Kenneth Barth (MBA)

Innovator in AI digital procurement and supply chain process transformation for companies of all sizes. Leverage supply chain expertise, AI, data analytics, real-time market benchmarking, category management and best-in-class procurement processes and stakeholder management with forward-thinking organizations that want to transform their strategic procurement results and optimized supply chains to deliver > 25% improvement in cost savings, enhanced quality performance, and new technology evaluation and performance. Execute a data driven sourcing and category strategies, optimize vendor relationships, rationalize suppliers, locally negotiate SLA driven contracts while optimizing the OEM, Distribution and Value-Added Reseller value chain. This strategic process consistently lowers COGS, improves financial performance and market share growth. ◆ Hybrid high-technology strategic procurement, supply chain, global technical account management, sales and consulting experience providing "mutual gain" negotiation advantages necessary in developing strategic partnerships and successful long-term relationships between OEMs, Distributors, VARs and their customers. ◆ Utilize real-time market benchmarking, data analytics and AI driven tools and processes along with multi-year RFPs and contracts that improve overall operational performance, lower lead times & enhance strategic procurement value-add to stakeholders. ◆ Optimize strategic supplier performance while building sustainable and strategic partnerships that maximize supplier performance, cost savings, quality performance and enhanced technology ◆ Translate business requirements into clear procurement specifications and expectations through effective collaboration with internal stakeholders and executive leadership teams. ◆ Work to establish policies, procedures, and controls to ensure effective procurement implementation and implement technology solutions to solve complex issues impacting overall business performance.

Managed global technology supply chain and strategic procurement organizations covering $450 M in annual infrastructure, software, and services expenditures, negotiating $52 M in savings. Led significant improvements in supplier management, spend analytics, business intelligence and category strategy development. ◆ Implemented the 1st global, localized in country procurement model for infrastructure, software, and services across 26 countries increasing new business wins by 18%. ◆ Negotiated a 20% reduction in Intel server CPU, edge and embedded components, saving $12 M. Overview of Expertise Leveraged: Developing and executing IT sourcing and vendor management strategies, business intelligence driven category plans, procurement processes, and tools. Collaborates directly with board level and senior executives, aligning IT sourcing and vendor management strategy. Conducts and publishes research in IT sourcing and vendor management in tandem with global analysts. Build sustainable and strategic partnerships to maximize contract value and reduce risk.

Launched a 3-tier original equipment manufacturer strategic procurement and supply chain optimization plan, utilizing a combined $245 M in complimentary indirect and direct infrastrustructure, networking, enterprise and storage products RFP and category plan; negotiating savings of $43 M. ◆ Rationalized global distributors and VARs implementing a cost-plus model, that reduced COGS 20%. ◆ Utilized leadership and creativity managing the entire value chain by outsourcing US manufacturing to one US distributor improving operational efficiency, 30% reduction in customer cycle time (point of order to customer delivery), increased overall customer retention and satisfaction by 20%, saving $21 M. ◆ Repositioned the procurement organization from reactive to proactive by developing category management plans with stakeholders early in annual operating planning process. ◆ Reduced supplier and distribution base by 40% - concentrated business with strategic suppliers; delivering improved operational efficiency and supplier designed, first-to-market customer technology solutions. ◆ Saved $7 M annually by increasing business with one global channel distributor and managing transition and outsourcing of US manufacturing operations.

Founded Pivotal Tech Decisions and consulted for LevaData and GEP, Gartner magic quadrant leaders in AI SaaS data analytics driven strategic sourcing. Founded Pivotal Tech Decisions and served in customer success, proof-of-value engineering, full product lifecycle program management, strategic procurement, and supply chain leadership roles with top clients; IBM, Dell, Kellogg, and Dentsply Sirona. ◆ Developed the supply chain software management model in partnership with Leva Data’s leadership, sales and product marketing teams and key clients, helping to secure $12 M in series B funding. ◆ Developed a data-driven negotiation playbook and provided strategic procurement consulting services for Dentsply Sirona. Negotiated $33 M in savings with 3 global contract manufacturers, $162 M annual expenditure. Assessed, trained, and upgraded the procurement performance for client leadership teams. ◆ Developed an innovative AT Kearney IT technology category management plan for Kellogg; utilized 3-year competitive RFPs, contracts and supplier rationalization resulting in negotiated savings of $37 M. Overview of Expertise Leveraged: Define and conduct ongoing research and analysis in IT sourcing, vendor management performance and trends, governance, organization, skills, tools, transformation issues, best and next practices. Execute and manage strategic IT vendor relationships and performance metrics, resolution, and tools. Create competitive advances, optimizing product spend, for all products and services as well as developing strategies, processes, and leading practices in collaboration with key stakeholders and leadership teams.

