P.O. Box 660
Business/Mobile (607) 227-1911
Ithaca, New York 14851
gpz@netscape.com

Senior Operations Executive

President / CEO / COO / Executive VP
Manufacturing, Production and Business Development

Start-Ups • High Growth • Turnarounds

Accomplished business leader offering a successful twenty-year career in diverse manufacturing environments. Progressive career with cross--functional expertise beginning in manufacturing engineering, production and operations – and expanding into business development and direct customer relationship management. Consistently successful leading change implementations to reduce cost, improve processes, and modernize and integrate systems. Credited as a visionary able to formulate and execute strategies to achieve program expectations, improve sales thereby accelerating revenue and profit opportunity.

 

Professional Experience

Elmira Stamping and Manufacturing Corp.
and Triple Cities Metal Finishing Corp.
Binghamton and Elmira, New York

President, Chief Executive Officer,
Executive Vice President,
Consultant (1985-current)

Part of the initial start-up team for Elmira Stamping and Manufacturing specializing in metal stampings and fabrications – and later Triple Cities Metal Finishing, specializing in plating, finishing and powder coating. Evolved each entrepreneurial start-up from solid brick-and-mortar manufacturing operations into multiple thriving business groups with 3 facilities, more than 300 employees, a leading market presence across the Northeastern and Mid Atlantic regions of the US, with an “A” list client base including IBM, Ingersoll-Rand and Kodak.

Corporate Development through Quality Systems
and New Business Development Strategy (1985-1990)

Challenge:

Joined the business directly out of college and challenged to introduce sound quality assurance systems to reduce current defects and customer dissatisfaction, while at the same time attracting new business through improved control systems and compliance with regulatory agencies.

Results:

• Implemented what were then “best in class” quality control and quality assurance systems achieving a zero defect rating with numerous key client partners. Within 6 months the quality assurance program permitted certification by large aircraft manufacturers resulting in several new aerospace sub-contracts increasing sales revenue 50% the first year.
• Earned the ISO Internal Audit certification and led in the development and implementation of all required safety and health plans. Partnered with the EPA, DEC and OSHA, and designed a state-of-the-art effluent control system – making it the first in the industry mitigating all identified issues restoring compliance with all regulatory agencies.
• During this period progressed through all aspects of engineering, operations and quality management while accelerating to an executive leadership role with full budgetary and P&L accountability. Strategies increased processing capability, earned numerous quality awards and grew business more than 300%.
  

Business Process Improvement
and Diversification
(1990-1999)

Challenge:

Formulated and executed strategic plan to respond to declining sales, reduced profit margins, and deep cost and production inefficiencies. Leveraged emerging technologies to streamline labor intensive operations and bottlenecks to ensure the business transitioned with the changing market and critical customer demands.

Results:

• Introduced metal fabricating as a discipline in 1995 and launched an aggressive sales strategy to penetrate new markets and expanded customer base. Within the same year the business added short run stamping capabilities and started up a machining department which grew to generate 25% of annual revenue.
• Launched an aggressive business re-engineering and process improvement strategy, introduced an innovative purchasing plan and partnered with key customer accounts to negotiate specific design changes in production to eliminate excessive subcontractor relationships.
• Strategies reduced costs 36%, reduced cycle time 75% and rationalized outsourcing partners down to one. Improvement returned on-time delivery performance to 100%.
• During this period the corporation shifted its internal focus from a “production only” culture to one with true people strategy and talent management efforts. Developed and implemented the first competency and performance based management strategies, and built a solid succession plan for each organization.

Consolidation and Business Expansion
(2000-2001)

Challenge:

Transitioned the business into the new millennium through a broad modernization plan, a revitalized approach to progressive management, a more forward thinking strategy toward integrated processes – and new systems, equipment and technologies.

Result:

• Directed all aspects of a $10 million construction build for a new manufacturing facility. Innovative pricing strategies for capital acquisitions, leverage procurement strategies and streamlined operations management completed the project 4 months ahead of schedule and $3 million under budget.
• Closed the older plating plants and consolidated all production into newly constructed facility. Plan reduced overhead costs 46%, right-sized workforce by 22%, and fully automated all major processes.

Education

Master of Business Administration
Johnson Graduate School of Management – Cornell University

Master of Social Work
Syracuse University

Bachelor of Arts – History
Saint Lawrence University; Canton NY

Certified ISO Internal Auditor

Professional & Community Affiliations

Board of Directors, Southern Tier Economic Growth
City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board
Founding Board Member, Ithaca Community Recovery
Board of Directors, Family and Children’s Services