Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Matthew Kuemmel

Racine,WI

Summary

Results-driven operations and program management leader with a proven record of streamlining processes, leading high-performing teams, and executing large-scale initiatives across North America. Experienced in managing complex logistics networks, including direct oversight of 38 distribution centers across six states and managing programs scoped to 530 Amazon sites. Known for driving efficiency, cost savings, and continuous improvement in fast-paced environments. Currently pursuing PMP certification to further enhance program leadership capabilities.

Overview

22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Material Flow Manager

Eaton Power Corporation
01.2024 - Current
  • As Material Flow Manager, I lead end-to-end inventory operations and material coordination across six locations in Southeastern Wisconsin, including three manufacturing plants and two offsite yards. I manage a team of 42 employees—comprising Inventory Clerks, Shipping & Receiving Managers, and hourly associates—ensuring seamless material flow to meet dynamic production demands. My role includes overseeing custom crating and the timely shipment of approximately $30 million in customer orders each month. I also serve as the Project Manager for all inventory and logistics initiatives, collaborating cross-functionally with planning, purchasing, operations, and OpEx teams to eliminate production bottlenecks and drive operational efficiency. Leveraging SAP, I analyze inventory data to optimize stock levels and improve material movement. I’ve implemented continuous improvement strategies and led multiple Kaizen events, resulting in measurable gains in production throughput and process efficiency.
  • Led a cross-functional team through a $2.5M overhaul of an automated storage and retrieval system, resolving a year-long delay. Resulted in eliminating the need for offsite material storage, saving $40K/month and accelerating material delivery by 16 hours.
  • Championed standardization by developing and implementing unified work procedures and safety policies across three shipping and receiving departments, enhancing operational consistency and compliance.
  • Pioneered the site’s first ABC cycle counting program, securing a $13M inventory exemption and saving $4M annually via reduced labor costs and preventing production shutdown. Recognized for leadership in compliance and process innovation, with the program adopted at two additional sites.
  • Directed multiple Kaizen events, leading cross-departmental teams to optimize production layouts and material flow, resulting in up to a 400% increase in monthly build rates.
  • Spearheaded the implementation of a Kanban system, aligning production and logistics teams to eliminate part shortages and improve material delivery, boosting output by 20%.

Principal Program Manager

Amazon
01.2016 - 01.2024
  • Led operations across 38 sites in five Midwestern states, overseeing a $61.5M annual budget and managing a team of 62 salaried managers and over 1,200 hourly transportation associates. Throughout my tenure at Amazon, I consistently drove innovation and operational excellence across the continent—developing, testing, and implementing solutions for internal and external teams throughout North America. I championed trailer yard automation systems to streamline logistics and reduce costs, while ensuring compliance with DOT regulations and regional standards across 530 Amazon locations. I managed carrier relations and performance metrics, led the creation and execution of strategic project proposals for senior leadership, and fostered a culture of safety and accountability through targeted regional initiatives. I progressed through increasingly senior roles—from Transportation Manager to Regional and Senior Regional Transportation Operations Manager—culminating in my role as Principal Program Manager, where I continued to lead initiatives with continent-wide impact.
  • Developed and launched Amazon’s internal trailer yard fleet across North America, scaling operations from 20 to over 15,000 associates. Led onboarding and training of new managers, established continent-wide best practices, and successfully transitioned all Amazon sites from third-party (3P) yard drivers to an in-house model.
  • $235M ROI: Spearheaded development and network-wide launch of trailer yard security automation.
  • $185M Annual Savings: Launched Amazon’s in-house CDL and yard driver fleet, eliminating third-party dependency.
  • 35% YoY Safety Incident Reduction: Founded and led the Midwest Safety Committee.
  • $5M Labor Cost Reduction: Designed and implemented an employee utilization program across 38 fulfillment centers.
  • 13 Fulfillment Center Launches: Played a pivotal role in launching new sites across North America.

