Rande M. Kessler
6030 Arden St., Shreveport LA 71106
337.254.2385
Email: rjkess@comcast.net
rande_kessler@icloud.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rande-kessler/30/445/201
* Artist/Consultant *
and
Operations Director ∙ Plant/Production Manager ∙ Logistics Manager
Business Profile
Highly experienced, multi-discipline Senior Manager with a demonstrated track record of 35+ years of
accomplishments
in driving initiative and innovation to meet operational demand, consistently improving P&L results and overall performance
Experienced at achieving consistent results, including managing a state-wide consulting agency as the Director, implementing large
corporate
initiatives as a Plant Manager for Michelin Tire Corporation, and small business start-up and operations as a fitness facility owner,
publisher, and the Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Coastal Technologies
Superior organizational, personnel and customer relations skills, coupled with engineering and manufacturing experience for multiple goals
achievement and successful P&L management
Areas of Expertise
Talent Management - P&L Management - Conflict Resolution - Creative Art and Design
Creating a Shared Operations Vision - Leading by Example
Formulating & Implementing Overall Strategy
Introducing & Applying Benchmark & Best Practices Techniques - Coaching, Mentoring & Team Development
Professional Experience
Business/Creativity Consultant 2019 - Present
State Director, Americas Small Business Development Centers, Louisiana 2013 - 2019
Monroe and Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Scope of duties consists of reviewing, establishing and implementing statewide policy and procedures for operating the Louisiana Small Business Development (SBDC) network; developing proposals to state and federal agencies, and senior management
and direction of the state program activities,
and financial affairs of the Louisiana SBDC in order to deliver effective services to the small business community, ensure compliance with applicable
laws, regulations and executive orders, and deliver negotiated results based on objectives from the SBA and Louisiana Economic Development.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMvECb1XevQ&feature=youtu.be
Exceeded all Louisiana SBDC key metric deliverables in 2015 and 2016 (clients counseled, business starts, jobs
created, capital infusion, sales increases), and four of the six metrics were exceeded in 2017 and 2018.
Achieved the national innovation and excellence awards in three years for two Louisiana Centers, topping 1000 other centers in the U.S. each time
Achieved national accreditation with two commendations in 2015
Successfully implemented a regional management approach to produce improved results with reduced resources
(personnel and funds)
Successfully achieved state-wide re-branding to mesh with the national ASBDC initiative
Center Director, LSU Shreveport Small Business Development Center, 2012 Shreveport, Louisiana
Scope of duties consists of managing the Small Business Development Center and associated SBDC budget; staff management, hands-on business and financial consulting, entrepreneur training, grant and contract administration; development and execution of work plans, and process improvement consultation
Achieved temporary recovery and growth operations after the early departure of the previous director
Met target metrics prior to the closing of the center (the university lost funding)
Process Improvement Consulting Services, 2011 to 2012
Shreveport, Louisiana
Scope of duties consisted of providing manufacturing/logistics process and re-engineering improvement consultation as
well as ocean coastal restoration and installation consultation
Reviewed and critiqued the valve assembly process at a local manufacturer, and provided multiple process, logistics, and materials handling improvements to management; the project was so successful that management offered me a senior operations position with the company
Reviewed the financials, and created a product processing and handling system for a local company to reverse the decline in profitability
Provided design and installation consultation with engineers and contractors for a Florida property protection project
OMNI Energy Services, 2011 Carencro, Louisiana
(A multi-faceted energy services company composed of multiple divisions that specialize in environmental clean-up, equipment rental and transportation support to the oil and natural gas industry, both onshore and offshore)
Regional Manager – Scope of duties consists of providing the oversight management, leadership, and P&L control for a thermal processing plant, a rig rental equipment operation, and transportation services for the gas and oil industry in Northern Louisiana and Eastern Texas
Achieved P&L “break-even” goal and multi-site transportation consolidation five months after position assignment
Advanced Coastal Technologies, 2005 to 2010 Dothan, Alabama
(A small erosion control and storm protection company that specializes in the design, manufacture, and installation of sand - filled geotextile units and water-filled flood protection tubes)
Chief Executive Officer – instrumental in the start-up operations, development and implementation of the business plan; provided hands-on leadership and engineering oversight to create and operate a geotextile tube company for shoreline erosion protection, storm water protection, and geotextile water capture and storage
Led a cross-functional team that focused on converting (in two months) one of the product manufacturing plants to a mobile air-heat system for welding geotextile seams, replacing a stationary RF welding process that involved considerable manual labor and lost efficiency
Created, built, and sold a flood-protection dual-tube device combining geotextile cells into a single stable unit
Developed a rain-water collection unit entitled ‘The Water Tube’ designed for home or commercial use.
