Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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Keith Fischer

Keith Fischer

Marketing
Elkhart Lake,WI

Summary

Dynamic and strategic thought leader with a proven track record of solving complex business challenges. Utilizes market trends and consumer behaviors to uncover unidentified opportunities and unmet needs. Experienced in product marketing, channel management, research, market analysis, engineering, program management, manufacturing/operations, and supply chain. Develops data-driven strategies and go-to-market plans while leveraging strong relationships and a philosophy of trust. Believes that everyone can find success when placed in an appropriate role. Drives business results by advancing processes, methodologies, practices, and organizational development to deliver on sales objectives, increase net margin, achieve successful product launches, and grow market share. Collaborative leader partners with coworkers to promote engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings. Encouraging manager and analytical problem-solver with talents for team building, leading and motivating, as well as excellent customer relations aptitude and relationship-building skills. Proficient in using independent decision-making skills and sound judgment to positively impact company success. Dedicated to applying training, monitoring and morale-building abilities to enhance employee engagement and boost performance. Demonstrates strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills, with proven ability to quickly adapt to new environments. Eager to contribute to team success and further develop professional skills. Brings positive attitude and commitment to continuous learning and growth.

Overview

30
30
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Director, Market & Product Development

Bemis Manufacturing Company
01.2022 - Current
  • Coordinate the formulation and improvement of market development plans through the lens of competitive analysis, product and category analysis, price, channels, distribution, brand and messaging
  • Work interdependently with the full Bemis NA team to successfully execute the created market development plans to grow sales and generate an acceptable profit margin ensuring Bemis MFG remains a world class leader of bathroom products and remains the market share leader with a proactive product portfolio
  • Developed and drove Product and Market Strategy with 3-year planning, product roadmaps, categorization, market analysis and financial targets; lead Bemis in 2023 to execute 4x in new product launches vs previous years (2018-2022) while driving $8M (2023) and $11M (2024) in annualized Net Sales plus maintaining 29% vitality from those launches
  • Created, communicated and roll-out comprehensive product and market development plan resulting in Product Line Simplification (PLS) in base seats category, Product Line expansion in Design Studio seats and product category expansion in Bemis Independence through channel, customer and industrial growth
  • Lead category growth (Bemis Independence) to capitalize on an emerging market trend of 65+ aging in place from $1.4M Net Sales in 2022 - $2.2M Net Sales in 2024 (57% growth) through product line expansion, channel growth, branding, messaging and newly identified industries
  • Utilized VOC (Voice of Consumer) & VoC (Voice of Customer) through market research based on consumer trends, demographics, financial pressures, ethnic/gender/age/income, housing construction to identify growth opportunities, consumer unmet needs and innovative product ideas
  • Invested in an Innovation market leading strategy; under my leadership through a thorough market understanding and with strategic intent and systematic analysis Bemis identified, developed, and launched numerous innovation leading products
  • Developed and roll-out of Product Development Phase/Gate map & process, leading to reduction in standard project TTM through clearly defined product scopes, concise expectations, business opportunity and sales buy-in
  • Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.

Director, Project Management and Operations

HG Weber DBA HolwegWeber
05.2019 - 01.2022
  • Drive business growth domestically and globally by delivering quality manufactured and tested machine lines through a streamlined operations organization, PMI style Project Management processes, revamp manufacturing and assembly practices from a push to pull operational system, building a comprehensive purchasing, supply chain and logistics competency and delivering to an operations master planning functionality for scheduling and tracking
  • Increased production capacity through 3 main initiatives; double production floor space through a $1.6M capital expansion, increased internal production headcount by 40% (42 in 2019 to 59 in 2021) including the addition of 2nd shift and quadrupled the contracted manufacturing to offset increased demand creating capacity to fulfill and pipeline orders resulting in sales/shipment increases of $19M-$28M (2019-2020) and $28M-$36M (2020-2021)
  • 2022 projected shipments of $42M
  • Created a business vision and business plan to grow operations capacity both internally and through contracted labor to deliver on an all-time high order workload
  • Converted traditional manufacturing practice of build in place individual craftsmanship into modular manufacturing by introducing cellular manufacturing and cells of excellence

Director, Global Program Management - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
06.2017 - 03.2019
  • Transitioned Program Management organization of 22 leaders across 4 separate and independent regions into single, complex interconnected global organization to drive optimization, efficiencies and business profit
  • Led 20 product development projects with initiatives that included global product design, market penetration and products connected by digital IoT
  • Restructured group to align more closely with faucet product categories, creating product development efficiencies that resulted in 10% reduction in time-to-market for product launches

