 3-5 managers as well as regular department and interdepartmental training.

oCreation and supervision of operational and/or production schedules to ensure proper use of facilities and resources to achieve delivery of quality goods and services.

oEstimating and quoting.

oPurchasing, resource management and inventory control to monitor both product quality and production efficiency while maximizing profit.

oUltimate responsibility for all personnel matters within operations and production departments. (As a general manager, this responsibility came to include the sales and support staff.)

oHands-on training and long-term mentoring of fellow team members.

Summary of Employment:

ExpoDisplays; Birmingham, AL. ExpoDisplays / Method-1 is a custom design and fabrication company that produces trade show exhibits, custom interiors and museum exhibits.

Production Manager: November 2006- December 2015

Oversaw the planning, detailing, and production of all exhibits and interiors.

Planning, scheduling, and invoicing for the installation of interiors, kiosks, and museums.

Ultimately responsible for driving projects through the production process. This process included pre-production meetings, site inspections, brain storming sessions for key technical issues, completion inspections, client inspections, punch lists, post production evaluations, and cost analysis.

Purchasing stock material in bulk. (This necessitated research into new vendor sources and the development and maintenance of relationships with existing suppliers.)

Recruitment, training and management of all production personnel: project managers, detailers, carpenters, etc. (Team building, cross training and mentoring across various department.)

Responsible for maintenance of facilities and grounds as well as production equipment.

Major Clients included The Confederate Memorial Museum, The McWane Science Center, Protective Life, Benjamin Moore, The Atlanta Financial Center, Bayer Properties, Fellowes, Intergraph, Adtran, Griffin, Thomas Land, Magna, and many others.

Inergi Exhibit and Design; Huntsville, AL. Inergi produced exhibits and provided logistical services for customers in the exhibition industry.

Warehouse Manager: August 2004 – November 2006

Responsibilities included production, packaging, shipping, storage, production, and maintenance of exhibits.

Major Clients included Intergraph, UGS, the McWane Science Center, Boeing (CEV), and DARPA.

The Home Depot; Huntsville, AL. The Home Depot is one of the world’s largest providers of building materials and home improvement products.

Sales Associate/Millworks Specialist: February 2004 – January 2006

Provided customers service and product knowledge with an emphasis in doors and windows.

Foxton Enterprises; Foxton Enterprises provided specialty woodworking services for a variety of clients in Northern and Southern California, Atlanta, GA and Huntsville, AL.

Owner: June 1997 – February 2004

Responsibilities included all aspects of the company business; sales; marketing; purchasing; financing, permitting; research and development; production; transportation; and later as the business developed the negotiation of subcontracts with a variety of other businesses became a part of this position.

Types of projects:

General carpentry – deck fabrication, retaining walls, managed large fence project (80 homes), some custom home building

Museum and trade show displays – lamination, fabrication of wall panels for display cases, fabrication and wiring of backlit displays

Contracted with General Graphics of San Francisco to fabricate displays for the Honolulu Academy of Art

Fabrication and repair of display furniture – repaired or rebuilt entire West Coast inventory of display pedestals for a furniture rental company (all pieces were finished with plastic laminate)

Southern Staircase, Inc.; Atlanta, GA. Southern Staircase produces staircase systems for contractors and developers throughout the country.

Custom Parts Department: May 2001 – January 2002

Manufactured custom wooden parts for staircases; for most of this time, produced bending easings.

Exhibit Plant & Floral Co.; Hayward, CA. Exhibit Plant & Floral Co. provides plants, props, and fresh-cut flower arrangements for events throughout the country. (350-400 events per year)

General Manager: June 1995 – August 1997

Responsibilities included management of all daily operations within the business; direct supervision of three office staffs; the supervision of and/or the hiring and scheduling of all staff members; negotiating of all subcontract agreements; supervision of all major shows occurring outside the San Francisco Bay Area; as well as a variety of sales and marketing responsibilities.

Manager of Event Services: February 1995 – June 1995

Planned and supervised major events throughout the country; worked with ownership on further defining the corporate image; provided company representation at industry functions; worked with operations staff to streamline production; and scheduling of staff for major events.

American Exhibition Services (A.E.S.); Birmingham, Alabama A.E.S. provided a variety of marketing services for trade shows throughout North America. (During the time periods listed below, A.E.S. became the largest marketing company of its kind in North America and created a display division, Diamond Displays Inc.)

Manager of Trade Show Operations: January 1994 – December 1994

Supervised the transportation, delivery, and performance of services to approximately 400 events per year; hired, trained and supervised all operations staff members; supervised and/or planned the work schedule of all operations staff members; supervised and scheduled the production of new display units for new and existing services; scheduled staff to provide supplemental labor for the company’s new display division; gave new salespeople an orientation of operational duties; represented the company at major industry functions.

Director of Exposition: December 1992 – January 1994

Hands-on supervision of production, repair, and renovation of displays; provided hands-on production labor for the display division; aided in the scheduling of all services; provided on-site training and supervision at trade shows; participated in the hiring and training of new employees; and represented the company at major industry functions.

Associate Director of Exposition: August 1992 - December 1992

Responsibilities were basically the same as those listed directly above, but did not include any participation in the hiring process.

Show Coordinator: June 1992 – August 1992

Responsible for providing show services at approximately two to four shows a month; supervised contracted union labor at show site or performed the same labor in some venues; transported all equipment and materials to shows; responsible for maintenance of displays used at shows; provided hands-on labor for the production of new displays.

Huntsville Pump Shop, Inc. (H.P.S.); Huntsville, Alabama H.P.S. installed and maintained petroleum equipment and automotive maintenance equipment throughout North America, Tennessee, and parts of Mississippi and Georgia.

Labor Foreman: June 1987 – August 1990

Provided service and training as a lead installer on all types of construction and maintenance projects.

Professional Associations

Leadership Resources Professional Training Program; International Association of Exhibition Management associate member; Owens Corning Fiberglass Tank Certification

Education:

Birmingham Southern College, 1991: Graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. Secondary emphasis in English and Philosophy. Funded college studies though a combination of scholarships and full-time employment.

References and Project Summaries available upon request

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