John Schneider

Experience

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  Galt Packaging

  Aug 1991 - May 1995

  General Manager

  $12 million Private-Equity owned supplier of thermoformed food packaging and extruded plastic rollstock.• Entered new markets to turn around a $0.5 million operating loss to a $0.5 million operating profit within 12 months.• Led and completed on-time and within budget a 500 mile relocation of our manufacturing equipment operations while building a new production team. Result: $1.0MM in annual cost savings.• Led the recovery of the business from the devastating 1993 Missouri River floods. Show less

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  ITW Zip-Pak

  May 1995 - Dec 2007

  Promoted to lead this resealable packaging solutions division to accelerate revenue and profit growth. • Using strategic market, operations, and innovation initiatives, grew revenue from $77 to $128 million within four years while increasing market share 6%.• Increased operating profit from $21 to $47 million while increasing profit margin by six points by leveraging patented products and systems and driving implementation of revolutionary manufacturing methods that reduced variable costs by $5 million.• Turned around a new systems development to achieve the #1 market position in slider packaging generating $20 million in annual revenue through focused selling strategies, new systems and products.• Increased revenue to $25 million and market share to 98% in Meat Segment in spite of key patent expirations.• Increased revenue in Converter Segment from $6 to $30 million within 36 months with innovation, improving the product line, and value-added selling. • Led, completed, and integrated acquisitions adding $15 million in revenue and increasing the division's footprint in Europe. Show less Selected as Technical Director & Sales Manager to spur, focus, and generate revenue for Zip-Pak's slider resealable packaging and systems and other intellectual property.• Revamped the project plan, leveraged customer and sales channel partner relationships to launch slider resealable packaging within one year. Grew revenue to $6 million within 24 months.• Increased Cheese and Pet Food Market revenue $5 million through strategic and value added selling and by leveraging innovation.• Increased patent division-wide filings four-fold and personally earned 34 patents.• Grew revenue $10 million through expanded new technology development and licensing. Show less Responsible for leading the turn-around of Zip-Pak’s Manteno, IL manufacturing site: culture reset and created significant revenue growth.• Created $12 million in new product revenue in four years from three new product lines. • Implemented cost reduction initiatives to save an existing product line and increase its revenue by $8 million annually.• Implemented 80/20 and Lean manufacturing tools to focus and continuously improve the operation, $1 million in savings.• Project leader for expansion to a Greenfield site including location search, facility design, and business plan to achieve a $5 million investment approval from CEO. Show less

  • Vice President & General Manager (Business Management, Acquisitions, International Business)

    Oct 2002 - Dec 2007

  • Technical Director & Sales Manager (Innovation & New Markets)

    Jan 2000 - Oct 2002

  • Operations Manager

    May 1995 - Dec 1999
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  ITW Foils & Thermal Films Division

  Jan 2008 - Apr 2014

  VP New Technologies (Product Development, New Market Development)

  $400 million global provider of printing, decorating, secure laminate, and protective coatings materials to the secure document, medical, graphics arts, packaging, and supply chain tracking industries. Led innovation and new market entry projects for $400M international group of printing, coatings and laminate materials businesses. Led team of nine scientists and one business development manager to accelerate the growth of 9 business divisions. Led innovation projects involving $25M in annual revenue from conception to commercial launch. Led market exploration and product launches for highly durable coatings for the electronics, construction and appliances industries. Licensed and developed printed electronics technology to add next generation capabilities to the group. Show less

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  Lawter, Inc

  Apr 2014 - Sept 2015

  Business Development Manager - North America, Lawter Innovation Group

  $800 million global supplier of ink, adhesive resins, and additives to the graphic arts, adhesives, specialty coatings, aroma chemicals and synthetic rubber industries.Hired to develop new markets and revenue for new resins, specialty coatings, and conductive inks. • Led Voice-of-the-Customer initiatives, coordinated product development, and developed an $5 million sales pipeline with potential customers in Oil & Gas Hydraulic Fracturing• Worked with and leveraged key Sales Channel Partners to generate a $3 million sales pipeline in Printed Electronics and Specialty Coatings. Show less

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  PharmaCann LLC

  Sept 2015 - Nov 2016

  Director of Operations (Specializing in Startups, Pharmaceutical Processing, Packaging)

  Start-up, licensed medical cannabis provider supplying high-quality medicines in a variety of pharmaceutical formats in Illinois and New York. Recruited to startup/lead operations, lead product development and bring Lean manufacturing practices to three cultivation and processing facilities in Illinois and New York.• Led company-wide, cross-functional product development programs to generate $2 million in revenue within 9 months.• Used project management and creativity skills to meet New York State’s very aggressive 5-month product availability requirement from time of license issuance to dispensary store shelves. • Managed architects and outside contractors, to complete the construction of three manufacturing facilities (200,000 SF, $26 million) within nine months.• Hired, led training, developed leadership, and expanded the talent base for all three manufacturing sites. Show less

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  FC | SSL Lighting - US Commercial Lighting Manufacturer

  May 2017 - Mar 2019

  Operations & New Products Director

  Premium, fast-growing $20M architectural lighting manufacturer focused on unique and varied lighting applications. Recruited to lead operations, accelerate new product development, improve the new product market launch process, and establish in-house compliance test laboratories. Introduced six new product lines resulting in $5M in revenue growth. Implemented a Stage-Gate innovation process to best manage projects to commercialization, meet unmet market needs, improve product engineering, and improve product quality. Built out new laboratory facilities and achieved NVLAP and UL8750 satellite lab status. Result: FC certifies their testing to accelerate new product development. Show less

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  SCORE Chicago

  Mar 2020 - now

  Business Mentor

  SCORE Mentors utilize their business experience, skills, and training to provide mentoring and business counseling to business owners or anyone seeking to start a business. SCORE is a national non-profit association, sponsored by the Small Business Administration, comprised of highly experienced business executives and business owners.

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  Game Changer Business Results

  Apr 2022 - now

  Senior Business Concultant

  With significant experience leading and growing small businesses and divisions of larger corporations, we bring our strong insight, tools, and expertise to business owners to work with them to secure accelerated growth. We look at the chemistry of the components each business we serve, help the business owner understand that chemistry, and provide winning strategies and the tools to execute those strategies to win the game of business.