Steve Cohen

Grayslake, IL ***** • acyb0q@r.postjobfree.com • 847-***-****

http://webprofile.info/stevecohen/

SENIOR BUSINESS OPTIMIZATION OFFICER

Restructuring Organizations • Driving Business Transformation • Maximizing Investor Relations X

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A senior business optimization officer with a progressive history of boosting revenues, growing profitability and continually improving processes in the agricultural sector. Comprehensive knowledge of operational management, team-building, fundraising and strategic planning. Led a team in developing a cost efficient process for manufacturing agricultural waste into value added ingredients for several industries, reducing costs by 250%. Elite Judo coach of numerous world-class athletes including five Olympic medalists and three World Champions. Head coach for 2000 Olympic Team, and 1988 Olympic Team member. CORE COMPETENCIES

• Organizational Leadership • Team & Cross-Functional Leadership • Operations Management

• P&L and Financial Management • Strategic Planning • Sales and Marketing

• Technology & Business Integration • Turnaround and Startup Situations • Business Development PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Z TRIM HOLDINGS Mundelein, IL

A publically held agricultural ingredient technology firm that develops patented products and processes to transform biomass for a wide range of food and industrial market applications. CEO and Board Member 2007 - 2015

Directed corporate governance, fundraising, investor relations and human resources management. Oversaw sales, marketing, supply chain, manufacturing and intellectual property protection while raising the market cap from $38 million to $200 million.

• $10 million a year in lost product conserved and environmental emissions lowered for a company by developing an application that saved burned off coke while still maintaining product quality.

• $2 million in financing raised and 92% in employee retention recorded by installing a new board of directors with turnaround experience and offering an employee stock option plan (ESOP).

• 900% increase in market cap and a 300% increase in share price hit through the creation of an industrial division to generate opportunities to offer ingredients to other industries resulting in signed agreements with a $4 billion petroleum coke firm and a $1 billion drilling company.

• 500% sales boost from one customer happened by assessing the product and designing a plan to eliminate the off-tasting chemically modified elements and replaced with a natural ingredient.

• Prevented a company collapse by settling lawsuits, resolving severe regulatory violations and rebuilding shareholder confidence, changing management and establishing a new board.

• 300% revenue increase and a 250% cut in manufacturing costs noted by encouraging strong team unity between sales, manufacturing and administrative teams through meetings and area functions.

• 250% reduction in production costs realized by commercializing manufacturing process leading to a contract manufacturing agreement.

• 20% revenue rise and a 30% burn rate reduction achieved by creating and executing a sound business plan that led to a business equipment / technology upgrade and $2 million in funding.

• 45% jump in sales to meat and poultry companies accomplished by reacting quickly to a rise in meat prices and promoting reduced costs through increased production yields by using the company ingredient. STEVE COHEN ● acyb0q@r.postjobfree.com ● 847-***-**** ● PAGE 2

• Developed products for the $12 billion combined dietary fiber, emulsifier and industrial binder markets by originating a new functional ingredient from a production waste stream that generated six patents.

• 22% decrease in raw materials costs attained by buying in bulk, locking in low corn prices, renegotiating contracts and improving efficiencies.

• Enhanced company credibility by establishing an advisory board of top industry leaders while requiring a

$250,000 minimum company investment.

• 15% sales improvement and new market entry succeeded through the development and distribution of lower fat and calorie content food to the Mexican market, then called the most obese country in the world. President and Board Member 2003 – 2007

Managed sales, investor relations, fund raising marketing and public relations.

• $3 million raised from developing a plan to obtain national exposure for a new product without incurring any cost by working with school district nutritionist director and students consuming the salad dressing leading to a news conference that generated countrywide coverage and sales to three top salad dressing firms.

• 20% sales boost for seven consecutive quarters achieved by strategizing to sell the unique ingredient to food companies by making and manufacturing salad dressings for sale and to use as samples.

--ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE--

COHENS OLYMPIC JUDO TRAINING CENTER North Suburban Chicago, IL A training center for all levels of judo athletes from beginning to elite. Owner and Head Coach

Taught, trained and coached athletes to master judo and maximize any Olympic potential.

• Developed more than 100 national champions using a method of learning basics through discipline and repetition, developing a work ethic and inspiring overachievement.

• Served on US National coaching staff from 1990 – 2000.

• Created a written / video database and prepared a detailed strategy manual of every potential competitor and engendered a trust between athlete and coach, allowing for the ideal environment to compete at the highest level.

• Trained 15+ Olympics athletes.

• Personally trained and coached three world champions and five Olympic medalists.

• Represented the US in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.

• Selected as head coach for 2000 Olympic Team in Sydney Australia. EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

University of Illinois, Chicago

Biology Coursework

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• USA Judo, Member

• United States Judo Association, Member

• United States Judo Association Promotion Board