Grow with a company that has strategies in play to keep it competitive in the market for years to come.  In a newly elevated role, this is a unique time for someone to put their thumbprint on how the company handles transportation and services customers.  The Director will have total responsibility for day-to-day operations of the transportation network, performance, and workflow, utilizing a company-owned fleet, team of drivers, fleet maintenance, and support staff.

Assignment: 4276
Title: Director of Transportation
Industry: Woodworking
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Location: Southeast

Our Client:

Our client is a well-established, highly respected, and profitable manufacturer, this privately-owned company is experiencing its highest ever level of sales.  Its investment in innovation to enter new markets and opportunities, and its commitment to the workforce ensure continued growth.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Create functional strategies and specific objectives for the overall functionality of the transportation division
• Develop budgets (cost center P&L for this department), projects, and procedures to support the functional infrastructure
• Lead a team of truck drivers using excellent lead-by-example management techniques and ensuring safety throughout the transportation division
• Manage the fleet through preventative maintenance and buy/sell decisions
• Minimize cost by securing backhauls with company purchased materials as well as outsourced non-perishable cargo
• Maintain system-wide fleet routing
• Manage an office staff of dispatchers, brokers, safety officer, and a team of drivers
• Manage deliveries in accordance with policy, quality, budget, and customer satisfaction
• Develop, implement, and train associates in new methods of handling to reduce quality issues
• Develop, maintain, and analyze logistical control data
• Implement TMS rollout programs to enhance/streamline overall efficiency
• Ensure all programs comply with state and federal regulations

Position Requirements:

• Minimum 5 -10 years Managerial experience in Logistics
• Experience with private fleet delivery of manufactured goods, preferably to a dealer/distributor customer base
• Ability/experience leading a large team of drives, including communication, routing & dispatch, pay initiatives
• Deep, solid knowledge of the overall transportation division function including fleet management – preventative maintenance and buy/sell decisions
• Cost center P&L, budgets, costs, taxes (fuel & highway)
• General knowledge of Federal Motor Carrier Act and Department of Transportation guidelines
• Working knowledge of exports
• Strong cross-functional collaborative leadership
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral
• Change management – comfortable creating and communication change
• Understanding of PeopleNet or similar e-tracking system
• MS Office to create spreadsheets for communication to management
• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics or equivalent experience and training

Contact:

Rick Mohrman
Executive Recruiter
rmohrman@brookechase.com
941-914-9328

Contact:

Lisa Baaklini
Recruiter
lbaaklini@brookechase.com
773-729-2240

In a key role with opportunity for innovation and growth, the Finished Products Manager will lead the company’s largest planing/molding facility, with profit center P&L, production, team leadership, quality, safety, maintenance, and close customer interaction.  This leader will be strongly considered for further promotion within the company.

Assignment: 4271
Title: Finished Products Manager
Industry: Millwork, moldings, paneling, siding and boards
Reports To: General Manager
Location: New England

Our Client:

Our client is one of the largest, most dynamic, highly respected and awarded lumber companies in New England with a history that spans over 170 years.  Their sawmill division is the largest manufacturer of Eastern White Pine boards in the world with annual production of 80,000,000 board feet.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• P&L profit center responsibility for all Finished Products manufacture and shipping, including moulder/trim and shavings/bagger operations
• Safety, employee engagement and quality are top priorities in meeting goals for production, yield and profitability, communicating daily with GM on key metrics
• Process/continuous improvement and product/capacity expansion with management of capital projects
• Safety: role model, standards, prevention, audits, investigations, corrective action
• Leadership: team building, management, mentoring, communication, collaboration, performance management
• Production: scheduling, production & demand planning, productivity, troubleshooting
• Maintenance: proactive preventative maintenance, minimize downtime
• Shipping: complete & on-time delivery
• Quality & Continuous Improvement: SOP’s, compliance, process improvement
• Product & Capacity Expansion: capital project management
• Customers: needs/expectations, new product/service, specs, communication, value analysis
• Financial: profit center P&L, budgets, proformas, costs, inventory

