Leonard – Director/VP (Manufacturing)

Search Narrative: Founded in 1963, Leonard has a proud and rich 60-year history of success supported by talented people, exceptional service, and quality products.

Leonard was acquired in February of 2021 by Kinderhook Industries. With the backing and support of Kinderhook, Leonard entered a rapid expansion phase. Since February of 2021, the total store count has grown from 58 to 147 retail locations through a combination of new and acquisition locations.

With the acquisition of Cook Portable Sheds, Leonard now operates 6 manufacturing facilities located in Mount Airy NC, Purvis MS, Joplin MO, Cobden IL, Bastrop TX, and Valdosta GA. These facilities produce over 2 million square feet annually of portable storage units and other general structures. Successful manufacturing operations are critical to the revenue and profit performance of our retail locations and position Leonard as an industry leading retailer of quality storage solutions.

Our search is for an experienced Senior Manufacturing Leader to manage, guide, and support our manufacturing operations and teams to produce industry leading, quality storage solutions to support the continued success of our rapidly expanding retail operations. This role reports directly to the CEO and will be an influential leader and part of the Leonard Senior Team.

Other Key Information:

• Leonard is currently based in Mount Airy North Carolina, and the position will spend a significant amount of time in our 6 manufacturing facilities as well as time in the Mount Airy Headquarters. Ideally, the position will be based in North Carolina, but remote accommodations can be made for the right candidate within the current Leonard/Cook footprint.
• The ideal candidate should have a proven track record of performance in Senior Level manufacturing roles in a mid-size or large-scale manufacturing environment, preferably in the wood or metal construction space. Additional experience in safety practices, and LEAN manufacturing principles is a plus.
• Experience in scaling a manufacturing production, leading multiple manufacturing facilities, and private equity experience are beneficial elements of the role.

Expected Core Competencies:

• Personal Integrity and Ethics: Unwavering character, honesty, and integrity, even in the face of adversity.
• Executive Presence: Professionally and credibly represents self to team, customers, and stakeholders.
• Outcome Leadership: Models outcome leadership and demonstrates a passion and high sense of urgency for results. Ensures accountability, maximization, and gap management are executed at the appropriate level.
• Business acumen: Demonstrates an insatiable curiosity about the business and consistently teaches others to manage metrics and improve performance. Has a high degree of knowledge in relation to the market, economics, culture, and competitive environment.
• Ownership: Accepts personal accountability and responsibility for outcomes. Enables achievement of outcomes with a high degree of accountability at all levels.
• Strategic and Execution Excellence: Sets strategic objectives that significantly advance the business. Ensures planning and tactics are in place at all levels to move the business forward.
• Decision Making: Insightfully analyzes complex business issues and anticipates challenges and changes in the business. Makes highly effective and timely decision to move the business forward short, mid, and long term.
• Effective Communication: Consistently communicates in an effective manner, including, verbal, written, and public.
• Leadership Courage: Unwavering in challenging the status quo, overcoming adversity, and managing performance.
• Executive Development: Continually focused on attracting, hiring, retaining, and developing executives and succession candidates.
• Personal Development: Continually focused on learning and self-awareness. Seeks new challenges and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• High Performance Teams: Enables and builds cohesive, solutions oriented, high performance teams.
• Performance Management: Defines success for self and others. Sets high standards of performance and drives repeatable excellence. Quickly Improves gaps in performance and recognizes achievement.
• Unity and Inclusion: Enables an environment of workplace pride, success, and mutual respect.
• Customer Relationship Management: Identifies and delivers excellence to all customers. Customer relationships are valued and nurtured at all levels. Subsequent metrics achieved.

Structural Components

• The role will report directly to the CEO
• Direct reports to this position will include

o 6 Manufacturing Plant Managers

o 1 Manufacturing Project Manager

§ Indirect Report includes the Director of Risk/Safety/Asset Protection

What The Role Will be Responsible For

• Management and accountability to clearly defined manufacturing P&L goals
• Manufacturing production to support significant revenue and EBITDA growth
• Development of business plans and strategies to support short, mid, and long-term manufacturing goals and objectives
• Development of, and effective supervision of the Manufacturing Team to ensure a professional, productive, and safety conscious culture are in place

What The Role Will be Accountable For

• Organizational Revenue Goal
• Organizational EBITDA Goal

What Does Leonard Offer?

• Competitive base salary
• Performance based bonus plan with payout up to 200%
• Incentive equity grant (stock appreciation rights)
• Comprehensive benefits package that includes health, prescription drug, vision, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability
• 401K with a company match

About Leonard (Parent Organization)

Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Mount Airy, North Carolina, Leonard is a rapidly growing and leading full-service specialty retailer of truck accessories, trailers, and sheds in the Southeastern U.S. with over 75 locations. Leonard’s complementary product categories help to serve the needs of customers both for work and recreation. Leonard remains dedicated to service and is proud to offer trailers, company manufactured storage sheds, and truck accessories that ensure fit, function, and style so that Leonard customers are ready for work and ready to stand out in a crowd.

www.leonardusa.com

About Cook Portable Warehouses (Separately Branded Locations)

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Cobden, Illinois, Cook is a manufacturer of prefabricated wood buildings including sheds, barns, and garages of various styles and sizing options with a retail presence spanning 14 states with 65 retail locations and 83 Independent/wholesale Customers. The Cook mission is to build the highest quality portable buildings available and to create value and make a difference in the communities they work and live in.

www.cookstuff.com

About Kinderhook Industries (PE Ownership Group)

Kinderhook Industries, LLC is a private investment firm that manages over $5.2 billion of committed capital. Kinderhook has made more than 300 investments and follow-on acquisitions since inception. Kinderhook’s investment philosophy is predicated on matching unique, growth-oriented investment opportunities with exceptional financial expertise and our proprietary network of operating partners. The focus is on middle market businesses with defensible niche market positioning in the healthcare services, environmental / business services, and automotive / light manufacturing sectors. Kinderhook has a track record of successfully and consistently building industry leaders.

www.kinderhook.com