STRATEGEX - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Engagement Manager
- Senior Associate in Strategex 's Customer Due Diligence
Adam Sidor is a Senior Associate in Strategex's Customer Due Diligence practice. He works with Private Equity clients to mitigate transaction risk and accelerate value creation post-close.
Before joining Strategex, Adam worked as a Strategist consulting Big Tech & FinTech companies, designing custom market research studies, and helping organizations seize new opportunities & grow market share.
Adam holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois.
Anita joined the team in 2015 as a Senior Researcher. Preceding this engagement, she spent a decade with The Prescient Group, a strategic marketing, and market research company. There, she was a Market Discovery & Research Analyst and performed one-on-one and intercept interviews, conducted focus groups, and served in project management for a wide range of national clients.
She has more than two decades of experience in marketing communications, advertising, and public relations with the Chicago firms of Lee Scott Stevens & Associates, Weber Cohn & Riley, and Waldie & Briggs. She has experience in advertising, marketing, strategic planning, operations management, and research functions for brands such as Disney, GOJO, Brown's Chicken, 1-800-CableMe, and Chicago White Sox, to name a few.
She is bi-lingual in German, having immigrated to the US from Germany.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Strategex 's Customer Due Diligence
- Managing Director, Customer Due Diligence
Anthony is Managing Director of Strategex's Customer Due Diligence practice - a revolutionary practice area that's disrupting private equity. He has worked with over 50 private equity firms on countless transactions to prevent deal failure. Give Anthony 30 days, and he'll deliver actionable strategies that help you mitigate risk and jumpstart value creation.
He partners with clients to design and implement research initiatives to address common questions that arise during the due diligence process (the stability of key accounts, the target company's ability to service key accounts, confidence in senior management, etc.). He provides deep insights into a customer's level of satisfaction and loyalty as well as competitive positioning, innovation pathways, pricing optimization, and more. Ultimately, this work enables Strategex to transform research findings into actionable growth strategies.
Before joining Strategex, Anthony held senior-level positions at two leading market research firms where he specialized in insight, strategy, and innovation projects for global financial services, consumer packaged goods, and pharmaceutical clients. He is well-versed in multiple methodologies including brand positioning, segmentation, advertising effectiveness, and pricing optimization.
When he's not advising private equity clients on customer risk, he guest lectures on consumer behavior and research methodologies at Cornell University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of Pennsylvania.
A veteran of the United States Air Force, Anthony holds a B.B.A. in economics and international business from Loyola University Chicago as well as an M.S. in public policy from the University of Oklahoma.
Ashley joined Strategex after nearly two decades working at Fortune 500 companies including Veritiv, Kimberly-Clark, and General Motors. As the Global Business Development Leader at Veritiv, Ashley led the international strategy development for a $200M+ business including target market and value proposition definition. This allowed the company to expand into new vertical markets with key industry leaders in each respective field.
Beyond business development, Ashley has in-depth experience in engineering and innovation. Passionate about sustainability, she worked with a materials engineering team in Asia to help bring new, sustainable materials to market including ocean bound plastics, molded fiber, and bamboo solutions.
Ashley is excited to leverage her experience to help our private equity clients feel confident in their acquisition decisions, and to help develop value creation strategies.
Ashley holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and an Executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Outside of Strategex, she is a red wine and interior design aficionado.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- International Leader
Barry is an accomplished international leader with a record of delivering sustainable profitable growth. His experience includes sales, marketing manufacturing, new product development, and distribution channel management.
Barry joined ITW in 1990; over a 21-year tenure, he held several positions including sales, General Manager, and Vice President roles. An early adopter and leader of the 80/20 process, he successfully grew the business to +20% ROS. The 80/20 process was widely used to deliver consistently improved market share, end market segmentation, manufacturing simplification, R&D performance, investment strategies, acquisition, and divestment.
Following the sale of the business in 2015, to Carlisle Inc. (NYSE - CSL) with a revenue of $4.8 billion in sales, Barry was appointed President of Carlisle Fluid Technologies (CFT). Here, he was responsible for building a newly created senior leadership team and opening a new headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. Barry led a global facility consolidation and investment strategy, that delivered significant cost reduction and focused facilities.
