Robert Block

Innovation, Engineering, Product Development, Operations, Automotive

Hello, I am Robert Block, a Global Executive with 20+ years of technical leadership and experience converting organizational intent into action to drive revenue growth. I am recognized as a Visionary Change Agent with wide-ranging expertise in technical and operational management, research and development, strategic planning, and product development and launch for world renowned, multi-billion dollar corporations. I am an exceptional communicator able to attract, train, develop, motivate and build strong teams that deliver results.

Robert Block's Bio:

Robert Block's Experience:

• Vice President, Engineering and Manufacturing Operations at California Innovations, Inc.

  July 2017 - Present | Atlanta, GA, United States

  Brought on to provide analysis, guidance and expertise to the CEO and Owner of California Innovations and immediately turn around a failing business acquisition. Part of the senior leadership team guiding the company to achieve rapid and sustained improvements in shareholder value. Scope includes customer relations, product development, design, innovation strategy, intellectual property, supply chain, on-shoring, manufacturing, project management, process improvement, operational excellence and developing world-class products. Provide leadership, training and execution for manufacturing, sourcing, strategic planning, product development, innovation strategy, M&A and vision/mission. • Personally planned and led full corporate strategic planning sessions to define future branding, supply chain, S&OP, product and market growth direction. • Started best-in-class domestic US manufacturing facility using lean, Six-Sigma, APQP best practices to support a newly won $60M program for Walmart. Developed all plans, financial modeling, project management, equipment procurement and installation, supply chain,warehousing and distribution, staffing and product/process validation. The operations launched on-time, under budget and ahead of schedule, meeting all quality and delivery targets. Based on the success of the operations, Walmart committed to a 3 year program and increased pricing. • Upon completion, shut down the operation and negotiated sale of all assets and acquisition of the business.

• SVP - Product Development, Operations at Kids II, Inc.

  January 2014 - Present | Atlanta, GA

  Divisional SVP and General Manager of 3 major business units. Provide vision, strategic direction and leadership to global product development engineering, industrial design, vendor strategy, manufacturing, and product marketing to maximize sales growth and profitability. Responsible for strategic business planning, R&D, consumer insights, technology and product roadmap, and go-to-market execution for in-house brands and private label for multiple channels amd B2B/B2C e-commerce. Define innovation strategy and short and long-term product roadmaps. As Head of PD - Operations, lead all financial management, Far East Product Development, operational excellence, cross-functional process improvements and quality assurance. Implemented ISO/TS policies and Lean practices to Asian manufacturing. Full P&L commercial responsibility for $200M in revenue. • Handled all manufacturing planning, sourcing, quality assurance and vendor negotiations to launch a new strategic business unit, generating $3M revenue in the first six months. • Revamped organizational structure and implemented detailed strategic planning and business models to drive focus areas and generate 14% CAGR in revenue and improve net margin 170 basis points while reducing SG&A. • Deployed enterprise project management system for Kids II – achieved 50% increase in efficiency and 70% reduction in project iterations.

• Sr. Vice President - Engineering & Program Management at Euro-Pro Operating, LLC

  December 2012 - December 2013 | Boston, MA

  Recruited by the President to bring executive leadership and focus to their rapidly growing product categories and bring order to chaos. Build the team and directly lead all product development, engineering, industrial design, manufacturing launch, and program management for innovative high end branded consumer appliances and electronics. Tasked with doubling top-line revenue through enhanced innovation program, organizational restructuring and culture change. - Upon joining, undertook a detailed analysis of the product development and manufacturing systems and put in place new structure, processes, strategies, processes and workforce to double efficiency and improve quality.

• Global Vice President at Takata Corporation

  February 2012 - January 2013 | Atlanta, GA

  General Manager of high profile durable CPG business unit with responsibility for sales, marketing, operations, engineering, quality and procurement. Direct P&L responsibility for $30 Million. Tasked with doubling revenue in 3 years and improving profitability by 1500 basis points. Lead strategic business development initiatives and grow revenue in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Develop and manage innovation plan, strategic relationships, key business initiatives and client relationships to drive new business and deliver Global P&L results. Seek out and evaluate M&A opportunities. • Developed complete business plan for European consumer products business to increase revenue five-fold in 5 years, including manufacturing, sourcing, staffing, pricing, e-commerce strategy and retail distribution. • Identified $10 Million in new aviation and military business through revamped market strategy and reduced cost and turn-around time to develop critical new safety technology.