New Product Development (NPD) Purchasing Manager - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
04.2015 - 06.2017
  • Moved understaffed NPD Purchasing organization into highly functioning, sought-after group within NPD and grew organization from 4 to 12 while providing even more value than expected for NPD community
  • Reorganized and built up understaffed and underperforming purchasing group for greater alignment to product categories, achieving significant efficiency gains in processes, standards, and business partnerships
  • Spearheaded new vision for group, building purchasing strategy to add value to NPD, followed by constant reinforcement and leadership, arriving at goal within 15 months

Marketing Manager - Commercial Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
07.2011 - 04.2015
  • Owned full P&L for $18M product category
  • Led new product development team of 6 - 7; managed up to 5 concurrent projects
  • Improved underperforming Commercial space product category by building executable 5-year strategy with relevant product launches, increasing net margin from 10% to +13% in

Market & Program Manager - Kohler Engines

KOHLER COMPANY
10.2009 - 07.2011
  • Championed and led initiative with cross-functional product development team of 28 - 35 associates to launch new large displacement engine platform with highest torque, lowest emissions and competitive costs in 30 months

Business Unit Manager - Bathroom Accessories

KOHLER COMPANY
12.2007 - 10.2009
  • Marketing and project lead responsible for general category management, new product launches and obsolescence’s resulting in streamlined product offering driving margin gains.
  • Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.
  • Established performance goals for employees and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones.

Product Category Program Manager - Kitchen Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
01.2005 - 10.2007
  • New Product launch management with responsibilities of managing multiple projects simultaneously to ensure projects launch on time, on budget and within scope
  • Demonstrated strong writing and presentation skills to develop briefs, memorandums and analytical reports for clients.
  • Built teams to address project goals and objectives for multiple projects.
  • Managed multiple strategic projects with numerous sub-projects or workstreams.
  • Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.

Value Analysis / Value Engineering Manager - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
01.2002 - 08.2004
  • Lead a team of 4 to identify and implement cost savings, cost avoidances & consolidation activities with a $4M YOY bottom line savings
  • Addressed design challenges and evaluated alternative design models to meet project requirements.

Education

Associate of Science (AS) - Manufacturing Engineer

WI Technical College System
West Bend, WI
08.1995 - 05.1997

Bachelor of Arts (BA) - International Business, Mandarin

Lakeland University
Sheboygan, WI
08.2001 - 12.2005

Executive Development Program - Purchasing and Supply Chain Management

Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
07.2015 - 07.2015

Skills

  • Dynamic strategic thought leader
  • Product Marketing Category Management
  • Channel Management
  • Data driven strategy
  • Creation of Go-to-market plans
  • Research & Market Analysis
  • Program Management
  • Technical/Mechanical mindset
  • Relationship building
  • Organizational development
  • Idea Generator/Innovator
  • Consumer Product Development
  • Tradeshow & Event Planning
  • Organizational Structuring
  • P&L Management
  • Business Development
  • Coaching/Mentoring
  • Talent Recruitment, Retention & Development

Languages

Chinese (Mandarin)
Limited Working

Timeline

Director, Market & Product Development

Bemis Manufacturing Company
01.2022 - Current

Director, Project Management and Operations

HG Weber DBA HolwegWeber
05.2019 - 01.2022

Director, Global Program Management - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
06.2017 - 03.2019

Executive Development Program - Purchasing and Supply Chain Management

Michigan State University
07.2015 - 07.2015

New Product Development (NPD) Purchasing Manager - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
04.2015 - 06.2017

Marketing Manager - Commercial Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
07.2011 - 04.2015

Market & Program Manager - Kohler Engines

KOHLER COMPANY
10.2009 - 07.2011

Business Unit Manager - Bathroom Accessories

KOHLER COMPANY
12.2007 - 10.2009

Product Category Program Manager - Kitchen Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
01.2005 - 10.2007

Value Analysis / Value Engineering Manager - Global Faucets

KOHLER COMPANY
01.2002 - 08.2004

Bachelor of Arts (BA) - International Business, Mandarin

Lakeland University
08.2001 - 12.2005

Associate of Science (AS) - Manufacturing Engineer

WI Technical College System
08.1995 - 05.1997
Keith FischerMarketing