Barry has a passion for continuous business improvement and personal and organizational development.
Barry earned his MBA from Bournemouth University, UK.
Prior to joining Strategex in 2010, Bill was EVP and COO of Zep, a $575 million cleaning and maintenance chemicals business. While at Zep, Bill engaged Strategex to assist in streamlining the business. Bill was responsible for leading and implementing the 80/20 tools and philosophy across all of Zep's departments. Bill streamlined Zep's operating structure, rationalized the product offering, and implemented sales and marketing initiatives targeting key account growth. These actions led to a gross margin improvement of 400 basis points and an increase in operating profit of 17% in 2008.
Bill began his career with Proctor and Gamble in 1979. In 1981, he pursued an MBA from Harvard Business School. Following graduation, Bill began a 21-year career with Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE). His first General Management assignment was running CCE's Michigan division (a $300 million division). After a series of successes and promotions, Bill was named Senior Vice President of CCE, and President of Eastern North America (a $5 Billion Group at CCE) in 2000. Bill was recruited to be CEO for DS Waters in 2003, a $900 million home and office water company which he successfully sold in 2005.
Since joining Strategex, Bill has worked closely with clients in both North America and Europe in numerous industries. Industry experience includes foodservice equipment, transportation, steel fabrication, precision tube manufacturing, heavy machinery, thermal heating, medical devices, packaging, network infrastructure, and industrial wiring. He has successfully guided his clients in both financial turnarounds and in strategic profitable growth. Perhaps the greatest testimony to the value that Bill brings his client is that multiple former clients have named Bill to their Board after the end of their engagement with Strategex. Bill serves on the Board of Directors at T & S Brass and Bronze Works, Inc., Fabricated Metals LLC, and Wirecrafters LLC. He previously served on the Board for Safety-Kleen Holding Company, and DS Waters Holding Company, LLC.
In addition to the Harvard MBA, in 1979 Bill received his BS in Business Administration from the University of Southern California where he triple-majored in marketing, finance, and accounting.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- 80 / 20 Consultant
- Member of the Finance Team
Brandon is a member of the Finance team and manages the accounting and FP&A for Strategex. He works very closely with the Executive team and provides them with the financial data and analysis to plan, execute, and measure the Company's strategies and performance.
Carmelle brings a proven track record in achieving operational excellence through 80/20 principles. Her success can be attributed to her strengths in operational management, innovative strategic thinking, and global team collaboration.
Carmelle's career in financial and analytical leadership began at ITW where she worked for more than two decades. She earned her stripes in Group Finance where she specialized in acquisitions and 80/20 execution. After a successful tenure in Group Finance, Carmelle was promoted to VP/General Manager of a global business unit. In that role, she improved operating results using 80/20 principles and achieved a CAGR of 31%. After ITW, Carmelle spent seven years at IDEAL Industries, Inc. There, she was a key member of the leadership team that succeeded in growing the company over $1B during her tenure.
Additionally, Carmelle has extensive experience in acquisition management -- specifically: valuation, negotiation, and post-acquisition integration. In this area, she excels at change management and is effective in turning around declining businesses.
Carmelle is a passionate champion of women in business and leadership. She was a founding member of the Women's Leadership Team at ITW where she set up a curriculum to help women succeed in manufacturing management. Throughout her career, she has mentored several women to career success.
Carmelle attended Miami University (Ohio); she is a graduate of Kellogg's Women's Leadership Executive Education Program and she completed the Leading Women's Executive Program. Carmelle has held several not-for-profit leadership positions serving The United Way and Park Ridge Schools. She lives in Park Ridge, IL with her husband and has four adult children.
David is CEO of Strategex. His expertise includes 80/20 execution, product development, and market analysis to drive profitability.
Prior to joining Strategex, David gained experience at Cinch Connectors in various product management and business development roles. There, he honed his skills in market research, product development, growth planning, and manufacturing. He was responsible for growing product lines, penetrating new markets, and devising long-term strategies for driving profitable revenue.
