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Providing Strategic Leadership at Badger as President
As President of Badger, a building materials distributor and millwork manufacturer, I led a dynamic Senior Leadership Team (HR, Sales, Operations, Logistics, Quality, and Finance). I had the privilege to lead the organization during its 5th generation of family ownership and help usher in the 6th generation while also maintaining the interests of all stakeholders —especially the 175+ employee owners. I enjoyed growing the organization’s culture, managing the operations, upholding the company's mission, and overseeing strategic planning.
Within the first six months of taking the role I spearheaded the creation and implementation of a new company-wide strategic planning framework, integrating market insights and cross-functional collaboration that would drive sustainable growth.
Some of my major accomplishments were:
Successfully increasing Net Income and profitability by 15% within 12 months throughout a flat sales market
Increased Net Revenue by 65% within the largest business category (Interior Millwork) through strategic expense reduction, margin enhancements, and increased productivity; even with a decrease in annual sales
Reduced quality issues by 20% and decreased rework costs by 10% within 12 months
Implemented innovative process improvements that resulted in a 40% increase in sales per head, demonstrating a strong ability to scale a team's productivity and capacity
From the Director of Operations - "Neal is one of the most influencing, driven, and sound leaders I have worked with. He worked hand in hand with me and my team trying to help us break through bottlenecks and challenges as they came at us from a very wide range of skill levels and backgrounds. He had a knack for connecting with that same group and getting us all on the same trajectory. Neal is great leader and great supervisor, supporter and guide"
Leading the Chamber as the Chief Executive Officer
As the leader and Chief Executive Officer of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce I had the privilege of carrying out the vision, mission, and values of the organization. I led the Strategic Planning, served as official spokesperson for the Chamber, empowered the Chamber Team to accomplish the long-term goals, and was accountable for the operating budget and overall financial performance.
Some of my major accomplishments in my 4 years as CEO were:
Increased Annual Gross Revenue by 30%, while doubling the organization's workforce and maintaining a 95% employee retention rate
Introduced 4 innovative programs that grew and diversified revenue streams, one of which was a community-wide event (Fourth Fridays)
Improved Cash Position and Total Assets from $1.7M to $2.7M through a strategic sale of commercial real estate and subsequent investment
Increased Chamber Membership through the Pandemic, from 450 investors to 570
Improved organizational culture by leading with empathy, implementing a systematic approach to team communications, and focusing on teamwork
I hold many skills and experiences that allowed for success as the CEO of the Chamber, but it is my love, passion, and energy for the La Crosse area that stood out. To put it simply - I love La Crosse, its businesses, and the people. I used my unique experiences to see that our community of businesses and individuals are proud of who we are.
Internal Audit Manager and Property Executive
Prior to becoming the CEO at the Chamber, I worked as a Corporate Internal Audit Manager and Property Executive for First Supply. As a trusted advisor to the C-Suite and family owners, I made concise decisions that contributed to the improvement of daily operations across a company with 29 wholesale distribution facilities, 18 retail stores, 500+ employees, and over $275M in annual revenue. In my roles, I evaluated various business risks and opportunities, provided solutions, and drove initiatives for the betterment of the company.
Some of my major contributions and projects included:
Managing the family-owned real estate portfolio and leased properties spanning over 1M square feet and $28M asset valuation
Executing all property selection, lease negotiations and transactions, asset improvement plans, and brokerage relationships
Leading the acquisition of a Decorative Lighting Division and subsequent entry into the Decorative Lighting market across regional kitchen and bath retail stores
Strategically Planned and led all annual Internal Audit initiatives, and advised the Executive Team and Board of Directors on emerging business risks and solutions to better support organizational goals, customer experience, and revenue growth
Senior Internal Auditor
Progressing from the Staff Internal Auditor position to the Senior Internal Auditor position allowed me to further drive the overall strategic objectives for the audit department. I performed audits for over 27 First Supply LLC wholesale distribution locations, 14 Gerhard's Kitchen & Bath Showrooms, 3 Kohler Signature Kitchen and Bath Showrooms and 1 Central Distribution Center.
The entirety of the Internal Audit Program began to blossom during my time as Senior Internal Auditor due to the collaborative and trust-based philosophies I was passionate about implementing. I exemplified these philosophies not only performing audits but by bridging gaps between front line workers, management and executive leadership through deep relationships. Once an audit was complete, I further invested time with key stakeholders by collaboratively creating improvement plans and coaching individuals and/or teams to ensure improvement as a team. These relationships, with the foundation as trust, allowed me to drive improvement of location specific operations, as well as push the company’s strategic initiatives forward from the front line.
Staff Internal Auditor
As the Staff Internal Auditor for First Supply I innovated and optimized the audit program by improving controls, communications and processes. I performed financial, operational, and compliance audits and tested to mitigate risk and analyze issues for improvement. I ensured compliance with organizational policies and procedures, as well as assisted leadership with improvement planning and future planning for the company with an emphasis on the areas of risk. I helped enhance the Internal Audit Work Program capacity from 15 audit testing points to 30 testing points across 47 facilities.
Focus on Culture, Strategy and Team
In all of my roles I have had an impact on culture, team dynamics, and overall business strategy. These are tangible and actionable programs, projects, and experiences I have worked on or been a part of throughout my professional career.
Culture: While at First Supply, I developed an innovative Culture Audit that evaluated and rated the overall company culture by identifying actual behavioral data and comparing it to expected behaviors and company values. The audit also identified a culture rating for each of the 28 distribution locations.
Strategy: My strategic planning experience has been within several areas such philanthropic non-profits, economic development corporations, various associations, and for-profit businesses. I have extensive experience in leading strategic planning, both as an executive and as a third-party facilitator. The La Crosse Chamber's 3-year strategic plan and annual 1-year work plans were my direct responsibility. As the lead facilitator for 'mini strategic planning' session for Downtown Mainstreet Inc. I helped align their board of directors, staff, and volunteer committees while going through a leadership transition. As President of Badger, I introduced quarterly long-term strategic planning sessions that allowed Senior Leadership to get out of the day-to-day operations and solidify goals around 5-year aspirations. My role in First Supply's strategic planning process was to give an independent and objective opinion on operations, organization best practices, and culture so that company directors, executives, and owners had realistic and measurable goals.
Team: Whether I’m working alongside a front-line team to understand operational realities or partnering with executives to shape direction and priorities, my focus is the same: create connection, empower others, and remove barriers so people can do their best work. I don’t just manage teams — I bring them together around a common goal, lift collective energy, and help translate diverse perspectives into aligned action and meaningful impact. The teams I’ve had the honor to serve are not just groups of people — they are the heartbeat of the work we do, and building their trust and capability is one of the most rewarding parts of my leadership.
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