Laura Seward has over 17 years of experience in purchasing, sourcing, production planning, and supplier management. She has a proven track record of developing new suppliers, negotiating contracts, implementing process improvements, and achieving significant cost savings. Currently, she is seeking a Purchasing Manager position where she can utilize her skills in international and domestic sourcing, contract negotiations, and production planning to maximize efficiency and profitability.

1. LAURA SEWARD 1620 Coachlite Circle
lauraseward@outlook.com Nashport, OH. 43830
(740) 607-6704
Purchasing Contract Specialist Purchasing Manager Production Planner
Skilled, dedicated and solution focused purchasing, sourcing, and planning professional with exceptional
abilities in developing vendor relations, handling multiple tasks, managing, and tracking cost. Capable
of effectively communicating with others, while also achieving a level of trust through integrity,
combined with professional character. Leadership skills have produced significant cost savings, supply
chain improvements and lead time reductions. Implemented process improvements in order to maximize
operational efficiency and increase profitability.
 International and Domestic Sourcing
 Cost Savings/Efficiencies
 Customer Service Proficiencies
 MS Office: Excel/Outlook/Access
 Contract Negotiations
 Product Development/Planning
 SAP/PeopleSoft/Sage Experience
 Supplier Management
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Longaberger Company, Newark, Ohio 2000-2017
Purchasing & New Product Development Manager, Purchasing Buyer & Planner,
Production Planning Supervisor, Marketing Product Coordinator
 Helped in the development of new components specific to the products.
 Negotiated and maintained legal documentation such as product supply agreements &
confidentiality agreements.
 Helped implement process improvement strategies
 Managed and maintained all purchase requisitions throughout the company. Key
contact for purchase orders or any issues pertaining to the order.
 Challenged with developing new suppliers for international and domestically sourced
products for some of the JRjr Networks companies.
 Developed, planned, and managed supply components needed to support the
production of baskets and lids.
 Directly managed the production planning team responsible for material requirements
and production planning for the Woodcrafts division
 Completed, generated, and distributed detailed schedules to support daily production.
 Estimated time and quantity of materials, labor required for production, machine rates
and other projects to ensure the flow of daily production.
 Recorded daily production flows through the PeopleSoft system.
 Managed and maintained a yearly and monthly production schedule to review
downtimes and up swings in the business, which was published to upper management.
 Consulted with production supervisors to schedule production runs in a cost and time-
efficient manner to ensure bill of materials were accurate.
 Coordinated and monitored the movement of parts, supplies, and materials within the
business and ensured that supplies, materials, and products are shipped and received on
schedule.
 Maintained inventory levels in production building as well as our distribution center.
 Worked with other areas of the business such as merchandising, sales, basket supply
and purchasing to achieve on time deliveries to support production
 Challenged with increasing IMU% sourced and developed a new supplier in four
months, which resulted $100,000 cost savings.
 Implemented a process that improved turnover for photography and event samples.
Process improved relationships with suppliers and resulted in a cost savings of $29,000.

2. LAURA HINDEL – PAGE 2
 Developed a new product line in five months, which normally takes 12 months.
Achieved desired in house date with no risk to customer service or quality.
 Worked through supplier shutdowns, which involved pulling out inventory, writing exit
strategies and ending the relationship in good terms with the supplier.
 Per internal supplier rating system, suppliers met or exceeded expectations. System
was based on on-time delivery, delivery accuracy,and quality.
 Overall cost savings as Buyer: $1.6M.
 Received recognition for being proactive, professional, and exceeding expectations on
customer services concerns.
 Changed the design layout on product information tags, which resulted in a significant
cost savings.
Strategic Distribution Inc., Bristol, PA 2010-2014
Supplier Manager – Site Liaison - Kellogg
 Directly managed multiple plant sites for the customer and help support other sites.
 Provided sound, clear and professional customer service by maintaining a strong and
healthy communication between plant and suppliers
 Challenged to capture and track savings for the invested customer. Goals include
Customer Service Levels, Savings Targets, Inventory Reduction, and Service Metrics.
 Provided detailed quotes, work with storeroom manager on inventory levels, and
handle vendor inquiries.
 Key contact on purchase orders through management of timelines, pricing, closing,
canceling, and delivery times based on the customer’s needs.
 Self-managed daily operations such as time and job duties.
 Prioritized corporate issues to ensure plant is staying ahead of issues or concerns. Lead
on project assignments that involve SDI.
 Key contact on system upgrades or changes to help educate personnel on changes by
providing validations, “how to” documentation and clean up support.
 Performed supplier management by creating and ensuring compliance to the Service
Level Agreements established by Kellogg.
 Managed all purchase orders through SAP by assigning requisitions to a PO and key
contact for conversion issues in SAP and PeopleSoft.
 Pulled weekly and daily reports such as GRIR, Blocked and items on order through
SAP for the plants and other liaisons.
* Bachelor of Arts - Marketing
Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Institute for Supply Management, Fundamentals of Purchasing: The Building Blocks of
World Class Professionalism
 Franklin Covey: Visual & Presentation Advantage, What Matters Most
 Development Dimensions International: Leading Successful Meetings
 American Foundry Society, Cast Metals Institute, Introduction to Metal Casting
 GMP Policy: monthly trainings