Client Results Achieved by Haines Centre for Strategic Management

Industry Type	Location	Public/Private	Annual Revenue	Length of Engagement
Agriculture & Food	Ohio	Private	$50 million	9 years (on and off)

From: A one-man, marginally profitable, family-run business.

To: A highly profitable, organized, professionally-run organization.

Business Problem	Solutions	Major Results
Disorganized, family-run business	Coached top executives Created first real company organizational chart Recommended more effective organizational structure	Improved interdepartmental communication/information sharing Hired two key outside executives Employee retention: 85-94% per quarter (goal was 90%)
No agreed-upon company vision	Helped develop company Strategic Plan Developed succinct, inspiring mission statement and company commitment “Cookie” plant’s role clarified Taught to continually scan environment while growing the business Assisted with Annual Strategic Reviews	Produce Strategic & Annual plans with a 3-yr projection to reinforce company’s mission, values and vision “Cookie” plant sold very profitably Implementation of quarterly Strategic Management meetings comparing current state to future goals
Ineffective and inefficient leadership	Implemented strategic Leadership Development Program for entire mgmt team Conducted Train the Trainer program Proposed new management structure	Update Plan on a yearly basis Mgmt is trained to be experts and to train others Decreased costs for training programs significantly Built vertical organization around co-op joint venture farming
Autocratic leadership (as opposed to democratic)	Coached CEO Suggested implementation of regular team and all management meetings	Strategic business focus (proactive and forward-thinking; not reactive) Quarterly Strategic Management meetings
Company losing money	Strategic focus on profit and growth Recommended partnerships and co-ops	Safety: No lawsuits. Total days in 2003 missed due to injury: 0, (from 82 in 1998) Turnaround from losing money to 86% profit growth over past 6 yrs 14% increase in sales from 2000-2003 Booming swine co-op business

Testimonials

Paul Kalmback, President, CEO: “Steve has an excellent ability to get through the peripheral issues and get to the core issues.” “Steve has helped to bring our management together to understand the system to produce change.”

In 1993 after suffering a stroke, the founder of this agricultural company sold his business to his son. At the time, the company was spread thin by running a feed plant, pig farms, and a food recycling and production plant (their “cookie” plant). The lack of a clear organizational chart worsened this problem and leadership was in short supply.

One of the first things the Centre helped the new president and CEO understand was the business need for a clear and representational organizational chart including the staffing of key executives (e.g., head of HR and CFO). As a result of their first Strategic Plan, the cookie plant grew into a big business and was sold off very profitably. The president and CEO was finally able to focus more on company-specific goals.

Through many coaching sessions with the Centre’s top coach, the president of the agricultural company learned to be a more reasonable and personable boss, yet still focused on results.

The Centre helped install a Leadership Development Program for all management, including a Train-the-Trainer program. With these programs in place, the Centre’s Systems Thinking Approach helped set business excellence as the new company standard. Their focus on superior results and proactive, rather than reactive thinking helped profits increase dramatically. The initially disorganized company began to outgrow its plant capacity. Right now the company is planning the construction of a new feed manufacturing facility.

In addition, the Centre helped the company think strategically about vertical and horizontal integration of their business. With these tools, the agricultural company built strategic partnerships with feed customers and swine farms. These co-ops have helped to both (1) ensure customers for their feed products and (2) to tremendously increase profits company-wide (through 2003).