|
The LINC Preferred Group Team
LINC Preferred Group management consists of a seasoned group of
business professionals with over 200 years of collective knowledge
in the fields of engineering, manufacturing, general management,
distribution, and customer service. Managers have excellent industry
contacts as well as first-hand knowledge of both supply and customer
bases.
Russell
J. Bunio,
Chairman,
Chief Executive Officer
Responsible for Procurement. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Bunio
founded Russell J. Bunio and Associates (2002), a supply chain management
group focused on the implementation of Best Practices to improve
efficiency and costs. Mr. Bunio held the position of Vice President
and General Manager of Supply Management and Procurement for the
Boeing Company (1998-2001, retiring 6/1/2001). Additionally, Mr.
Bunio held various positions with Cummins Engine Company, Inc. (1989-1998)
leading to the position of Vice President and Chief Procurement
Officer for Cummins. From 1986-1989, Mr. Bunio was Director of Materials
Management at New United Motors Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI). Mr.
Bunio’s career started with General Motors (1970-1989) with
assignments in Components Divisions in Dayton, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan,
Montreal, Canada, and Matamoros, Mexico. His educational background
includes a B.S. in Economics from West Virginia University and G.E.S.
European American Study Center, Basel, Switzerland.
Dave Clark, Director
- Customer Support
Responsible for recruitment and training of sales representatives.
Dave began his 32-year career at Cummins, Inc. in finance and held
a number of corporate level Director positions, including Director-Pricing
and Director-Finance. In 1991, he joined the materials organization
as Director of Customs Affairs and Strategic Sourcing Analysis.
In 1995, he became the Director of Logistics with lead responsibility
for Transportation, Customs Affairs and International Material
Flow. In 2001, he retired from Cummins and formed Dave Clark and
Associates, a transportation and logistics consulting firm. He
received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and an MBA from
Ohio State University.
Alan
Farley - Advisor
Alan Farley is currently the President of a Government Relations
& Consulting firm based in Murfreesboro, TN. Mr. Farley has
consulted on a variety of interests in Nashville and Washington,
DC such as pharmaceuticals, communications, insurance, transportation,
construction & development, fire service, local governments,
higher education and economic development. Through his work in these
areas, Farley has gained vast experience in fundraising, government
relations, marketing, promotions, and political consulting at the
local, state, and federal levels.
In 2000, Farley served as the Tennessee Political Director for then
Governor George W. Bush presidential campaign. Farley also has been
an advisor to former U.S. Congressman Ed Bryant TN-7 and former
U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (TN), and a campaign coordinator for
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (TN).
Farley currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Rutherford County
Industrial Development Board, which negotiates with Fortune 500
companies and various medium size companies locating in the fastest
growing county in Tennessee. Farley also serves as Vice Chairman
of the Rutherford County Health & Educational Facilities Board.
From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Farley worked at various management levels
for United Parcel Service. During that time Farley held Managerial
roles in Human Resources, Operations, and the UPS-PAC Congressional
Awareness Program.
Farley has a BBA degree in Business Administration from Middle Tennessee
State University. He is currently involved in the Athletic program
at Middle Tennessee State University as a Board Member of the Middle
Tennessee State Blue Raider Athletic Association.
Farley and his wife Kelly and their children Dalton (8) and Ally
(5) reside in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Douglas C. Graves,
Vice President – Finance
and Administration, Secretary of the Board
Responsible for financial planning & analysis, process planning & control,
reporting, auditing, information systems, and treasury operations.
Previously Mr. Graves served as Vice President – Finance & Administration
for four privately held companies in commercial land development,
affiliated real estate sales and a nationwide transportation truckload
delivery group. Prior to that, he spent 27 years with Fleetguard
Inc., subsidiary of Cummins Engine Co., serving in key engineering
and operational capacities including Director - Corporate Manufacturing
Engineering, Director - Worldwide Operations Support, Manager – Cookeville
Plant Manufacturing Services, Engineering Group Leader, and Cookeville
Plant Production Unit Manager. He was responsible for overall design,
implementation, training & startup of Fleetguard’s first
international plant in Quimper, France, later recognized by Cummins
Production Excellence Council as “best practice” plant.
Mr. Graves has a B.S. Industrial Engineering, from Tennessee Technological
University.
Larry Husmann, Executive Director – Supply
Chain Management
Mr. Husmann was Director of Procurement at Cummins, responsible
for the development of strategic commodity procurement. Mr. Husmann
spent 36 years at Cummins Engine Company, Inc., in Materials, Engine
Order Management, and Purchasing Leadership roles. He has extensive
experience in Supplier Development and Performance Management with
results of 4-5% annual cost improvement. Mr. Husmann has a BBA from
the University of Iowa.
