Professional Experience

CRAWFORD INDUSTRIAL GROUP LLC (formerly CEE Inc), Orlando, FL 2000 - 2003

Product/Project Manager (2002 - 2003)

Requested by the new CEO of this financially troubled manufacturer of thermal oxidizer equipment to oversee all Product and Project initiatives during a corporate restructuring effort. Hold full P&L; management responsibility for the development of a new product line utilizing an existing company patent, as well as all new and existing projects with values up to $1.5 million each. Accountable for strategic planning, market analysis, strategy formulation, research and product development, patents, trademarks, sales and marketing, engineering and manufacturing activities.
  • Led the development of 3 additional patent enhancements of an existing company patent, opening 10 additional markets with revenue potential exceeding $2 million annually.
  • Paved the way for the company’s new technology (high temperature gas cooling) by selling and executing a $125,000 turnkey project with a profit of 35%.
  • Accomplishments include working with the client, Dr. Bradley Paul at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, to provide high temperature gas cooling technology for a pilot plant coal gasifier.
  • Other accomplishments include working with Dr. Virgil Flanigan at the Missouri University of Science & Technology (aka University of Missouri at Rolla) to do the final engineering on the system for Dr. Bradley Paul. Dr. Flanigan used CFD modeling software to develop the sizing of the system.
  • Sold and executed a $350,000 turnkey project for a “difficult client” on schedule and within budget, producing a profit margin of 22% versus a projected profit margin of 14%.
  • Rescued a $450,000 turnkey project that had been severely mismanaged and completed it under budget and on schedule within a 6-week time frame.
  • Corrected problems on 5 field projects, reversing a rapidly declining image held by the disgruntled customers.

Chief Restructuring Officer/Vice President of Engineering (2000 - 2002)

Recruited to serve a dual role as Regional Sales Manager and Product Manager with full P&L management responsibility. Managed a team of 6 sales reps, while simultaneously overseeing the development of a new product line targeted to 10 new markets utilizing an existing company patent. Subsequently promoted to Vice President of Engineering and charged with developing a new engineering team to replace the entire existing staff. Instituted strict engineering standards and project controls, and aggressive new policies and procedures governing core operations.

  • Assumed responsibility (due to a lack of higher-level leadership) as the Chief Restructuring Officer, authored a comprehensive bankruptcy/restructuring plan and worked with the venture capital firm (Hillstreet Capital - the company’s majority shareholder) to identify a new CEO.
  • Slashed payroll costs by 50% and instituted cost control measures that cut overhead costs by $400,000 annually.
  • Increased sales revenues by nearly $1 million over a 6-month period in a down economy.
  • Rebuilt the engineering department’s infrastructure and recruited 8 talented engineers and designers, successfully cutting the number of open projects by 50% (from 30 to 15 projects).

KEDLY INC, St. Louis, MO (1999 - 2000)

Vice President of Business Development

Oversaw the company’s efforts to increase sales in the Engineering Services and Fabrication Services (electrical panels and process skid packages) markets. Responsible for sales presentations ranging from $10,000 to $1.5 million, as well as all conceptual/preliminary engineering, cost estimates and proposal development. Authored the company’s first formalized sales and marketing plan, formulated a sales automation program and designed all collateral sales materials.

  • Grew sales threefold by adding 12 new customers such as Mallinckrodt, Kraft Foods and Ralston Purina, producing more than $500,000 in new revenue.
  • Developed partnership agreements with 2 OEMs (Alvey Inc and Semi-Bulk Systems, Inc.) within 6 months that helped secure 15% of an estimated $10 million regional electrical panel fabrication market. Negotiated a separate $1.2 million design/build four phase contract for engineering services.
  • Spearheaded the creation of a new company image, including the development of a 10-page corporate capabilities brochure, positioning the company for future growth.

AIRTROL, INC., St. Louis, MO (1997 - 1999)

Director of Sales & Marketing

Led business development efforts for this $5.8 million engineering and manufacturing company of air pollution control equipment and engineered air systems. Developed a new sales/marketing plan, sales proposal format, sales automation program and telemarketing effort. Held concurrent accountability for the Project Manager function and the execution of projects ranging from $500,000 to $1.5 million, from conception through final engineering, construction and startup. Directed the activities of a computer software consultant hired to develop a company website and CD-ROM catalog.

  • Reorganized the sales and marketing function, acquired 10 new sales reps and added 15 new customers such as Fluor Daniel, Monsanto & Hill's Pet Food; growing sales by 95% ($3 million - $5.8 million).
  • Sold and executed a $400,000 design/build dust collection system for Allegiance Healthcare Corporation that produced a 27% profit margin.

DYNAMIC BULK SYSTEMS, INC., St. Louis, MO (1994 - 1997)

Sales Engineer

Marketed a territory in 2 states for this manufacturer’s rep company focusing on such companies as Anheuser-Busch, Sigma Chemical & Fru-Con Engineering. Assisted in the development of promotional plans, ensured appropriate implementation, cultivated new accounts and promoted customer relationships to ignite territory sales. Equipment sales included fans, dust collection, pneumatic conveying and dry bulk material handling equipment.

  • Built the territory from scratch through direct sales and strategic business alliances to $1.3 million within 30 months. Closed the largest single sale in 1996 to Hill's Pet Food for nearly $750,000.