Operations Supervisor

Meijer
01.2013 - 01.2016
  • Led the successful launch of Meijer’s first two Wisconsin distribution centers, managing full-scope operations from facility design to execution. Built and trained a 300-person workforce, implemented optimized dock layouts and product slotting strategies, and developed SOPs and onboarding programs to ensure operational consistency, safety, and quality. Oversaw daily shipping of 80,000 cases with strict adherence to schedules, while continuously analyzing performance metrics and P&L data to identify improvement opportunities. Drove a culture of continuous improvement by streamlining workflows, enhancing training programs, and implementing scalable best practices that elevated efficiency and long-term performance.
  • Operational Leadership: Led the successful launch of Meijer’s first two distribution centers in Wisconsin, managing all aspects from facility layout design to full-scale execution.
  • Talent Acquisition & Development: Recruited, onboarded, and trained over 300 associates, building a high-performing team from the ground up. Mentored new supervisors to foster leadership growth and succession planning.
  • Process Optimization: Achieved an 18% boost in productivity and a 10% reduction in labor hours by redesigning dock layouts and optimizing pick patterns to meet increasing store demand.
  • Standardization & Compliance: Developed and implemented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and onboarding programs to ensure consistency, safety, and quality across operations.
  • Daily Operations Management: Oversaw the movement of 80,000 cases daily, maintaining strict adherence to trailer departure schedules and ensuring efficient shipping operations.
  • Financial Oversight: Analyzed monthly P&L statements to identify cost-saving opportunities and drive operational efficiency.
  • Strategic Project Execution: Pioneered the launch of Meijer’s first perishable distribution center in Wisconsin, designing the warehouse layout and shipping strategy, hiring and training 150+ associates, and executing the first outbound shipments in May 2014.
  • Handpicked to lead the opening of Meijer’s first fully automated warehouse in September 2015, managing the recruitment and training of 80 associates to operate the Witron automation system.

Warehouse & Distribution Supervisor

Joy Global/Komatsu
01.2011 - 01.2013
  • Ensured accurate picking and processing of all orders while coordinating seamless order movement across multiple sites. Successfully launched the SAP Warehouse Management System (WMS) and led comprehensive training for associates to ensure smooth adoption across the plant. Served as the after-hours point of contact for emergency customer orders, providing rapid response and resolution. Managed operations within the aftermarket distribution center, including oversight of custom packaging for aftermarket parts. Collaborated closely with third-party logistics carriers to coordinate and optimize shipping operations. Developed and implemented standardized policies and procedures to streamline workflows and improve overall efficiency. Consistently drove production performance within the team, meeting or exceeding output targets. Elevated on-time delivery of sales orders from 60% to an impressive 90-99% on average by spearheading Kaizen initiative focused on optimizing sales order processes with a cross-departmental team.
  • Reduced average order completion time from 124 hours to under 24 hours by overhauling storage systems for high-velocity items, significantly improving operational efficiency.
  • Eliminated third-party storage needs and achieved annual savings of approximately $250K by restructuring onsite racking and storage to bring all products back in-house.

Operations Supervisor

Tax-air Freight
01.2010 - 01.2011
  • Achieved noteworthy 30% reduction in customer damage claims, equivalent to approximately $12K monthly by establishing and executing load auditing protocol for outgoing trailers, introducing training on load quality, and implementing inspection process.
  • Attained 25% increase in retention rates within three months, empowering new hires to succeed in their respective roles by formulating and executing training initiative with progressive procedural documentation and cross-training of personnel.

Operations Supervisor/Hourly Associate

UPS
01.2003 - 01.2010
  • Chosen to manage one of two test sites in North America for first "sort to light" operation. Delivered 25% efficiency improvement compared to other test site, leading company to launch operation nationwide based on the outstanding performance.
  • Implemented various innovations in small containerization, resulting in notable increase in hub's small parcel containerization rate from 91% to 96%. Introduced multiple new processing methods for small parcels to enhance operational efficiency.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Business Management

University of Wisconsin Parkside
Kenosha, WI

Skills

  • Program & Project Management
  • Strategic Planning & Execution
  • Cross-functional Team Leadership
  • Data Analysis & Root Cause Resolution
  • Budget Management & Cost Optimization
  • Transportation & Logistics Coordination
  • Safety & Regulatory Compliance
  • SAP & Inventory Systems
  • Lean Principles & Continuous Improvement
  • KPI Development & Tracking
  • Risk Assessment & Mitigation
  • Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

Certification

  • Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Certification # ZSSYB12114636, Advanced Innovation Group Pro Excellence
  • Lean Specialist, Certification # ZSSL1121144278, Advanced Innovation Group Pro Excellence
  • Agile SCRUM, Certification # UC-743a731-a88e-4a72-8b0e-6689151861d, AgileKB – Agile Knowledge Base

Timeline

Material Flow Manager

Eaton Power Corporation
01.2024 - Current

Principal Program Manager

Amazon
01.2016 - 01.2024

Operations Supervisor

Meijer
01.2013 - 01.2016

Warehouse & Distribution Supervisor

Joy Global/Komatsu
01.2011 - 01.2013

Operations Supervisor

Tax-air Freight
01.2010 - 01.2011

Operations Supervisor/Hourly Associate

UPS
01.2003 - 01.2010

Bachelor of Arts - Business Management

University of Wisconsin Parkside

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