Manuel Velázquez

(787) 388-9177 | manuel.executive@icloud.com

GENERAL MANAGER
STRATEGIC EXPERTISE, INFLUENCE, AND CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR WHAT’S NEXT
VALUE ADDED
• Visionary Leadership
• Strategic Planning and Oversight
• Negotiation and Sales
Development
• Employee Engagement and
Company Branding
• Commercial and Customer Support
• Culture and Change Management
• Site Transformations
• Employee and Labor Relations
• Process Improvement
• Business Financial Analysis
• Business Acumen
• Risk Management
• Product Development
Decisive visionary leader who excelled in prominent roles
in high volume of local as well as multinational
corporations. Level-headed problem solver with
responsibility for annual budgets, client development and
product launches. Orchestrated ongoing bottom-line
savings through cost-cutting and innovation initiatives
turning around underperforming businesses. Outstanding
ability to grasp complex situations and operationalize them
into achievable goals revitalizing teams to drive double-
digit revenue growth in times of economic prosperity and
deceleration. Enabled talent management pipelines placing
significant value on human capital. Recognized for unique
blend of analytical, interpersonal, and communication
skills. Admitted to Puerto Rico’s State Bar. MIT certified in
Business Strategy and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Advanced
user of MS Office, AS/400, Sage 50 and SAP. Fully bilingual:
English and Spanish, willing to travel and to relocate.

CAREER PROGRESSION AND ACHIEVEMENTS

MOCOROA & CASTELLANOS, INC. GUAYNABO, P.R. 2019 – 2020
Consumer Products Manufacturing | Twelve (12) Direct Reports, 20+ Employees
General Manager: P&L, Operations, Sales, Logistics, HR, IS (1-year project)
• Boosted net sales by 36% surpassed the net income for the previous five (5) years in a three (3)
month period through long-term negotiations with key suppliers and customers.
• Improved gross margins by 40% by negotiating freight costs and reducing them by 15%, while
adjusting prices based on market elasticity analysis, opportunities, and trends.
• Provided virtual technology tools to increase competitiveness of salesforce with real time
functionalities and performance measurement which fostered meeting and exceeding goals.
• Shortened time of outstanding accounts receivable (i.e., days sales outstanding or DSO) by
21% after (10) months of assuming role.
• Built-up inventory accuracy by 75% by designing and implementing world class best practices.
• Assessed, improved, and stabilized systems’ infrastructure by implementing a five (5) year
strategic plan with state-of-the art platform and reengineered processes to ensure data
integrity and business continuity.
• Sustained sales and operations during COVID-19 lockdown by correctly interpreting changes
in Executive Orders while competitors were forced to close during this three-month period.
• Achieved a 25% reduction in health and property insurance costs with expanded coverage for
all employees and business areas.
• Implemented new employee time and attendance systems which reduced payroll costs by
28%, enhanced employee self-service functionalities, and upgraded internal corporate image.
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• Revamped company’s general communications tools and strategies to convey workplace

