Rocky Rodriguez

About Rocky Rodriguez

Innovative and results driven Senior Operations and Business Development leader, focused on achieving exceptional results in highly competitive environments, that demand continuous process improvement. Attentive towards leading product, process, and customer experience improvements, while building partnerships with internal and external key business decision-makers and stakeholders, through effective communication. Consistently grow market share, establish KPI’s, increase production, reduce operating costs, and improve product quality by utilizing lean concepts to optimize organizational and operational efficiencies.

Experience

1. Vice President Operations

   Last Stand Hats

   Oct 2018 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   As a founding leader at Last Stand Hats, I’ve helped transform a Texas-based startup into a nationally recognized collegiate and lifestyle apparel brand. From launching operations in 2018 to scaling relationships with universities and retailers nationwide, I’ve been responsible for building the business from the ground up — driving growth through operational excellence, strategic partnerships, and a relentless focus on brand authenticity.Key Highlights:Startup-to-Scale Leadership: Built and led operations from inception, developing sourcing, logistics, fulfillment, and sales systems that supported rapid national expansion.Licensing & Partnerships: Negotiated and managed official licensing agreements with colleges and universities across the country, ensuring brand compliance and fostering long-term institutional relationships.Procurement & Supply Chain: Established supplier relationships and streamlined product development and manufacturing to balance quality, cost, and speed to market.Sales & Business Development: Drove retail growth through strategic wholesale partnerships, e-commerce optimization, and on-campus brand activation strategies.Team & Culture: Oversaw hiring, training, and cross-functional coordination to create a high-performance culture rooted in passion for collegiate spirit and customer satisfaction.Through a combination of operational strategy and entrepreneurial drive, I’ve helped position Last Stand Hats as a trusted brand in the collegiate apparel space — where tradition meets innovation.

Education

• Texas Lutheran University

  Bachelors of Arts, Political Science

  1995 — 1999

• Turner School of Construction Management

  Construction Management Certification, Construction Management

Skills

• Troubleshooting
• Recycling
• Change Management
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Organizational Development
• Team Leadership
• Construction
• Purchasing
• Leadership
• Process Improvement
• Integration
• Contract Negotiation
• Bilingual
• Training
• Crm
• Program Management
• IT Operations
• Gps
• Vendor Management
• Inventory Management
• Sales Operations
• Field Operations
• Customer Service
• Team Building
• Management
• Contract Management
• Business Intelligence
• Budgets
• Itil Certified
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Route Optimization
• Service Delivery Management
• Policy
• Payroll
• Analysis
• System Administration
• Negotiation
• Strategic Planning