Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
References
References
Timeline
Generic

Baxter H. Gladden

Van Buren

Summary

Experienced and energetic Executive with excellent balance of strategic and tactical roles within three industry leading companies. Proven track record of quickly assessing improvement opportunities, building and leading a team and delivering sustainable results. An aspiring leader, who truly understands the "Total Supply Chain" and leads people to deliver results.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience

Work History

Vice President of Asset Management

Propak Logistics, Inc.
Fort Smith
12.2010 - 05.2024
  • Company Overview: Propak Logistics is a Third-Party Logistics Company (3PL) that was founded in 2000 as a Sole Proprietorship. Providing Total Pallet Management (TPM) and Return Logistic Centers (RLC) to the largest retailer in the world, Walmart. Propak also ran 10 Pallet Repair Service Centers for the largest pallet rental company in the world, CHEP\Brambles. Additionally, Propak has divisions comprised of Dedicated Fleets, Freight Brokerage, Warehouse Brokerage and Pallet Sales Brokerage.
  • Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, oversaw the sale of white wood pallets from 25 TPMs and 12 RLCs.
  • Additionally, oversaw the waste and recycling for the company.
  • As a commodity, white wood pallet pricing varies based on supply and demand.
  • Monitored the white wood pallet market through relationships that were built across the country to ensure Propak was getting the best price possible.
  • Used 38 venders to buy good and broken pallets from the TPMs and RLCs that Propak sorted and/or repaired.
  • Oversaw the logistics, quality, pricing and Accounts Receivables for over 10 M white wood pallets in 2023, with a gross annual income of over $42 M.
  • Walmart, CHEP and Propak are very environmentally conscious companies.
  • Both Walmart and CHEP conducted annual recycling audits.
  • Propak recycled everything in its sites that could be recycled; wood, metal, hard/soft plastics and cardboard.
  • I often did cost justifications on equipment such as, wood grinders, walking floor trailers and balers to make our recycling efforts more efficient.
  • In 2023, Propak received $148k in recycling income and had a spend of $3.5 M in wood recycling and waste removal.
  • Propak Logistics is a Third-Party Logistics Company (3PL) that was founded in 2000 as a Sole Proprietorship. Providing Total Pallet Management (TPM) and Return Logistic Centers (RLC) to the largest retailer in the world, Walmart. Propak also ran 10 Pallet Repair Service Centers for the largest pallet rental company in the world, CHEP\Brambles. Additionally, Propak has divisions comprised of Dedicated Fleets, Freight Brokerage, Warehouse Brokerage and Pallet Sales Brokerage.

Director of Operations

Propak Logistics, Inc.
Fort Smith
05.2008 - 12.2010
  • Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, oversaw 10 CHEP Service Centers, 6 RLCs and 13 TPMs.
  • Managed the P&L for each sight.
  • In the CHEP Service Centers, worked closely with the in-house CHEP Rep to maintain a 98% quality level using Six Sigma, builder audits, 5 S and Business Literacy.
  • All the while, building a team environment and ensuring profitability.
  • The TPMs and RLCs were dedicated to Walmart.
  • Propak sorted empty pallets by ownership and grade.
  • We repaired white wood pallets in the RLCs to increase their value, we provided Ready to Go (RTG) A Grade pallets.
  • Managed Walmart’s trailer fleet and ensured they have enough good pallets to continue efficient operations.

Vice President of Logistics and Supply Chain Operations

Imperial Sugar Company
Sugar Land
10.2002 - 04.2004
  • Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the day-to-day operations and achievement of all departmental objectives for the Purchasing, Planning, Customer Service, Transportation and Customer Logistics departments for this $1 billion company.
  • Manage the $40 million freight and $30 million purchasing budgets.
  • Also, responsible for the development and implementation of the National Sales/Logistics Strategy.
  • Successfully negotiated with the closure of the Sugar Land operation with the International Association of Machinists.
  • As part of the closure of the Sugar Land operation, selected and negotiated the contract with a national third-party logistics provider to open a distribution center in Houston to supply customers previously serviced by the Sugar Land operation.
  • This $2 million annual business based on a partnership contract to include incentives and gain sharing.
  • As part of the closure of the Sugar Land operation, managed inventory levels and rationalization during packaging lines redeployment from Sugar Land to Louisiana operation.
  • Developed the customer logistics concept and implemented its roll out by creating the Customer Logistics Department.
  • This was one of the beginning steps of introducing collaborative planning and forecasting to Imperial and was the first initiative to incorporate logistics personnel on all customer visits and sales calls.
  • Steering Committee Chairman to reorganize sales, customer service and credit into customer teams.
  • Objective of these teams is to provide better service to customers and reduce the cash cycle time through lower inventories and accounts receivables.

