Manufacturing & Mining

 

I have a business that sells equestrian supplies both retail and online. I’d like to begin
using social media as a marketing tool, but I’m clueless as to how to begin. How do I go about 
developing a social media strategy?

 

About the Author

 

This column is brought to you by the Merrimack Valley Chapter of SCORE, with nearly 
70 current and former business executives available to provide free, confidential, one-on-one 
business mentoring and training workshops for area businesses. Call 603-666-7561 or visit 
merrimackvalley.score.org for information on mentoring, upcoming workshops and volunteer 

Ask SCORE

Our four-year-old printing business is finally on solid footing. We’ve worked hard and 
been very fortunate, and now we’d like to begin giving something back to the community. What 
types of activities can you suggest?

 

About the Author

This column is brought to you by the Merrimack Valley Chapter of SCORE, with nearly 70 current and former business executives available to provide free, confidential, one-on-one business mentoring and training workshops for area businesses. Call 603-666-7561 or visit merrimackvalley.score.org for information on mentoring, upcoming workshops and volunteer opportunities. SCORE is a national, non-profit organization and a resource partner of the U. S. Small Business Administration.

Dennis Edens

Current City: Raleigh, NC
Chapter: Raleigh SCORE

 

Creative Print, LLC – Raleigh, NC, 2010 to Present

Business Manager (2010 to Present)

Responsible for all business functions, including pricing, marketing, sales, contracts, vendor negotiations and account management.

§  Developed and executed start-up business plan that achieved a six month payback.

§  Developed and executed a 2012 marketing plan that achieved greater than 35% increase over 2011 sales.

§  Evaluated, negotiated and executed equipment plan that increased throughput by 175%, while improving quality and decreasing overall monthly expenditures.

 

Alcatel-Lucent – Raleigh, NC, 1983 to 2010

International telecommunications equipment provider with over 77,000 employees located in 120 countries.

Business Operations Manager, Product Unit Business Office (2008 to 2010)

Managed product margin and margin improvement of the Fiber-to-the-User product generating more than $200 million in annual revenue. Defined, justified, and prioritized cost improvement (CI) projects. Created and maintained all product cost models and provided backup support for product master data.

§  Enhanced focus on cost improvement by creating and maintaining a direct margin spreadsheet that drew from multiple databases, enabling efficient prioritization and tracking of cost improvement efforts.

§  Identified and documented more than $18 million in first-year savings in a project tracking spreadsheet — initiatives projected to deliver an ROI of 1,125%.  

§  Identified and developed business case for $6 million in savings over 2 years (with a 4-month payback).

 

Senior Product Solutions Manager, Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) Equipment (2007 to 2008)

Updated product roadmaps and communicated changes to customers and internal teams. Developed and implemented product phase-in/out strategies and provided input on product master data. Compiled customer / competition feedback for marketing plans. Managed customer communications and drove all maintenance release activities, defining all hardware / software changes. Led cross-functional project management team.  

§  Facilitated team initiatives that resulted in growing revenue 64% from 2007 to 2008 and attained first-ever #1 GPON market status for FTTU product, as cited by the Dell’Oro Group market research firm.

§  Established an electronic approval process for internal and external product bulletins that resulted in more accurate and timely communications.

 

Product Manager, Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) Equipment (1997 to 2007)

Maintained P&L responsibility for Alcatel 1000 and 7300 DSL products generating as much as $1.2 billion annually. Defined new product requirements, developed product plans, approved changes, set product pricing, and managed the product life cycle. Set development and production priorities, tracked the master project plan, and managed customer communications, including technical input / review of marketing and data sheet material. Coordinated materials for lab and field trials to support customer product approval.

§  Implemented product strategy that resulted in capturing more than 50% of the US DSL equipment market share (sales grew from $2.7 million to $905 million in 3 years), while winning the 2000 Governor’s New Product Award (1000 ADSL product) and Networld+Inerop “Best in Show” award (7300 product).

§  Worked directly with key customers to successfully gain product acceptance.

§  Acted as primary product manager for ISO9000/TL9000 audits, resulting in zero non-compliance findings.

 

Manager, Test Engineering (1990 to 1997)

Managed 30-employee test engineering department in the design, development, and support of the overall manufacturing test strategy for all design center products, which generated more than $120 million annually. Supervised the design, construction, and release of production test facilities and associated test software, including product burn-in. Organized and tracked the entire Raleigh operations’ $5+ million capital budget.

§  Developed a customer and continuous improvement focused team structure that maximized efficiencies — delivered more than $1.3 million in cost savings, reduced development schedules by more than 2 months, and decreased manufacturing test-related trouble reports to their all-time lowest level.