Since joining Strategex, David has consulted with over 50 clients and has contributed to the success of Strategex's 80/20 Profit & Growth engagements. He applies his 80/20 mastery along with analysis and growth strategies to help clients achieve profitable market share growth. Prior to becoming CEO, David was the General Manager of the 80/20 Profit & Growth business. He was responsible for running the business and had a CAGR of 19% during this time.
To date, Strategex has delivered over two billion dollars in operating income improvement to our clients - thanks in large part to David's strategic vision - although, he'd probably tell you that our team and our clients did all the work.
David obtained a BS in Electronic Engineering Technology from DeVry Institute of Technology and received his MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Job Titles:
- Gast Manufacturing in 1995 As a Design Engineer
- Vice President 80 / 20 Expert
Del joined Strategex after a multi-decade tenure at IDEX which started in 1998 when the company acquired Gast Manufacturing. As the Vice President of Strategic Business Optimization & Technology, Del led the IDEX Business Service team and the Corporate Information Technology team. Prior to joining IDEX, Del worked for a private company that manufactured medical devices. Early in his career, he spent eight years as a part-time engineering instructor at his alma mater teaching-an experience which allowed him to hone his teaching and training technique.
Del joined Gast Manufacturing in 1995 as a Design Engineer working on new product development (NPD) for the company. He developed several products for Gast and worked in several engineering and technical leadership roles, eventually becoming the Vice President of Technology & Business Development. In that position, Del was responsible for all NPD, Application Engineering, Marketing, and Business Development at Gast.
Grant Stanojev is a proven financial and operational leader with over 20 years of experience in the manufacturing sector, with deep experience within the electronic assembly, automotive, and electrical trade markets. His financial acumen, operational expertise, and commitment to excellence have left a lasting impact on the organizations he has served.
Throughout his career, Grant has held key roles at renowned organizations such as Illinois Toolworks (ITW), Regal Rexnord, and IDEAL Industries. Notably, he spent 12 years at ITW, executing 80/20 strategies through various leadership positions, including as Kester Worldwide's Controller. In this role, he served as a strategic business partner, overseeing a $140 million global supplier of assembly materials to the electronics industry. Grant successfully executed operational cost improvements, driving a $3 million reduction in spending, and implemented sustainable simplification through the application of 80/20 and LEAN manufacturing principles. His Kester work enabled a 31% CAGR. He was then promoted to Platform Controller over ITW Electronic Assembly businesses-a global platform with revenues above $500 million.
During his 10-year tenure at IDEAL Industries, Grant demonstrated his proficiency in financial and operational leadership. With P&L responsibility for the two largest electrical business units, he directed the strategy and execution of the wire connector and tool businesses. His achievements include revitalizing the new product development team, consolidating operations for an annual savings of $2 million, and leading the financial and operational integration of IDEAL's largest acquisition.
Outside of Strategex, Grant enjoys spending time with his family at Bass Lake, Indiana-their happy place. He has dedicated nearly a decade to serving on the Board of the not-for-profit organization Opportunity House. Grant's hobbies include creating memories with his wife of 23 years, his two children, and a circle of friends in Cary, Illinois.
Grant holds a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Iowa, complemented by a CPA qualification.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Executive Assistant
- 80 / 20 Associate
Jackie is the Executive Assistant to the CEO, a data analyst for the 80/20 Profit & Growth practice, and the unofficial brand manager. Her career at Strategex began as a researcher for the Customer Experience practice area.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, 80 / 20
Jenn spent the first decade of her career with Illinois Tool Works (ITW). During that tenure, she undertook progressive business leadership roles across several divisions- including functional responsibility for sales, marketing, product management, operations, and corporate strategy.
Jenn specializes in strategy creation and execution. During the consolidation of multiple ITW operating units, she led the business segmentation into focused markets and products. She guided her team through value proposition definition and developed growth strategies. She restructured the commercial organization and built a product management function to drive the growth strategies. Using 80/20, Jenn eliminated complexity through customer and product line simplification. This resulted in cost reduction, bottom-line growth, and improved satisfaction of top customers.