Consequently, the tubes have been successful “green” collectors for homeowners and large nurseries; The Atlanta
Botanical Gardens has adopted The Water Tube for use in their POD endangered species protection system
Negotiated and secured the contract to install a 100-foot ProTecTube as the first of a six-unit harbor protection project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. After 17 days in Abu Dhabi, successfully designed and constructed a 20,000 square-foot sand
support peninsula and installed the sand-filled ProTecTube for a demonstration audience including Sheik Omar Bin
Yousef of OPEC
Served on a three-member team in the design and building of a prototype for the next-generation, geotextile, sand- filled container. The new unit, called “DuneCore” increased the protection crest-height 30% and reduced the number of welded seams from 21 to 16; reduced seam complexity, for an overall production cost decrease of 36%
Continued (to present) as a consultant to the installation contractor for technical expertise and product applications theory
Lead the team that created a new Florida law improving Geotextile shore protection. This involved multiple presentations to the Florida Legislature and extensive rules-making involvement with attorneys and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
TNT Logistics North America/now CEVA 2002 to 2005
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland
(A large, international, third-party logistics company with headquarters in Holland and Jacksonville, Florida)
Northeast Distribution Manager – Responsible for overseeing the hiring, assignment, and performance of personnel, and the management of
efficient, effective, and safe operations. Also managed product reception, cataloging, warehousing, and shipping to meet customer demand and
corporate P&L requirements
Implemented a detailed performance system of measuring and posting shipping, handling, and quality metrics at two distribution centers. As a result,
the daily and weekly reporting provided the tools for both facilities to meet and exceed internal/external performance targets
Reassigned and rescheduled personnel for the complete re-engineering of a 500,000 square-foot distribution center, utilizing 40 forklifts and a new
forklift charge schedule to erase a 48-hour delay created during the transition to a third-party logistics system
Implemented two dedicated trucking lines for Philadelphia-to-New England product shipping, providing a service schedule to over 50 small tire shops. This guaranteed a dedicated delivery time to each tire shop
Michelin North America (a subsidiary of Michelin Tire Corporation) 2000 to 2002
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(A tire design and manufacturing company that also owns the Uniroyal and Goodrich tire brands)
Distribution Center Manager – Primary duties focused on reorganizing all aspects of the leadership structure to produce an empowered team leader operation. Remained 9% below theoretical staffing, while under severe budget constraints
Exceeded performance requirements in 2001 to complete the year under budget (in a cost-center system) and exceeded the warehouse handling plan at 101%
Restructured and re-designed the warehouse flow in a 500,000 square-foot distribution center and avoided the expense of a permanent two-shift operation. Instead, a five-day, 10-hour shift schedule was established to meet customer
demand
Michelin Aircraft Tire Corporation (a subsidiary of Michelin Tire Corporation) 1993 to 2000
Kansas City, Missouri
(A medium-sized international company that builds and retreads bias ply and radial aircraft tires for commercial and military aircraft, including the space shuttle)
Plant Manager – Responsibilities included resolution of severe labor problems, discontent, and declining productivity
Implemented a steady 5% annual production growth rate, without major technological improvements (due to budget constraints) and maintained employee turnover rate below 2% while increasing radial retreading production tenfold in five years: extended the plant closure date, profitably, by 11 years
Michelin North America (a subsidiary of Michelin Tire Corporation) 1991 to 1993
Dothan, Alabama
(A tire design and manufacturing company that also owns the Uniroyal and Goodrich tire brands)
Personnel Manager for Engineering, Administration, & Management – Managed plant personnel dynamics including career movement within the plant, and assignments within Michelin North America for managers. Also oversaw the application of benefits, managed compensation, and labor relations
Michelin North America (a subsidiary of Michelin Tire Corporation)
Greenville, South Carolina
Industrial and Process Engineer for five years; with subsequent promotion to Corporate
Recruiting Administration Manager 1983 to 1991
Military Experience: United States Navy Special Operations 1977-1983
Final tour of duty: Ship’s Executive Officer
Served as Officer in Charge of elite groups of deep-sea diving/salvage and at-sea rescue teams aboard the USS Recovery and
USS Takelma
Qualified in deep diving and ocean salvage operations; at-sea rescue; and surface warfare
Small Business Experience
Owner/General Manager, Body Construction Fitness 1984 – 1992
Manager and Co-Owner of Penin Inc Publishing, LLC (Literature publishing and Art sales)
1987 - Present
Professional Artist 1973 - Present
Education and Training
MS, Personnel Management & Administration, Troy State University, Troy, Alabama
BS, Ocean Engineering, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
Continuing professional education and certification in the areas/designations of
*Standardized Work Process *Managing the Business of Maintenance
*Six Sigma *Effective Presentation Skills
*Organizational Effectiveness *Team Development
*Basic Commercial Sales *Recruiting, Interviewing, and Selecting Employees
*Quality in the Workplace (Deming’s QUALPRO)
*Dimensional Management II; Advanced Strategies
*Basic Project Management (Clemson University)
*Engineer-In-Training (EIT) Certification
Served as Chairman of the U.S.
National Small Business Development Network Leadership Committee in 2017, 2018 and 2019