Raymond Thompson III
Virginia Beach,VA
Summary
Data-driven Senior Inventory Manager and Operations Leader with over 20 years of experience translating complex operational and supply chain data into actionable sales strategies, executive dashboards, and execution of business cases. Proven track record leading demand planning, analytics, and pricing frameworks while managing multi-million-dollar operational budgets. Expert at supervising teams, assessing risk/reward scenarios, and aligning cross-functional teams with long-term revenue and working capital targets.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Inventory Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
Newport News, VA
04.2004 - Current
- Lead Demand Planning and Analytics initiatives for a $321M inventory portfolio, building and utilizing Power BI, Advanced Excel, and SQL dashboards to track KPIs, assess opportunity gaps, and provide strategic data guidance to executive leadership.
- Spearheaded a cross-functional business case and ROI optimization initiative for key product categories; drove a 6.8% increase in stock availability (to 95.45%) while simultaneously reducing on-hand inventory by $1.24M (12%) and lowering Days of Inventory (DOI) by 47 days.
- Supervise, mentor, and direct a team of 9 purchasing and planning agents; successfully coached planners to independently lead cross-functional supplier negotiations and strategy sessions to sustain leaner inventory positions.
- Conduct risk and reward assessments in collaboration with Sourcing, Category Management, and key suppliers to ensure inventory compliance, accurate forecasting, and uninterrupted customer fulfillment.
- Synthesize complex data streams into executive PowerPoint presentations, scorecards, and business cases to align sales leadership and executive stakeholders on core operational metrics and spending trends.
Director of Regional Operations
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
Newport News, VA
10.2001 - 03.2024
- Partnered with corporate and regional sales leadership to assess market changes, identify opportunity gaps, and execute strategic expansion plans that successfully captured new market share in the plumbing and HVAC sectors.
- Monitored performance metrics of regional operations teams, identified areas for improvement, and developed strategies to maximize productivity.
- Provided technical guidance on the implementation of new systems and technologies in the region.
Area Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
New York, New York
01.2013 - 09.2021
- Directed a $130M regional operation and supervised 140 employees, taking full ownership of department budgets, spending trends, and financial forecasting for inventory, labor, and overhead expenses.
- Analyzed complex production, quality control, and order volume reports to identify operational bottlenecks and recommend data-backed process improvements to senior leadership.
- Evaluated sales forecasts, supply schedules, and market demands to optimize operational workflows and ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
- Maximized regional revenue by designing and rolling out targeted sales incentive programs, monitoring program effectiveness and performance across multiple store locations.
- Navigated complex labor environments, successfully resolving union disputes and managing operations within the confines of multiple collectively bargained agreements.
Branch Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
Mount Vernon, New York
07.2009 - 12.2012
- Directed Ferguson branch operations across sales, service, and daily workflow
- Maximized branch revenue and operational profitability through strategic daily management and the optimization of branch-level budget plans.
- Expanded customer base by leveraging relationship-building and needs-analysis to deliver relevant product solutions.
- Coached counter sales and branch associates on customer service standards
Acquisitions Project Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
Newport News, VA
07.2002 - 06.2009
- Managed change and business process conversion for multiple nationwide branch acquisitions, ensuring seamless integration of new operations.
- Monitored progress of each project to ensure timely delivery of deliverables in accordance with established quality standards.
- Constructed standardized price matrices and managed customer contract overrides to align acquired branches with corporate pricing models.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Information Systems
Radford University
Radford, VASkills
- Data & Analytics: Power BI, Advanced Excel, SQL, KPI Dashboards, Data-driven decisions
- Business Strategy: Business Case Development/Execution, Risk assessment, Sales analytics, Market analysis, Forecasting and planning
- Operations & Leadership: Cross-functional leadership, Executive presentations, Budget & Spend Management, Operational efficiency, Change Management
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Executive Leadership Training (01/2017)
- Unconscious Bias Training | Franklin Covey (08/2020)
Accomplishments
- Acquisitions Department of Year (2005)
Affiliations
- Gustavo Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Purple Belt) 2025
- YogaWorks Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) 2012
Timeline
Area Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
01.2013 - 09.2021
Branch Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
07.2009 - 12.2012
Senior Inventory Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
04.2004 - Current
Acquisitions Project Manager
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
07.2002 - 06.2009
Director of Regional Operations
Ferguson Enterprises, LLC
10.2001 - 03.2024
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Information Systems
Radford University