Managing Director at KIRKSON COMMERCIAL LLC (May 2026 - Present) Independent commercial advisory and development firm focused on helping manufacturers, distributors, and industrial businesses identify growth opportunities, develop strategic accounts, and improve commercial execution.
- Advise industrial and manufacturing businesses on commercial strategy, business development, market positioning, and strategic account growth.
- Evaluate target markets, customers, competitors, and channel opportunities to identify actionable paths to revenue growth.
- Support new-business development through account targeting, opportunity qualification, value-proposition development, and commercial planning.
- Apply more than 20 years of metals, manufacturing, distribution, and OEM experience to help bridge technical, operational, and commercial priorities.
- Develop data-informed commercial frameworks for pricing, opportunity prioritization, pipeline management, customer segmentation, and executive decision-making.
- Provide project-based commercial support while pursuing selective consulting engagements and strategic partnerships.
National Product
Manager at CHARTER WIRE (January 2024 - May 2026) Owned commercial performance, product portfolio strategy, and profitable growth initiatives for coiled and shaped wire and bar products representing approximately 50% of divisional revenue within a vertically integrated precision steel manufacturing business.
- Directed product portfolio performance, pricing strategy, and commercial execution while consistently achieving annual margin objectives.
- Managed product portfolio decisions by balancing pricing strategy, manufacturing capacity, customer requirements, and long-term profitability objectives.
- Increased standard margins by double digits through strategic pricing discipline, product mix optimization, and long-term supply agreements.
- Served as a key commercial resource to inside and outside sales teams by providing product expertise, market intelligence, pricing guidance, and strategic support on growth opportunities.
- Partnered extensively with melt shop, operations, and processing teams to optimize product availability, support strategic growth initiatives, and improve profitability.
- Developed long-term commercial strategies that balanced customer requirements, product availability, pricing philosophies, and profitability objectives.
- Conducted market analysis and identified opportunities across precision machining, automotive, and industrial markets that supported strategic growth initiatives and capital investment decisions.
- Built and qualified a $40 million new business pipeline and business case supporting ROI justification for a major capital investment in new drawing capacity.
- Leveraged experience across vertically integrated steel manufacturing and downstream processing markets to align product strategies, pricing decisions, and commercial initiatives with evolving customer and market requirements.
- Improved market share and customer satisfaction by aligning product strategies, pricing philosophies, and manufacturing capabilities with customer requirements.
- Negotiated long-term supply agreements and commercial frameworks with multinational OEM customers while improving contribution margins and long-term demand visibility.
- Strengthened market intelligence through active participation in CRU conferences and industry associations while maintaining awareness of competitive dynamics, raw material trends, and market opportunities.
Territory
Product & Commercial Sales Manager at NIAGARA LASALLE (October 2022 - January 2024 Managed strategic OEM and service center customer relationships across a 19-state territory while driving profitable growth through product expertise, commercial strategy, pricing, and supply chain solutions.
- Managed strategic OEM and service center accounts across a 19-state territory while identifying opportunities to expand product penetration, increase market share, and drive profitable growth.
- Developed extensive product and market expertise across carbon steel bar, cold finished bar, and value-added processing through direct engagement with vertically integrated producers, downstream processors, service centers, and OEM customers.
- Negotiated long-term supply agreements by balancing market conditions, product availability, inventory constraints, customer requirements, and profitability objectives.
- Served as a commercial product resource by recommending steel grades, product forms, processing capabilities, and application-specific solutions while collaborating with inside sales, operations, and manufacturing teams.
- Monitored market trends, mill lead times, competitive activity, and pricing dynamics to support commercial strategy, customer recommendations, and product positioning.
- Managed territory forecasting, CRM reporting, pipeline development, strategic account planning, and long-range demand forecasting to support inventory planning and commercial execution.
Regional Sales
Manager at NIAGARA LASALLE (January 2018– October 2022) Led commercial growth initiatives across the Southeast while expanding OEM market penetration and supporting strategic account development activities.
- Increased OEM sales by more than 300% through strategic account development and engineered product conversions.
- Generated more than $20 million in new multi-year contractual business through strategic account development and long-term supply agreements.
- Collaborated closely with operations, purchasing, and supply chain teams to ensure product availability, support customer requirements, and drive profitable growth initiatives.
- Completed the Timken Institute's Metallurgy for Non-Metallurgists program, strengthening technical understanding of steel products, applications, and customer requirements.
- Conducted customer education initiatives and product presentations to support product adoption and increase market penetration.
Outside Sales
Representative at NIAGARA LASALLE (January 2015 – January 2018) Led field sales activities throughout the Southeast while maintaining existing customer relationships and developing new business opportunities.
- Spearheaded OEM and service center account growth throughout a five-state Southeast region, driving new business development, strategic account expansion, and long-term commercial partnerships.
- Maintained territory sales records, forecasting, pipeline reporting, and customer performance metrics to support annual growth objectives.
- Identified, qualified, and developed new strategic opportunities across multiple industrial markets while strengthening existing customer relationships.
- Established relationships with key external influencers and decision-makers to identify emerging opportunities and strengthen market presence within targeted industrial segments.
- Supported quoting, pricing strategies, and commercial execution for regional customers and mill partners.
Customer Service
Representative at NIAGARA LASALLE (April 2013 – December 2014) Served as customer service contact for Michigan OEM accounts from the Warren, Michigan office.
- Provided commercial support for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 automotive manufacturers throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
- Managed forecasting, order fulfillment, inventory coordination, and shipment execution for automotive manufacturing accounts.
- Served as the primary liaison between customers, production scheduling, quality, logistics, and commercial teams to ensure delivery performance and customer satisfaction.
- Utilized AS400/Symix ERP, customer inventory management systems, and Microsoft Office to support commercial operations.
Steel Yard
Production at MICHIGAN SEAMLESS TUBE (June 2011 - April 2013) Led daily steel yard operations supporting seamless tube manufacturing, inventory control, production flow, and workplace safety initiatives.
- Calculated cut-to-length billet requirements and weight ratios to support seamless tube production schedules and ensure manufacturing efficiency and material utilization.
- Managed inventory exceeding 10,000 tons while coordinating material flow to support uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
- Partnered with production and operations teams to execute daily manufacturing plans and improve operational performance MICHIGAN SEAMLESS TUBE South Lyon, Michigan Machine Operator (May 2007 – Jun 2010) Supported high-volume seamless steel tube manufacturing through production operations and material handling activities.
- Operated heavy-duty mobile equipment, overhead cranes, and forklifts in support of manufacturing, material movement, and inventory management activities.
- Developed foundational knowledge of steel manufacturing processes, material properties, production flow, and operational requirements that continues to support commercial leadership and product management responsibilities.
