Zach Wardlaw
Easley,SC
Summary
Business leader with a decade of experience managing teams, complex operations, and high-stakes customer relationships, complemented by prior military service as an Infantryman and a Criminal Justice focused Bachelor's degree from Clemson University. Recognized for professionalism, integrity, and calm decision-making. Now pursuing a lifelong goal of entering law enforcement and serving the community.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Account Manager
Lowe's Home Improvement
08.2025 - Current
- Manage key accounts, fostering strong relationships to drive revenue growth and customer loyalty.
- Analyze market trends to identify opportunities for account expansion and development.
Director of Service Ops and Customer Engagement
Techtronic Industries - TTI
05.2025 - Current
- Currently lead three departments consisting of over 125 employees / 10 direct reports in support of multiple business units: Refurbishment, Tool Repair, and Customer Engagement.
- Oversee financial management responsibilities such as budgeting, forecasting, analyzing P&L statements and identifying areas for cost reduction.
- Responsible for deploying departmental strategies in alignment and support of established corporate goals and visions.
Senior Operations Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
08.2023 - 05.2025
- Oversaw and directly managed the successful launch of an in-house tool repair operation known as "Ryobi Rapid Repair" and "RIDGID Service Direct". Department responsible for diagnosing and repairing customer warranty claims for a wide array of power tools.
- Expanded leadership responsibilities spanning two departments (Refurbishment and Tool Repair) consisting of over 100 staff and 8 direct reports.
- Streamlined operational processes, enhancing workflow efficiency across departments to improve output levels and turn times of customer repairs.
Operations Manager | Tool Refurbishment
Techtronic Industries - TTI
06.2022 - 08.2023
- Led department of over 75 employees and 6 direct reports responsible for reconditioning customer product returns to be resold through various channels.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with vendors, resulting in better pricing and improved service quality to drive departmental efficiency while minimizing spend.
- Monitored and established various operational performance metrics to identify areas for improvement to ensure compliance with production goals and expectations.
Supply Chain Operations Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
07.2020 - 06.2022
- Responsible for all forecasting, ordering, and fulfillment strategies in support of 40 Direct Tools Factory Outlet (DTFO) locations across the US.
- Direct involvement in creating, uploading, and maintaining various streams of data and customized reporting across systems such as SAP, Power BI, and other sources.
Senior Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2020 - 07.2020
- Captained global efforts to ensure timely and accurate sourcing and procurement of lithium-ion cells across reputable suppliers such as Samsung, Sony & LG.
- Ensured product development timelines were in alignment with demand from customers (The Home Depot and Wal-Mart).
- Mentored 3 direct reports, fostering professional growth and enhancing team capabilities.
Lead Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
05.2018 - 01.2020
- Developed tariff mitigation strategies related to the sourcing and qualification of new vendors, cell suppliers, and the relocation of multiple production lines outside of China. These efforts yielded millions in annual savings to the company.
- Led cross-functional teams to define product vision and strategy for the battery/charger category in support of a new power tool brand (Hart) which would be sold exclusively within Wal-Mart.
Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2017 - 05.2018
- Daily cross-functional collaboration with engineering teams, sales and marketing, and other support groups geared towards product design, testing, and launch strategies to support the lithium-ion battery and chargers categories for the Ryobi and RIDGID power tool brands.
Infantryman (11B)
Army National Guard
02.2012 - 02.2018
- 2-years as a dismount solider serving in various roles. Final 4 years in guard were spent in various positions (driver, gunner, and commander) on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Associate Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Conducted market research and developed product roadmaps to identify customer needs and potential growth opportunities in existing and untapped product categories - specializing in the high voltage/output tool category.
Field Sales and Marketing Representative
Techtronic Industries - TTI
04.2015 - 01.2016
- Coordinated all field sales and marketing efforts for Milwaukee and Ryobi power equipment across a $3 million sales territory - spanning 8 Home Depot store locations in the East Tennessee and Western Virginia markets.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sociology (Criminal Justice Emphasis)
Clemson University
Clemson, SC05-2014
Master of Science - Digital Marketing
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN05-2017
Skills
- Enhanced situational awareness
- Effective listener
- Sound discretionary judgement
- Process-oriented operations
- Effective problem resolution
- Calm and clear messaging
Certification
Six Sigma Green Belt | Clemson University | June 2024
Awards
2-time Circle of Excellence award winner at Techtronic Industries ('22 & '23). Award is given to less than 5% of employees within the company annually.
Timeline
Senior Account Manager
Lowe's Home Improvement
08.2025 - Current
Director of Service Ops and Customer Engagement
Techtronic Industries - TTI
05.2025 - Current
Senior Operations Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
08.2023 - 05.2025
Operations Manager | Tool Refurbishment
Techtronic Industries - TTI
06.2022 - 08.2023
Supply Chain Operations Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
07.2020 - 06.2022
Senior Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2020 - 07.2020
Lead Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
05.2018 - 01.2020
Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2017 - 05.2018
Associate Product Manager
Techtronic Industries - TTI
01.2016 - 01.2017
Field Sales and Marketing Representative
Techtronic Industries - TTI
04.2015 - 01.2016
Infantryman (11B)
Army National Guard
02.2012 - 02.2018
Bachelor of Science - Sociology (Criminal Justice Emphasis)
Clemson University
Master of Science - Digital Marketing
East Tennessee State University