JERRY H. MITCHELL

**** ********* ****** • Johnson City, Tennessee 37604

423-***-**** • h5dxyw@r.postjobfree.com

Results-driven purchasing and inventory manager with a proven track record of 9+ years of experience procuring precision CNC make-to-print parts and 7+ years of experience buying steel coils. Experienced in strategic sourcing, procurement, inventory control, logistics and manufacturing operations positively impacting the performance and profitability of diverse companies, most notably in the automotive, aerospace and manufacturing industries. Capitalize on superior communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills to cultivate valuable client and vendor relationships. Build and spearhead top-performing teams, providing the guidance, training and support needed to ensure the on time delivery of high quality, cost-effective products and services. Former U.S. Marine Officer.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Strategic Sourcing • Purchasing • Inventory Management • Proposal Development

Competitive Bidding • Contract Negotiations • Cost Control • Budgeting • Process Improvement

Quality Control • Customer & Vendor Relations • Team Leadership • Excel • Word • MRP

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

DEC TECHNOLOGIES, Piney Flats, Tennessee • 4/2001 - 3/2010

Leading distributor of after-market commercial aerospace parts; a division of Heico Aerospace.

Purchasing Manager

Coordinate the purchasing of precision CNC make-to-print parts with detailed specifications as well as other components, materials and supplies to support business operations. Develop purchasing strategies based on supplier metrics to maximize product quality, reduce pricing and improve customer satisfaction. Maintain inventory levels commensurate with demands by analyzing available stocks, ordering parts, prioritizing parts for inspection and making adjustments based on customer backlogs. Source new vendors and suppliers to replace those which are underperforming. Collaborate with other managers to devise and implement strategic plans for optimizing new product development and distribution processes. Liaise with inspection and quality control teams to identify defective goods, determine the source of trouble and take corrective action.

Financial Highlights:

• Complied with the corporate objective of 40% for Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), achieving a score of 36% after developing a purchasing guideline to determine the acceptable price range for parts based on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and projected sell costs.

• Decreased purchasing costs by 5% after championing an aggressive cost reduction program, which involved identifying unfavorably priced parts and sourcing for new vendors with competitively priced products.

Operational Highlights:

• Maintained an on-time delivery rate of 98%, surpassing the goal of 93% after consolidating 2 legacy systems into one that provided current data regarding which items to buy or expedite.

• Facilitated the monitoring of vendor and quality performance by instituting metrics for evaluating the number of required deliveries scheduled per month against actual performance.

• Organized conferences for new parts suppliers to gain first-hand knowledge of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) processes and inspection requirements before acceptance into DEC Technologies’ approved vendor list.

A&L RV SALES, Johnson City, Tennessee • 3/2000 - 4/2001

Local RV dealership and repair center.

Parts Manager

Managed the parts/inventory department in addition to handling all scheduling activities for the service department. Spearheaded strategic sourcing initiatives to secure competitively priced parts and ensure the highest level of service. Recruited to DEC Technologies after demonstrating superior purchasing and vendor management skills.

Financial / Operational Highlights:

• Maximized customer satisfaction by promptly ordering/receiving special orders in addition to quickly scheduling repair work through the service department.

• Increased parts sales while preventing the loss of customers by beating all price quotes received from competitors.

EAGLE BEND MANUFACTURING CO, Clinton, Tennessee • 4/1999 - 2/2000

Tier-1 automotive supplier with customers such as Ford, Toyota and GM.

Senior Buyer

Sourced for and negotiated the purchase terms and agreements of the Tier-1 automotive parts supplier with domestic mills and service centers. Prepared, submitted and reviewed Request for Quotation (RFQ) responses to ensure the purchase of competitively priced coiled steel. Resolved steel delivery issues in coordination with planners. Pursed career growth opportunities at A&L RV Sales after Eagle Bend Manufacturing brought in a new management team, which adversely impacted the company culture.

Financial / Operational Highlights:

• Generated annual savings of $5.2M by securing a 10% reduction in steel price through skillful renegotiation of supplier contracts; identified opportunities to negotiate better pricing after analyzing new platform cost structures.

• Attained the corporate objective of Zero Inventory (ZI) at the end of each week by creating and deploying a scheduling system that enabled planners to align steel and delivery requirements to production schedules.

EXCEL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS, Pikeville, Tennessee • 6/1998 - 3/1999

Leading Tier-1 automotive parts supplier.

Planner / Scheduler

Planned and scheduled the delivery of steel in alignment with daily press operations. Organized jobs into queues based on scheduling needs. Distributed metal samplings to suppliers for heat and paint treatment. Recruited by Eagle Bend Manufacturing, which offered greater career growth potential.

Operational Highlights:

• Decreased lead-time for Work-In-Process (WIP) inventory by 14 days after developing press schedules that seamlessly supported and aligned with manufacturing timelines.

• Eliminated weekend overtime by optimizing steel delivery scheduling to support press operations.

AMERICAN WATER HEATER CO, Johnson City, Tennessee • 1/1990 - 3/1997

Leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters.

Purchasing Manager-Steel / Inventory Control Manager

Oversaw purchasing and delivery of $30M worth of domestic and offshore carbon steel coils. Managed and controlled consigned inventory valued at $18M. Responsible for welding material and powdered paint deliveries in addition to scheduling high volume, metal cut-to-length and slitter lines. Knowledge and experience with Material Requirements Planning (MRP), KanBan and Just-In-Time (JIT) best practices to effectively control inventories in addition to planning manufacturing activities, delivery schedules and purchasing activities. Served as a member of the Quality Review Board.

Financial / Operational Highlights:

• Maintained less than 3 months of steel inventory by analyzing past monthly usage averages.

• Scheduled powered paint deliveries to support an average 10-day inventory as well as slitting and cut-to-length steel production lines to support a 1-week manufacturing timeline.

• Managed $18M worth of consigned inventory with 100% accuracy by establishing controlled withdrawals and stocking locations.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Business Management

Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee

Bachelor of Science in Education

East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

The Education Society for Resource Management (APICS)

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