Mark Isom
Mark Isom knows all about team spirit and a winning attitude. These
are concepts that have made him a winner his entire life. While
at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Mark was
a member of two NAIA national championship football teams. He was
also a two-time member of the all-America football team. After he
graduated from Carson Newman with a degree in Business Management,
he began to pursue his dream of one day owning his own business.
His management career began at Southeast Service Corporation in
Louisville, Kentucky, in 1985. Mark assumed progressively more responsible
positions with the company and oversaw all aspects of operation
before leaving nine years later as Group Manager.
In 1993, Mr. Isom became Vice President of Operations for Burns
Janitor Services, the largest wholly owned minority company in Kentucky.
Mark made a two year commitment to the company and instituted strict
management and quality control systems that turned the company into
a thriving enterprise.
Equipped with more than a decade of experience, a winning attitude,
and whenever needed, a mop, Mark founded Premiere Building Maintenance
Corporation in 1996. As President and CEO, Mark began working on
his team and established a company based on honesty, fairness, consistency,
and a hands-on work ethic.
"Our janitors are our most important employees, because they
are the ones that keep our customers happy," said Mark. "From
that standpoint, I'm a janitor. Everybody that works for this company
is a janitor, because our number one goal is customer satisfaction."
Since 1996, Mark's pursuit of excellence and customer satisfaction
has established Premiere as a nationally known contract building
maintenance firm with a reputation for quality, service, and dependability
that is second to none.
Today, Mark Isom's dream of owning his own company is reality.
In 2003, the Small Business Administration (SBA) awarded Premiere
the 8(a) Business of the Year Award. Premiere was awarded the Minority
Supplier of the Year Award for 2004 from the Tennessee Minority
Supplier Development Council. Also in 2004, Mark was awarded the
SBA's Small Business Person of the Year Award for 2004 and the Business
Achievement Award for 2004 from the Economic & Community Development
Council. He and all the employees of Premiere Building Maintenance
Corporation are truly winners.
James
K. Morton
James K. Morton completed 30 years of service with the Fleetguard
Div. of Cummins Engine Co. During that period, Fleetguard grew from
a $5M to over $800M group. His experience in variety of positions
ranged from Product Design, Manufacturing, Materials Management,
multi-plant leadership, quality assurance, joint venture/merger
integration to worldwide operational management for seventeen locations.
Mr. Morton began his career in Fleetguards Engineering Group
in 1968, starting their Aftermarket Technical Dept. and eventually
serving as Manager of Product Development. In 1973, Mr. Morton accepted
the Plant Superintendent position and eventually served as Manager
of the Cookeville. TN plant during the period of 1980-1985.
In 1985, Mr. Morton was promoted to Vice President Operations,
adding responsibility for the Lake Mills, Iowa manufacturing operation.
International and U.S. operations were combined in 1988 and Mr.
Morton became Senior Vice President Worldwide Operations.
Fleetguard opened their first Corporate Office in Nashville, TN
in 1990 and Mr. Morton relocated there. In addition to U.S. operations,
he was responsible for plants and distribution centers in Europe,
Pac Rim, Australia, Canada and joint ventures in Mexico/Korea.
In 1992, Fleetguard asked Mr. Morton to serve as President of Separation
Technologies, a specialty filtration company in Cary, N.C. He relocated
and served in that capacity until his retirement in April 1998.
Mr. Morton joined the Holcomb Intl. group on day of his retirement.
This work evolved around a practicing VU physician and multiple
patents that might be commercialized. Numerous contracts were negotiated
and several start-up companies were formed around different technologies
during the period of 1998 through 2003. Mr. Morton served in various
capacities for the Holcomb start up ventures, President Holcomb
HealthCare Services, Chief Operating Officer for Holcomb Cos., President
Rom Technologies and Vice President Demeter Systems.
Demeter Systems LLC is currently involved in overall quality
of life improvements with developing technology for burning
clean coal, treating wood safely, treating fuel for reduced emissions
and purifying water.
In April 2003, Mr. Morton partnered with former colleagues and
co-founded LINC Preferred Group, Inc. Serving as startup President,
Mr. Morton participated in chartering, organizational needs, recruitment,
funding and supplier contracts along with his partners. Mr. Morton
serves today as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Morton is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University
with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the Engineering
and Business Foundations, having served as President of the latter.
The University has honored Mr. Morton with the Outstanding Service
Alumni Award and selection for the Alumni ROTC Hall of Fame. Additional
educational work included 20 hours towards M.B.A
Mr. Morton has participated in numerous community/professional
organizations, serving as President of Putnam Co. Chamber of Commerce,
Board member of Vanderbilt Operations roundtable, Director of Cookeville
Branch Union Planters Bank, certification with the American
Production and Inventory Control Society (CPIM), Certified Business
Manager (CBM) and the American Legion.
Jim Morton and his wife of 39 years, Marilyn, reside in Brentwood,
TN. They have two married sons, David (banker) and Stephen (attorney)
who reside nearby. They are expecting their first grandchild in
October.
