Executive Growth Story: Scaling Technical and Production Teams 

Humble Beginnings (1996)

In 1996, I began managing a small team of three employees at The Standard Register Company, tasked with overseeing production operations. At the time, the department was lean, and processes were largely manual, requiring significant oversight to ensure efficiency and quality control. I saw an opportunity to not only optimize workflows but also to develop a scalable, high-performance team that could meet the growing demands of our customers.

Expanding the Production and Technical Departments

As operations grew, so did the need for additional personnel and technological advancements. Over the years, I strategically expanded the team, eventually scaling the production and technical departments to 80 full-time employees. This transformation required refining operational processes, implementing automation where possible, and investing in talent to drive long-term success.

Strategic Leadership: Dividing Roles for Efficiency

With a robust team in place, it became evident that further specialization was necessary to maintain efficiency and drive innovation. We hired a dedicated Production Manager, a pivotal move that allowed me to focus exclusively on leading and growing the technical division.

Building a High-Performance Technical Team

Once freed from day-to-day production management, I turned my full attention to expanding and refining our technical team, ensuring that we were equipped to handle the increasing complexity of customer demands and internal innovation. This team grew into a multi-functional group with specialized expertise:

• 2 IT Professionals responsible for hardware infrastructure, server maintenance, and data backups, ensuring seamless operations and business continuity.

• 9 .NET Developers who became the leading development team within the coast-to-coast programming departments of The Standard Register ISG Division. This elite group spearheaded major development initiatives, setting the standard for innovation and efficiency.

• 4 Graphic Designers dedicated to creating visually compelling assets, supporting both internal and external customer requirements with high-quality visualizations.

Department Budget and Financial Flexibility

The department operated on a budget of $4.2 million per year for labor and $450,000 for infrastructure, ensuring that resources were allocated effectively to support both personnel and technology needs. This budget was adjustable based on new contract acquisitions, with expansions justified by ROI analysis to ensure sustainable growth and financial viability.

Industry Impact and Organizational Influence

By fostering a culture of technical excellence, strategic delegation, and continuous improvement, our team played a crucial role in driving The Standard Register’s ability to deliver superior products and services. The technical team I built not only streamlined internal operations but also contributed significantly to customer satisfaction and business growth.

This journey from managing three employees to leading a powerhouse technical division exemplifies my commitment to strategic growth, operational efficiency, and leadership in technology-driven environments. By leveraging the right talent, embracing innovation, and refining processes, I helped shape a department that stood out within the entire Standard Register organization.

Executive Growth Story: Scaling Operations and Driving Team Integrations

Managing Multi-Site Operations and Expanding Team Efficiency
At QuickSort, I was responsible for overseeing two physical facilities, located five miles apart, with a dynamic team consisting of 30 production employees, two machine technicians, 15 delivery drivers and contractors, an office administrator, and a billing specialist. Managing multiple locations presented challenges in workflow coordination, resource allocation, and team cohesion. However, I saw an opportunity to unify operations, enhance efficiency, and drive a culture of collaboration.

Unifying Teams Through Strategic Leadership
Leveraging my experience and Dale Carnegie training, I spearheaded initiatives to bring together employees from both facilities, fostering teamwork and alignment toward shared goals. By implementing clear communication channels, cross-training employees, and refining operational workflows, we streamlined processes and created a cohesive working environment.

Optimizing Budget and Resource Allocation
With an operational budget exceeding $2 million per year, I ensured that financial resources were strategically allocated to maintain workforce efficiency, invest in necessary infrastructure, and support long-term growth. Through careful budgeting and cost-benefit analyses, I optimized expenditures while maintaining high productivity standards.

Executing a Successful Company Merger
In 2006, I played a pivotal role in integrating another company into our operations through a merger, further consolidating resources and strengthening our market position. This transition required careful planning, leadership, and a keen focus on employee engagement to ensure a seamless integration process. Following the merger, the owner of the acquired company assumed the role of center manager, allowing for continued operational stability while I remained focused on optimizing efficiency and team performance.