Vice President of Operations

Imperial Sugar Company
Sugar Land
09.2001 - 10.2002
  • Reported to the Senior Vice President of Operations and Logistics.
  • As part of this special assignment to evaluate the viability of Imperial's Sugar Land Refinery as an ongoing operation, spent 13 months on-site managing the day-to-day operations of sugar refining, packaging and distribution, while developing and ultimately executing a strategic closure plan.
  • Achievements: Reduced wastewater flow and load to within limits set by city.
  • Negotiated the reduction of fines due to the performance prior to my arrival.
  • Brought plant back into compliance with fire codes.
  • Established individual operators’ performance reviews.
  • Improved safety record, including both lost-time accident incident and severity rates.
  • 21% improvement in volume refined per day.
  • 20% improvement in packaging efficiency.
  • 19% improvement in complete orders.
  • Recommended to the Board of Director to close the Sugar Land operation, resulting in $9 million dollars in savings and improved customer service.

Vice President of Operations

Diamond Crystal Brands (Division of Imperial Sugar Co.)
Savannah
06.2000 - 09.2001
  • Reported to the Division President of Diamond Crystal Brands and the S VP of Operations and Logistics of Imperial Sugar Company.
  • Responsible for the day-to-day operations of six food service plants and managed the corporate functions of Purchasing, Planning, Quality Assurance, Engineering, Cost Accounting and Transportation for the $250 million business.
  • Achievements: Creation of an “Ops Board”, thus building a single focus for the six plant managers and the corporate staff.
  • Resulted in the sharing of best practices across facilities and significant operational improvements.
  • Established Customer Service Metrics; Complete Orders, Fill Rate and On-Time Shipments.
  • 30% reduction in finished goods inventory.
  • 18% improvement in complete orders.
  • Implemented a gain-sharing program in the plants to reward improved efficiencies and quality.
  • 30% improvement in cases per man-hour worked.
  • Implemented Standard Cost system.

Plant Manager

Gerber Products Company
Fremont
04.1997 - 06.2000
  • Reported to the VP of Operations.
  • Responsible for the day-to-day operations of a 1 million square foot facility with 700 employees that manufactured and shipped 55 million cases per year.
  • Managed the $150 million operational budget and the $30 million dollar capital budget.
  • Achievements: Managed the movement and installation of $10 million of equipment and a 25% increase in capacity to allow for the closure of the North Carolina operation.
  • Oversaw the fabrication & installation of $1.5 million high-speed fillers.
  • Redesigned the management style from very traditional to a more participative one, through Business Literacy and Leadership Training.
  • Improved Packaging Efficiencies from 72% to 92%.
  • Improved Complete Orders from 75% to 92%.
  • Implemented the first Employee Incentive Plan for all employees.
  • Successfully installed $15 million proprietary 'Nature Lock' system to support national new products launch.
  • Successfully installed $6 million 'Tender Harvest' organic line to support national new products launch with sole supply sourced in Fort Smith.
  • Negotiated a 3-year union contract with the International Association of Machinists.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Business

University of Arkansas
01.1987

Skills

  • Budget and financial forecasting
  • Cost analysis
  • Supply chain management
  • Project management
  • Negotiation skills
  • Data-driven decision making
  • Leadership coaching
  • Environmental compliance

References

Jim Jordan, Chief Growth Officer, Propak Logistics LLC, (804) 314-8965, jjordan@verison.net, Duffy Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Imperial Sugar, Inc, (281) 923-2514, duffyjsmith@gmail.com, Dave Joslin, VP of Operations, Gerber Products Company, (231) 206-8416, damarjos@aol.com, Pat Vota, (479) 431-8309, Prvllc100@gmail.com

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Vice President of Asset Management

Propak Logistics, Inc.
12.2010 - 05.2024

Director of Operations

Propak Logistics, Inc.
05.2008 - 12.2010

Vice President of Logistics and Supply Chain Operations

Imperial Sugar Company
10.2002 - 04.2004

Vice President of Operations

Imperial Sugar Company
09.2001 - 10.2002

Vice President of Operations

Diamond Crystal Brands (Division of Imperial Sugar Co.)
06.2000 - 09.2001

Plant Manager

Gerber Products Company
04.1997 - 06.2000

Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Business

University of Arkansas

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Baxter H. Gladden