Dr.
Robert E. Niebuhr, Advisor,
Dean, College of Business, Tennessee Technological Univ
Dr. Robert E. Niebuhr became dean of the College of Business Administration
at Tennessee Tech University in July 2001. In the last three years
the college has introduced a distance-based MBA program that now
has over 70 working professionals taking courses without coming
to the campus. Additionally, an emphasis on external endeavors
has resulted in multi-media contracts with such firms as Averitt
Express, Clayton Homes, and the Nashville Sounds. Johnson Hall
renovation efforts have resulted in complete refurbishing of several
classrooms and conversion of the entire facility to a wireless
environment.
Dr. Niebuhr was a faculty member at the College of Business at
Auburn University for twenty-four years. During that time, he
served Auburn as head of the Management Department and as interim
dean,
and lastly as executive director of Corporate Relations and director
of the Physicians Executive MBA Program.
Prior to his academic career, Dr. Niebuhr worked as a metallurgical
engineer for ten years and then completed his doctorate in management
at Ohio State University. He earned his B.S. from the University
of Cincinnati and his M.S. from Ohio State.
Larry
G. Smith, P.E., Vice President – Supply Chain
Development
Mr. Smith is responsible for analysis of critical supply programs
for customers and the development of client site business support
programs. Prior to joining the LINC team, he spent 26 years with
Fleetguard, Inc., a subsidiary of Cummins Engine Company. Through
various positions including Senior Chief Engineer and Director-Logistics,
he developed and implemented improvements in manufacturing, supply
chain management, and new product introduction processes. He holds
B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial Engineering from Tennessee Technological
University, and he has served as an adjunct instructor at Tennessee
Tech and David Lipscomb universities. He is a registered professional
engineer.
Donald
J. Snydel
Donald J. Snydel discovered his passion for the Graphic Arts 45
years ago while in high school. He continued his education focusing
not only on the mechanics of print, but also on the sales and marketing
aspects. In 1970 Don graduated from Western Michigan University
in Kalamazoo with a Bachelor of Science degree. He majored in Printing
Management with minors in Business and Industrial Supervision. While
at Western he was President of the Graphic Arts Society and Vice
President of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
Shortly after graduation, he founded The Press Express, a full-service
quick printing operation. After selling the business in 1977, he
has spent the majority of his professional career in printing related
sales.
For the past 17 years he has been the Vice President of Sales for
Creative Printing Services, Inc., the largest African-American owned
printing company in the United States. Creative Printing Services
is a $25 million full-service commercial/financial sheetfed and
web printer located in Des Plaines, Illinois. In addition to having
his own account responsibility, Don directs a staff of 15 sales
professionals. Major accounts include Disney, HSBC, Kellogg, Bank
of America, and Verizon.
Don and his wife, Leslie, live in Naperville, Illinois. They have
two children, Jamie, a recent graduate of Purdue University currently
working in sales, and Michael, a sophomore in high school.
Pete
Varma
Pete Varma, CEO and President of Intraline, Inc., is an entrepreneur
extraordinaire. He founded Intraline, Inc in 1989 as an Industrial
distributor. Intraline provides products and services to Fortune
100 customers. Mr. Varma has 25 years of technical, sales and marketing
experience in the wholesale distribution business, having introduced
numerous innovative technologies to his customers. He was also the
co-founder electrical supply and lighting products distributor.
Pete continues to grow Intraline and has created a Technology division.
This division provides business to business (B2B) solutions and
connectivity for small, medium and diversity suppliers to do business
with corporations and government agencies electronically. The services
include content management, hosting, training and connectivity to
any ERP system.
He is a member of SSMI (Strategic Supply Management Institute)
and USD (University of San Diego) Strategic Supply Chain Institute
for past 6 years. He works as a consultant delivering innovative
solution in the Supply Chain Management. Pete has knowledge and
experience in process and workflow of total World Class Supply
Management.
He participated in various management development programs for entrepreneurs
at University Of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and alumni at Kellogg
School of Management. He is a board member at various technology
companies and non-profit organization such as (NCSDC) Northern California
Supplier Development Council and (ABA) Asian Business Association.
Terrence
R. Wilson, President, Chief Operating Officer
Responsible for generating business growth and providing the preferred
service in the transportation industry. He has over 30 years of
general management experience with large industrial groups. He served
as President/COO of Magnatech International, L.P., a major producer
of equipment to the hose industry, and President/CEO of Morgan Corporation,
the leading producer of truck bodies in the industry. His lengthy
business career includes nearly 20 years with the Teledyne Group,
serving as President of Teledyne Industrial Engines, Group Executive
of Teledyne Northern, Vice President/Gen. Manager and President
of Teledyne Stillman in Cookeville, TN. Mr. Wilson attended Drury
College and University of Missouri, St. Louis.
_______________________________________________________
|