Susan Shepherd

Experience

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  Smithers Viscient - formerly Smithers Springborn

  Feb 2006 - Feb 2011

  Director, Ecotoxicology

  Directed staff scientists conducting ecotoxicology studies with regulated products for crop protection products, pharmaceutical, and industrial chemical industries. Managed day-to-day operations with revenues in excess of $8.0M related to the conduct, analysis, evaluation, and timely reporting of contracted studies. Ensured conformance to technical, quality assurance and financial performance objectives, and overall client satisfaction.• Increased revenues two-fold and EBIT improvement three-fold by expanding department capacity and capabilities.• Creatively expanded capacity by 40% to accommodate on-demand testing required to assess environmental impact of an oil spill; accomplished without impacting ongoing testing schedule. • Grew overall team from 16 to 35 scientists, increasing the number of Study Directors from 5 to 14.• Provided management oversight for capital improvement, providing office space for 50 scientific staff. Show less

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  Smithers - Environmental Risk Sciences

  Jan 2011 - Sept 2022

  Reported to the Group President of Life Sciences Division; successfully manage three sites in the U.S. and UK with 7 direct and 250 indirect employees worldwide. Set strategy and financial and technical management of a world-recognized Contract Research Organization specializing in environmental risk assessment testing services. Ensure site-wide Good Laboratory Practice compliance within the global entity.• Transformed underperforming business to profitable and restored client confidence following market consolidation.• Added service line extensions with incremental revenue additions ranging from $500K to $4M+/annual. • Developed a strong, capable leadership bench to support robust succession planning. Show less Reported to the President; spearheaded the financial and technical management of Smithers ERS Laboratories for North American locations in MA and NC with an estimated 150 employees. Direct reports consisted of technical management, functions of compliance assurance, business development, and shared services teams, including IT, HR, and facilities. Increased annual turnover by roughly 20% over tenure and monitored and measured business and technical performance using a balanced scorecard approach. • Set precedence for facility-wide commitment to embrace a quality mindset, which entailed “designing” quality in vs “checking” quality in.• Delivered 10% YOY growth and average of double-digit EBIT through process improvement outcomes that increased capacity to take on new growth.• Applied a systems-thinking approach to improving the level of service and the quality of client deliverables following extensive organizational growth by employing the use of causal maps to uncover the contributions that lead to evolving negative outcomes. The findings served as the basis for 13 Lean process improvement projects held in subsequent year. • Led a Lean process improvement effort to improve quality and delivery time, reduce scrap, and establish standard work processes. The result was decreased employee turnover, faster turnaround time, and improved margins.• Planned and executed a facility expansion, increasing footprint by 20%, delivered on time and on budget. Show less

  • President

    Sept 2014 - Sept 2022

  • Vice President, NA Operations

    Jan 2011 - Sept 2014
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  EmptyBox

  Apr 2022 - now

  • Advisor and Board Member to EmptyBox

    Apr 2022 - now

  • Board Member

    Apr 2022 - now
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  Smithers

  Sept 2022 - now

  Group President

  Providing strategic leadership to Environmental Risk Sciences and Pharmaceutical Development Services Divisions within Smithers.

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  EBS-Builders

  Mar 2024 - now

  Advisory Board Member