Position Requirements:

• Manufacturing experience – 5 years production management
• People skills – engaging, team builder, collaborative communicator, ability to energize & motivate team
• Strong safety track record – mindset, recordable metric improvement
• Quality and customer service driven
• Scheduling – production/demand planning, workflow, shipping
• Lean/CI process improvement – drives in collaboration with employees to define, measure, analyze, improve, control
• Capital project experience – project & contractor management, ROI
• Solid mechanical knowledge and maintenance experience – lumber, planer, moulder experience preferred
• Production P&L – budgeting, controlling costs in labor, material, etc.  Understands and manages the metrics that determine profitability
• Strong communication skills – all forms and at all levels, able to clearly present ideas, good listener, encourages participation
• Strong computer skills
• Planning/Scheduling

Contact:

Rick Mohrman
Executive Recruiter
rmohrman@brookechase.com
941-914-9328

Contact:

Lisa Baaklini
Recruiter
lbaaklini@brookechase.com
773-729-2240

This is an amazing opportunity to work for a global leader and disrupt the US market through strategizing and implementing market programs.

Assignment: 4269
Title: Director of Marketing
Industry: Hot Water & Heating Products
Reports To: VP/GM
Location: RI/MA

Our Client:

Our client is the largest producer in the world of hot water and heating products.  Their name is synonymous with comfort, energy efficiency, and respect for the environment thanks to its high efficiency products, its plants are in compliance with the most advanced production standards, and excellent pre and after sales customer support services.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Make sure customer, product, service, pricing, etc. initiatives are fully in line with the brand promise of products
• Develop the brand’s value proposition in the US in cooperation with corporate marketing
• Design and implement the company’s website strategy
• Design and execute digital advertising and digital marketing initiatives
• Design and execute trade and contractors engagement initiatives
• Set up tools to track the health status of the brands
• Be the local ambassador of the corporate brand
• Design and execute marketing initiatives at every new product launch
• Develop and maintain high-standard product literature and supporting materials (including website information)
• Maintain a high-performing assortment (provide advice) following a lifecycle management concept
• Develop the annual marketing plan and related budget as part of the company budget
• Measure and monitor returns of major marketing initiatives/campaigns, promotions
• Constantly monitor the profitability of the products/channels and identify opportunities and risks
• Monitor market trends, competitors strategies and company’s market shares within each product category
• Monitor evolution of the regulation in the major states to support the company on making business/product decisions
• Develop a profitable way on-line sales through the major on-line players in the company’s sector
• Manage on-line range, pricing and promotions also paying attention to channel conflicts with wholesale
• Identify and execute initiatives to develop the company’s own on-line business (now limited to the sale of spare parts)
• Be a change driver and leader of some key strategic initiatives to be implemented in the sales and marketing arenas (e.g. CRM, customer analytics, digitally connected products…)
• Set list price of every new product launched coherently with the brand position and following a market and profit approach
• Authorize programs with new customers or program reviews with existing ones
• Authorize non-standard pricing and promotions
• Develop best-in-class training programs on the products leveraging on internal and technical capabilities
• Transform training into marketing and commercial opportunities for the company
• In cooperation with the sales team, identify major product opportunities and the benefits with filling them
• Coordinate a multi-functional team (including R&D, sales, etc.) and be the project leader of every NNPD imitative
• Make sure every product complies with safety, efficiency, etc. rules

Position Requirements:

• Someone with experience with two step distribution and ecommerce
• Industry connectivity
• Someone who is going to role up their sleeves, get busy and go climb a mountain
• BA Degree, MBA preferred

Contact:

Rich Miller
Executive Recruiter
rmiller@brookechase.com
941-914-9172

Contact:

Lisa Baaklini
Recruiter
lbaaklilni@brookechase.com
773-729-2240

This is a confidential search for a dynamic individual with growth potential who will provide operational leadership, improve processes and efficiencies, develop team members and implement strategies for increased capacity.

