Chris Finley

About Chris Finley

Transformative, collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves global executive with 25 years of proven success in driving operational optimization and EBITDA growth. Consumer Products industry experience skilled at simplifying complex supply chain operations. Visionary player/coach leader passionate about staff development and building synergistic, high-performing teams aligned with the mission, goals and objectives of an organization. My abilities to create positive influence and apply critical thinking to solve complex issues together with my passion for driving organizational excellence allow me to add value to an organization as a(n):Accelerator who expedites organizational growth by identifying, evaluating and actualizing opportunities as well as resolving issues, eliminating roadblocks and overcoming hurdles while pioneering and operationalizing pivotal strategic initiatives;Builder who cultivates unyielding foundational success by developing, mentoring, motivating and valuing human capital while establishing scalable process and systems resulting in never compromising on quality or integrity; andOptimizer adept at maximizing short and long-term results and driving continuous improvement by quantifying and measuring success and nurturing a culture of collaboration, synergism and alignment.CORE COMPETENCIES: Strategic Planning and Execution; Organizational Leadership; Multi-Site, Global Operations; Supplier Sourcing and Management; Process Implementation and Standardization; Profit, Margin and Resource Optimization; Cost Avoidance, Improvement and Optimization; B2B, B2C and E-Commerce Leadership; Performance Management / KPI\'s; Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving; Business Intelligence; Sales and Operations Planning; Staff Mentoring, Growth and Development.

Experience

1. Chief Supply Chain Officer

   Food52

   Sep 2025 — Present

   Food52 is a private equity-backed media and e-commerce company that operates a community-driven platform for sharing recipes and cooking content, complemented by an online shop featuring a curated selection of home and kitchen products. In 2021, Food52 acquired Schoolhouse Electric, a lifestyle brand specializing in the design, manufacture, and sale of lighting, home goods, and furniture, with an emphasis on modern heirlooms and timeless, retro-inspired aesthetics.Responsibilities: Reporting to the CEO, responsible for Manufacturing, Planning, Sourcing, Product Development, Purchasing, Inventory Management, Global Transportation, Order Fulfillment, 3PL Management and Business SystemsCost Management Contributions:• Orchestrated the transition to a new third-party logistics provider by identifying uncompetitive fulfillment pricing and transportation costs, terminating the previous contract, completing the RFQ process, and executing a six-week transition. Resulted in a 43% annual cost reduction, saving over $3 million.• Directed strategic operational transformation, integrating three brands into a unified operating model. Streamlined and consolidated core business processes and systems, achieving a 37% reduction in operating expenses.• Implemented tariff mitigation strategies, including supply chain diversification to countries less impacted by tariffs, optimization of product classification and valuation, and evaluation of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs). Led supplier negotiations to share costs, redesigned products to qualify for lower tariffs, and assessed adoption of Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) terms.• Spearheading initiatives to improve operating margins by conducting strategic manufacturing analyses to evaluate the financial implications of core and strategic in-house capabilities versus outsourcing, targeting margin improvements greater than 25%.

Education

• University of St. Thomas - Opus College of Business

  MBA, International Management

• University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

  Bachelor of Science, Finance, Accounting