Shawna Brasty

About Shawna Brasty

At Pier One Polymers, leadership and innovation are the benchmarks of my tenure as Executive Vice President, where I spearhead the company\'s mission, vision, and strategic direction. I have driven the digital transformation of Pier One by developing and implementing cutting-edge digital technologies. With a strong Lean Six Sigma background, I have led cross-functional continuous improvement projects to optimize processes throughout my entire career both internally and at suppliers facilities. At Pier One, I transformed the organization process-by-process and department-by-department to create a stronger foundation for exponential growth. I inspire people to build trust with their colleagues, lean on each other, and build each other up. With a relational communication style, I have been known to be “good on the people,” and “tough on the business,” meaning I treat all people with respect, compassion, and understanding, but hold high expectations of myself and others to succeed. Emphasizing a customer-first philosophy, I\'ve expanded and managed a dedicated customer service team. I have taken on the responsibility for supply chain optimization, aligning purchasing strategies meticulously with product management and product development. This supply chain approach has fortified vendor relations and supported our commitment to quality in the dynamic polymer industry. I attribute my successes to the respect I have for diverse perspectives within an organization. Change management is difficult, but I take a personal approach seeking to understand the underlying reasons for resistance, finding common ground through the lens of the companies ideologies, managing the implementation of change, and leading by example. My analytical background in economic analysis, market analysis, and industry analysis further solidifies a foundation for informed decision-making and sustainable success. With nearly expert capabilities using Microsoft Excel, I can gather information quickly, present verifiable data, train others, and verify measurable results.

Experience

1. Executive Vice President

   Pier One Polymers

   Jun 2018 — Present · MI, US

   Developed and drove hands-on execution of the Mission, Vision, and Direction of the company. Managed a cross-functional team with direct and indirect reports. IT Strategy & Implementation- I took a hands-on approach to develop state-of-the art software at 1/10th the cost of the closest viable solution. In 1 year and 5 months, I took the entire company from paper, pencil, excel spreadsheets, and email, to a complete digital solution, which integrated with the companies financial system. This 2-Step implementation immediately decreased the employee error rate by 90%, decreased email usage by 80%, and was seamless to the customer. Our dedicated employees finally felt like they could take a lunch! I used deep business process knowledge and experience, gained through cross-functional leadership, SAP implementations, and personal curiosity. Throughout my career I had developed an understanding of MRP, ERP, QMS, and CRM systems and was determined to build a system that worked for us, and not a system we worked for!HR Strategy & Implementation - I helped prepare the company to be competitive in the labor market by implementing, first-ever, company provided health benefits. We prioritized finding and keeping the right people. I led our employees through COVID. I developed a software tool that can currently track PTO, Reviews, Training, and Legal Documentation with the future ability to connect employee reviews and KPI\'s to live company data.Supply Chain Strategy & Implementation- Connected purchasing strategies with product strategies to ensure quality for our customers. Streamlined supply chain and cash flow. Developed and implemented product strategy across multiple polymer families. Right-sized inventories. Reached 6Sigma inventory accuracy. Solidified sourcing and purchasing relationships.Sales & Quality Implementation: Expand & manage customer service team. Drove \"Speed to Quote\" efforts. Built out QMS Software module.P&L management

Education

• The University of Akron

  Bachelor of Applied Science - BASc

• Cuyahoga County Community Corporate College

  Lean & Six Sigma Certification