Since joining Strategex, Jenn has consulted with more than 20 companies across various industries. She has helped her clients achieve profitable margin expansion and cash flow growth through revenue increases, overhead reductions, working capital reductions, and more.
She also has a track record of successfully leading turnarounds for failing manufacturing businesses. In 2021 she coached a tier 1 automotive client to overcome significant operational challenges. The results were a 25% increase in EBITDA, increased on-time delivery, and increased wallet share with the world's largest automotive manufacturers.
Jenn has a BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Georgia Tech and is currently completing her Executive MBA at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant to Joe Hahn
Joanie Hellmer serves as the Executive Assistant to Joe Hahn, Vice President | 80/20 Expert. In this role, Joanie is on call 24/7 to support Strategex, our clients, and Joe.
Joanie's career started in 1971 at The West Bend Company where she gained 29 years of experience as the Executive Assistant to the President and the VP of Human Resources. In 2000, she started working for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) for a Group Vice President. In this role, the GVP was in charge of the Food Equipment Division which encompassed seven divisions across the United States. Joanie traveled to each one of the divisions whenever the need arose.
Joanie is a skilled and passionate event planner - a natural fit for this extrovert. She has coordinated hundreds of events across the country for planning meetings, incentive trips, etc.
Vice President | 80/20 Expert & Director of Consultant Development
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President in Strategex 's Customer Due Diligence
John Ahn is a Vice President in Strategex's Customer Due Diligence practice. He works closely with private equity sponsors to strategically mitigate transaction risk and accelerate value creation.
Before joining Strategex, John worked as a Mergers & Acquisitions Associate at Kaufman Hall, primarily working with healthcare executives and healthcare-focused private equity sponsors on identifying and executing strategic partnerships.
John holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
Job Titles:
- 80 / 20 Operations Specialist
- Operations Specialist
John comes to Strategex after a career in leadership in the recreational vehicle, packaging, and automotive industries. He cut his teeth as a Foreman and worked his way to President, holding various positions such as Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Plant Manager, VP Operations, VP of Engineering and Service Manager. He has worked for notable companies including Coachman Industries, Ventline, Thiele Engineering, multiple divisions of Illinois Toolworks, and Kokusai.
80/20 strategy has been the catalyst for many of John's career achievements. He has used 80/20 methodology to reconfigure sales and product development, resulting in a sales increase of over 700%. He led a team to an operating profit percentage increase of over 170% using inlining techniques in engineering and manufacturing. Additionally, he received an OSHA Star award for safety - first in the state of Iowa, and he holds a patent for a product that received the prestigious automotive Pace Award.
At Strategex, John empowers clients and offers deep expertise in operations, manufacturing, 80/20 analysis, and inlining.
Away from Strategex, you can find him playing guitar, working on his art, playing with his rescue dogs, and spending time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Accounting Specialist
- Department at Strategex. As an Accounting Specialist
Karen Goldberg works in the accounting department at Strategex. As an accounting specialist, she works in the areas of accounts payable, payroll, and bank reconciliations.
Karen's career started as a business analyst for Hewitt. After three years with Hewitt, she joined Strategex as a project manager. For five years, Karen led demand generation projects in which she orchestrated campaigns, and managed a business development team. After a hiatus, Karen rejoined Strategex in 2016 to contribute to the accounting and finance team.
Outside of Strategex, Karen is an involved parent of two. She is active in their education and frequently volunteers for their schools. Further, she was the Vice President of the Parent Teacher Organization for three years. On any given day, she can be found on baseball, soccer, basketball, and golf fields cheering on her children.
Karen graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in 1998.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Customer Experience
Kay Cruse is a seasoned veteran of customer research, strategic planning, and brand development. With over 30 years of experience, Kay Cruse serves as Vice President of Customer Experience. She champions client success by focusing on business strategy and maximizing their ROI.
