SERVICES
Reaching New Heights After Acquisition
When this regional company was acquired, it was a $5B, 25,000-employee organization. With 60 years of success, first as a family-run private company, and then a closely held public company, the organization had a strong brand, loyal associates, and highly desirable locations.
However, the company struggled with a very high cost base and price competitiveness, resulting in significant constraints on growth and return on capital investment. To meet shareholder expectations, these challenges had to be addressed quickly and effectively.
GAINING LEVERAGE Jim worked closely with the CEO and senior management team to reduce the company’s cost base by reorganizing many of its functions and divesting a number of production facilities. With Jim’s leadership, the organizational structure and compensation and benefits programs were aligned with the parent organization’s typical operating company model.
Jim helped to ensure that the entire organization zeroed in on the leverage points most critical under the company’s new strategy by combining effective communications with realigned incentive and appraisal measures. He also guided the process of making carefully managed staffing changes in the majority of the key positions within the management team, driven by a strategy that blended internal promotion and external recruitment.
A PROFITABLE PERIOD OF CHANGE During Jim’s tenure, the company delivered high double-digit profit gains, grew sales, and significantly improved profitability as a percent of sales. His ability to establish trust, accommodate diverse viewpoints, and communicate clearly and compellingly allowed him to succeed. The bottom line is that Jim helped the company find the right pace of change, moving quickly enough to meet business objectives and drive a new agenda — without losing the talent critical to the business.