Shanon Smith

I am an operations and business leader with experience leading large teams, managing multi-location operations, developing employees, overseeing financial performance, building client relationships, and growing a business from the ground up. Throughout my career, I have been responsible for more than 200 employees across 54 locations and have managed operations where staffing, client expectations, safety, employee performance, financial results, and day-to-day execution all had to work together. My approach to leadership has always been fairly simple: understand the business, take care of your people, set clear expectations, measure performance, and address problems before they become bigger problems.

I have worked across operations, human resources, business development, sales, marketing, training, compliance, workforce planning, and organizational leadership. As a business owner, I have also experienced what it means to be personally responsible for the decisions behind a company—its finances, products, partnerships, reputation, growth, and long-term direction. I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Services and professional training in risk management.

My career has given me the opportunity to combine business leadership with something that is equally important to me: developing people and building organizations where employees understand what is expected of them and have an opportunity to succeed.

Founder & CEO at Bryant Hill (2024-06 – Present)

Founded Bryant Hill and built the company from the ground up, taking responsibility for the operational, financial, sales, marketing, product, and strategic sides of the business. As the founder, I have been responsible for making the decisions that determine where the company goes and how we get there. That has included everything from product development and pricing to retail strategy, partnerships, inventory, marketing, expenses, and long-term growth.

Building Bryant

Hill has given me a different perspective on leadership. When you own the business, there is nowhere to pass responsibility. Every decision eventually affects the customer, the employees, the company's finances, or its reputation. That experience has made me a more complete business leader.

• Built the Bryant Hill brand, product portfolio, pricing structure, customer experience, and overall business strategy.
• Manage budgeting, expenses, margins, purchasing, inventory, pricing, and overall business performance.
• Developed retail, wholesale, and business-to-business relationships designed to expand the company's reach.
• Built relationships with retailers, business owners, community leaders, influencers, and strategic partners.
• Personally manage business development and evaluate new partnerships, retail opportunities, events, and growth initiatives.
• Developed marketing campaigns and positioning strategies while maintaining consistency in the company's brand and reputation.
• Manage product development from initial concept through pricing, positioning, launch, and customer response.
• Oversee supply chain decisions, purchasing, production planning, inventory, and vendor relationships.
• Make decisions regarding investments and opportunities based on both financial return and long-term value to the company.
• Built the company around the belief that profitability and positive community impact do not have to compete with one another.
• Continue to pursue opportunities for Bryant Hill to create meaningful employment and community partnerships.

Human Resources Manager/Administrative Assistant (Contract) at Chilewich (2025-12 – 2026-03)

Supported plant operations while working directly with employees and leadership on human resources, workforce, training, and operational matters within a manufacturing environment. The position expanded my experience in manufacturing operations and gave me additional hands-on exposure to HR administration, compliance, employee relations, and workforce development.

• Managed HR responsibilities involving FMLA, employee benefits, employee relations, onboarding, and terminations.
• Worked directly with employees and management to address workplace concerns and performance issues.
• Developed employee training covering workplace safety, sexual harassment prevention, and applicable state and federal requirements.
• Supported production employees through coaching, communication, and employee development.
• Assisted leadership with staffing, workforce, and operational needs.
• Helped communicate policies and expectations between management and employees.
• Supported day-to-day plant operations across different areas of the organization.

Branch Manager at Security Engineers, Inc. (2018-11 – 2023-06)

Led a large multi-site operation supporting more than 200 employees across 54 client locations. I was responsible for the overall performance of the branch, which meant balancing the needs of employees, clients, senior leadership, and the business itself. The role required me to move between people leadership, financial management, client relationships, staffing, safety, compliance, and operational problem-solving every day.

One of the biggest things this position taught me was how connected every part of an operation really is. Staffing affects overtime. Overtime affects profitability. Training affects safety. Leadership affects retention.

Client relationships affect revenue. You cannot effectively manage one of those areas without understanding how it affects the others.

• Led managers, supervisors, and frontline employees across 54 client locations.
• Managed a business operation with significant P&L and financial responsibility.
• Oversaw staffing, scheduling, recruiting, training, employee relations, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Reduced overtime by approximately 25% through stronger workforce planning, scheduling controls, and operational accountability.
• Improved employee retention to approximately 84%.
• Helped reduce incidents by approximately 25% through increased accountability, training, and attention to operational risk.
• Helped turn a branch operating at an approximately $250,000 loss into an operation that achieved more than $1 million in improved performance and profitability.
• Developed and monitored KPIs to identify performance problems and determine where changes were needed.
• Worked directly with client decision-makers to resolve problems, maintain relationships, and protect long-term business partnerships.
• Partnered with senior leadership on operational planning, policy implementation, staffing needs, and business priorities.
• Developed employees for increased responsibility through coaching, accountability, training, and leadership development.
• Managed difficult employee and client situations while protecting the interests and reputation of the organization.
• Maintained responsibility for safety, security, organizational risk, and client expectations across a geographically distributed workforce.

Vice President of U.S. Operations at Fighting for Autism

Served in a leadership position supporting an organization focused on creating opportunities, awareness, and support for individuals with autism and their families. My nonprofit involvement strengthened my belief that leadership is ultimately about people. Numbers and strategy matter, but organizations work because people believe in what they are doing and understand how their work contributes to something larger.

• Supported U.S. organizational operations and community-focused initiatives.
• Helped build relationships with individuals and organizations that shared the mission of improving opportunities for people with disabilities.
• Represented the organization and its mission in community and professional settings.
• Worked with people from different backgrounds toward common organizational goals.
• Supported efforts designed to increase awareness and expand the organization's reach.

Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Services – DeVry University