Change Management Operational Excellence

Samuel Brown

301-***-**** ******.*****.*****@*****.*** LinkedIn Profile

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

INNOVATIVE LEADER DRIVING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND GROWTH THROUGH STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND EFFICIENCY A visionary leader with a proven record of accomplishment of driving transformative initiatives and operational excellence across diverse industries. Specializes in strategic revenue growth, comprehensive P&L management, and executing large-scale change management. Known for leveraging data-driven decision-making and cross-functional leadership, emphasizing continuous improvement, talent development, and fostering collaboration to ensure sustainable success. Adept at managing complex logistics, operations, and global supply chains, and consistently exceeds performance and financial targets. CORE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Strategic Planning & Execution

P&L Management

Supply Chain Management

Lean Manufacturing

Operational Efficiency

Cross-Functional Leadership

Change Management

Automation & Technology Integration

KPI/OKR Development

Inventory Optimization

Demand Forecasting

Financial Oversight & Budgeting

Mergers & Acquisitions

Risk Management & Mitigation

Stakeholder Relationships Management

S E L E C T ED EXECUTIVE ACHIEVEMENTS

Led a $2B operations budget at Kuehne + Nagel, overseeing $12B in aircraft parts inventory while achieving 99.9% shipping accuracy and a 99.7% on-time delivery rate.

Delivered 14% revenue growth, contributing to a $2B increase through automation, safety, and efficiency measures at Amazon’s 2.7M sq ft Robotics Fulfillment Center.

Saved $30M in production costs by reducing non-conformance instances on Boeing’s 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft using root cause corrective actions (RCCA).

Achieved a 215% increase in EBITDA at Tait Towers, surpassing financial targets and driving global operational improvements across the US, UK, EU, and China.

Directed vertical market strategies to expand major industry partnerships, managing an $8B operations budget, and securing a $250M P&L opportunity in the concert and rental sectors.

Reduced regional injury rates by 15% and improved promotion rates by 18% among diverse groups through DEI leadership initiatives for 16K Amazon associates.

Spearheaded a 60% reduction in defects in Boeing aircraft production, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE

KUEHNE + NAGEL, ATLANTA, GA 2024 TO PRESENT

General Manager, Contract Logistics Management

Direct strategic business operations for a $2B budget and $12B in inventory, optimizing capacity planning and facility layout for growth. Develop annual budgets to meet service, performance, and profitability targets. Establish customer service standards and maintain key accounts, driving positive survey results and new business. Ensure compliance with quality, safety, and security programs, investigating nonconformances and implementing corrective actions. Manage shipping and receiving systems, lead ITAR/EAR compliance training, and enhance automation and documentation processes. Conduct bi-weekly audits for improved inventory management and optimize part placement using Tableau and SAP. Streamline processes and reduce errors utilizing digital timekeeping. Oversee distribution of commercial and military spare parts to support aftermarket repairs for airlines and military organizations. Provide support for DCMA, WAWF, GFM, and E-tools interfaces. Manage customer-directed shipping operations automated in SAP via ShipERP for over 500 airlines and MROs.

Achieved Global Trade excellence, maintaining over a year with zero International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) violations and realizing a $488k cost avoidance.

Established 24/7 AOG (Aircraft on Ground) support with an average TAKT time of under 4 hours.

Managed $10B in product shipments YTD (2024), including a record-setting Q3 of $3.2B, with September shipments of

$1.3B, exceeding previous output record by 31.6%.

Led process automation and improvement initiatives, adding automated parts verification and three new receiving stations.

Expanded operations by implementing second and third shifts for receiving and shipping, adding 10 full-time employees and increasing productivity.

Streamlined inspection processes with Pratt & Whitney, reducing redundant counts and holding vendors accountable for discrepancies.

Organized multiple 5S workshops to improve inbound and outbound dock flows and staging capacity.

Established carrier schedules, increasing visibility and optimizing inbound/outbound staffing and productivity.

Identified and resolved $800K–$1.2M in annual fines and inventory discrepancies across three distribution centers (DCs) from 2019–2023 by addressing ITAR/EAR violations and improving Ship Accuracy KPI performance.

Developed and implemented a "sandbox" training environment in SAP, allowing trainees to practice without impacting real operations. Extended training duration from 90 to 150 days, raised pass score thresholds from 70% to 90%, and limited testing attempts to two, ensuring higher quality training and certification standards.

Achieved 100% elimination of ITAR/EAR and Ship Accuracy fines at all sites as of February 2024.

Utilized lean methodologies (RCCA, FIFO, poke yoke) to drive a 99.9% shipping accuracy within five months, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Achieved a 99.7% on-time delivery rate by solidifying real-time production schedules and outbound visibility in Q2 2024.

