JOSEPH PREUTH

3623   Lawrence Dr.

Naperville, IL  60564

Home: 630-904-9511 Office: 312-853-5623

Cell: 630-303-3406 e-mail: jpreuth5839@wowway.com

CAREER SUMMARY

Dynamic Operations Leader with proven track record in leading Supply Chain and Quality teams in diverse industries. Recognized for outstanding ability to build strong teams, solve challenging problems, and consistently deliver bottom-line results. Significant expertise in successfully applying Six Sigma and Lean in multiple industries and functions. Certified Quality Leader, Master Black Belt, and Black Belt.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

GENERAL ELECTRIC CORPORATION                                                                        1995- Present

Executive Vice President, Operations, GE Rail Services, Chicago, IL (2003 ? Present)

Promoted to EVP to lead a 550-person team in a $1 billion revenue business. Supervise 17 managers, including eight repair shops in the US and Canada, rail operations, intermodal trailer and container operations, engineering, sourcing, railroad repair, regulatory compliance, EHS, and Lean Six Sigma. Responsible for $215 million of cost, and maintenance and logistics for 360,000 assets.

·       Facing a 55% volume increase and inflationary pressures for both material and labor costs, drove a comprehensive, integrated strategy of cross functional cost reduction initiatives and resource alignment which resulted in $31 million in variable cost productivity.

·       Optimized the balance of owned and contract repair shops and turned around loss-making shops by overseeing the development of two long term supplier agreements, the rapid shutdown of two repair shops, and the sale of three others. Result: $8 million in savings.

·       Repeatedly broke complex issues down to prioritized action items for teams to engage on.  Examples: railroad repair cost out team delivered tenfold productivity increase; contract leakage team billed $2 million of incremental revenue; fees team implemented $1.5 million in new fees.

Senior Vice President, Quality Leader, GE Commercial Finance, High   Point, NC (2001 ? 2003)

Selected to build a global Six Sigma team across the US, Mexico, and Singapore in a new business unit formed after the Heller Financial acquisition, comprised of 490 employees, five separate P&Ls, and $2.5 billion in commercial loans. Responsible for all aspects of Quality deployment, training, and execution.

·       Influenced five business leaders and staffs to align Quality resources with strategic initiatives. Results: generated $30 million in impact from over 100 completed projects.

·       Repeatedly recognized as developing top performing team for project execution, rigor, and impact. Selected to show nineprojects at Corporate level for their technical excellence and business results.

Vice President, Business Integration, GE Commercial Finance (2000 ? 2001)

Led all Operations service and data transfer activities with customers, for factoring and working capital lending business with $4 billion in commercial assets.  Key member of E-Commerce strategy team.

·       Awarded ?Golden Globe? Leadership award for outstanding performance. Led 18-month, 10-person IT project team to develop a competitive advantage with an XML messaging platform.

·       Increased electronic transmissions of accounts receivable data from 45% to 64% by advocating a compelling technology-based solution that addressed customers? needs and influenced adoption.

Sourcing Manager, GE Silicones, Waterford, NY (1998 ? 2000)

Led team charged with supplier contracting and purchasing for $180 million in raw materials and $10 million in outsourced manufacturing for a $1 billion revenue global silicone manufacturer.

·       Generated $21 million in deflation through negotiations, accomplished by leveraging global sources, and by leading cross functional manufacturing and technology teams to develop and qualify low cost country suppliers to meet rigorous material specifications.

·       Repeatedly recognized for achievingresults.  Example: received Negotiation Award for saving $1.6 million in global drum buy from a 15% price reduction.

·       Led global integration of Sourcing teams with two joint venture partners in Asia and Europe; created and leveraged a common buy database in global negotiations, saving over $1 million for each partner.

Master Black Belt, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, GE Silicones (1997 ? 1998)

Managed 12 Black Belts across all business functions; directly accountable for delivering productivity results. Integrated strategic business objectives into Six Sigma projects to accelerate culture change.

·       Completed 53 Six Sigma projects which delivered $19 million in benefits.  Recognized for delivering more business impact than any other Master Black Belt.

·       Increased volume output and decreased downtime in chemical and finishing manufacturing operations by overseeing multiple teams in plant wide ?Stable Operations? initiative.

Black Belt, Supply Chain, GE Silicones (1995 ? 1997)

Introduced Six Sigma across Supply Chain organization in a 1500-person, unionized, complex chemical plant; led multiple Six Sigma and Lean projects to improve customer satisfaction.

·       Reduced cycle time of material transfer from ten manufacturing locations to the finished goods warehouse by 61% using Lean tools, resulting in $420 thousand savings.

·       In first year of Six Sigma implementation, recognized for solving a major customer issue, resulting in selection to Board of Directors ?Board Book? for the prestigious ?Best New Hire? recognition.

U.S. ARMY                                                                                                                       1991 ? 1995

Logistics and Training Manager, Ft. Benning, Georgia (1995)

Logistics Manager, Schweinfurt,Germany, (1994 ? 1995)

Team Executive Leader, Berlin, Germany, (1992 ? 1994)

·       Expertly planned and smoothly executed complex logistics for deploying and sustaining hundreds of vehicles and soldiers to Russia for the first joint training exercise with the Russian Army.

·       Consistently recognized for excellent leadership and interpersonal skills applied toward influencing others and establishing relationships within the unit and with foreign armies.  Examples: awarded medals on two separate NATO deployments for superior performance.

·       Lauded for accomplishments as a reconnaissance section leader during major training event; evaluated as most skilled and aggressive platoon leader, during live fire training exercises.

EDUCATION

RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

M.B.A. with concentration in Operations / Service Management, 1998

UNITED   STATES MILITARY ACADEMY,

B.S. in General Engineering, 1991

Graduated 3rd out of 965; GPA 4.12/4.33; #1 in Civil Engineering and in History