Oversaw IT category management that spearheaded a $265 M indirect global category strategy for Infrastructure, IaaS, software, SaaS, telecommunications, and professional services with $43 M in savings. ◆ Served as IT subject matter expert with key stakeholders that launched an industry award-winning strategic Vendor Management Office within one year. ◆ Recognized for outstanding performance by the CIO and Gartner as lead negotiator for a Microsoft enterprise agreement. Obtained a top 10% global deal, one subscription discount level improvement, negotiated a $0 cost utilization of Office 365 by establishing Conoco as beta customer, $9 M in savings. ◆ Provided $18 M in savings through market benchmarking contingent labor suppliers, maximizing economies of scale and expenditures with strategic suppliers, reducing necessary suppliers from 17 to 3. ◆ Utilized business intelligence and primary research to provide leverage key in negotiating a 3-year, $7 M Cisco maintenance contract, $1.7 M in savings. Created a linear regression cost model validating this top 10% deal.

Introduced a new strategic procurement process that drove global OEM competition for Honeywell’s indirect IT enterprise infrastructure technology for $280 M expenditure, $34 M in savings. ◆ Launched and gained stakeholder alignment for Chevron’s first $450 M global seismic software category plan with all global business units, the CIO, and Leadership Team. ◆ $28 M in savings from leading $180 M joint infrastructure technology alliance between Dell and Honeywell. ◆ Created a global supplier-led enterprise technology refresh including transition playbook and training program for 5 global manufacturing centers - delivering seamless global transition management: no inventory exposure and cost point replacements for transitioning products. ◆ Enabled $1.5 M in savings, leading a global Kaizen with Honeywell stakeholders and server manufacturers, reducing server design complexity delivering cost reductions while maintaining cutting edge technology. ◆ Program managed the first Chevron seismic software asset management program, utilizing license co- termination and eliminating redundant licenses, saving $7 M.

Improved strategic and operational performance of procurement organization for $305 M in direct and indirect products and services for the college and opening of Baylor’s first hospital, ambulatory and Alkek center. Leader and change agent that created a phase gate technology evaluation and supplier selection process for all products and services needed for opening of Baylor’s first hospital, ambulatory surgical and Alkek eye centers. Worked with IT and launched Baylor’s first Vendor Management Office. ◆ $35 M in savings: drove organizational strategic sourcing transformation utilizing new procurement tools, processes, implemented SAP Ariba, supplier management, new technology evaluation and supplier selection. ◆ Managed Dell, SciQuest, HPE P2P and catalog implementations improving pricing stability and on-time institutional and hospital deliveries by 15%. ◆ Lead IT negotiator for $45 M in Oracle, SAP, Symantec, and Microsoft Enterprise Agreements, $8 M in savings.

Led a global $320 M strategic wireless technology category plan with alignment from core team stakeholders, engineering, services, and regional manufacturing. Proactively drove improvements in technology leadership, contracts management, contract manufacturing supply risk reduction and overall supply chain optimization. ◆ Created a plan that drove increased OEM competition and $60 M in savings by shifting mix from single source supplier solutions to open standard technology architectures reducing sole source reliance 80%. ◆ Utilized LEAN process optimization with Celestica and US Customs improving delivery times 65%, 17 to 6 days of inventory. North American customer retention increased from 72% to 84% due to the improved cycle time. ◆ Co-located strategic vendors within regional manufacturing sites reducing quality issue resolution time 40%. ◆ Developed a strategic proactive supplier and contract manufacturing risk mitigation capacity allocation plan that proactively eliminated the impact of a 37% global integrated circuit supply shortage no supply chain shortages or cost impacts.

This role encompasses two primary positions. The first was a leadership role within Dell Technologies' procurement and supply chain organizations managing international server and storage lines of business. The second role was a Director of OEM Global Account Management for three startup companies (Benchmark, Certance, M-Systems) with Dell Technologies as the customer. Senior Manager, Global Procurement, Supply Chain (Dell Technologies): ◆ Re-defined the international server and storage hardware contract manufacturer value proposition by outsourcing $1 B of Dell proprietary, closed architecture and manufactured server, networking, and storage products into contract manufacturers that engineered open architecture solutions, saving $180 M. Utilized superior supplier relationship and performance management methodologies that delivered industry-leading supplier performance measured in 6-sigma quality, supply chain optimization, risk reduction and lowest TCO. Director, OEM Global Account Management (Benchmark, Certance, M-Systems) ◆ Led and drove a >50% improvement in annual Dell sales revenue growth for 3 storage startup companies ($280 M - $482 M annual revenue). Positioned all 3 startup companies for acquisition due to revenue and market share growth by Quantum and SanDisk. ◆ Key sales interface covering the engineering qualification of new products in Dell's phase review process and global team management for inside sales, product marketing, NPI engineering and quality resulting in eight new, first to market fiber channel drives, autoloaders, and libraries. ◆ Sales single point of contact for all communications and negotiations between Dell Technologies and startup leadership teams. ◆ Directly reported to a CEO, VP and GM of Sales. Dell Technologies was the largest customer for Benchmark, Certance and M-Systems averaging between 40 to 60% of total revenue.