Richard Gunderson

Experienced leader, manager, mentor, and consultant with a proven track record. I bring a decade of expertise in manufacturing operations, combined with ten years in technical management and engineering roles. Additionally, I have spent six years volunteering to coach professionals in career development. My extensive experience, coupled with my research and authorship, has revealed common weaknesses in talent acquisition and full-desk recruiting within organizations. My effectiveness is evidenced by leading a manufacturing operations team that not only supported significant revenue growth but also achieved a 98% employee retention rate. I authored “The Great Awakening of American Business: How to Attract and Retain the Best Talent and Engage Them in Your Business,” published in late 2022. Self-motivated professional successful in seizing viable opportunities for expansion and innovation in business. Background in increasing profits, reducing costs, and transforming customer service standards. Experienced in leading and supervising operational and sales teams. Hard-driving business leader offering skill in strategic business planning and team development. Skillfully recruit and train employees at all levels to meet customer and business demands. Articulate, forward-thinking and resourceful in meeting unique needs. Strong leader and problem-solver dedicated to streamlining operations to decrease costs and promote organizational efficiency. Uses independent decision-making skills and sound judgment to positively impact company success. 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. To seek and maintain full-time position that offers professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills. Effective advisor communicates well with people of all ages and backgrounds. Excellent eye for detail enabling quick identification of areas for improvement and suggesting strategies to help businesses reach goals. Focused on introducing efficient systems and processes. Experienced and enthusiastic Consultant with track record of success across wide range of industries. Possesses exceptional interpersonal, problem-solving and analytical skills to provide advice and expertise to client organizations improving business performance. Experienced in all aspects of operations, strategy and finance.

• Responsibility: Recognized the need for a new department to support manufacturing operations, took charge of its creation, recruited a skilled team, acquired essential capital equipment, and built a high-performing team.
• Achiever: Identified a need to enhance staff insights and founded a professional association. Served as president, bringing together management and staff from various local companies for informative meetings and tours each month.
• Maximizer: Addressed the lack of input from fabrication, assembly, and testing staff in product development by implementing a cross-functional approach to improve the process.
• Analytical: Applied logic and reasoning to develop business plans that effectively address real-world challenges.
• Activator: Thrive on networking with new people, engaging them with questions to encourage sharing of valuable insights and ideas.

• Led a manufacturing operations team that drove 12X revenue growth.
• Established and served as president of a professional association.
• Founded and presided over a Minnesota-based corporation.
• Authored “Step Up to That New Career,” published in March 2022.
• Published “The Great Awakening of American Business” in October 2022.
• Partnered with HR leaders, legal advisors, and CPAs.
• Engaged in Quality Movement and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Secured five patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.