Gary C. Cooper
Mount Laurel
Summary
Results driven self-starting, autonomous, servant leader with high energy, and motivated Operations Executive with comprehensive experience in manufacturing, distribution, recycling, construction and service sectors. Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Adept at working well independently or as a group member. Demonstrated ability to thrive in high-pressure and time-sensitive environments. Track record of receiving achievement-based promotions. Seeking a position that is commensurate to background and education; with a dynamic and innovative company.
Overview
41
41
years of professional experience
Work History
Plant Manager
Old Bridge Minerals
Old Bridge
10.2024 - Current
- Overall responsibility for production, safety, quality for all Copper related and Zn Carbonate products, non-union privately owned operation.
- Increased overall productivity by 26% setting an all time company production record, surpassed old record of 146K pounds per day to 184K pounds per day simply by motivating operators to be more engaged.
- No major capital investments were required to achieve these gains.
- Reduced overall labor costs by 29.5% through increased production and eliminating a couple of redundant positions.
- Reduced shipping loading time by 50% by reorganizing loading dock and retraining warehouse operators.
- Improved raw material inventory control by implementing a simple Kanban tag system to identify material and date received, tags placed on each gaylord when received and turned in when used so that we could tract inventory that provided us the ability to implement and maintain FIFO inventory, prior to implementation operating on a LIFO.
Plant Director
Sika Chemical Corporation
Lyndhurst
09.2022 - 10.2024
- Total responsibility for the overall direction of a unionized manufacturing of polyurethane adhesives and sealants in a union facility.
- With sales exceeding $185M per year.
- Areas of responsibility includes engineering, safety, training, planning, finance, human resources, quality, sustainability, and warehousing.
- Increased production by 18% by increasing overall machine uptime through downtime tracking and eliminating sources of downtime and improving overall team morale.
- Reduced overall operating expenses by over 15% or $4.6M in 2024 and an 8% increase in EBIT.
- Improved overall staff morale and team dynamics which also played in a major role in the increased production and reduced operating expenses.
- Reduced lost time accidents from 5 in 2023 to 1 accidents in 2024 by being actively engaged, improved overall site housekeeping, eliminating unsafe work conditions.
- Increased productivity yielded improved overall product availability from 85% in 2022 to 100% in 2024.
- Exceeded our target of 570 metric tons of CO2 emissions by 45% or 878 metric tons.
Vice President of Operations
South Jersey Agricultural Products
Elmer
03.2016 - 09.2022
- Responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of all facets of operations including the support to construction activities, training, quality, sales, EH&S, freight, material procurement, engineering, human resources and facility management.
- Supervised both a non-union operation as well as a Union Operation. Stella Contracting was a union operation.
- Developed Maintenance Tracking System to track maintenance by type of equipment, piece of equipment, operator, labor and parts cost.
- Successfully obtained OMRI, STA and IPEMA Certifications.
- Viewed job sites to help develop quotes for Stella Contacting.
- Increased sales by over $2.5 Million in two years by increasing production in the Bagging operation.
General Manager Eastern Region
KUUSAKOSKI RECYCLING
Philadelphia
03.2015 - 03.2016
- Sets challenging cross-functional goals that support the organizational goals and strategies.
- Successful turnaround of operations and implementation of ISO 9001, ISO14001 Environmental Mgmt System and ISO45001 Occupational Health and Safety certifications, changed the culture of operation from one of the Union dictating policy to management controlled and from a culture of run at all cost to one with preventive maintenance and quality over quantity.
- Successfully integrated two different cultures and processes into one unified team.
- Increased dismantling pounds per man hour by 44% increasing the average pounds per man hour from 117 pounds to 168 pounds.
- Managed and supervised firm operations on a daily basis including manufacturing, resourcing, and distribution. 5S and Lean Sigma activities.
- Directed areas with multiple functions together with division directors and department managers.
- Managed daily operation of multiple sites in PA.
Senior Executive Analyst
AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Orlando
07.2014 - 03.2015
- Objectively evaluate clients business in an extensive on site business survey to determine any areas in our client’s strategic or tactical resources that could be improved to increase profitability, cash flow, ease of operations or grow sales.
General Manager
IFCO SYSTEMS
Burlington
11.2012 - 02.2014
- Responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of all facets of plant operations including the support to manufacturing, training, quality, sales, EH&S, freight, material procurement, engineering, human resources and facility management.
- Successful turnaround of overall operations that resulted in an EBITDA increase over a $1.0M going from $322K to $1.3M on $10M of revenue.
- Reduced labor costs from $1.05 per pallet to $0.65 per pallet by increasing production and reducing overtime.
- Reduced throughput (labor costs) from $1.05 per pallet to $0.65 per pallet by implementing lean processes and training the employees on new lean procedures and 5S implementation that resulted in increased production and reducing overtime.
- Reduced overtime from an average of 820 hours per week to an average of 117 hours per week.
