Derek M. Nelson
Bridgman,MI
Summary
Seasoned executive with a proven track record at Acuity Brands Lighting, adept in strategic planning and team building. Spearheaded a sustainability initiative, achieving the first Landfill-Free manufacturing plant/DC and driving a $20M annual revenue increase. Excelled in continuous improvements and cross-functional collaboration, mentoring over 300 Kaizen events for transformative lean organization success.
Overview
2024
2024
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Leader Development Program
Acuity Brands Lighting (ABL)
10.1999 - 09.2023
- Trained in the Toyota Production System by Shingijutsu in Japan and the USA
- Played a key role on the leadership team, leading and facilitating Kaizen events to guide the company’s transformation into a Lean organization
- Led, coached, and mentored over 300 Kaizen events, driving continuous improvement across all functions
Plant Manager/Customer Care Vice President
ABL
- Oversaw manufacturing and production operations, ensuring efficiency, high-quality output, and timely achievement of production goals
- Led the adoption of Lean Manufacturing principles, focusing on the Toyota Production System to optimize processes
- Reduced pre-production backlog by 77%, recovering $5M in potential lost revenue
- Established and led a brand-agnostic customer care team, improving service consistency and overall customer experience
Plant and Distribution Operations Vice President USA and Canada
ABL
- Streamlined plant and distribution operations, resulting in a 25% reduction in distribution footprint and the successful integration of supply chain functions
- Led the establishment of a new distribution center in Toronto, significantly expanding North American market presence
- Pioneered a sustainability initiative that achieved the first Landfill-Free manufacturing plant/DC, cutting energy consumption by 40%
- Realized $1.4M in cost savings by reducing on-hand inventory by 28%
- Developed and implemented a breakthrough process that drove an annual revenue increase of $20M
Additional Leadership Roles
ABL
- Led teams across Engineering, Post Sales, Sourcing, IT, Real Estate, Supplier Development and Field Services
Military Service
- Deployed with the 1st Battalion 2nd Marine Division, US Marine Corps
Education
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION -
Western Governors University
Bachelor Of Information Systmes -
Phoenix University/Old Dominion University
Skills
- Continuous improvements
- Team building
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Change management
- Strategic planning
- Financial acumen
- KPI development
- Stakeholder engagement
- Process improvement
Websites
Hobbies and Interests
- World Travel
- Photography
- Scuba Diving
- Fishing
Military Service
US Marine Corps, 1st Battalion 2nd Marine Division
Certification
- Six Sigma Black Belt
- Lean Black Belt in TPS
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
French
Elementary
Spanish
Elementary
Timeline
Leader Development Program
Acuity Brands Lighting (ABL)
10.1999 - 09.2023
Military Service
Plant Manager/Customer Care Vice President
ABL
Plant and Distribution Operations Vice President USA and Canada
ABL
Additional Leadership Roles
ABL
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION -
Western Governors University
Bachelor Of Information Systmes -
Phoenix University/Old Dominion University
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