Jeffrey Hiatt

About Jeffrey Hiatt

With over 30 years of experience in the specialty vehicle manufacturing space, I am a seasoned executive who excels at operational excellence and business transformation. As the Executive Vice President at Optimal EV, I am responsible for providing business and operations leadership for the day-to-day and strategic direction of the company, overseeing various departments and functions, and ensuring alignment with the overall vision and mission of the company.I have a proven track record of delivering results in Fortune 500, private equity, underperforming, and turn-around businesses, leveraging my proficiency in lean, six sigma, world class manufacturing techniques, and transactional process improvement. I have successfully led and executed multiple initiatives in plant operations, new product development, supply chain, field services, sales, and business acquisition/consolidation/closure, while motivating cross-functional teams to consistent high-level performance. I am passionate about driving the growth and success of Optimal EV, a company that is bolting into the commercial EV sector with industry-leading performance, features, comfort, and durability.

Experience

1. Executive Vice President

   Optimal

   Aug 2022 — Present

   I lead day-to-day operations and strategy, aligning sales, marketing, operations, finance, and HR to drive growth and long-term success. I’m committed to building accountable, high-performing teams and creating a culture that delivers measurable results.

Education

• Indiana University - Kelley School of Business

  Master of Business, Business Administration

  2007 — 2010

• Augusta University-Hull College of Business

  Bachelor of Business, Business Administration

  1996 — 1999

Skills

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Root Cause Analysis
• Black Belt
• Project Implementation
• Business Process Improvement
• Manufacturing Practices
• Toyota Production System
• Supply Chain Management
• Materials Management
• Business Strategy
• Purchasing
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Improvement
• Staff Training & Development
• Income Statement
• Performance Management
• Manufacturing Operations Management
• Budget Planning & Cost Control
• Six Sigma
• Budgets
• Team Leadership
• Microsoft Office
• Change Management
• Strategic Planning
• P&L Management
• Financial Acumen
• Dmaic
• Operational Excellence
• Leadership
• Kanban
• Customer Relations
• Kaizen
• Management
• Team Building
• Supply Chain
• 5s
• Manufacturing
• Coaching
• Supply Management
• Customer Service