Revamped regional training strategies, resulting in $3.2 million in annual savings. BOARDROOM BRAND LLC, ATLANTA, GA 2023 TO PRESENT

Advisory & Consulting Service

Delivered advisory and consulting services to optimize business performance, focusing on operations strategies, automation, and predictive analytics. Developed mission and vision statements, lean manufacturing processes, and supply chain improvements. Conducted financial and analytical assessments to track KPIs and drive operational enhancements. Guided talent development, process engineering, and team efficiency, achieving consistent revenue and profit margins. Created communication strategies with leadership for successful implementation of improvements, including operating plans, budgets, and recruitment.

Optimized supply chain operations for a logistics client, achieving a 14% reduction in transportation costs in Q1 2024.

Identified and implemented process improvements, including proof-of-delivery and post-pic audit processes, resulting in

$500k in penalty savings related to ITAR/quality escapes in 2024.

Advised 11 private equity groups on live entertainment engineering, design services, and high-end event space, supporting strategic decision-making.

AMAZON, STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 2021 TO 2023

General Manager (Level 8), AR Sortable Operations

Established and led a 2.7 million sq ft Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center, handling 7 million units weekly for Metro Atlanta, while overseeing an $8 billion operations budget. Represented Amazon in the Stone Mountain/Gwinnett County, Georgia area, ensuring strong relationships with the local community and stakeholders. Mentored 600 Amazon leaders on DEI training and strategy, driving inclusivity and leadership development across the organization. Enhanced capacity planning, safety, recruitment, and inventory planning, resulting in improved operational efficiency and compliance across the fulfillment center.

Led the turnaround of a North American Fulfillment Center with the lowest production metrics by addressing robot allocation inefficiencies, reducing pod gapping from 14 to 8 seconds, and improving drive utilization.

Uncovered a 400% underestimation of the AR floor size, secured capital for 400 additional drives, and initiated a network-wide audit, boosting outbound productivity by 443%.

Implemented Gravity Flex Conveyors and optimized conveyor performance through benchmarking, enhancing stow input efficiency and preventing item losses across 20+ miles of conveyance.

Improved regional productivity by introducing "Fast Start" techniques, ensuring associates were fully operational within 10 minutes, streamlining daily processes, and enhancing workflow efficiency.

Led outbound automation initiatives that resulted in a 443% increase in throughput, along with a 23% increase in units processed through LEAN and automation strategies.

Managed a team of 9 executive ops leaders, 152 managerial professionals, and 6,500+ Amazon Associates, fostering leadership growth through talent identification, resulting in 197 promotions.

Achieved a 15% reduction in injury rates through safety campaigns and process enhancements, improving workplace safety.

Drove a 14% increase in revenue through automation and safety initiatives, while reducing training-related spending by 20% through improved onboarding plans.

Reached a #2 ranking in associate engagement of 81 Sortable Fulfillment Centers and improved performance, ranking

#18.

WALMART SUPPLY CHAIN, APPLE VALLEY, CA 2020 TO 2021 General Manager, Regional Distribution Center

Managed Walmart's largest Regional Distribution Center, achieving and surpassing production, quality, and safety targets. Expertise in omnichannel operations, change management, team development, and automation initiatives, with a strong commitment to employee engagement, community representation, and process improvement. Surpassed production, quality, and safety targets for Walmart's largest Regional Distribution Center, overseeing a high-performing team across multiple business units.

Acted as a liaison for associates, vendors, and stores across Southern California and Arizona, addressing concerns and fostering collaborative relationships.

Directed the implementation of change management, security protocols, and automation projects, leading to substantial operational improvements.

Improved the onboarding process, enabling new hires to achieve proficiency in six weeks, resulting in a 25% increase in throughput.

Implemented visual management strategies that increased direct hours by 10% and boosted hourly rates by 8%.

Spearheaded automation development, achieving a 60% increase in throughput over two quarters.

Introduced e-commerce fulfillment operations, driving a 36% boost in Peak output (2.2 million units).

Achieved a 27% enhancement in Ship Void metrics through strategic deployment of visual management tools.

Lowered staff turnover by 38% within a fiscal year, far exceeding the network's 10% target. TAIT TOWERS, LITITZ, PA 2017 TO 2020

2017 to 2020: Vice President, Global Operations / Interim – Chief Operating Officer (COO) Led operational improvements across the US, UK, EU, and China, enhancing efficiency and performance. Drove innovation through automation and technology advancements. Collaborated with department heads to foster talent growth and development. Supported mergers and acquisitions to drive growth and profitability. Achieved substantial profits from touring and new business ventures. Managed global financial strategy, overseeing project execution and P&L responsibilities. Established ethical standards and core values for the organization. Implemented policies to enhance collaboration and information sharing. Worked closely with the CEO, crafting presentations for board reviews and strategic meetings.

Organized events to align teams with the CEO's vision and objectives. Set high standards for design and manufacturing operations. Provided guidance on cybersecurity measures, contributing to increased sales.

By January 2019, attrition dropped to just three terminations due to theft in Q4 2018, with no voluntary resignations or other terminations throughout 2018.

In June 2017, partnered with North American Human Resources to reduce attrition, focusing on cost savings and talent retention. Implemented exit interviews to understand resignation drivers and initiated employee engagement activities, compensation analysis (raising average wages from $15 to $20 per hour over two years), improved onboarding and post-onboarding support, and expanded career development opportunities, including leadership roles.

Reduced reliance on temporary labor to near zero by establishing a partnership with a local trade school. Developed a program where adjunct professors from our company taught welding and fabrication courses, while the school incorporated our welding techniques into their curriculum. Secured employment for the top 5 graduates from each course.

Achieved a 215% increase in EBITDA, exceeding targets, while boosting revenue by 14% and improving profit margins. Implemented cost-saving measures that resulted in millions of dollars saved through operational efficiencies and improved budget performance in North American operations by 35%. Enhanced productivity by 10% through the introduction of visual management tools. Successfully improved talent identification and retention strategies, reducing attrition by 97%. Set ambitious growth targets to double P&L and project pipeline volume by 2025. 2017: Senior Director, North American Operations

Optimized inventory and planning systems, improving overall resource utilization. Established a culture of continuous improvement and implemented standard work processes within manufacturing and design teams. Fostered the development of key leadership within operations, strengthening the overall management team. Instituted global demand forecasting and created a Production Support department to enhance operational efficiency.

Increased touring profit margins by $24M and improved sales forecasting, generating an additional $34.33M in sales.

Realized 35% efficiency enhancements and led Fabrication Operation to 97% budget performance, leading to 33% growth.

Reduced reliance on temporary labor, resulting in $7M in cost savings.

Decreased safety incidents by 200%, establishing a safer and more compliant work environment.

Provided executive oversight of operations with $300M budget, ensuring compliance and financial accountability.

Introduced new KPIs/OKRs and implemented Earned Value Management for enhanced financial oversight.

Drove the creation of a new revenue-generating market, contributing to the company’s long-term growth strategy. 2016 to 2017: Director, NA Operations

Led North American manufacturing operations, enhancing performance and efficiency through cross-functional teams and updated design standards. Reduced inventory part varieties to minimize supply chain delays, redesigned facilities for better efficiency, and introduced KPIs for continuous improvement. Implemented staffing changes for budget savings while achieving a 14% profit margin and on-time deliveries for global concert tours.

Identified new business opportunities, leading to a $3M increase in sales.

Implemented lean principles, reducing cycle time by 12% and operating 24% under budget through reduction initiatives.

Collaborated with suppliers to improve cost and quality initiatives, contributing to significant cost savings. BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 2010 TO 2016 Senior Operations Manager, Boeing South Carolina 787 Final Assembly Managed production for the 787-8 and 787-9 planes, consistently exceeding goals. Fostered strong relationships with suppliers, customers, and teams, driving operational excellence. Implemented Corrective Action Boards and RCCA activities to address non-conformances, reducing factory-wide defects from 5,852 to 2,341 within a year. Enhanced scheduling and resource utilization to meet production targets and promoted continuous improvement practices.

In 2016, addressed high employee turnover by implementing structured exit interviews to gather insights on resignations, both regretted and unregretted. Introduced performance improvement plans to provide employees with development opportunities and reduce at-will terminations, fostering proactive intervention and retention efforts.

Utilized problem-solving techniques to save $30M in non-conformance costs and achieved a 60% reduction in defects through effective issue resolution.

Reduced production time significantly by implementing process improvements, speeding up interior and systems completion, and driving increased sales.

Led a team of ten managers and 200 assemblers, ensuring production flow and adherence to manufacturing standards.

Enhanced safety measures across operations, resulting in a 25% decrease in incidents. Early Career

Fabrication Flight Commander, Maintenance Squadron, Captain O-3, United States Air Force (Reserve) Executive Officer, Captain O-3, United States Air Force (Active Duty) EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Master of Science in Operations Management (Focus on Safety, Human Resources & Industrial Engineering) University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical & Industrial Technology (Concentration in Aviation Management) Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN

MIT: CTL Supply Chain Management Top Secret / SCI Security Clearance (US DoD) Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Green Belt Certified Air Force Safety Office Certified: Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office: Victim Advocate HONORS & AWARDS

Amazon AR East Most Improved Site Safety, 2022 Fast Company Best Workplaces for Innovators, 2017 Boeing South Carolina Safety Cup: Q4 2015, Q3 2013, Q1 2014 Air Force Best Maintenance Unit (Major Command), 2012 Company Grade Officer of the Quarter: March 2014, June 2012, April 2011 Air Force Commendation Medal 1st Oak Leaf Cluster for Meritorious Service, Sept 2010

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