Robert Spalding

Role Summary - Lead sales growth across a seven state territory through strategic account management, technical solution selling, and business development.

• Responsible for Distributor, End User, OEM, and Transport Accounts across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
• Grew Territory by 23% YOY (+ $860,000 YOY), with Pump Product Sales growing by 41% YOY and Distributor growth of 28% YOY
• Lead weekly trainings and Lunch & Learns for maintenance and engineering teams to strengthen product knowledge and support customer adoption
• Partner cross-functionally with application engineering, customer service, and leadership teams to advance opportunities and improve customer outcomes
• Support customers through the full sales cycle, including prospecting, account development, technical discussions, solution recommendation, quoting, and follow-up
• Remote - Chicago, IL

Role Summary - Lead process troubleshooting, operational improvement, and capital project execution for co-product drying and wastewater treatment systems.

• Identified refurbishment of wastewater treatment equalization tank liner and delivered project under budget ($300k) after discovery of excessive damage to interior of tank.
• Coordinated the retrieval of a four-ton jet aeration manifold between dive team and lift team – built safety SOPs, lockout procedures, and held job safety reviews.
• Led multiple enzyme trials to identify maintenance opportunities in the process and the elimination of the enzyme for a plant operation cost reduction of $430k/year.
• Determined process operating conditions and ordered the replacements ($282k) of critical environmental devices for the co-product drying area to keep plant in compliance with IDEM
• Ran two key engineering studies – yield increase of key product and refurbishment of plant stack.
• Unit Operations Responsible for: Wetmill – Natural Gas Dryers, Steam Tube Dryers, Vacuum Filtration, Sludge Press, Utilities – Wastewater Treatment Equalization Tank, Jet Aeration Basin, Clarifiers

Role Summary - Managed manufacturing support, new business quotations, process troubleshooting, and equipment implementation for automotive production operations.

• Managed the quotation of new business, department wide capacity, quality concerns/alerts and implementation of new machines and injection tools for multiple customers.
• Observed, assessed and implemented scrap reduction solution to a Fuel Valve Assembly Machine; Reducing scrap by 600%.
• Assisted in the start of paperless initiative. Researched and installed digital signage and touch screens across plant to eliminate paper signs and white boards.
• Installed multiple Keyence Multi-spectrum Camera to Fuel Valve Assembly Machines, automating portions of quality inspection

Role Summary - Assisted with pilot-scale testing, process evaluation, and new product development to support innovation and production improvements.

• Implemented safety equipment for caustic liquid. Wrote and presented standard operating procedure to the engineering team.
• Led multiple pilot plant distillation trials requiring cross-organizational partnership. Reported results of trial to lead engineer.
• Traveled to multiple Brown-Forman locations to operationalize production improvements to improve cost savings.
• Developed a unique alcoholic beverage over the course of the co-op, with the capstone being an in-depth presentation to senior management