Lasting Impact and Organizational Growth
Through strategic leadership, operational efficiency, and commitment to team development, I transformed QuickSort’s operations into a unified, high-performing entity. By aligning teams, refining processes, and navigating business mergers, I helped position the company for continued success in a competitive industry.

Executive Growth Story: Driving Operational Expansion and IT Innovation

Transforming Operations and IT Infrastructure

As Plant Manager and IT Director at PixelMAGICPrinting, I played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s operational and technological landscape. Managing five locations, I developed a comprehensive operational strategy and IT roadmap, integrating a secure WAN infrastructure (Fortinet & Cisco) across all sites, optimizing Dell Servers, and implementing VEEAM Backup solutions to ensure business continuity and minimal downtime. These initiatives streamlined workflows and enhanced overall production efficiency.

Building Scalable Systems and Remote Operations

Recognizing the need for seamless operations across multiple locations, I developed remote teams and automated workflow solutions, introducing advanced asset management systems to enhance productivity. My efforts in vendor contract negotiations and the implementation of digital workflow solutions contributed to a 35% reduction in downtime and an impressive 65% increase in production efficiency.

Managing a High-Stakes Relocation and Expansion

In a major strategic move, I successfully relocated million-dollar printing equipment from San Ramon, CA, to a new facility in Concord, CA, ensuring that the new location had the necessary electrical infrastructure to support high-tech production equipment. This transition required extensive logistical coordination, vendor partnerships, and meticulous planning to minimize disruptions and maintain operational excellence.

Becoming a Partner in a Venture Capital Investment

Recognizing my leadership and strategic acumen, I was made a partner in this venture capital-backed expansion. Like any startup venture, this required me to recruit top talent, including pressmen and digital professionals, while simultaneously developing training programs to ensure employees had the specialized skills necessary to operate high-tech equipment. Additionally, I designed and executed marketing campaigns to establish the company’s brand and drive customer acquisition.

Hands-On Leadership in a Demanding Environment

Operating six days a week, I managed every aspect of facility operations, overseeing P&L responsibilities, driving revenue growth, and implementing cost-containment strategies through technology-driven efficiencies. My leadership ensured that PixelMAGICPrinting successfully transitioned into a scalable, high-performance operation, setting the foundation for sustained growth and innovation in the digital printing industry.

Legacy of Strategic Growth and Innovation

Through a combination of technological foresight, operational efficiency, and strategic leadership, I played an instrumental role in expanding PixelMAGICPrinting’s capabilities. My expertise in IT infrastructure, workflow automation, and business development not only optimized production but also helped position the company as a leader in digital printing solutions.

Executive Growth Story: Leading Remote Teams & Digital Transformation

Building and Managing a High-Performance Remote Team

As Head of IT Strategy & Digital Transformation at JP Business Solutions, I successfully managed a multi-state, high-tech team, including two developers, a vendor liaison, and sales staff. Ensuring seamless collaboration across different time zones required structured communication strategies, performance tracking systems, and a results-driven work culture.

Driving Team Efficiency Through IT Strategy

I designed and implemented IT infrastructure that empowered remote teams to work efficiently and securely. By optimizing backup systems, data storage, and cybersecurity protocols, I ensured that employees had reliable, high-performing systems to support their roles without operational disruptions.

Enhancing Cross-Functional Collaboration

I facilitated cross-departmental collaboration between IT, sales, and external vendors, aligning technology initiatives with business goals. By streamlining digital workflows and automating processes, I improved team efficiency and client service delivery.

Leading External Compliance Audits with Zero Major Findings

I led my team through external audits, ensuring full compliance with industry standards. This required a strong focus on documentation, accountability, and ongoing training, reinforcing a culture of excellence and adherence to best practices.

Scaling Operations Through Digital Transformation

By spearheading the development of 40 digital storefronts (SaaS - PageDNA) for Fortune 500 companies, I oversaw a team-driven approach to technology deployment, ensuring smooth implementation while providing training and support to both internal staff and external partners.

Strategic Leadership in a Remote Work Environment

Through effective leadership, structured team management, and a commitment to scalable digital transformation, I helped JP Business Solutions maintain a high-performance remote workforce. My leadership ensured productivity, security, and operational efficiency, enabling the company to deliver exceptional results to enterprise clients.