§  Volunteered as a continuous improvement team facilitator, leading teams in achieving ISO 9001 certification and winning the Pacific Bell Quality Partner Award and Bell Canada Award of Excellence.

 

Supervisor, Advanced Test Engineering (1988 to 1990)

Project Engineer, Advanced Test Engineering (1984 to 1987)

Coordinated, planned, and budgeted all pre-production test activities supporting all design center products.  Managed Operations’ $5 million capital budget. Defined new product test strategies, reviewed products for testability, and generated specifications for all test equipment. Evaluated and implemented new technologies and techniques to maintain manufacturing efficiencies and analyzed future equipment requirements.

§  Worked closely with R&D to develop and deliver the market’s first synchronous optical network (SONET) equipment, meeting a very aggressive delivery schedule.

§  Reduced test development costs by analyzing and modifying product designs to improve testability.

§  Enhanced manufacturing efficiency by creating an automated tool for projecting test yields.

§  Key member of team tasked with addressing surface mount technology requirements and implementation, including developing the surface mount technology design for testability guidelines.

§  Worked closely with R&D and coordinated all test efforts for the new OC-12 Optical Carrier product, allowing production shipment within 24 hours of system software release.

 

Manufacturing Test Engineer (1983 to 1984)

Responsible for all test support for assigned product lines.

§  Completed manufacturing test on a new fiber optic transmission system on schedule and within budget.

 

Delco Electronics (a division of General Motors) - Kokomo, IN (1979 to 1983)

Quality Engineer, Engine Control Products 

Delivered quality and reliability engineering support in a high-volume production environment.

Resume

Education

 

Masters of Science in Management (MBA equivalent), NC State University – Raleigh, NC (12/93)

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, NE (5/79)

Anitha Hariharanathan

Current City: Windsor, CT

Resume

Education
n/a

Guillermo Villar

Current City: Charlotte, NC

Resume

Education
n/a

Ron Cote

Current City: Blue Hill, ME
Chapter: Bangor SCORE

Resume

Education
n/a

 

Ask SCORE
After working for more than 25 years in the publishing industry, the company I worked 
for downsized and I accepted an attractive buyout package. Now I’d like to start my own 
business. What do I do first?
 

 

About the Author

 

This column is brought to you by the Merrimack Valley Chapter of SCORE, with nearly 
70 current and former business executives available to provide free, confidential, one-on-one 
business mentoring and training workshops for area businesses. Call 603-666-7561 or visit 
merrimackvalley.score.org for information on mentoring, upcoming workshops and volunteer 
opportunities. SCORE is a national, non-profit organization and a resource partner of the U. S. 
Small Business Administration.

Dana K. Brehm

Current City: St. Louis, MO

Accomplished finance manager with recognized success in partnering finance and accounting with business objectives for domestic and global organizations.  Expertise in accounting, financial planning and reporting, capital planning, auditing, budgeting, and forecasting.  Noted success in managing budget process for annual revenues of $3+ billion.  Talent for leveraging financial systems to drive cost and efficiency savings.  Superb leadership capabilities to build consensus and manage cross-functional efforts.  Qualifications enhanced with CPA and CMA.

 

Financial Analysis  Ÿ  Internal Controls  Ÿ  Cost/Benefit Analysis  Ÿ  Expense Control  Ÿ  International Business

Data Management  Ÿ  IT/Finance Liaison  Ÿ  IT Financial Systems Interface  Ÿ  Hyperion  Ÿ  SAP

Most recent company expereince as Finance and Budget Manager at:

Ameren Corporation, Missouri segment, St. Louis, MO

Sara Lee Bakery Group, Clayton, MO

Australian Trade Commission, Tokyo, Japan

Midcoast Aviation, St. Louis, MO Lambert Field

Resume

Education

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS

 

Master of Science in Accountancy, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS – Champaign-Urbana, Illinois

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS – Champaign-Urbana, Illinois

Certificate of Public Accounting (CPA), Illinois

Certificate in Management Accounting (CMA)

Robert Rudisill

Current City: Plainfeld, IL

Owned and operated small electro-mechanical manufacturing company for 30 years. Program Manager with diesel engine manufacturing company for 10 years. Knowledgeable on CAD software and engineering design. Have extensive experience in the use of Excel Spreadsheets in company analysis and reporting.

College Recruiter - AT&T Long Lines
Owner of Small Electromechanical Co. for 30 years
Program Manager - Navistar Engine Group

Resume

Education

BSEE from Purdue University
MBA Major in Production Management University of Colorado

Sean R Whiting

Current City: Chillicothe, IL
Chapter: Peoria SCORE

Design Engineering, manufacturing, project management, sales, quoting

Resume

Education

AA, Automotive

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