Mark Blythe

• Responded to building emergencies and managed repairs.
• Conducted regular inspections of physical assets, identifying areas for repair or replacement before issues escalated into costly problems.
• Oversaw all aspects of equipment installation, maintenance, and repair for both internal and external services.
• Managed vendor relationships for cost-effective services, ensuring quality and timely completion of projects.
• Oversaw facility renovations, ensuring ADA compliance and adherence to local building codes.
• Reduced energy consumption through regular audits and implementation of energy-saving initiatives.

• Fostered a culture of continuous improvement within the organization by sharing best practices across departments.
• Optimized warehouse space utilization, resulting in increased storage capacity and reduced overhead expenses.
• Oversaw a team of warehouse staff members, providing guidance, support, and motivation for peak performance.
• Implemented safety protocols to ensure a secure work environment, leading to decreased workplace accidents.
• Checked physical inventory through regular cycle counts and conducted full audits to trace and correct discrepancies.
• Conducted regular audits of warehouse operations to identify areas for improvement and implement corrective actions promptly.
• Make ready, design and implement efficient work flow for our new distribution center

• Direct production staff and QA/Planning manager to facilitate production demand
• Perform all procurement functions - Vendor sourcing, pricing, terms, lead time, quality requirements and contracts
• Negotiate shipping rates with carriers which resulted in significant cost savings for the company
• Responsible for managing all trade requirements for CITES certification (USDA/US Fish & Wildlife)
• MRP - ROP with Min/Max levels with Lean JIT consideration
• Managed vendor relations including all meetings, facility visits and trade show appointments
• Created a smart part numbering scheme for finished goods with product hierarchies which resulted in enhanced reporting
• Install BOM's in ERP (QuickBooks) with quarterly audits to ensure accuracy
• Designed and sourced gig bags, t-shirts, and other accessories for the Fano brand
• Standardize material descriptions for improved reporting and constant terminology
• Investigate and acquire possible second and third source vendors for crucial components
• Analyze and determine distributor, dealer, and consumer pricing based on required margins and perceived value
• Created standardized service parts packaging for all sellable parts with online sales consideration
• Oversee physical inventory quarterly and request audits weekly with effective collaborations with warehouse team members
• Identify reverse logistics opportunities - Sell scrap or obsolete materials, when possible, to recoup percentage of item cost
• Items are then offered for sale to dealers, distributors, vendors or to consumers when applicable
• Manage the NAMM Show from coordination to setup and ensuring customer participation
• Responsible for creating, marketing and maintaining the www.fanoguitars.com website and storefront
• Evaluated emerging trends in supply chain technology, incorporating relevant innovations into organizational processes for enhanced efficiency.
• Conducted thorough market research to identify potential new vendors, leading to an expanded supplier base offering competitive pricing options.

(Employed at Fender Musical Instruments from January 1994 to February 2016)

• Management of inside sales representatives
• Create processes/standards for all service and warranty parts (12 different brands)
• Rearranged parts department to better serve changing trends and keep workspaces organized.
• Work closely with R&D, Marketing, Customer Service, Sales, Supply Chain, International Offices, Domestic/International distribution center, and suppliers
• Create solutions for End-of-Life parts (EOL) and New Product Launch (NPL), product introduction to ensure parts are available prior to product launch
• Vendor relations, MOQ, parts quality review, material packaging and packaging design
• Parts list creation and Service Document approval (all products/product lines)
• All the responsibilities listed under 'Parts Manager' above and below

• Collaborated with Fender on the online custom instrument 'configurator' and managed MLB limited edition Stratocasters portion of www.fender.com
• Assisted in creating the look, feel and content for Fender's new e-commerce initiative
• Created a competitive analysis on popular lifestyle brands to determine the best possible functionality for Fender's website
• Cross functional collaboration with a team of photographers to create photo styling guides for required and consistent PDP imagery
• Develop Fender branded packaged parts for Fender.com's new online store rollout
• Consult other digital employees/departments to help them understand musician/instrument terminology and lifestyle (copywriter, UX, photography, and video)
• Work with the web design team to determine all page layouts- product display, home, navigation, seasonal product pages and overall web content
• Investigate competitive online retailers regarding shipping, product presentation, freight cost, finance options, and other ecommerce attributes
• Assist SEO specialists with keywords & Google AdWords.

• Managed 4 team members - Master data / parts purchasing & planning clerks (continued parts responsibilities, less sales team)
• Oversee all SAP material data for ALL FMIC product lines, products and parts
• Develop policies and procedures for material data
• MRP, Material Status (X-Chain/D-Chain), Vendor, Purchasing/Planning data in SAP
• Worked with product managers and offshore OEM's on requirements parts for new products (NPL)
• Created parts lists for ALL offshore finished goods.