Executive Growth Story: Empowering IT Integration & Strategy

Building and Empowering a Multi-State IT Team

As Director of Data Strategy & Analytics at Sapphire Business Solutions, I managed a high-performing IT team across multiple states, including developers, a vendor liaison, sales staff, and a network engineer. I fostered an empowered work culture, encouraging the team to develop and implement innovative solutions independently, which increased operational efficiency and team ownership.

Managing IT Integration During Multiple Acquisitions

During my tenure, I successfully led IT integration efforts for multiple acquisitions, consolidating infrastructure and reducing IT operational costs by 35%. This required careful change management, cross-functional coordination, and clear communication to ensure smooth transitions for employees and business continuity.

Enhancing Team Collaboration Through IT Unification

I migrated all employees to a unified IT environment, streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration across teams. This not only improved system reliability but also provided employees with a consistent and secure digital workspace, boosting productivity.

Strengthening Security & Operational Efficiency

Under my leadership, the IT team implemented a secure domain-controlled data infrastructure, reducing security incidents by 90% and increasing system uptime to 99.9%. By enhancing cybersecurity protocols and compliance measures, I ensured that company operations were both secure and efficient.

Empowering Teams Through Structured Processes

Recognizing the need for efficient technology adoption, I introduced a software development lifecycle (SDLC), which included change management strategies and technical knowledge sharing. This process enabled internal stakeholders to maximize user experiences while maintaining system stability and adaptability.

Driving Business Growth Through Technology & Team Leadership

Beyond IT, I launched a USPS mailing operation, which increased company profits by 30%, demonstrating my ability to align technology with business objectives. By strategically leading my IT team, enhancing security, and unifying digital environments, I helped Sapphire Business Solutions scale effectively while maintaining operational excellence across multiple locations.

Executive Growth Story: Building a High-Performance Data Analytics Team

Leading and Developing a Data-Driven Team

As Data Analytics Manager at Farmers Insurance FCU, I built and led a three-person analytics team, ensuring they had the necessary training and resources to execute high-impact data initiatives. I focused on mentorship, project leadership, and ISO documentation training, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation using Six Sigma and Lean methodologies.

Driving Operational Efficiency Through Data Transformation

I spearheaded the implementation of Power BI and a SQL data warehouse, reducing manual data processing time by 50% and increasing operational efficiency by 30%. My vision for a self-service reporting and analytics platform empowered teams across the company to make data-driven decisions with real-time business intelligence.

Modernizing Data Infrastructure for Scalability

By consolidating nine legacy financial data systems into a centralized SQL data lake, I improved data integration efficiency by 60%, ensuring real-time reporting and analytics capabilities. This modernization laid the foundation for future forecasting and business growth initiatives.

Enhancing Performance Metrics & Marketing Intelligence

I led efforts to track and optimize key financial and marketing KPIs, including conversion rate optimization, cart abandonment, customer acquisition costs, and lifetime value. By developing automated marketing dashboards, I contributed to a 15% increase in new member engagement and a 20% reduction in acquisition costs, ultimately improving customer retention rates by 12%.

Managing Strategic Projects & Cross-Functional Collaboration

I oversaw the migration of critical applications to a new mobile platform, managing project planning, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Additionally, I worked closely with FinTech partners and marketing agencies, leveraging A/B testing, organic search tracking, and paid media optimization to refine product development strategies.

Budget Management & Cost-Saving Innovations

Managing a $400,000+ department budget, I identified opportunities for cost reduction and efficiency improvements. My Power BI automation initiative projected an $800,000 annual savings, demonstrating the potential for significant financial impact—though the board ultimately opted for outsourcing.

Legacy of Data-Driven Growth & Strategic Vision

Through team leadership, advanced analytics, and data infrastructure modernization, I positioned Farmers Insurance FCU for sustained growth. My forward-thinking vision for a scalable data stack and forecasting capabilities ensured that the company remained competitive, agile, and data-driven in an evolving financial landscape.