• Vice President - Global Research, Design & Technology at Newell Rubbermaid

  June 2009 - January 2012 | Atlanta, GA

  Directly led all engineering, research, industrial design, intellectual property, program management and technical services across 5 global R&D centers and a budget of $25 Million. Defined and executed global innovation strategy and all elements of new product development to drive new business, grow revenue and deliver GBU P&L results. Developed and managed a comprehensive strategy to drive innovation by utilizing consumer insights, technology, materials and human capital to identify market opportunities and bring new products to market on cost, on time and with superior quality. • Doubled pipeline efficiency in 12 months, and reduced speed to market by 50%, through initiating and implementing full innovation and stage-gate process to manage NPD and product portfolio. • Reduced SG&A costs 20% by consolidating resources from 2 recent acquisitions into 1 high performing global R&D organization. • Improved gross margins by 300 basis points through transfer to LCC manufacturing and external partners. • Drove increased competitiveness, effectiveness and efficiency by instituting new consistent global processes and tools for technical design review, document control, advanced concept development, portfolio management, work breakdown structure and manpower loading, and value analysis.

• Vice-President & General Manager at Key Safety Systems, Inc.

  May 2008 - May 2009 | Sterling Heights, MI

  Chief Technology Officer and head of the Corporate Technology Council. Worked directly with OEM customers to define long term strategic technology and innovation plans. Leveraged core technologies in multiple business units and drove technology across the businesses. Directly managed all internal technical services, software, design, laboratories and product and system engineering functions. • Created a new profit center/business unit to position the company as a technical solutions provider. Development of new corporate entity including all elements of Sales & Marketing, Engineering, etc. Full Global P&L responsibility. Generated business plan for 100% revenue growth in 16 months. • Drove a 50% reduction in speed to market by redesigning corporate short and long term technology and innovation strategies to align with OEM insights.

• Sr. Vice-President of Operations and Engineering at Key Safety Systems, Inc.

  December 2007 - May 2008 | Sterling Heights, MI

  General Manager of new spin-off business unit. Brought in to specifically address operational deficiencies. Led Operations Management, Engineering and all associated P&L functions. Provided leadership for manufacturing operations and engineering centers in Florida, Mexico, Italy and China utilizing TPS and Lean manufacturing methodologies. Achieved TS19649 certification. Employed 750 with operating revenue of $100 Million. • Reduced scrap from 8% of revenue to 2.5% by identifying and correcting quality system and process equipment and control deficiencies. • Reduced inventory by $2 Million, and increased inventory turns by 20%, through aggressive management of finished goods and raw material days on hand. • Launched new greenfield factory in China. Intimately involved in all aspects of facility construction and start up.

• Vice President of Global Engineering at Key Safety Systems, Inc.

  May 2003 - December 2007 | Sterling Heights, MI

  Led all product research, development and launch across 4 engineering centers in the United States, Germany and China with over 300 technical staff and a budget of $30 Million. Launched 3 additional centers as part of an overall plan to introduce additional low-cost engineering capability in Asia and Mexico. Key member of 3-person turnaround team charged with the technical, operational, commercial, and financial success of the Division. Accountable for P&L as part of overall responsibility for the financial performance of the Divisional Overhead. • Tripled divisional EBITDA by bolstering efficiency and slashing overhead expenses while boosting production. • Revamped the engineering structure to allow the progressive outsourcing of product engineering work to low-cost regions by an initial 30% in 2006, 40% in 2007 and 56% by the end of 2008. • Awarded R&D 100 award for most significant new technologies of the year. • Originated corporate tools and processes to manage engineering resources, including work breakdown structure, workload and manpower. • Pioneered and streamlined such functions as VA/VE and Stage-gate processes resulting in dramatic overhead savings, speedier production turnaround times and lower ED&D expenses. Instituted additional new processes and tools for technical design review, document control, program management, and value analysis to drive increased competitiveness, benchmark engineering disciplines and create value.

• Director of Global R&D at Key Safety Systems, Inc.

  January 2001 - May 2003 | Sterling Heights, MI

  Global accountability for the North American and European Research and Development and Core Engineering operations as the manager of 7 direct and 40 indirect personnel. Performed technology needs assessments and rightsizing tests to ensure a high rate of commercialization for specific emerging technologies. Developed a structured review and approval process for all R&D and advanced development projects. • Championed new product developments and implementations to global OEM clients in North America, Europe, and Asia as company’s primary technical representative for new technology. • Revamped and streamlined company’s intellectual property assets, instituting a new patent process for international filings, annuities, inventor recognition and infringement strategy. • Captured $20 Million in new revenue in 12 months as part of a large-scale research project participated in by several well-known universities and hospitals to invent a cutting edge lower extremity protection device.

Robert Block's Education:

• University of Phoenix

  1993 – 1995
  MA
  Concentration: Organizational Management
  Activities: Selected as the Outstanding Student in the program

• University of Michigan

  1982 – 1987
  BS
  Concentration: Chemical Engineering

Robert Block's Interests & Activities: