Veronica L. Braker
Newnan,GA
Summary
Strategic enterprise operations executive with over 30 years of experience in global manufacturing and large-scale transformations. Proven leadership in managing organizations with 26,000 employees and overseeing extensive capital deployments. Expertise in driving measurable improvements in safety, service, asset effectiveness, and quality across diverse industries, including wire and cable, food, chemical, and advanced materials.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Vice President of Operations
Southwire
Carrollton, GA
01.2025 - Current
- Lead the enterprise Wire & Cable and Vertical Operations portfolio across 23 facilities and 6,000 employees, with accountability for $6B in spend, $500M in annual capital, operating performance, network capability, and transformation delivery.
- Leading an enterprise productivity agenda on track to deliver $190M in gross cost-out.
- Established operations for digital scale via the Digital Technology Center of Excellence and a five-year AI/ML roadmap.
- Enhanced customer service and operating discipline, raising OTIF by 200 basis points to 92% while reducing TRIR by 47% and minimizing scrap and COPQ.
- Achieved $15M in annual material savings through a 20% increase in Copper Rod Mill OEE.
Executive Vice President of Operational Excellence
Southwire
Carrollton, GA
01.2024 - 01.2025
- Held enterprise leadership for EHS, sustainability, quality, reliability, Lean, engineering, modernization, material planning, copper rod mills, and compounding integrating functional excellence with operating execution.
- Improved OEE by 18% across critical assets and delivered $90M in gross cost-out benefits.
- Commissioned PVC compounding assets to expand strategic supply capability, enabling a $60M make-versus-buy opportunity.
- Enhanced safety performance, by decreasing TRIR from 0.76 to 0.68, contributing to overall workplace safety.
Senior Vice President, Global Operations
Archer Daniels Midland
Decatur, IL
01.2019 - 01.2024
- Directed global operations performance across 400+ facilities and 26,000 employees, with $1.2$1.3B in annual capital. Enterprise remit included operational excellence, reliability, technology, quality and food safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
- Architected a seven-year modernization and automation program with $3B in ten-year savings potential and a scalable foundation for machine learning, AI, and state-based control.
- Delivered more than $200M in annual run-rate savings through productivity, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Instituted performance governance using global KPIs, a structured operating management system, and a comprehensive five-year operations strategy.
- Realigned global and regional technology organizations to enhance execution speed, facilitate capability transfer, and ensure enterprise standardization.
Vice President, Operational Excellence
Archer Daniels Midland
Decatur, IL
02.2019 - 04.2019
- - Led design and rollout of global technical center of excellence and integrated operating model, enhancing continuous improvement and performance excellence.
- - Developed and executed strategic plans aligned with organizational vision, ensuring cohesive direction and focus.
- - Identified operational issues and implemented solutions, streamlining processes and enhancing overall efficiency.
- Streamlined processes to enhance efficiency in operations.
- - Guided cross-functional teams on safety compliance and quality standards.
Vice President of Operations
BASF Corporation
Wyandotte, MI
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Directed an 18-site North American Performance Materials network spanning the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with accountability for $160M in fixed cost, $50M in divisional capital, asset strategy, and growth investments.
- Integrated and launched a ~$50M facility within six months, initiating an ~$18M Mexico extrusion expansion to drive growth.
- Reduced enterprise risk by decreasing environmental deviations 87% and process safety incidents 20%, enhancing operational safety and compliance.
- Developed multi-year capital and productivity pipelines while enhancing leadership bench strength through early-career women-in-manufacturing program(s).
North American Head of Operations
BASF Corporation
Wyandotte, MI
01.2014 - 01.2017
- Led 17 facilities with $190M in fixed cost and $22M in divisional capital, achieving $5.7M in operational excellence savings.
- Enhanced portfolio safety and reliability by reducing TRIR 25% and increasing Geismar Polyol Plant process reliability 75%, while executing ~$70M in critical expansions on time, scope, and budget.
- Directed site operations for BASF chemical manufacturing and distribution teams.
- Aligned production schedules with supply chain and customer demand plans.
- Oversaw safety, health, and environmental compliance across operating functions.
Manufacturing Manager
BASF Corporation
Wyandotte, MI
01.2011 - 01.2014
- Led three polyurethane facilities; cut OSHA recordables 50%, identified $35M in operational excellence opportunities, halved overdue preventive maintenance, and implemented Lean methods like SMED, value-stream mapping, and 6S.
- Led BASF manufacturing teams to meet production schedules and safety standards
- Coordinated daily operations at BASF plant to ensure efficiency with quality, maintenance, and supply chain groups
- Managed BASF process controls using SAP records and production reports
Site Manager; Operations Manager; Staff Process Engineer
Flint Hills Resources
Marysville, MI
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Managed P&L and led EHS, compliance, quality, maintenance, cost, capital, operations, and engineering. Attained zero OSHA recordables, optimized yield performance, and ensured 100% technician completion of new chemical-operator training program.
General Electric
Mount Vernon, IN
01.1996 - 01.2006
- Advanced through plant leadership, production, global quality, Six Sigma, materials, logistics, and process engineering roles, leading organizations of up to 200 employees and a $400M cost structure.
- Released $10M in cash, generated $19M in annual value, and increased output by 20% through inventory, process, and productivity leadership.
- Delivered a complex three-week outage with zero OSHA recordables or reportable spills, 5% under budget, and on-time startup.
- Built improvement capability through 176 quality projects delivering $4.8M in direct savings and customer initiatives generating $3.7M in revenue.
- Improved customer and working-capital performance by reducing delivery-time span 80%, complaints 90%, backlog 80%, and reducing finished goods inventory by 21%.
Production Manager/Quality Supervisor
The Clorox Company
01.1992 - 01.1995
Engineering and Quality Leadership
Milliken Chemical
01.1992 - 01.1995
Education
B.S. - Chemical Engineering
Christian Brothers University
Memphis, TN01-1992
Skills
- Operations leadership
- Operational excellence
- Continuous improvement
- Lean manufacturing
- Supply chain planning
- Capital allocation
Personal Information
Title: GLOBAL OPERATIONS & TRANSFORMATION EXECUTIVE
HOBBIES
Traveling, Tennis, Pickleball
HONORS & RECOGNITION
2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame | 2018 NAM STEP Ahead Award | 2018 Michigan Congressional Record | Savoy Magazine 2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America | Paradigm for Parity 2020 Women on the Rise | 2020 Women of Technology/IoT
Affiliations
- Current: Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation, Southwire 12forLife Board
- Past: Women in Manufacturing; National Association of Manufacturers; Women in Food & Agriculture Advisory Board
Timeline
Executive Vice President of Operations
Southwire
01.2025 - Current
Executive Vice President of Operational Excellence
Southwire
01.2024 - 01.2025
Vice President, Operational Excellence
Archer Daniels Midland
02.2019 - 04.2019
Senior Vice President, Global Operations
Archer Daniels Midland
01.2019 - 01.2024
Vice President of Operations
BASF Corporation
01.2017 - 01.2019
North American Head of Operations
BASF Corporation
01.2014 - 01.2017
Manufacturing Manager
BASF Corporation
01.2011 - 01.2014
Site Manager; Operations Manager; Staff Process Engineer
Flint Hills Resources
01.2008 - 01.2011
General Electric
01.1996 - 01.2006
Production Manager/Quality Supervisor
The Clorox Company
01.1992 - 01.1995
Engineering and Quality Leadership
Milliken Chemical
01.1992 - 01.1995
B.S. - Chemical Engineering
Christian Brothers University