PAUL NEWTON

Paul’s strengths include management and leadership, organization and management development, strategic planning, sales and marketing, operations analysis and productivity improvement, production planning, systems including systems analysis and development, total quality management and continuous improvement,  supply chain management, and environmental management and safety.

He has more than thirty-five years of management experience in numerous functional areas including sixteen years working in operations, engineering, systems, materials management and transportation, new product development, and business development with a $175 million, multi-plant printing company. He ran a division of this company serving the pharmaceutical industry, and also held top-level management positions in real estate development and the communications industry.

With more than fifteen years experience in management consulting, Paul has been effective in a wide variety of situations including a number involving crisis management and bankruptcy. As a turnaround consultant he has functioned in senior leadership positions in a number of industries including manufacturing, printing, communications, transportation, distribution, and health care.

Some of the many clients with whom Paul has worked include:

Wind down operations of hospital: President of hospital. Worked to continue wind down operations of the hospital’s affairs in an out-of-court liquidation and subsequently in a bankruptcy. This included dealing with lawsuits, Medicare, the creditors committee, tax issues, cash management, and administration of the affairs of the estate.

$70 million telecommunications company: Crisis Management.  Responsible for continuing day-to-day management of all operations for a CLEC operating in bankruptcy to facilitate successful 363 sales of two substantial parts of the business. Oversaw activities of operations to continue service to customers, manage cash, interact with secured lender, and oversee administrative aspects of bankruptcy.

$200 million diversified printing company: Crisis Restructuring Officer. Worked with CEO and management to eliminate substantial ongoing losses by significantly downsizing the company from sixteen operating units to seven operating units. This resulted in sales of around $110 million and a return to profitability within three months.

$25 million bus transportation and travel services company: Company advisor. After COO resigned, acted as interim COO for several months and assisted in hiring new COO. Developed major reorganization plan to improve operations and enhance growth potential for a profitable but stagnant company.  Reorganized top management eliminating Co-CEO positions. Worked with the individual who took over as CEO over a nine-month period to plan and implement the extensive organizational changes.  As part of this process, when the COO resigned, acted as interim COO for several months and assisted in hiring new COO. 

$100 million large-format printing company. Managed Chapter 11 wind-down operations of several facilities of a failed eight-plant large format printing company created through acquisitions as a financial rollup and potential IPO. Managed liquidation of equipment for closed divisions, and assisted in selling two divisions to strategic buyers.

$20+ million manufacturer of ready-to-assemble office furniture: Crisis manager. As Chief Operating Officer, worked with management to reorganize operations, reduce overhead by $700,000 and reschedule production to match sales to return the company to break even. Revamped the product line. Worked extensively with ownership and the CFO to manage major working capital crisis.  Successfully sold company to a strategic buyer. Under new ownership, the plant was profitable from the first month of operation, and sales returned to pre-crisis levels.

$60 million catalog printing plant: Crisis manager. Turned around plant losing $750,000 per month in four months.  Replaced VP/General Manager, reorganized middle management, doubled plant productivity, reduced waste by more than 50%, and managed solution of major systems problems. Plant became a profitable operation.

Paul's has a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MBA from Harvard, and his broad industry and consulting experience includes :

Printing	Flexible packaging	Food processing	Distribution	Marine equipment manufacturing
Apparel manufacturing	Paper manufacturing and converting operations	Elevators - installation and service	Architectural design	Communications
Construction	Health Care	Box manufacturing and packaging products	Pharmaceutical manufacturing	Non-profit operations
Hi-tech electronics manufacturing	Transportation	Mining	Travel services	Furniture manufacturing
Steel production and processing	Machining and machined products	Retail – pharmacy, apparel electronics, convenience	Real estate development and management