PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

An optimistic big picture leader, with an extensive track record in driving safety and operational improvement starting at the ground level and worked his way up into management to be a “boots on the ground”, servant leader. He enjoys helping operations- intensive organizations that need safety or performance improvement. He brings a talent for taking control, implementing sustainable processes, and cultivating talented, strong cross-functional teams, that create sustainable, long lasting business units.

Leadership

Led teams of progressively larger sizes in each role throughout his career. In a recent role as Operations Superintendent, had oversight over a business unit that spanned a 4-state region with 16 large productions facilities and more than 1,500 personnel throughout multiple departments. Believes in creating a team built on trust where teams can work independently of direction while keeping involved in the work close enough to provide help at any level of the team where needed. I’m a remover of barriers, tool provider, and simplifier. A true servant leader, but he insists on a culture based on making safety a priority and continuous improvement a source of constant reinvention.

Communication

Believes communication skills depend on more than being a polished public speaker and competent writer. Excellent ability to cascade the right message to further the organizations goals, at any level of the organization. Consistent messaging to different audiences, internal and external. Additionally, ensuring needed information is visible to those who need it at the right time, or available at all times. Believes in employing technology to ensure information gaps in daily operations can be fortified, reducing errors and waste. Finally, establishing teams that can communicate effectively cross-functionally to maintain a network perspective throughout the organization ensuring every team is working toward the same goal efficiently.

Business Strategy

Provides leadership to achieve operational excellence and growth. As an operations leader being a part of developing the organizations strategy is essential. Experienced in planning for capacity availability, growth strategy, succession planning, capital planning needs, and asset utilization. Extensive background integrating operations cohesively with other departments to ensure the overall strategy meets the demands of sales and through to satisfaction of the customer expectations. Created partnerships and council startup companies as they onboarded as customers, providing guidance through sustainable shipments. In the transportation sector this typically included network planning. Creating complex plans around timing and making connections of equipment at the right time so resources dwelled for as short a time as possible and required minimal resources to move. Particularly passionate about safe productivity while constantly reinventing Lean processes to improve asset utilization, reducing waste, and fortifying supply.

Operational Improvement

Creating a culture around continuous improvement is nearly as important as building a culture around safety. Believes demonstrating success firsthand, individual contributors can experience how having personal value in continuous improvement processes increases buy-in at many levels. Has experience creating those cultures and knows that finding that mutual payoff for the individual contributor is the most successful way in creating long lasting momentum. Has a deep passion for supporting operational improvement, and really enjoys speaking to in groups of employees about process improvement. Throughout career has led many processes improvement projects through problem solving to ensure the most efficient, effective, and safe operations, including development and adherence to key performance measures or KPIs. This includes major restructuring of operations that resulted in a reduction in resources that required little to no financial investment to major multi-million-dollar, multi-year capital improvement projects. Experienced in providing justification for capital projects from $1 million to $33M through development and operational status.

Union Pacific Corporation 1998 – 2021

Operations Superintendent, St. Paul, MN 

October 2017 – August 2021

• Experienced 6% growth during my tenure to exceed more than $2 billion in annual revenue. Responsible for all P&L within that business unit.
• Multiple safety awards, consistent 7% year-over-year reduction in personal injuries within responsible business units. 2020 resulted in a record safety year.
• Reduced annual operating costs by $9.3 million through elimination of resource redundancies using a method of reviewing customer demand and allocation of crews and equipment on a quarterly basis to match resources with need. This ultimately resulted in the consolidation of terminals.

Director of Operating Practices, St. Paul, MN

November 2016 – October 2017

• Restructured incident reporting review process for personal safety, public safety, and equipment incidents, which resulted in a reduction in over reporting caused by poor documentation and lack of standard process.
• Strategic Planning: Assessed organizational manpower needs and directed resource level changes, hiring/furlough levels. Reduced labor costs by 22% in 2017.

Senior Manager of Operations, Various Locations Minnesota, Wisconsin

June 2011 – November 2016

• Led a team of more than 400 through record-setting weather events and major industry growth with a previously unheard of, four-year, zero reportable personal injuries.
• Presented the Patriotic Employer Award by the Department of Defense’s ESGR group and Army National Guard, nomination from group of employee soldiers.

Operations Manager, Various Locations Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota

May 2005 – June 2011

• Provided leadership to achieve operational excellence. Executed transportation and safety plans. Led employee, customer, and public safety initiatives and processes, integrating environmental, health, and physical safety into all field departments. Worked cross-functionally to maintain a
network perspective and railcar supply.