Ryan Swenson

Program/Project Manager

Geneva,IL

Summary

Results-driven Executive Program/Project Manager with a proven track record of developing and leading large-scale initiatives that drive cost savings and operational excellence for a national retailer. Expert in centralizing services, optimizing vendor partnerships, and implementing strategic programs to enhance efficiency across multi-site operations. Skilled in managing cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration, and improving financial transparency to deliver measurable outcomes and continuous process improvements.

Overview

2025

years of professional experience

years of post-secondary education

Work History

Executive Manager of National Projects

ALDI Inc.

3 2018 - 11.2024

Created, managed, and executed business plan and communicated company vision and objectives to motivate teams.
Negotiated high-value contracts with key partners and suppliers, securing favorable terms that supported business objectives.
Reduced financial inconsistencies while assessing and verifying billing invoices and expense reports.
National Program Architect: Collaborated on the design and implementation of centralized national service accounts, reducing redundancies and standardizing processes across hundreds of stores and warehouses, yielding significant cost reductions and operational efficiencies
ServiceChannel SaaS Platform Implementation: Successfully deployed a SaaS work order management system (ServiceChannel) for all facilities across the company’s U.S Locations, significantly improving maintenance response times, enhancing service quality, and enabling real-time tracking and reporting
National Waste Program: Designed and implemented a nationwide waste management program, consolidating services and optimizing vendor partnerships to deliver significant cost savings while enhancing operational service quality
Cintas Chemical and Store Rental Program Centralization: Negotiated and centralized the chemical and rental services contract with Cintas, leading to over $1M in cost recoveries from short pays and refunds over four years, while also enhancing service consistency and compliance
Loomis Armored Car Program Optimization: Spearheaded contract renegotiation efforts to include an all-inclusive warranty for the armored car service, avoiding $1.1M in projected repair costs within the first year by streamlining maintenance expenses
Spearheaded the development and implementation of a nationwide chemical program in partnership with Ecolab, achieving a 50% reduction in chemical costs across all store locations. Standardized product availability and streamlined usage guidelines, ensuring consistency, compliance, and enhanced safety standards in daily operations
Fire, Life, and Safety Inspection Program: Developed and implemented a comprehensive compliance program ensuring strict adherence to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and regulations. This initiative resulted in zero fire-code-related store closures over the past four years, enhancing safety standards and ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Warehouse and Store Pest Control Program: Collaborated with the Quality Assurance Department and National Operations Committee to develop and implement a comprehensive pest control program for warehouses and stores. Led the creation of a revised policy focused on prevention, consistency, and effective management
Established a culture of continuous improvement by promoting best practices in project management, process optimization, and risk mitigation.
Financial Reporting & Transparency: Led my team in developing Tableau dashboards that provide real-time insights into national accounts, enhancing decision-making, boosting transparency, and enabling data-driven strategies.
Team Development & Leadership: Led and mentored a team, resulting in 12 internal promotions by fostering a culture focused on continuous improvement, professional growth, and accountability
Contract Optimization & Cost Savings: Collaborated with ALDI’s legal team to create a Master Services Agreement for service-related accounts, significantly reducing legal review costs and negotiation times

District Manager - Batavia Division

ALDI Inc.

07.2012 - 03.2018

Multi-store Operations Oversight: Managed daily operations across 21 stores in the Chicago market, implementing strategies that optimized customer service, reduced operational costs, and drove sales growth
Talent Acquisition & Retention: Led the recruitment, hiring, and development of store personnel, including Managers in Training (MITs) and store managers. Achieved the lowest employee turnover rate in the division for two consecutive years through targeted retention strategies.
Mentorship & Leadership Development: Actively participated in district manager interviews and mentored over 10 district manager trainees and expatriates, building a pipeline of skilled leaders in the Chicago market
Sales Milestones: Established performance goals and strategies that led four stores to achieve monthly sales milestones exceeding $1M for the first time in division history
Store Audits & Inventory Control: Conducted regular audits and inventories to monitor and improve store performance, making adjustments to reduce product and cash loss
Leveraged data to set actionable goals for stores, increasing sales while managing expenses effectively
Divisional Committee Participation: Contributed to the Batavia division's committees for real estate, store setup and remodel, customer service, and operations, driving key improvements in store layout, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction

Executive Team Leader

Target

08.2009 - 06.2012

Operations Management: Managed comprehensive store operations, overseeing softlines, hardlines, and logistics, contributing to a $47M retail environment
Ranked 42nd out of 1,842 stores for gross margin performance
Top District Performer: Recognized as the top performer in District 122/115 in 2011 for exceptional sales growth, customer service, and operational efficiency
Human Resources Leadership: Directed hiring, scheduling, and coaching processes, building a strong team culture focused on customer service excellence and operational rigor
Leadership Development: Fostered a talent pipeline, with five team leaders achieving promotions due to targeted coaching on performance improvement and leadership skills
Built relationships with team members to encourage willingness to address concerns and issues.
Recruited and hired talented individuals bringing depth and experience to organization.
Collaborated with key stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement and drive change management initiatives.
Mentored employees to help improve skills and enable team members to become peak performers on job.

Multiple Roles

Abercrombie & Fitch

08.2004 - 08.2009

Store Launch & Operations: Successfully managed the opening of multiple store locations within a 10-day schedule, overseeing everything from construction completion to training staff and implementing loss prevention programs
Loss Prevention Program Implementation: Developed a structured loss prevention program that reduced shrinkage from 4.05% to 1.77%, achieving substantial improvements in profit margins and inventory control
Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Marketing

Illinois State University

Normal, IL

08.1998 - 05.2002

Skills

Talent development