Procurement Executive

JOHN HILLMER

Lawrenceville, GA ***** linkedin.com/in/johnphillmer

678-***-**** ad5gd3@r.postjobfree.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

WestRock (Atlanta, GA)

Senior Procurement Manager - Mill Capital & Infrastructure 2019 - 2023

● Provided oversight to 34 mills across the US and Canada, focusing on electrical, instrumentation/controls, and power equipment, as well as infrastructure projects.

● Streamlined contract timelines to 3 weeks through the development and implementation of a tailored master contract, facilitating the rollout of a $300M company-wide winder project across 10 paper mills.

● Directed 92 structural and roofing projects totaling $240M in expenditure, achieving an average negotiated savings of 6.2%.

● Successfully mediated and negotiated a $600K settlement with a major supplier following an operational equipment outage that resulted in stalled operations.

● Provided procurement contract expertise to WestRock Legal and Risk groups when generating, negotiating, and executing contracts.

● Provided coaching, training, and mentoring for Junior Capital Procurement and Mill Procurement staff.

● Exceeded capital infrastructure and safety/risk compliance goals established by insurance company FM Global. Senior Procurement Manager - MRO 2016 - 2019

● Provided strategic leadership and oversight of MRO Procurement across the entire WestRock Company, managing an annual spend of $560M for 259 converting plants and paper mills in the US and Canada. Directly mentored and developed a team of 4 Category Managers.

● Implemented cost-saving strategies through leveraging purchasing volume, negotiating favorable pricing, securing rebates, optimizing working capital, and establishing total cost of ownership contracts with suppliers. Over a three-year period, realized annual savings including $9.6M in recurring savings, $9.1M in avoidance savings, and $8.4M in working capital savings, while aligning with company safety, operational, and financial objectives.

● Directed the strategic sourcing process and category management initiatives, overseeing project planning, specifications development, supply market research, and analytics. Played a key role in supplier diversity spend, achieving an annual diversity spend of $60.1M in 2019.

● Evaluated, selected, and onboarded new suppliers, fostering strong partnerships to drive company success and meet procurement goals.

Procurement Manager - Mill Capital & Infrastructure 2012 - 2016

● Led paper mill capital execution initiatives, overseeing equipment, construction, and parts procurement for engineering and operations teams across 27 mills, with an annual expenditure of $75M.

● Successfully negotiated $116K in savings through the resolution of a zero-cost repair dispute with a roofing material supplier and contractor, addressing their joint failed performance in an installation project.

● Exceeded 2014 Team Goals by achieving 8.7% savings across 26 projects with a contract spend totaling $17.2M.

● Developed and managed programs for original equipment manufacturers and contractor services, implementing a competitive bidding process via RFP, managing supplier awards, project tracking, budget adherence, reporting, and project finalization and mediation.

● Collaborated closely with key stakeholders, including corporate Senior Operations, Engineering, and Procurement Leadership, as well as Plant/Mill general managers, to drive process excellence throughout the capital project planning and procurement life cycle.

● Conducted contract negotiation and execution for master service, equipment, and construction agreements in partnership with Legal and Risk groups, incorporating performance guarantees, liquidated damages, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

● Provided coaching, training, and development for Mill Procurement Managers, equipping them with a deep understanding of the contracting process and establishing a foundation for strategic negotiations. Senior Category Manager - Converting Capital 2012

● Provided strategic oversight for Capital Procurement encompassing capital projects, equipment, and contractor services across 190 converting locations, with an annual expenditure totaling $300M.

● Provided guidance and support to key stakeholders, including corporate operations, engineering, procurement leadership, and plant general managers, to enhance process excellence in both short-term and long-term capital project planning and procurement strategies.

● Emphasized cultivating strong supplier relationships within multi-facility environments, particularly in the realm of converting capital and contractor services.

● Managed and led a team of 4 Category Managers, 2 Analysts, and 1 Co-op at both corporate and plant levels. Provided managerial leadership and comprehensive coaching to enhance the understanding of sourcing, contracting processes, and strategic negotiations within the corporate capital purchasing team and plant procurement personnel.

● Collaborated closely with corporate Legal to develop and manage statements of work, master service agreements, and contracts for both services and equipment, ensuring alignment with company objectives and legal standards.

FURTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Temple-Inland, Inc. Marketing & Sales Mgr., Maintenance Mgr., Capital Sourcing Mgr. Austin, TX (2007 - 2011) Kimberly-Clark Corp. Operations Engineer, Research and Development Engineer Neenah, WI (1998 - 2004) Svedala Industries, Inc. Contract Administrator, Application Engineer Appleton, WI (1996 - 1998) Georgia-Pacific Corp. Plant Engineer, Environmental Coordinator, Production Supt. Fort Dodge, IA (1995 – 1996) Wisconsin Electric Power Co. Energy Management Engineer Appleton, WI (1994) EDUCATION

Executive Juris Doctor (2 years complete) Concord Law School – Los Angeles, CA Master of Business Administration University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh - Oshkosh, WI Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering University of Wisconsin - Platteville - Platteville, WI ADDITIONAL

Green Belt Certification - Lean Six Sigma

U.S. Patent - “Methods for improving product chassis and panel control during folding of garment.” U.S. 6,854,624 Issued Feb 15, 2005

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