Senior Executive: Creative Leader
President / CEO / Strategic Planner
Manufacturing, Marketing and Business Development
Start-Ups • Strategic Planning • Turnarounds
Analytical, forward looking, team player, offering a successful career in diverse manufacturing environments — Progressive career with cross–functional expertise in manufacturing engineering, sales, production and operations. Consistently successful leading change implementations to reduce cost, improve processes, and modernize and integrate systems. Credited as a visionary able to formulate and execute strategies to achieve corporate objectives.
Professional Experience
G.P. Zurenda Consulting
Principal
(1993- present)
Ithaca, New York
Supplied diverse consulting and management services to businesses and individuals, including; competitive research, patent research and writing, business plans, marketing plans, and strategic plans – Created a high volume, electronics recycling company—Authored a book now being published by Aaspirations Publishing of Toronto, Canada. Two screenplays in development with Global Village Entertainment, Los Angeles, CA.
Elmira Stamping and Manufacturing Corp. and Triple Cities Metal Finishing Corp.,
Binghamton and Elmira, New York
President, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Consultant
(1985-2006)
Part of the initial start-up team for Elmira Stamping and Manufacturing specializing in metal stampings and fabrications – and Triple Cities Metal Finishing, specializing in plating, finishing and powder coating — Evolved each entrepreneurial start-up from $3m to $50m business with 3 facilities, more than 300 employees, and a leading market presence across the Northeastern and Mid Atlantic regions of the US, with an “A” list client base including IBM, Ingersoll-Rand and Parker-Hannifin. — Sold in late 2004 — Obligations finished 12/2006
Corporate Development through Quality Systems and New Business Development Strategy
(1985-1990)
Challenge:
Joined the business and challenged to introduce sound quality assurance systems to reduce defects and customer dissatisfaction, while at the same time attracting new business by integrating our quality achievements into a marketing plan—simultaneously tasked to improve control systems and compliance with regulatory statutes.
Results:
- Implemented what were then “best in class” quality control and quality assurance systems achieving a zero defect rating with numerous key client partners.
- Partnered with the EPA, DEC and OSHA, and designed a state-of-the-art effluent control system – achieving compliance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations
- During this period progressed through all aspects of sales, engineering, operations and quality management while accelerating to an executive leadership role with full budgetary and P&L accountability. Strategies increased processing capability and capacity, earned numerous quality awards and grew business more than 300%.
Business Process Improvement And Diversification
(1990-2004)
Challenge:
Formulated and executed strategic plan to increase sales and improve profit margins by cutting costs and reducing production inefficiencies. Leverage emerging technologies to streamline labor intensive operations and bottlenecks to ensure the business transitioned with the changing market and critical customer demands. Address remaining, historical environmental issues.
Results:
- Introduced metal fabricating as a discipline in 1995 and launched an aggressive sales strategy to penetrate new markets and expand customer base. Added short run stamping capabilities and started up a machining department which grew to generate 25% of annual revenue.
- Launched an aggressive business re-engineering and process improvement strategy, introduced an innovative purchasing plan and partnered with key customer accounts to negotiate specific design changes in production to eliminate excessive subcontractor relationships.
- Strategies reduced costs 36%, reduced cycle time 75% and rationalized number of outsourcing partners. Improvement returned on-time delivery performance to 100%.
- During this period the corporation shifted its internal focus from a “production only” culture to one with true people strategy and talent management efforts. Developed and implemented the first competency and performance based management strategies, and built a solid succession plan for each organization.
- Facilitated construction of new 150,000 square foot metal finishing plant and properly closed two obsolete facilities
Education
- Master of Business Administration
Johnson Graduate School of Management – Cornell University - Master of Social Work
Syracuse University - Bachelor of Arts
Saint Lawrence University; Canton NY - Certified ISO Internal Auditor
Professional & Community Affiliations
(Present and past)
- Board of Directors, Southern Tier Economic Growth
- City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board
- Founding Board Member, Ithaca Community Recovery
- Chair, Board of Directors, Family and Children’s Services
- Chair, Board of Visitors, Syracuse University, School of Social Work,
- President of The Advocacy Center, Board Member of The Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont