SHANNON HERLOCKER
Highland,UT
Summary
Strategic operations executive with over 15 years of experience in multi-site manufacturing, M&A integrations, and business transformation. Achieved multimillion-dollar cost savings while scaling teams and implementing data-driven systems for profitable growth. Expertise in Lean Six Sigma, ERP implementations, and operational excellence.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Operations and Continuous Improvement
Thrive Freeze Dry
American Fork, UT
01.2018 - 07.2025
- Drove creation and deployment of continuous improvement strategy across seven plants.
- Initiated over 50 continuous improvement initiatives in 2025, ranging in scale.
- Developed team and site-based scorecards to align with global performance metrics.
- Established partnerships with external stakeholders to enhance business expansion efforts.
- Championed strategic vision for North America operations, ensuring consistency and cost savings.
- Built and maintained global operations scorecard to standardize KPIs and success metrics.
- Led merger integration initiatives to unify processes and documentation, boosting collaboration.
- Partnered cross-functionally with supply chain, product development, and account management to drive growth.
Chief of Staff to the COO & Operations Director
Thrive Freeze Dry (formerly Thrive Foods)
American Fork, UT
01.2018 - 01.2025
- Served as strategic partner to COO, leading operational alignment and project planning.
- Oversaw large-scale operational integration post-merger, achieving significant efficiency improvements network-wide.
- Directed ERP implementation and standardization across multiple sites, enhancing operational capabilities.
- Delivered complex capital projects, including $20M expansion, on schedule and within budget.
- Championed $15M in annual cost savings through process improvements and cost-control initiatives.
- Executed turnaround plan as Interim Plant Manager for two underperforming sites, contributing $2.5M to profitability.
- Facilitated executive meetings with clear agendas, ensuring actionable outcomes.
- Mentored junior staff to promote professional development and enhance team performance.
Director, Customer Operations
Margot Elena
Centennial, CO
01.2017 - 06.2018
- Directed customer operations and warehouse teams for major national retail accounts.
- Implemented over 50 continuous improvement initiatives, enhancing warehouse management and service levels.
- Negotiated carrier contracts, achieving annual savings exceeding $60K.
- Created an internal CRM system to elevate customer experience and personalized service.
- Collaborated with CEO and President to align operations with company vision.
- Designed warehouse and customer service scorecards, tracking key metrics for growth goals.
Operations Manager
Thrive Life
American Fork, UT
01.2008 - 01.2017
- Collaborated with CEO and GM to develop and launch two brands in Costco stores nationwide.
- Managed budget and planned over 50 annual events to drive direct sales program growth.
- Played key role in developing Thrive Life direct sales program, increasing company valuation from $5M to $50M from 2008 to 2018.
- Directed IT team in creating personalized consultant portals within Thrive's direct sales program.
- Built and led Thrive's Elite Service Team to ensure exceptional customer support for key consultants.
- Led continuous improvement projects and Kaizen events to enhance customer experience in direct sales.
- Ensured operational compliance with established workflows, effectively supporting internal and external stakeholders.
Education
MBA - Leadership & Project Management Emphasis
Southern Utah University
BS - Political Science
Southern Utah University
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt -
University of Utah
CAPM -
Project Management Institute
Skills
- Leadership and team building
- Multi-site plant management
- Continuous improvement strategies
- M&A integration and change management
- ERP implementation
- Process improvement and standardization
- Project management and data analysis
- Cost control and P&L responsibility
- Food manufacturing expertise (USDA)
- KPI development and scorecard creation
- Tableau and Power BI proficiency
- MS Project, Asana, Mondaycom, ClickUp, Microsoft Suite, Google Suite
Timeline
Director, Operations and Continuous Improvement
Thrive Freeze Dry
01.2018 - 07.2025
Chief of Staff to the COO & Operations Director
Thrive Freeze Dry (formerly Thrive Foods)
01.2018 - 01.2025
Director, Customer Operations
Margot Elena
01.2017 - 06.2018
Operations Manager
Thrive Life
01.2008 - 01.2017
MBA - Leadership & Project Management Emphasis
Southern Utah University
BS - Political Science
Southern Utah University
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt -
University of Utah
CAPM -
Project Management Institute
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