Business Development Supply Chain

RALPH JEFFERY POEHLS

Windsor, CO LinkedIn 757-***-**** **********@*****.***

OVERVIEW

Sales Business Development Operations Supply Chain Industrial Engineering Lean

Influential Business Growth, Sales, and Operations Executive with 34+ years’ experience delivering high-impact change initiatives within the food and packaging industry for improved revenue growth and operational effectiveness. Proven history reversing failing operations across multiple sites to gain new traction within company and reduce high staff turnover through expert collaborative and decisive leadership. Dedicated strategist with a talent for top line sales while driving process improvements across all aspects of supply chain and operations to meet and exceed targeted business objectives.

Sales Strategy Quality Assurance Revenue Growth Operations Management

Process & Project Innovation Staff Development Lean Manufacturing Financial Analysis

Solution Architecture Market Research Risk Mitigation Product Management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Tosca Ltd., Atlanta, GA (Remote) August 2023 – Present

Director; US Protein Sales

Lead, develop, nurture, and grow Tosca’s US based protein sales team. Grow top line revenue through acquiring new customers and expanding Tosca eco-system with existing customers. Growing pipeline and tracking with Salesforce. Managing price and contract administration with new and existing customers. Analyzing and solving accounts receivable opportunities.

• Identified, hunted, presented, trialed, and closed $3.0 million in sales with new customers.

• Proposed, presented, and closed $1.5 million in sales with existing customers.

• Expanded Tosca’s US protein sales team talent pool and capabilities through training, coaching, and mentoring.

• Negotiated price increases with multiple customers totaling over $4 million.

• Worked with existing large customers to resolve accounts receivable liabilities reducing over $1.5 million and getting accounts current.

• Worked with customers to create solutions resolving complex supply-chain opportunities.

JBS USA, Greeley, CO March 2020 – July 2023

Head of Pricing and Sales, Ground Beef and Retail Ready (March 2020 – August 2023)

Directed business development, operations, and sales for ground beef, case ready, and marinated businesses approaching $2.5 Billion in revenue for $65B global food company. Lead pricing, inside sales, product development and business strategy for ground beef and retail ready products to tactical execution.

• Hired to turn around fledgling case ready business in two plants where I developed new business that took plants from $18 million negative EBITDA to $1 million. A $19 million turnaround over 2.5 years.

• Developed product strategy and financial justification for third retail ready plant that was brought online and up to one full shift in under 6 months. After 2 years the facility was creating positive EBITDA.

• Maximized revenue potential and cleared market through expert management of numerous product positions though pricing, risk management, and freezer positions.

• Played key roles (sales, pricing, product development) in securing new Amazon on-line grocery business where JBS became a primary supplier of beef and pork.

• Created new raw material procurement and optimization strategies to drive 7 figure savings and create new growth opportunities.

• Developed and coached staff to improve speed and operational effectiveness of retail ready business.

• Currently serving as interim General Manager for newest retail ready and ground beef facility after departure of GM.

• Reduced turnover of facility 35% through human resource initiatives aimed at first 90 days.

SMITHFIELD FOODS, Smithfield, VA 1999 – March 2020

Senior Director, Case Ready Business (2009 – March 2020)

Directed business development, operations, and sales for case ready, marinated, offal, and commodity offal businesses near $600M in revenue for $13B global food company and largest pork / hog producer. Lead product development and business strategy for case ready and marinated products to tactical execution.

• Grew sales volume and market share 35% by applying consumer market research to refine product position and relevance in marinated operations.

• Generated $4M in annual profits using robust new strategy on pricing methods.

• Consolidated product line capacity from 3 to 2 facilities that retained $2M in savings.

• Maximized revenue potential and cleared market through expert management of numerous product positions including pricing, risk management, and freezer positions.

• Yielded $12M in incremental annual profits by strategizing new growth opportunities.

• Led development of several new products for export markets, increasing demand and pricing that resulted in $5M in additional profits for fresh port business.

• Saved $3M in yield and labor operations by implementing key operational improvements to existing processes utilizing lean techniques.

• Raised earnings before taxes from 7% to 12% of sales for a total improvement of 71%.

General Manager, Cook’s Ham – Division of Smithfield Foods (2008 – 2009)

Assumed leadership for one of the largest spiral ham plants nationwide to reverse decline of non-performing facility in Martin City, Missouri. Led development and execution for new strategic and tactical business plans. Leveraged strategic and tactical leadership to implement advanced updates to aged processes and equipment while reducing personnel turnover talent through robust training and talent development.

• Identified and implemented turnaround initiatives in operations and quality control that led to $2.6M in savings in 9 months utilizing lean techniques.

• Successfully led the facility to become the second SQF Level III Certified for Farmland.

• Implemented new Farmland-based programs throughout the facilities including HR, food safety, quality control, maintenance, and safety protocol.

• Attracted new talent for technician positions by deploying comprehensive maintenance package including a new wage structure.

• Reduced #2 hams by 50% ($1.8M) through newly developed and tested process change.

• Developed new modular training program to foster talent among existing staff and incentivize development through promotional opportunities.

• Improved line utilization 10% through fundamental packaging layout changes utilizing lean techniques.

• Assimilated Cook’s business into Farmland’s structure by restructuring plant management in alignment with corporate initiatives.

• Developed and installed numerous infrastructure projects designed to address and reverse facility spending issues.

• Owned SAP installation initiative within facility including rigorous staff training and shadowing and introduction of seasoned Cap Gemini integration team.

• Reduced turnover and grew skills base for key positions by modifying calculated production pay grade.

• Identified and implemented new solution to save $800K annually for mechanical packaging operations.

Director of Operations / Plant Manager (2003 – 2008)

Successfully reversed division failure for 2 case ready facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah and Madison, Wisconsin using expertise in lean process innovation and turnaround strategy that yielded $6M in savings within one year. Delivered a 200% improvement in 2 years ($2M) due to productivity changes.

• Fostered a growth-oriented environment to incentivize employees and reduce high turnover by 50% while implementing groundbreaking changes to both facilities.

• Salt Lake City facility received coveted “Processing Plant of the Year” in 2007 and “Most Improved Plant” in 2008 due to lodestar efforts in quality control and process development.

• Led Salt Lake City facility to achieve most profitable plant per pound status.

• Saved company $700K through meat, packaging, and inventory accountability changes at Madison Wisconsin facility by rewriting co-packer contract.

• Reduced claims to $2.5k per week through quality management improvement.

Director, Corporate Industrial Engineering (1999 – 2003)

Oversaw industrial engineering operations for 11 plants and supervision of 6 industrial engineers. Assisted R&D and product management with new and existing product development. Guided management on large-scale project proposals and new production strategies. Utilized lean manufacturing techniques.

• Worked cross-functionally with team and engineering firm to design advanced $85M ham & bacon plant.

• Saved $6M annually in premium payments by collaborating to design new hog value / pricing matrix for procurement and operations management utilizing predictive analytics.

• Justified and implemented $2M in automated packaging equipment for one plant that resulted $1M worth of savings in material and labor costs annually.

EDUCATION

WILLIAM & MARY Master of Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude, Beta Gamma Sigma

PURDUE UNIVERSITY Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Salesforce SAP R/3 Quintiq R Lean Tools MOST Crystal Ball AutoCAD

Statistica Mini-Tab OROS Suite Impromptu Microsoft Project Microsoft Office Visio

LEADERSHIP

INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS, Senior Member; Former Treasurer

ISLE OF WIGHT EDUCATION FOUNDATION, Former Board Member

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