FRU-CON ENGINEERING INC., St. Louis, MO (1994)

Project Manager/Engineer – Industrial Division, Food & Beverage Segment

Full P&L responsibility for capital projects ranging in value from $3 million to $35 million for customers such as Hill's Pet Food, Nestle Beverage Company and Consolidated Flavor. Developed the scope of work and man-hour estimates, negotiated contracts, developed project schedules and managed projects through final design, construction and startup.

Project Manager/Process Engineer

Responsible for coordinating the process mechanical, instrumentation and controls, electrical, structural and architectural final design of a cocoa milling processing line project for Consolidated Flavor Corporation. Project Manager responsibilities include developing the Scope of Work and manhour estimates, negotiating the contract with the client, developing the project schedule and managing the project through final design, construction and startup. Process Engineer responsibilities include developing the process, PFD and P&ID development, vendor interface, technical bid evaluations, vendor shop drawing review, identifying tie-in points to the existing utility systems and coordinating the equipment layout and physical piping design.

Project Engineer

Responsible for developing the process mechanical portion of a master plan study for Nestle Beverage Company. Responsibilities include client interface, equipment layout and recommendations on how to go from an intensely manual operation to an automated operation. Consequently, reducing operating costs and freeing up raw ingredient and finished product warehouse space.

Project Engineer

Responsible for coordinating the process mechanical design of an extruder rebuild project for Hill's Pet Food Company. Responsibilities include client interface, P&ID development, hot water system design, identifying tie-in points to the existing utility systems and coordinating the equipment layout and physical piping design.

SVERDRUP CORPORATION (acquired by Jacobs Engineering), St. Louis, MO (1990 - 1994)

Project Engineer – Industrial Division, Food & Beverage Segment

Full P&L responsibility for all mechanical, instrumentation and controls design for multiple capital projects ranging from $40 million to $150 million for customers such as Hershey Foods, Nabisco and Tropicana. Responsibilities included managing, scheduling and controlling engineers and designers within tight budget and schedule constraints.

Project Engineer

Responsible for coordinating the process mechanical design for the design/build of a bakery plant modernization for Nabisco Brands, Inc. Responsibilities include client interface, PFD and P&ID development, vendor interface, technical bid evaluations, vendor shop drawing review, specifying a vacuum and pressure pneumatic conveying system, developing the process mechanical construction specification, sizing and specifying sanitary positive displacement pumps and stainless steel sanitary tanks, designing a heat sterilization system, specifying vacuum assist lifts and coordinating the physical piping design. Also assumed responsibility for the design of the utility systems which included hot and chilled water, compressed air, steam and condensate, city water, CO2, a central vacuum system and a cooling tower.

Project Engineer

Responsible for coordinating the process mechanical, instrumentation and controls, electrical, structural and architectural preliminary design and cost estimate of a cheese plant modernization for Kraft USA. Also responsible for developing the process and utilities design and cost estimate.

Process Engineer

Contributed to the process mechanical design for the design/build of a margarine plant relocation and modernization for Nabisco, Inc. Responsibilities included sizing and specifying 3-A sanitary centrifugal pumps, 3-A sanitary batch pasteurization tanks, metering pumps and a whey powder bulk bag unloading system and developing the process mechanical construction specification.

Process/Utilities Engineer

Contributed to the mechanical design for a preliminary design and cost estimate of a cheese plant conversion for Kraft USA. Responsibilities included serving as the dairy consultant to the mechanical design team and assisting the team in developing the preliminary design and cost estimate of the utility systems.

Group Leader

Promoted to Group Leader of 20 engineers and designers working on a $150 million Hershey Foods project that was drastically behind schedule and over budget. Responsible for the instrumentation and controls design for the design/build of a grassroots chocolate processing plant for Hershey Foods Corporation. Finished 1,100 drawings and 150 database schedules 4 weeks ahead of the new schedule, saving approximately $100,000 in salary expense. Design work is comprised of elementary ladder diagrams, control panel layouts, conduit and wireway physicals, P&IDs and a series of database schedules that included conduit, wire and cable schedules and control panel termination schedules. Field supervision and assistance was also performed for control panel fabrication and installation, conduit and wireway installation and construction document coordination.

Instrument Engineer

Contributed to the instrumentation and controls design of a design/build grassroots orange juice distribution facility for Tropicana Products, Inc. Responsibilities included quality control checking of the instrumentation physicals through the use of mechanical piping physicals and isometrics, P&IDs and vendor shop drawings.

RASKAS FOODS, INC., St. Louis, MO (1989 - 1990)

Production Engineer

Managed the production lines and plant sanitation activities for this dairy facility with 200+ hourly union employees.
  • Production includes receiving and storage of packaging and raw materials, processing of the raw materials, quality assurance, filling, packaging and distribution.
  • Safety manager in charge of plant safety program. Responsibilities include developing safety program and enforcing OSHA standards and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
  • Sanitation manager in charge of complete sanitation of the plant on designated shift. Responsibilities included interfacing with the CIP chemical manufacturer and local and state regulatory agencies.
  • Assisted maintenance engineer on troubleshooting downtime processing and packaging lines and developing preventive maintenance programs for the process and packaging lines and the utility systems.
  • Implemented statistical process control program.