A proven leader, Kay specializes in customer insights, prioritizing strategic opportunities, and tactical implementation. She leads Strategex's engagements in Customer Insights Strategic Practice where she employs Voice of the Customer techniques to successfully grow client businesses by identifying opportunities for improvement and success.
Kay leverages her extensive history across a wide range of industries including manufacturing, professional services, financial services, and private equity. Her experience includes The Prescient Group, a B2B and B2C market research firm that she founded and led for over two decades.
Kelly supports both Customer Experience and Customer Due Diligence service areas. She works on an array of projects in various industries including tooling, healthcare, packaging, machining, and insurance.
Her approach puts emphasis on relationship building; she is committed to understanding client needs. She works to grasp each client's business: their offering, industry, and market. She specialized in performing in-depth interviews and succeeds because she works to establish trust with research targets.
Before joining Strategex, Kelly worked for The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelors of Science.
Kenzie serves as Strategex's Marketing Coordinator. She assists the Vice President of Marketing with social media, content marketing, and ideation.
Kenzie graduated from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. She graduated with a degree in Business Administration, a concentration in Marketing, and a minor in Online and Social Media. At Wayne State, she was a track and field athlete for the Wildcats and participated in the throwing events. During her track career, she was a three-time recipient of the USTFCCA Academic All-American title.
In college, Kenzie was a part of SAAC (student-athlete advisory committee) where she gained marketing experience. As a part of this organization, she was the head of communications and social media for two years. She organized social media campaigns and oversaw multiple fundraising events for causes like The Make-A-Wish Foundation, and area food pantries. While being a student-athlete, and executive member of SAAC, Kenzie also held a part-time job at a local boutique, IKT. At IKT she was a sales associate that provided customer service and cultivated relationships with frequent customers. Kenzie also created content on social platforms for the boutique.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- 80 / 20 Consultant
Leslie is a Consultant for Strategex and uses her 80/20 background to analyze data and drive simplification.
Lucy joined Strategex more than 15 years ago and is valued as a master in-depth interviewer who is able to probe for deep customer insights. She attributes her success to her ability to listen by being present, engaged, and empathetic. She has conducted thousands of interviews in a broad spectrum of engagements. Her work has touched many industries including packaging, industrial manufacturing, and professional services.
Outside of Strategex, she volunteers at her neighborhood park in Chicago raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a new playground and renovate the 125-year old field house. Additionally, she manages the finances of Midnight Circus in the Parks, a local non-profit that builds community and raises funds for local city parks "one circus at a time."
Lucy graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Environmental, Textile and Design, and an associate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She designed and manufactured her own line of women's clothing for 13 years before starting a family.
Mackenzie is an Account Executive at Strategex. Prior to this, she served in a project management role on the Customer Experience team. As an Account Executive, she is instrumental as a liaison between clients and our consulting teams. Her mission is to help clients achieve success (whether they are looking to improve customer experience or embark on an 80/20 transformation). A true team player, Mackenzie also provides data analysis, and leads internal event planning.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science, Mackenzie started her career as a corporate event planner. Additionally, she served as the director of property management for a commercial real estate company in Cincinnati. There, she managed several commercial properties to drive down NOI and increase property value.
Mackenzie is valued for her kindness, confidence, and convivial attitude. In fact, she was dubbed "The Captain O' Fun" for Strategex in 2019; her Strategex parties and events are legendary.
Mackenzie holds her Bachelor of Science in Communication from Ohio University (where she crushed it playing Division 1 club volleyball).
Job Titles:
- Marketing Director
- Vice President of Marketing
Maggie is an accomplished marketing director with an extensive background in the performing arts. Target audiences and theatrical audiences need to hold on to their socks - she will knock them off. For nearly two decades, she has worked across the country in sales, marketing, and entertainment.
Maggie's sales and marketing experience includes engagements with multiple product development firms, a Tony award-winning theater, design agencies, and multiple tech/software companies. She is passionate about giving companies a marketing platform to amplify their brilliance. Her specialties include marketing strategy, digital marketing, content marketing, and creative campaign development.
Before she had children, you could find Maggie performing as an actress and stand-up comedian at Chicago's acclaimed theaters and some sordid dives. Now, she performs nightly lullabies for an intimate audience.
Maggie holds a BSBA (marketing) from Xavier University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President 80 / 20 Expert
Marc has held a range of professional roles, from General Manager to Group President. Early in his career, Marc gained experience in manufacturing, engineering, sales & marketing. Marc joined Illinois Tool Works (ITW) through acquisition and became one of the early adopters of the 80/20 process.
Over the next 25 years, Marc assumed increasing responsibilities, culminating in his roles as General Manager, VP/GM, and Group President. At his pinnacle at ITW, he was responsible for ten business units with over $330 million in revenue on four continents. His experience includes applying 80/20 principles to a variety of business models from standard products to custom-engineered solutions. Additionally, Marc has considerable experience in acquisitions and divestitures.
His last position at ITW was the 80/20 Director for the Food Equipment Group (a $2 billion segment). In this role, he significantly improved operating income, grew revenue, and reduced working capital requirements. Marc retired from ITW in 2014 and joined Strategex as an 80/20 Expert.
Besides his proficiency in 80/20, Marc is also an avid scuba diver. He has fed the stingrays in the Caymans, dove with the turtles in Hawaii, and swam with the sharks in the Bahamas.
Mark is a California-based consultant for the 80/20 Profit & Growth practice. In his years of 80/20 experience, He has guided over 50 operating divisions toward increased profitability.
Prior to joining Strategex, Mark held positions as President for two divisions of the Ali Group, a privately-held worldwide group of more than 65 different manufacturing brands based in Milan, Italy. During this tenure, Mark doubled profits at both divisions.
His career also includes seven years at Illinois Tool Works (ITW). There, he served as President for one division and Business Unit Manager/Vice President Sales in another division - both divisions more than doubled their profitability. Prior to his time with ITW, Mark worked in sales and operational roles at brands including Maytag, PepsiCo, and Toshiba America Computer Systems Division. Additionally, Mark has experience with start-ups. Mark is a dynamic speaker, inspirational trainer, and a powerful 80/20 coach and consultant. No matter the role, he brings a focus on action and a drive for measurable results.
Mark holds a BSMS from Pepperdine University.
Mary Johnson has been conducting in-depth interviews to support B2B research since 1990. She has been with Strategex since its inception. At Strategex she helped develop a global team of interviewers who excel at providing clients with substantive, actionable information. Her ability to engage with colleagues and respondents alike has enabled her to contribute to the growth of both Strategex and its clients.
Her rigorous liberal arts education at Mount Holyoke College provided a strong foundation in critical thinking and developed her ability to communicate clearly to a broad range of challenges.
Mary Kate specializes in using 80/20 to develop and execute strategic growth platforms. She is an expert at segmentation, driving strategic customer sales, and operational excellence.
Prior to joining Strategex, Mary Kate was a Group President at Illinois Tool Works (ITW), working in the Food Equipment and Specialty Groups, and at Madison Industries in the Filtration Group. Within these roles, she led decentralized and global businesses that offered both manufactured goods and services.
Mary Kate developed a passion and strong expertise in 80/20 while at ITW, after over a decade of leadership within organizations utilizing lean business systems. She held General Management leadership roles within high-growth businesses at Danaher, Regal Rexnord, and Alcoa.
Mary Kate is passionate about DEI-her leadership roles allowed her to cultivate healthy working environments where teams were fully engaged and comfortable bringing their full selves to work. She has served on the Women's Leadership Councils at ITW, Regal-Rexnord, and Alcoa. In 2017, Mary Kate was an honoree of the Manufacturing Institute's Step Ahead Awards recognizing Women in Manufacturing.
Mary Kate earned a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Affairs from Purdue University and an MBA from Loyola University.