stability and effectiveness and subsequently increase employee engagement.
• Converted negative trends in income from high monthly volume parts into double-digit
positive margin for two-year contract negotiations with company’s top client.
• Obtained insurance payment of 40% of pending initial claim for damages over a period of six
(6) months after 2.5 years of company negotiations with provider who avoided legal actions.
• Refocused structure and schedule of employee performance reviews on outcomes and
behaviors representative of company values to incentivize achievement of business goals.
ARGOS PUERTO RICO DORADO, P.R. 2018 – 2019
Product Manufacturing | Six (6) Direct Reports, 125+ Employees
Director / Manager: HR, IS, EHS, P&L, Security, Two (2) Sites, Communities of Excellence
• Generated market share growth of 10% and highest-ever sales while renegotiating two (2)
collective bargaining agreements and reducing labor costs by $500K.
• Launched six-year strategic multi-department culture change project to develop world class
levels of efficiencies across entire operation.
• Gained main local competitor’s market share after adopting manufacturing best practices of
European sister sites to improve production efficiency of top-quality goods.
• Introduced culture changes and performance compensation programs that supported top
sales numbers for 2018.
• Developed three-year strategic business plans for learning, talent management, retention, and
gender equality which produced highest-ever results for 2018 and 2019.
• Restructured core departments and talent acquisition strategy which resulted in a 33%
increase in active employees over four (4) months, deployment of cross-training, coaching,
and job shadowing programs as well as a robust succession pipeline for key positions.
• Transformed relations with neighboring communities through openness and transparency
about environmental concerns, site tours and education events, and outreach initiatives.
SUIZA DAIRY CORP. – A GRUPO GLORIA COMPANY SAN JUAN, P.R. 2010 – 2017
Products Manufacturing | Seven (7) Direct Reports, 1,200 + Employees
Manager / Director – HR, IS, EHS, P&L, and Security: Five (5) Sites in PR and Orlando, FL;
trainer and subject matter expert for Perú, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
• Member of Petite Committee (President, Comptroller, and myself) we oversaw and decided
on all key issues for the Sales, Marketing, Production, Finance and Distribution for 3 years.
• Created new selling structure based on accurate business intelligence which exceeded
expected profits and boosted salesforce retention by 62%.
• Identified revenue generating opportunities for a six-fold increase in net income positioning
Human Resources as the most profitable department and Puerto Rico’s site as leading
company within holding entity after applying BEST 2.0 framework.
• Reduced 61% of labor legal costs, saving over $160K in one year and closed/resolved over 52%
of pending cases in six (6) months after improving forecasting of legal expenses.
• Increased employee Engagement levels by 16% and key measures of business effectiveness for
five (5) consecutive years.
• Improved time frame and back-up capabilities of business disaster recovery policy by 67%.
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• Decreased turnover by 8.33%, OSHA cases by 27%, and lost workdays by 63%.
• Spearheaded negotiation of ten (10) collective bargaining agreements for five (5) years with
three (3) unions for 23% in prospective savings in salary increases vs. budget.
• Resolved labor strike with a new union in three (3) days without any incidents.
• Advanced implementation of Shared Services and new HRIS system for business analytics,
which cut processing time by 20% and overtime by 21o% saving $220K annually.
• Instituted first integrated and self-insured Health and Wellness Center in local manufacturing
industry reducing annual claims by $600,000 since 2012 and costs/employee by 28% by 2017.
• Positioned company among Mejores Patronos de Puerto Rico in 2017 which attracted top
talent to ensure business continuity through a solid succession pipeline.
THINKSTRAT CONSULTING SAN JUAN, P.R. 2010
Labor and Employment Consulting Firm | Four (4) Direct Reports
Project Manager – P&L, Planning, Design, Execution, Controlling, and Closure
• Led project team that put into effect Special Law 7 of 2009 to address the government’s fiscal
and economic emergency situation in 78 agencies which yielded $645M in annual savings.
• Managed, investigated, and resolved over 1,900 labor claims in a six-month period to ensure
continuity of government operations and services meeting aggressive project deadlines.
EARLIER CAREER EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS 10+ YEARS
JOHNSON & JOHNSON / PFIZER | Key Account Manager (Sales)
KIMBERLY-CLARK | Sales Planner / Key Account Executive (Sales)
NOVARTIS / GERBER | Sales Analyst / Key Account Category Captain (Sales)
VECTOR MARKETING | General Manager (100+ sales team and 5 offices across PR
and Costa Rica).
• Johnson & Johnson / Pfizer: Four Top Key Account Manager Awards in 2006
• Kimberly Clark: Salesman of the Year in 2005 and Sales Area with Greatest Growth in 2004
• Gerber/Novartis: Raised average sales by 38% through category management initiatives.
• Vector Marketing: Repositioned local office from #50 to #2 among 400.

EDUCATION

Juris Doctor (JD) University of Puerto Rico, licensed attorney

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Interamerican University of Puerto Rico
Bachelor’s in Science (BS), University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR), HRCI
Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP), SHRM
Business Strategy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Certificate,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Executive Program, Sloan and CSAIL (2018)
Project Management Professional Certificate, The Knowledge Academy Ltd. (2018)
Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate, LinkedIn (2020)