Nicholas Olson, MBA

Experience

• 

  FedEx

  Jan 2000 - Jan 2001

  Quality Technician
• 

  Gallerystone

  May 2002 - Jul 2004

  Operations Manager
• 

  Tennant Company

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2014

  + Led cross-functional team of 50 across USA, Japan, China, Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Scotland to build configure-to-order system.+ Created option attachment rate reporting from new configure-to-order system.+ Coordinated translation of training modules into 12 languages to drive transition to future state process.+ Business analyst liaison between IT SAP analysts, business process owners, and process users. • Managed shipping, receiving, light assembly, & internal movements.• Completed several process improvement projects• Implemented tugger delivery system, saving 18 miles of daily fork truck travel• Managed team of 26 direct employees and collaborated closely with second shift Material Handling team of 14 employees • Implemented pull inventory replenishment in North American Supply Chain - inventory savings of $400K; reduced stock outs by 50%• Implemented and sustained Lean 5S program• Developed, implemented and sustained cross-functional product life cycle phase out process - savings of $900K• Led and participated in several Kaizen Events - savings of $90K • Led cross-functional team to establish assembly and fabrication capacity in North America for newly acquired product. The new product was acquired from merger with a UK company. Establish solid rapport with global team and successfully met all budget, scope/quality and time goals for this project.• Managed global project to enable best in class supply chain procedures for global inventory transfers between affiliate companies. • Participated in Global SIOP Process• Calculated optimal safety stocks, reorder points, lot sizes, and target inventory levels• Created global sales forecast for commerical line of products and specialty floor coatings

  • Project and Process Improvement Manager - Machine Configuration Project

    Jan 2012 - Jan 2014

  • Material Handling Supervisor

    Dec 2009 - Mar 2012

  • Continuous Improvement Manager

    Jul 2008 - Dec 2009

  • Project Manager (Operations)

    May 2006 - Jul 2008

  • Inventory/Forecast Analyst

    Jan 2005 - Jul 2006
• 

  Tennant Company

  Jan 2015 - Jun 2017

  + Led global cross-functional team to phase-out the global supply chain and manufacture of a product (T3) in China, USA, Brazil, and the Netherlands.+ Facilitated Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) to manage phase out demand and supply.+ Collaborated with stakeholders to document business requirements for develops to create system tools to rapidly update essential data on inventory and inbound parts within supply chain.+ Identified current and future demand for products to calculate "last time buy" supply chain decisions for manufacturing and aftermarket demand. Show less

  • Project and Process Improvement Manager - EWM Project

    Jan 2015 - Jun 2017

  • Project and Process Improvement Manager - Product Lifecycle Management

    Jan 2015 - Jan 2015
• 

  Plain Farms. Simply Good.

  Jun 2016 - now

  Regenerative Farmer

  Organic family farm established in 1915. Grass-finished beef, forest-pastured pork, grass-fed lamb. USDA certified organic beans, barley, and wheat.

• 

  Douglas Machine Inc.

  Jul 2017 - Jan 2025

  • Program Manager

    Feb 2023 - Jan 2025

  • Industrial Engineer

    Jul 2017 - Feb 2023
• 

  Otter Tail Power Company

  Jan 2025 - now

  Senior Project Manager

  Lead and direct the implementation of regional high-voltage transmission lines to enable additional wind energy opportunities.