When Mary Kate isn't working, she and her husband volunteer at their kids' school and church. They enjoy coaching and cheering the kids on at their many sporting events. The family resides outside of Milwaukee in Hartland, Wisconsin.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- 80 / 20 Expert
Mike Potempa is an 80/20 expert with over 25 years of successful P&L leadership experience managing manufacturing, sales, and distribution businesses. He has a diverse background in operations, engineering, strategic sourcing, manufacturing, customer service, sales, and marketing.
Prior to joining Strategex, Mike was Vice President and General Manager at Illinois Tool Works (ITW) for 20+ years. He initially managed a consumables manufacturing facility with responsibility for commercial sales in The United States and Canada. He ultimately managed the ITW Industry Packaging Systems Division, a group of businesses that included design, manufacture, and sales of highly-engineered equipment, and consumable systems for a global audience. He drove substantial growth in the organization both organically and through multiple acquisitions.
During his tenure with ITW, Mike championed new manufacturing processes and provided leadership in new product development. He is named as an inventor on two patented products. At ITW, Mike gained extensive experience using 80/20 to drive bottom-line growth while improving service to key customers. He simplified business processes to improve operating results, asset management, and cash flow.
Before joining ITW, Mike was Vice President and General Manager for a small privately-held company in the specialty machinery business. He also worked for Rockwell International and Chrysler Corporation.
Since joining Strategex, Mike has worked with clients in a variety of business segments, both domestically and internationally, including capital equipment, machine parts manufacturing, services, commercial construction, construction products, consumer products, paper, commercial mixers, hoists, and cranes.
Mike has a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and an MBA from the University of Hartford, with concentrations in Marketing and Information Technology.
Paul joined Strategex in 2017 where he guides companies in multiple industries: industrial, power transmission, plumbing, water management, aerospace, commercial flooring, and medical device, among others. Aside from the 80/20 toolkit, the secret to his success is his ability to learn clients' businesses quickly while cultivating key relationships.
A pivotal moment in Paul's career was when he was introduced to 80/20 in 1985 while working at Dymon, Inc. He won awards; his responsibilities increased; he earned promotions; he advanced his career because of his application of the 80/20 principle.
Paul retired from Illinois Tool Works (ITW) where he was a Vice President & General Manager responsible for the company's Fluids Businesses in North America. During his 18 years with ITW, he progressed through several leadership roles and remains a member of ITW's Patent Society.
Paul's specialties include product and customer simplification, target selling, product development, patents and trademarks, acquisitions, business integrations, process simplification, manufacturing streamlining, lead-time improvement, AR/AP, inventory improvement, and working capital management. Additionally, Paul has experience managing businesses regulated by the EPA and FDA while operating various quality systems (including ISO, cGMP, and AS9100).
Peter is Founder and Chairman of Strategex. He has over 30 years of direct experience working with top-level management to drive change, profitability, and growth.
In 1993, Peter started Strategex with the mission to teach clients how to grow through strategic planning, customer insights, and business development.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant to Jenn Desrosiers
Rebecca Jones is the Executive Assistant to Jenn Desrosiers, Managing Director of 80/20. In this role, Rebecca supports Strategex, our clients, and Jenn.
Prior to Strategex, Rebecca spent years in Finance and Banking. She worked in a client-facing role at West Bank, and in client relations at Grosvenor Capital Management. After seven years, she became a "professional mom" to her three children.
Rebecca is a skilled and passionate organizer, multi-tasker, and event planner. She enjoys cooking, traveling the world, and taking the perfect snapshots of her children playing sports.
Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a minor in Business, from the University of Iowa.
Rich began his career with Sonoco Products Company performing various financial and operational roles over seven years. During his 16 year career with Illinois Tool Works, Rich worked in both financial and operational roles in the automotive, industrial, and specialty chemicals businesses.
Rich has successfully implemented the 80/20 business philosophy in every organization in which he has worked. Prior to joining Strategex, he had complete strategic, functional, and P&L responsibility for the Global Specialty Chemical and Equipment Manufacturing Group. In ten years, he grew the group from $60M to over $500M generating 20% ROS. The group now comprises 25 world-wide businesses with operations in 13 countries, including Europe, South America, and Asia. During this time, he was responsible for the acquisition of 11 businesses with over $350M in revenue and integrating them into ITW.
