LANCE MEARS
Russellville,AR
Summary
Dynamic leader with 16+ years driving operational excellence, multi-million-dollar cost reductions, and revenue growth across food distribution, manufacturing, and logistics. Expert in Lean/Six Sigma deployments, cross-functional team leadership, and cultural transformations that boost efficiency, retention, and profitability. Proven track record building high-performance teams and delivering sustainable results in fast-paced environments.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Area Sales Manager
Performance Foodservice
03.2024 - Current
- Hunt and close new business opportunities, signing 5 accounts and adding $250K in recurring annual revenue
- Build trusted customer partnerships, resolving issues and driving mutual growth
Project Manager
JBT Corporation
07.2021 - 03.2024
- Led full-lifecycle management of $20M+ project portfolios, delivering on-time completions with accurate cost/margin forecasting
- Assembled and directed cross-functional teams to reverse $1.4M COV losses into profitable outcomes
- Collaborated on R&D initiatives enhancing product capabilities and supply chain efficiency
Continuous Improvement Manager
US Foods
12.2018 - 12.2020
- Deployed Lean, Six Sigma, and VSM tools to achieve $3.4M in sustainable cost reductions
- Increased productivity 13% while stabilizing workforce (reduced 200% turnover) through inclusive leadership and process changes
- Influenced without authority to drive company-wide efficiency gains and cultural shifts
Production Supervisor (1st & 2nd Shift)
Tyson Foods
11.2015 - 12.2018
- Oversaw safe, high-volume food production operations in regulated environment (USDA/HACCP compliance)
- Eliminated defects, trained teams, and enforced quality standards for consistent output
Night Operations Manager – Delivery Driver
United Parcel Service
01.2006 - 01.2015
- Directed night sort teams to regional #1 safety and efficiency rankings
- Cut weekly labor hours via waste reduction, saving $50K annually
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Arkansas Tech University
Skills
- Lean Manufacturing & Six Sigma
- Continuous Improvement (CI) Leadership
- Project & Program Management
- P&L Management & Cost Reduction
- Sales Growth & Account Development
- Supply Chain Optimization
- Team Building, Training & Retention
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- SAP Oracle WMS/TMS Advanced Excel
- SAP Oracle Red Prairie Manhattan Multiple WMS/TMS/LMS Microsoft Office Suite (Expert: Excel, Project, Visio) Minitab Lucid Charts
Certification
- Six Sigma Green Belt
- Lean Certification
- Project Management Certification - Cornell University
- HACCP | FSQA | HAZMAT | IATA/49 CFR
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded Lean initiatives delivering $3.4M in company-wide cost savings through process redesign and waste elimination
- Transformed $1.4M negative cost of variation into +$200K positive YoY across $20M project portfolio
- Boosted operational efficiency 13% and slashed 200% turnover rate via culture change and high-performance team frameworks
Timeline
Area Sales Manager
Performance Foodservice
03.2024 - Current
Project Manager
JBT Corporation
07.2021 - 03.2024
Continuous Improvement Manager
US Foods
12.2018 - 12.2020
Production Supervisor (1st & 2nd Shift)
Tyson Foods
11.2015 - 12.2018
Night Operations Manager – Delivery Driver
United Parcel Service
01.2006 - 01.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Arkansas Tech University