Thomas Dutton
Baraboo,WI
Summary
High-impact production leader with 5+ years of rapid advancement within a large-scale, established gourmet food distributor in top quality beef and seafood production. I rose from entry-level technician to Production Supervisor overseeing 30+ employees across 3 departments. I combine corporate-scale operational discipline with an entrepreneurial mindset, making me uniquely positioned to transition into my next role within a fast-growing organization.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Production Supervisor
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
Windsor, WI
07.2024 - Current
- Lead 31 direct reports across 3 departments within a high-volume, multinational production environment, balancing efficiency, quality, and scalability.
- Serve as a key operational driver behind the company’s transition from a stable wholesale model to a growth-focused, multi-market and emerging retail strategy.
- Spearheaded the selection and acquisition of capital equipment investments totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, directly enabling increased production capacity and expansion into 5 new markets.
- Act as a core contributor to facility redesign and operational scaling initiatives, preparing the organization for accelerated growth and increased demand.
- Played a pivotal role in modernizing workforce structures, implementing formalized pay scales across departments to support retention and sustainable growth.
- Retained multiple high-value employees through proactive leadership, conflict resolution, and team engagement, strengthening organizational stability during periods of change.
- Identified and eliminated inefficiencies, transforming legacy processes into scalable systems that support ongoing expansion.
- Recognized as a trusted leader and visible representative of operational excellence, selected as a featured expert in a multimodal media campaign showcasing company innovation, growth, and production expertise.
- Responsible for the interview/hiring process for 3 departments.
- Responsible for building a culture of operational excellence from the ground up including the formation of safety programs and a culture of “whole process” ownership on the production floor.
Department Supervisor
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
Windsor, WI
04.2022 - 07.2024
- Promoted based on performance and leadership potential within a structured corporate environment.
- Supported daily production oversight while beginning to drive process improvements and mentor team members.
- Contributed to early-stage scaling efforts within the department.
Grinding Technician
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
Windsor, WI
10.2020 - 04.2022
- Entered at entry level and rapidly distinguished through initiative, problem-solving, and operational insight.
- Built foundational expertise in production processes while identifying opportunities for efficiency and scalability.
- Set the stage for departmental growth through hands-on process improvements.
Skills
- Operations & Production Management
- Scaling Teams in Growth Environments
- Strategic Expansion & Market Readiness
- Capital Equipment Investment & Implementation
- High-Performance Team Leadership (30 Reports)
- Process Optimization & Throughput Growth
- Organizational Change & Transition Leadership
- Employee Retention & Culture Building
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Compensation Structure Development
- Historical sales tracking
- Forecasting Departmental Production Needs
- Development/Implementation of Production Plan
- Interviewing/Hiring/Onboarding process
- Developed internal position handbooks/training programs and expanded safety training
- Training and mentoring
- Quality control
- Continuous improvement
Accomplishments
- Advanced from entry-level to leadership role within a large, established organization—demonstrating adaptability and high growth potential.
- Expanded leadership scope from 0 to 31 direct reports, maintaining strong retention and team performance.
- Instrumental in enabling expansion into multiple new markets and upcoming retail channels.
- Helped bridge the gap between legacy corporate structure and agile growth, positioning operations for future scalability.
- Selected as a featured operational expert in a company-led multimedia campaign, reinforcing credibility and leadership visibility.
Timeline
Production Supervisor
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
07.2024 - Current
Department Supervisor
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
04.2022 - 07.2024
Grinding Technician
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
10.2020 - 04.2022