Since joining Strategex 10+ years ago, Rich has consulted and helped over 25 clients worldwide. He primarily works with manufacturers but has led successful engagements with engineering service providers, distributors, and trade associations. Specific industry experience includes automotive, specialty chemical, healthcare, furniture, electronics, and industrial.
He holds an MBA from Syracuse University and a BBA in Accounting from St. Bonaventure University, Magna Cum Laude. Rich is also a member of the board of directors for Junior Achievement.
Job Titles:
- Vice President 80 / 20 Expert
Sandy is Chief Financial Officer for Strategex. She is responsible for providing financial insights, guidance, and solutions for the company. A compassionate and strategic leader, she is driven to nurture the unique culture of the organization. She fosters collaboration and works to uphold Strategex's standard of excellence. In addition to her finance responsibilities, she currently manages HR, Risk Management, and IT.
Sandy has spent most of her career working for closely-held enterprises and is comfortable managing numerous aspects of a business. Prior to joining Strategex in 2011, Sandy had over 20 years' experience in the transportation and technology industries. She honed her audit-focused accounting skills during her tenure at Arthur Andersen in their Small Business Audit practice. It was during that time that she was part of the Arthur Andersen team that provided consulting services to the purchasers of the Chicago, Missouri, & Western Railway. Sandy joined the new railroad after the acquisition. After seven years with the CM&W Railway, she joined Dyna Bulk, Inc., a plastics distribution firm, to assist in the sale of the company to Bulkmatic Transport, Inc.
Away from the office, she enjoys daily yoga, current events, classic rock, and pretending to be a rock star when she plays her drums and electric guitar.
Sandy earned a BA in Accounting and a Masters of Accountancy from DePaul University and is a licensed CPA.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- 80 / 20 Consultant
Sean is a seasoned 80/20 consultant, based in Orange County, California. With a track record of over 50 successful engagements, Sean is dedicated to coaching our clients in developing and executing strategic policies to drive meaningful financial improvements. He's not just a consultant; he's a tactical data resource, equipping clients with the insights they need to excel.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Customer Experience
Sharon Kottke leads the Customer Experience practice with a passion for delivering measurable results. Together with leadership, Sharon helped design and innovate Strategex's Customer Experience offering. She led the team through a digital transformation and championed the integration of 80/20 and customer insights.
Her goal is to partner with every client to achieve profitable market share growth. She leverages her deep knowledge in customer research and operations to deliver the insights needed to execute successful CX strategies.
Sharon has partnered with hundreds of clients across many industries: packaging, industrial products, services, and more. She has planned and facilitated more than 500 CI studies internationally, always dedicated to quality and impactful deliverables.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Strategic Analysis
At Strategex, Shawn analyzes the research team's interviews and synthesizes salient feedback into a business growth playbook for clients. Before joining Strategex, she was an attorney specializing in commercial and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation.
Shawn is an avid eater who dabbles in yoga and speaks fluent Mandarin.
Shawn has a B.A. in psychology from Northwestern University and a J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Associate in Strategex 's Customer Due Diligence
Tyler Stoner is an Associate in Strategex's Customer Due Diligence practice. She helps Private Equity clients mitigate transaction risk and accelerate value creation.
Tyler recently graduated from the College of William & Mary. There, she earned a BA in Government and a minor in Interdisciplinary Innovations & Entrepreneurship. In addition, Tyler was a student leader in William & Mary's Office of Community Engagement. In this role, she led her peers to mitigate housing and food insecurity in the Greater Williamsburg community.
Before joining Strategex, Tyler accrued a range of internship experience. Tyler completed the Walt Disney College Program internship in the Fall of 2019. Post-graduation, she was a Master Intern with Harvard Business School's Innovation Lab startup, Hibiscus Motherhood. There, she served as a project manager, content creator, and market researcher. Concurrently, she worked for the HomeMore Project, a San Francisco non-profit that crafts innovative solutions to homelessness in the Bay area.