BRENT J KNIPFER

492 Thomas J Egan Road                                             bknipfer@direcway.com                                                               Cell:  (940) 594-9938

Denton, Texas 76207-3733                                                                                                                                                 Office:  (800) 653-0904

 

Diverse Industries. – Supply Chain, Mfg, Customer Service, Banking, Healthcare, Retailing, Disaster Recovery

 

·         Added $1 million new revenue in nine months … reduced customer survey cycle time 200% … delivered a 60% reduction in overhead costs … preserved a critical $3 million project … averaged 15 presentations per month with executives

 

Dynamic senior solutions executive with particular strength in improving enterprises by aligning technology with business to meet competitive, complex business demands.  Achieved strong and sustainable revenue, market and profit contributions through expert relationship and business devel­opment performance.  Confident and effective in delivering high-impact C-level presentations in largest corporations.  Accomplished in turnaround and growth businesses.  Also noteworthy: advanced engineering education.

Business Development Manager – GAINSystems, Chicago, Illinois                                                   2002 to 2003

Acknowledged as quickest study ever on technically complex product and complex education and sales methodology for this world leader in decision science applied to inventory assets and customer service.  Relationship selling of business optimization solution to C-Executives of $100M-$5B+ inventory-intensive companies.   Direct contact executive calling employing Act! as key sales enabler.  Completed and passed exam on first try for several professional inventory manager certification courses.

·         Averaged 15 solution presentations per month with C-Level manufacturing executives in contracting budget economy.

·         Created corporate standard for value-validation of optimizing inventory and maximizing profit for introduction to CFO/COO.

·         Delivered savings of $150,000 to cost of sales operations.

Solutions Manager – Pegasystems, Boston, Massachusetts                                                                 2000 to 2001

Recruited to this $90 million company specializing in rules-driven CRM and process automation solutions for the financial, insurance, communications and healthcare industries.  Strengthened market presence and developing and secured new business opportunities with the most difficult-named accounts in the strategic business segments.  Concurrently managed proposals, contracts, sales and account initiatives in this turnaround effort. Helped the company achieve profitable quarters for full fiscal year.   Managed a $2.6 million budget and supported programming and technical project teams.

·         Closed $1 million in professional services/software within nine months. Demonstrated outstanding presentation skills. Honored with Pegasystems Professional Services Employee of Month award in July 2001.

·         Re-established customer confidence through 17-member Banking Users Group. Analyzed customer workflows, defined product features/functions and created working model system for prototype solutions.

·         Intervened on an international tax dispute and successfully reclaimed $300,000 in past due invoices. Was credited with reversing a historic 50% loss on the first phase of projects.

Practice Manager – Visualsoft Information Systems, Dallas, Texas                                                    1999 to 2000

Recruited to lead the market repositioning of a $10M staff-augmentation company to a company focused on enterprise solution products and services. Utilized a strategic business-partnering model, the start-up of an e-Commerce business line and the integration of back-end operations with Internet front-end sales. Managed a four-person team, project budgets and partner creative/technical project teams. Held P&L responsibility. Honored with Visualsoft’s Outstanding Contributor award in 1999. Helped the company get national presence with IBM.

·         Achieved $500,000 in one year through cold-calling. Created marketing collateral for a value proposition, and managed strategic business partnerships with professional services and creative multimedia firms to reposition the company’s image and solutions capability. Established the company as a developer of advanced technology solutions.

·         Secured Visualsoft as a Premier Web Integrator Partner with IBM. Established the first eBusiness Users Group for IBM.

·         Delivered a high-impact presentation at Interactive Texas (www.ladyprimrose.com) and represented the company at industry trade shows. Enhanced the market presence of a premier IBM e-commerce solution and integration product for SAP.

 

Delivery Manager – Tech Write Limited, Fort Worth, Texas                                                              1993 to 1998

Founded entrepreneurial venture providing professional services for large IT and multi-unit facilities across diverse industries, products, services and markets. Held full P&L responsibility, developed proposals and created all sales, marketing, business development and service programs. Transitioned the company from an independent contractor to a successful business enterprise (20 part/full-time employees, contractors and independent consultants) as a service provider to IBM and Software Spectrum.

·         Built relationships through cold prospecting, referrals and network development. Included critical networking partnerships with investor relations consultants and market research firms.

·         Managed direct sales calls to C and V-Executives at targeted accounts. Developed proposals and closed deals with IBM, Digital Voice, GTE, PageNet, Alcatel and US Pharmacy.

·         Strengthened the focus on cost control and introduced the ISO9000 process mapping/documentation system to streamline the order fulfillment cycle. Reduced overhead costs 60% and the order cycle time by 10 days.

Notable Projects:

·         IBM Customer Satisfaction Survey Project – Authored a $1.5 million project and secured a $350,000 agreement to manage a customer satisfaction survey improvement project for IBM’s worldwide call centers (project ranked #3 in priority for IBM). Wrote plan and rolled-out a solution throughout North America. Reduced cycle time 400% and delivered the project on schedule and under budget (contract administrator was recognized for efforts and honored with an elite award from IBM).

·         IBM Global Services Call Center Project – Rescued IBM IGS $3 million rollout of software and hardware for IBM Dallas Service Call Center. Delivered the project ahead of schedule.  Employee credited with center achieving highest level of customer satisfaction in the US and subsequently being retained by IBM for six years.

·         IBM Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Center – Consistently achieved outstanding satisfaction ratings over a three-year period and is established as IBM’s only site facility staffed with contractors. Two employees retained for four years.

·         Business Communications Company –Independently wrote about competitive trends, products, technologies and markets, and authored articles for industry publications (e.g., EE Times, Computer Reseller News, and Computer Currents)

·         DuPont Automotive – Managed multiple $250,000 high-level projects for this site. Results included initiating real-time loading of trailers, which reduced transportation fees and delivered a $2 million cost savings.

Customer Service Manager – Watchtower, Brooklyn, New York                                                        1986 to 1992

Joined the worldwide headquarters of this established non-profit organization which orchestrates missionary efforts and related construction projects nationally (holdings of more than $2B worldwide).  Was part of two-person team for a full range of customer service programs including sensitive, confidential and volatile matters.  Ranked 34^th largest private company in New York City.

·         Administered reports and data for a $28 million loan fund and quality assurance/approval for 200 construction projects annually with a cumulative value of $100 million.

R&D Engineer – IBM Microelectronics Division, Endicott, New York                                             1982 to 1985

Primary Engineer/Account Manager for DuPont in its strategic new method of production. Managed a $1 million annual budget.

·         Led the development and launch of a new ceramic injection molding substrate. Established IBM as the first to enter the world market with copper metal thin film technology. 

MS coursework – Metallurgical Engineering – Syracuse University (1983-1985)

BS – Ceramic Engineering – Iowa State University (1982)

Highlights of Continuing Professional Education:

·         International Management Consultants – Dallas Board of Directors, Leader of Senior Consultants Forum

·         Detailed Scheduling and Planning /Master Resource Planning – The Educational Society for Resource Management

·         E-Business Specialist – IBM Software

·         Business Quality Consortium, ISO 9000 Certification Training – Bill J. Priest Institute

·         Enterprise Excellence, Business Improvement Training – University of Texas, Arlington, Texas