Assignment: 4266
Title: Plant Operations Leader
Industry: Building Materials
Reports To: COO
Location: Mid-Atlantic

Our Client:

Our client is experiencing dynamic growth with a non-commodity high-end building materials product that is highly regarded in its category.  Growth in demand had led to construction of a new manufacturing facility for expanded capability and capacity.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide operational leadership, ensuring a customer-centric focus on complete and on-time delivery rate and strategy with an understanding of process flow and scheduling.
• Improve efficiencies in process, flow, labor cost and staffing, and first-pass yield/quality/scrap reduction.
• Contribute to development of “preferred place to work” culture through effective employee interaction and engagement.
• Assess talent, develop the team (supervisors / leads) to sustain significant growth.
• Participate in capacity increase plans in a new facility.

Position Requirements:

• 5+ years’ production leadership in a growth environment manufacturing a quality “fashion” building material
• Growth potential of someone who has demonstrated strong leadership potential
• Demonstrated “strategic” thinking, planning and organizational skills
• Leadership skills in interacting with and engaging employees
• Technical and Continuous Improvement thought process – demonstrated process improvement success utilizing “Lean” and/or other CI tools
• Familiarity with CNC automated and manual processes and ERP interface

Contact:

Rick Mohrman
Executive Recruiter
rmohrman@brookechase.com
941-914-9328

Contact:

Abigail Seymour
Recruiter
aseymour@brookechase.com
941-914-9505

This energetic, multi-talented, hands-on, and pro-active Marketing Manager will be responsible for working with both internal teams and external retail customers to develop and execute effective marketing initiatives, including: product marketing, company communications, retail marketing, collateral and public relations.  The Marketing Manager will be fully responsible for the design and production of all company marketing and communication materials, will work closely with senior management, and contribute to strengthening market position and image with the channel and consumers.

Assignment: 4261
Title: Marketing Manager
Industry: Flooring
Reports To: EVP Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
Location: Mid-Atlantic

Our Client:

Our client is the leading manufacturer in the U.S. within its niche, providing a full line of innovative, top quality, highly engineered products and serving leading Home Center, OEM and Distributor customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Under new leadership, this company has tremendous growth potential and is undergoing a transformation to accommodate anticipated doubling of its annual volume.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Translate senior management’s vision for the brands and individual products into dynamic and engaging market materials
• Produce all marketing & communication materials
• Lead brainstorming sessions to develop creative concepts
• Efficiently take a project from a creative concept to the delivered material(s)
• Lead an internal Marketing Team & work with employees from different functional areas, such as sales and product management, to develop the detailed content for a project (e.g. catalog copy, video story board)
• Lead efforts with Retail customers to develop effective in-Store and online product presence
• Manage and stay within budget and meet deadlines
• Research & present production alternatives & costs, negotiate effectively with vendors
• Design and produce all facets of print, merchandising and packaging including photography, copy and layout
• Storyboard a video production (e.g. television commercial, training video, product sales video) and manage its filming, editing and final delivery
• Manage all aspects of web design and administration

Position Requirements:

• Five (5) years of experience providing creative development
• Demonstrated experience, skills and knowledge in concept development, design, and delivery of marketing materials
• Extensive experience marketing of products to large, omni-channel retail customers
• Direct hands-on experience in two or more of the following: video, multi-media, web, catalog, packaging, or sales collateral development
• Knowledge and experience using some of the most commonly used creative/design computer programs such as Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office
• Self-organized, meticulous and can manage numerous projects simultaneously while working independently
• Effectively manages changing priorities and has the tenacity to overcome adversity and obstacles
• Ability to think outside the box, take direction and feedback from senior management, learn new skills and challenge oneself
• Degree in Design, Communications or Marketing preferred
• Experience in creative & marketing functions with consumer products/building materials a plus

Rick Mohrman
Executive Recruiter
rmohrman@brookechase.com
941-914-9328

Contact:

Abigail Seymour
Recruiter
aseymour@brookechase.com
941-914-9505

CEO with a Plan is an opportunity for an entrepreneurial leader to acquire and grow a business to the point of successful exit. Whether a management buyout of your current business unit or the acquisition and build-out of another private company, you assume accountability to lead a business enterprise, tap unrealized potential and create significant growth.

