Ken Lalonde

About Ken Lalonde

Experienced distribution and operations leader with 15+ years of experience driving logistics, production, and organizational growth across both military and civilian sectors. As a former Marine Corps Officer, I bring a disciplined and mission-focused approach to leading teams and scaling operations in fast-paced environments.Currently serving as the Director of Distribution for EquipmentShare, I am building our distribution center’s operations from the ground up. I am doing this by developing the first formal distribution processes, creating infrastructure, and leading its transformation into a scalable and world-class logistics hub. I thrive on developing people, streamlining systems, and delivering operational excellence.My leadership style is energetic, collaborative, and grounded in continuous improvement. I am passionate about building teams that take pride in their work and delivering consistently for the customer.Core skills include: Leadership Development, Warehouse & Distribution Operations, Lean Six Sigma, Public Speaking, and Strategic Planning.MBA graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified through Purdue University.

Experience

1. Director of Distribution Dc Project Manager

   EquipmentShare

   Aug 2024 — Present · Columbia, MO, US

   Lead the creation and national expansion of EquipmentShare’s distribution center network. Under my leadership, site-level leadership teams execute against clearly defined expectations, KPIs, and standards that I establish and oversee. I am responsible for designing scalable processes, building high-performing teams, and setting the cultural and operational tone across the network. My role includes full ownership of safety, service, efficiency, and cost metrics at the DC level - with direct accountability for operational results. I work closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, Manufacturing, and the T3 team to ensure seamless alignment across systems, data, and physical product flow. I operate with a servant leadership mindset, prioritizing talent development, standardization, and strategic execution to drive sustainable growth and enterprise-wide impact-Created and launched the first EquipmentShare Distribution Center, a sq. ft. prototype DC, by designing the facility layout, building operational standards from scratch, and leading the site through a successful go‑live-Patched together Shopify WMS, Ratelinx TMS, and Numina RDS to establish a functional end‑to‑end workflow, ensuring stability and service continuity during the prototype phase-Developed and implemented the initial SOP structure, including receiving, putaway, picking, packing, shipping, replenishment, quality, safety, and inventory control standards-Built the leadership framework for the first distribution center by selecting, developing, and coaching leaders to operate under defined expectations, KPIs, and cultural standards-Established the operational cadence for the network (daily synchronization, KPI reporting, visual management, and throughput discipline), which now serves as the template for all future DCs.

Education

• University of Missouri-Columbia

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration and Management, General

  2018 — 2020

• California State University San Marcos

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Political Science and Government

  2008 — 2013