Jeff Baumgarten

About Jeff Baumgarten

Experienced leader with an extensive background in packaging development, strategic sourcing, supplier relations, value engineering, leadership, and project management. Knowledgeable in several manufacturing industries including food processing, injection & blow molding, and sustainable packaging materials and design. Passion for material specification management, organization, and connectivity to sustainability and business analytics. Ability to develop and implement creative business solutions that meet customer and strategic financial objectives. Focused on developing and implementing robust business processes to launch material cost savings projects and simplification opportunities in the manufacturing environment. Progressive leadership roles working in partnership with Operations, Purchasing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Division Leadership, as well as external vendor teams to accomplish large strategic innovation and cost savings objectives.Ability to take on unknown or large process and technical challenges, with the capacity to discover and analyze information to find tangible and financial answers to current objectives. Understand and develop the unique strengths of individual team members and a capacity to direct the energy of resources towards project goals and personal achievement.CliftonStrengths: Learner – Individualization – Achiever – Analytical – InputValue EngineeringCost OptimizationPackaging DevelopmentContinuous ImprovementPackaging EfficiencyProject ManagementCost SavingsTeam LeadershipVendor Qualification/ManagementRisk ManagementStrategic ThinkingInfluencing OthersBig Picture ThinkerData ManagementRealistic Problem SolverCompetitive and CooperativeRelationship BuilderSpec Material ConsolidationCreative ThinkerMaterial EvaluationMicrosoft Word/Excel/PowerPointSAP PDM/Power BIComplexity AnalysisExcellent Written CommunicationListening SkillsCurious and Imaginative

Experience

1. Director Packaging Engineering

   Refresco

   Feb 2022 — Present · Tampa, FL, US

   Manage corporate packaging resources for NA business unit. Responsible for the development and implementation of all commercial designs in conjunction with value engineering and marketing innovation initiatives. My team is responsible for the development, testing and evaluations of new and existing packaging materials, pallet loads, secondary and tertiary packaging systems to ensure compatibility of design, machineability and shipping distribution across all manufacturing facilities. Accountable for managing relationships between internal operations and external vendors for all packaging related initiatives. Evaluate and maintain resourcing level of packaging department to ensure achievement of business initiatives. • Developed specification system to document and catalog all packaging materials to drive innovation, cost optimization, vendor management, and quality initiatives.• Building business processes to increase speed to market and risk management of material designs, including vendors. • Building corporate packaging sustainability plan across NA enterprise to drive change and meet internal goals.• Responsible for the development, risk management, and launch of packaging cost savings programs.• Work with internal and external manufacturing facilities to design new innovative packaging, resolve quality issues, reduce shipping damages, improve line efficiencies, and reduce material costs.Value Engineering, Cost Optimization, Packaging Development, Continuous Improvement, Packaging Efficiency, Project Management, Cost Savings, Team Leadership, Vendor Qualification/Management, Risk Management, Strategic Thinking

Education

• Michigan State University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Packaging

• Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University

  Masters of Business Administration (MBA) , General Management

• Keller Graduate School of Management - San Jose Center

  General Management

  2018 — 2018

• Michigan State University

  Packaging Science

  1997 — 1997