Introduction:

Private Equity (PE) owned firms grew revenue twice as fast as all other types for the last 10 years according to a recent Pepperdine survey. Our PE Partners are constantly looking for their next growth company and in some cases actively pursue an “Executive First” approach to investment. Across the board, the most universally well received inquiry is what we call CEO with a Plan: an experienced executive who displays passion, vision and a proposal to create a growth enterprise.

Outcomes:

As Steven Covey advises, a CEO with a Plan must “Begin with the end in mind.” The goal is to maximize value creation within a defined period such as 5 to 7 years. Success rewards the CEO and leadership team through the increased equity valuation whenever there is an ownership change. There may also be the option to reinvest and continue to grow the enterprise towards yet another ownership change.

Industry:

Our broad range of partners means that any manufacturing, distribution, transportation, or services enterprise will be accommodated. Building materials, industrials, software, medical device, bio-tech, niche manufacturing, or any industry segment that will support an attractive growth strategy will be considered.

Location:

Determined by your investment thesis.

Accountabilities:

You will be expected to present an investment idea and facilitate its transformation into a successful investment strategy. When funded, your accountability to implement and achieve objectives can encompass:

• Creating a corporate vision, culture, goals and action plans.
• Leading the acquisition and integration of multiple businesses.
• Transitioning your business to an independent enterprise with its own unique culture.
• Assessing, acquiring, developing and inspiring the leadership team to implement your vision.
• Leveraging the board, external and internal resources to their fullest.
• Leading the business to meet or exceed defined milestones.
• Participating in a successful liquidity event.

Requires:

The successful CEO will have turned around, unlocked potential, created strong growth and otherwise lead a business to exceed expectations; ideally more than once. One must also develop an investment thesis to complete the package. For example, a plan to carve-out the business unit of a larger corporation that you currently lead. Or perhaps a strategy to consolidate a few smaller companies into a platform that you can then grow into a segment leading enterprise. Regardless of the plan, investors expect an in-depth knowledge of the target industry.

Dimensions:

You will be expected to demonstrate leadership dimensions such as proactivity, adaptability, high energy, integrity, interpersonal effectiveness, strategic perspective, and communications ability.

Compensation:

There will be an appropriate incentivized executive compensation package, equity participation and the satisfaction from leading your strategy to meet or exceed expectations. Most significant will be the equity pay out at the time of a successful ownership change.

Contact:

Murray Parker
Managing Director
mparker@brookechase.com
941-914-9146

Our Private Investment Client specifically partners with talented executives who are motivated to acquire their current business or a selected target company and take that enterprise to the next level.

If you, as an experienced president or business unit leader:

• Know that you could significantly improve performance for your current business if you had the freedom and accountability to pursue your vision
• Have identified a target company that you know could be grown dramatically
• Have already identified a fund source that just doesn’t feel like the right partner
  Then, perhaps we should talk.

Assignment: 3880
Title: Executive Partner to Lead a Management Buy-Out
Location: Americas

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Our client has implemented an “Executive First” approach to investment. Since leadership is the key to business success, they want to lock-in the best leader then fund that individual’s strategy to create a portfolio business with significant upside potential.
• The ideal executive partner will have successfully transformed and grown a business preferably more than once in the past. Key among their priorities should be a commitment to an attractive investment strategy in a market that they know sufficiently well to reduce risk and create a pathway for success amidst multiple obstacles.

This is clearly not for everyone. However, if your strategy involves a business in the $10 to $200 Million revenue range that is now or can readily become cash flow positive, then perhaps we should talk. This could be the investor you are looking for.

Contact:

Murray Parker
Managing Director
mparker@brookechase.com
941-914-9146