Jim Towle is an experienced operations management executive with over 20 years of experience managing operations, customer service, and back office functions for a digital printing company. He has a proven track record of developing strategies to improve business results, strengthen key client relationships, increase efficiency, and drive growth. Through initiatives like developing KPIs and accountability measures, implementing new technology systems, and empowering employees, he has successfully led operations and reduced costs.

1. JIM TOWLE
SAN JOSE, CA • CELL: (408) 515-7004 • JIMTOWLE@ICLOUD.COM
Energized Operations Management Executive committed to strengthening business results through Strategic Partner
account management, team leadership, organizational improvements, and driving progress. Strong focus on strategy
development to tactical execution within the organization.
A proven “fixer” with a consistent track record of success, taking a multi-view, growth-oriented approach on a wide range
of Client Management, business infrastructure and change-management initiatives.
CORE STRENGTHS
• Strategy Creation & Execution • Staff Recruitment, Hiring, & Training • KPI Development & Analysis
• Rapid, Data-Based Decision Making • Business Infrastructure Development • Employee Accountability
• High-level, Key Client Management • Broad-Spectrum Functional Knowledge • Change Management
Professional Experience
VP of Operations / General Manager , Progressive Solutions, Santa Clara, CA 1996 – Present
A privately held, multi-site branded digital printing manufacturing Company for consumer, stationery, and gift products.
Report to the CEO and manage operations, customer service, and back office functions. Preserve and create strong
customer partnerships for key accounts. Manages contract negotiations and adherence to service level agreements.
Operations Management
• Direct and oversee operations, manufacturing, customer service, and selected administrative functions.
• Responsible for all supply chain and vendor relationships to lower cost of good sold, reduced inventory levels
and JIT ordering of all manufacturing materials. Reduced house paper and envelope stock by 10% for Q4 and
reduced the Seasonal Labor work force cost by 10%
• Manage 65% of company employees. Control of $5 million dollars of operational and labor budget.
• Design, implement, and execute company’s manufacturing processes and system development processes resulting
in a more streamlined printing process and a 99.2% manufacturing success rate. The system controls over 500,000
personalized stationery, photo books and gift items per year.
• Implement behavioral procedures and policies to strengthen operational discipline and manufacturing efficiency.
Business Strategy & Leadership
• Partner with CEO and multiple functional managers to define, launch and drive strategic and operational initiatives
to increase revenue, profit and competitive advantages. Replaced a key customer, whose revenue represented 50%
of company revenue in 1 year.
• Manage and provide leadership on technology-related decisions. Introduced a new manufacturing workflow system
to improve production efficiencies. Beta stage results reduced book manufacturing from 48 hours to 24 hours.

2. JIM TOWLE
SAN JOSE, CA • CELL: (408) 515-7004 • JIMTOWLE@ICLOUD.COM
Client Management
• Responsible for key company accounts that represent 50% of company sales and order volume. Focused on
building strong strategic relationships to promote product development, target pricing, and manufacturing methods
to achieve client roadmap and product goals.
Key ACHIEVEMENTS
Lifecycle Management
Customized homegrown manufacturing process that enabled same-day turnarounds and SLA compliance. This
resulted in building our competitive edge, company value proposition, product and manufacturing development
and quality standards. The manufacturing process manages approximately 500K individual items per year and
nearly 300K orders with orders shipping in 72 hours or less.
Improved Production System Operations
Developed scope and process for operational accountability. Each station, operator, and machine are tracked
with operator codes, allowing the ability to measure and dictate behaviors throughout the operation. The data was
utilized to create metrics and performance goals as well as to develop staffing plans for holiday peak seasons.
KPI Development
Developed Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and Standard Operating Processes for every tool and
process in the operation. Used to manage, train, and educate permanent, temporary, and seasonal employees
during peak and non-peak periods.
Color Management Process
Implemented process which checked each printing press for a pass/fail rating using a measurable color bar.
Created to control press output and dictate operator behaviors.
Implementation of Desk.com
Integrated customer service application that combines channels into one location, resulting in improved problem-
solving abilities and improved customer experience. Average response time to customer cases reduced 50% to less
than 2 hours.
Ownership Thinking
Empowered employees by providing knowledge of how the business runs and earns revenue, in order to affect
change. Results included: shifted focus of finding improvements and eliminating inefficiencies to employees.
internal defect/reject rate reduced from 8% to 2% .
EDUCATION
MBA - San Jose State University 2002
B.A., Business Administration Finance, San Jose State University 1994
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Vistage International – CEO/CFO/Key Employee peer networking and advisory group