Manager Product Development

Ross Fleischmann Timbergreen Circle Denton, TX 940-***-**** ****@******.***********.***

Proven product line, brand, and operations manager with broad experience across automotive, industrial, and consumer goods. Expertise in business plans, discovering market needs, managing innovation, product development, go to market execution and launch. Management of $100 million annual sales product lines and operations. Results oriented leader that develops trust and earns commitment from the team.

ESAB/ Victor Denton, TX

Senior Brand Manager 2010 – 2016

Led key elements of Victor’s restructure effort tripling our multiple in 3 years – Thermadyne purchased by IPC for $200 million and debt in 2010 then sold as Victor to Colfax for $947 million in 2014.

Managed Tweco and ESAB Global Accessories business upon acquisition by Colfax

oBusiness management – develop strategic plan, set pricing, new products stage-gate, for Tweco and ESAB welding accessories global – $120 million annual sales

oBusiness integration – travel to Sweden to develop integration plans of Tweco and ESAB arc accessories, including smoothing of pricing and rationalization of redundant offerings

oNew product development – work with Rebel Power Supply team to integrate accessories offerings from a Colfax or Danaher Business Systems perspective.

Led development of Velocity – strategy, product roadmap, business plan and execution

oConducted discovery market research and patent investigation on MIG consumables market

oLead product development market specification and business plan for Velocity which was positioned as a major milestone in the private equity pro-forma offering of Victor Technologies

oVelocity was launched with patent pending technology, myself included as an inventor and managing commercial introduction and launch

oVelocity has met and exceeded business plan financial objectives and commands a new price premium in the marketplace against the competition.

Led branding rejuvenation of Tweco and execution of the Speed Made Easy campaign

o As part of the Victor brand team, I was a key player in repositioning the Tweco brand – develop strategic plan, set pricing, develop new brand logo and standard – $80 million annual sales

oSpeed Made Easy was a promotional campaign for Tweco professional and the new Velocity offerings – focus was on higher productivity and ease of use and convenience of Tweco offerings.

Perceptron Plymouth, MI

Operations Manager – Commercial Group 2007 - 2010

Managed start up and won business development, product development, and co-branding efforts with four Fortune 500 CPG channel partners that introduced new products into retail and franchise channels. Grew Commercial Group from zero to $67 million annual sales in three years.

Developed board reviewed business plan – targeting exclusive partners in separated channels

oBusiness plan outlined a strategy to launch a new to the world product offering – electronic borescopes – executed from novel proof of concept to final go to market commercialization

oStrategy executed focused on winning new channel partners within four trade verticals – plumbers, electricians, automotive mechanics, and construction contractors/ DIY – by offering exclusivity to multiple competitors in each channel

Negotiated supply agreements with new channel partners

oIn 14 months’ supply agreements were won with new channel partners in each vertical; Ridgid for plumbers, Snap-on for auto mechanics, Greenlee for electricians, Rothenberg for plumbing in Europe, and Bosch power tools for professional contractors and the DIY marketplace

oLed negotiations in winning Greenlee and Bosch and key role winning Ridgid and Snap-on

Black and Decker Chesterfield, MI

Product Line / Brand Manager 2003 - 2007

Led new product development and branding for industrial fastening product lines – development and execution strategic plan, annual budget, managed gross margin for $60 million global business.

Led brand presence, product line management, pricing, annual business plan for Gripco brand

Introduced an adjacent offering to the Weldfast line including technical development and marketing.

DSM, Dutch State Mines a petro-chemical and life sciences company Southfield, MI

Technical Sales Manager 2000 - 2003

Managed a book of key accounts. Partnered with customers introducing novel specialty engineered resins – won product placement and specifications in automotive and consumer goods channels.

Introduced Sarlink specialty grades into the automotive airbag safety marketplace with a debut at World Automotive Congress - Society of Automotive Engineers in 2002.

Thunderbird MBA, including study abroad in China and Switzerland Glendale, AZ

University of Detroit Masters of Engineering Detroit, MI

University of Minnesota Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Minneapolis, MN

Patents Pending Utility and Design Patents for Velocity MIG Welding Consumables 2014

Welding Journal Introduction of Novel MIG Consumable in Arc Welding (introduced Velocity) 2014

Practical Welding Introduction of Novel MIG Consumable in Arc Welding (introduced Velocity) 2014

American Welding Society Top New Innovative Products at Fabtech (Velocity was first mention) 2014

Welding Journal Maintenance of MIG Guns in Arc Welding 2012

Snap-on Franchisee Convention 2nd Place Best New Product of the Year – BK5500 2009

Patent Applications Published Utility Patents Nutfast and Weldfast Fasteners 2006

Committee Member USCAR United States Council for Automotive Research 2005

Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress Novel Plastic Resin for Airbag Applications 2002

Society of Engineers Novel Plastic Resin for Airbag Applications 2002

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