Call Tom Caldwell608 345-3050
Call Terry Phinney617 462-0223

Our Clients

Client Projects

Family and Ownership Succession

Privately Held National Paint Firm

Senior Strategy Executive and VP HR. Developed growth and operations plan for a large paint company. Implemented an aggressive growth strategy and cost-reduction plan increasing shareholder value by 100% over four years. Company sold to Berkshire Hathaway for $1 billion, preserving family wealth, legacy and employee jobs

Leadership Succession

Privately Held Middle Market company

Interim CEO and Board member of a family owned cold storage company. Transitioned it from a lifestyle company to a professional organization. Replaced senior management, focused on customer and supply chain needs, negotiated contracts and raised prices. Gross margin increased 14% and net income tripled

Customer Experience, Systems Improvement

Private, Engineered Products, Manufacturing Firm

Executive Sponsor, CIO and “Customer Focus” Project Leader. Redesigned business processes, implemented new technology platforms and streamlined supply chain. Significantly increased OTD, customer satisfaction and profits

Reorganization and Project Management

Pre-Revenue Start Up

Interim COO for a pre-revenue, video compression firm. Reorganized the firm and led the transition from research to development. Triaged several research prototypes and identified practical revenue potential. Developed a technology road map enabling choice of best path to commercialization.

Reorganization, Financial Recovery

Large, Prominent Art Museum

Chief Restructuring Officer. Created three-year plan to repair financial position. Introduced functional plans integrating marketing, membership, visitor experience, exhibit planning and budgeting. Resolved conflicts by team problem solving and the staff learned to plan and execute as a unit. The Board gained confidence to make capital improvements. Upon the hiring of the new Museum Director, the engagement continued in an advisory mode.

Business Strategy, Sales Operations

Private, Engineered Coatings Manufacturing Company

Interim COO for a major engineered surfaces firm with market disruption reducing sales 40%. Strategy was reset triaging the customer base and targeting new customers matching plant capabilities. Key production lines rebuilt into product cells gained new industry certifications and a new line added. Lost sales recovered by improved quality and Lean Manufacturing practices. Sales rebounded 40% and profits tripled.

Turnaround-Financial, Operations

Private, Commodity Products Manufacturing Firm

Interim COO for a fabric and film coater losing money. The family owner wanted to decide among liquidating, selling or continued ownership. Operating improvements were made through scheduling practices, quality improvements and process controls. Selective investments made to upgrade equipment. In eight months, the firm returned to both positive cash flow and earnings. As improvements continued during potential buyer due diligence, the family chose to keep the business. A new organization strategy clarified family member roles and specific needs for new staff hires.

Our Articles

Choices and Consequences

Background Many years ago, a CEO inherited a major New England distribution company from his father. The company had a good location and capitalized on emerging industry trends. The father also created several other companies in diverse industries as he was the entrepreneur of the family. When he died, through a series of family deaths […]

Loss or Reinvention

This past Thanksgiving was at my childhood home in Connecticut. My father lives there. He built the house over 60 years ago and he is not leaving anytime soon. He is in his 90’s and he knows every part of the house, by heart. Nothing has changed over the years. It doesn’t need to. Things […]

 

 

 

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