General Manager
RIVERFRONT RECYCLING & AGGREGATE
Lumberton
02.2011 - 11.2012
- Responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of all facets of operations including the support to construction activities, training, quality, sales, EH&S, freight, material procurement, engineering, human resources and facility management.
- Improved coloring process which led to a 25% increase in productivity and a $42,000 savings in labor.
- Brought company into compliance with NJDEP, DOT, OSHA, Air Quality, Storm Water discharge and Class B Recycling.
General Manager
OLDCASTLE LAWN & GARDEN
Quakertown
03.2006 - 10.2010
- Responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of all facets of plant operations including the support to manufacturing, training, quality, sales, EH&S, freight, material procurement, engineering, human resources and facility management.
- Successfully turnaround of entire operation.
- Reduced labor from 58 employees to 26, reducing labor costs by $780,000 by improving facility layout, reducing fleet and creating cross-functional teams.
- Improved overall Plant Safety record plant has gone over 1750 days since last lost time accident and had 2 recordables in the last 4 years.
- Reduced bulk labor costs from $1.85/cy to $0.77/cy by reducing labor force and installing a new 1000hp electric grinder that doubled output from 170cy/hour to 350cy/hour.
- Won Oldcastle Lawn & Garden’s Most Overall Improved Plant in 2008.
Branch Manager
TERMINIX INTERNATIONAL
Ocean Twp
07.2004 - 03.2006
Director of Operations
DISC MAKERS INC.
Pennsauken
08.2003 - 06.2004
Vice President of Operations
PARIS BUSINESS PRODUCTS
Burlington
07.2002 - 08.2003
Director of Operations / Controller
DENGLAS TECHNOLOGIES
Moorestown
07.1997 - 05.2002
Plant Manager / Distribution Manager
CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
Trenton
01.1990 - 01.1997
Superintendent of Color Manufacturing & Compounding
OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL
Burlington
01.1985 - 01.1990
Education
Executive MBA -
Eastern College
Saint Davids, PABachelor of Arts - Chemistry
Trenton State College (College of New Jersey)
Trenton, NJSkills
- Manufacturing Operations
- Multi-Site Management
- Work Flow Optimization
- LEAN Manufacturing
- ISO-9000
- ISO14001
- ISO45001 Standards
- Capital Equipment Purchasing
- OSHA/EPA Regulations
- Productivity Increases
- Reporting System Development
- Sales Excellence
- Performance & Results Driven
- Continuous Improvement
- Quality Assurance
- P&L Responsibility
- Teambuilding & Motivation
- Leadership
- Stakeholder Relationships
- Training Programs
- Financial Analysis and Modeling
- Time Management
- Organizational Skills
- Problem Identification & Solving
- Conflict Resolution
- Resource Management
- Strategy and Analysis
- Six Sigma Green Belt
- Interpersonal Communication
- Multicultural Competency
- Opportunity Identification
- Account Leadership
- Kaizen
- 5S
- Windows OS
Professional Development
- Attended 6 month (1 week per month) training program on Quality Management Theories by W. Edward Deming.
- Attended seminar on 'Japanese Manufacturing Techniques' conducted by Dr. Joseph Juran.
- Experienced with LAN, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Office - Excel, Access, Word, Paradox, Word Perfect, and Quattro Pro, SAP, WMS, ERP, Axapta and Lawson.
- Trained in Kaizen, TQC, JIT, SPC, ISO 9000, Six Sigma Green Belt, Deming, Juran, 5S, Crosby systems of operational improvements.
Timeline
Plant Manager
Old Bridge Minerals
10.2024 - Current
Plant Director
Sika Chemical Corporation
09.2022 - 10.2024
Vice President of Operations
South Jersey Agricultural Products
03.2016 - 09.2022
General Manager Eastern Region
KUUSAKOSKI RECYCLING
03.2015 - 03.2016
Senior Executive Analyst
AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
07.2014 - 03.2015
General Manager
IFCO SYSTEMS
11.2012 - 02.2014
General Manager
RIVERFRONT RECYCLING & AGGREGATE
02.2011 - 11.2012
General Manager
OLDCASTLE LAWN & GARDEN
03.2006 - 10.2010
Branch Manager
TERMINIX INTERNATIONAL
07.2004 - 03.2006
Director of Operations
DISC MAKERS INC.
08.2003 - 06.2004
Vice President of Operations
PARIS BUSINESS PRODUCTS
07.2002 - 08.2003
Director of Operations / Controller
DENGLAS TECHNOLOGIES
07.1997 - 05.2002
Plant Manager / Distribution Manager
CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
01.1990 - 01.1997
Superintendent of Color Manufacturing & Compounding
OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL
01.1985 - 01.1990
Executive MBA -
Eastern College
Bachelor of Arts - Chemistry
Trenton State College (College of New Jersey)