Lauren Brooks

Develop and manage annual budgets, adjusting forecasts as needed, and analyze monthly financial data with small team of analysts to reconcile with forecasts, identifying impacts from absorption, PPV, price/volume changes, and other factors. Oversee strategic pricing decisions, balancing internal cost structures, market conditions, and customer relationships, acting as a finance business partner to sales and operations. Analyze inventory values, turnover rates, and profitability to optimize safety stock, consignment strategies, and cost effectiveness. Evaluate product line cost structures using SAP, identifying opportunities to enhance profitability and operational efficiency. Provide financial analysis support for new product development and capital projects, including cost modeling, pricing strategies, and profitability projections.

Led the integration of the Ameron team into Arcosa, coordinating with functional leaders to ensure a smooth transition. Drove strategic business growth through new products, partnerships, and market expansion. Identified and developed crossover opportunities across Arcosa businesses to enhance supply-side capabilities and expand the geographic footprint.

Drove organic growth through innovation, new product development, and market expansion into EV charging and Smart Cities. Leveraged market intelligence and industry relationships to increase market share and led a multimillion-dollar cross-divisional R&D project, managing grant proposals, business case development, and ROI analysis. Improved operational efficiency through process optimization and value stream mapping, sourced acquisition opportunities aligned with strategic goals, and collaborated with Sales and Operations on budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning. Led the sell-side diligence process for the $180MM acquisition of Ameron by Arcosa.

Led the US telecom market team to 39% year-over-year revenue growth, achieving record bookings despite economic challenges amid the pandemic. Developed and executed a targeted 5G/small cell strategy, expanding geographic reach, fostering supplier partnerships, and strengthening client relationships. Collaborated with Finance and Operations on forecasting and planning, launched a telecom-focused marketing campaign, and expanded the team by hiring and onboarding new business development team members and sales engineers.

Led cross-functional teams to drive innovation, business improvement, and market expansion through new product development, strategic partnerships, and renewable energy initiatives. Managed M&A integration, including creating a new business unit from a $50MM acquisition. Developed solutions to enhance productivity, implemented metrics to quantify business value, and influenced stakeholders to drive strategic improvements. Designed and executed a $5MM R&D project, managed forecasting and reporting, and supported long-term planning, budgeting, and strategy execution.

Led valuation and due diligence for global M&A deals, managing 10-15 acquisition targets at a time in various stages. Conducted financial modeling, risk assessments, and integration feasibility analyses, coordinating with Operations, Legal, and third-party firms. Negotiated acquisitions ranging from $1MM to $90MM across multiple countries and played a key role in a $2.5B public company acquisition, identifying divestiture opportunities. Facilitated licensing agreements, supported the spinoff of DistributionNOW, and provided strategic financial analyses for the CFO that influenced reporting changes and dividend increases.

Led growth and profitability efforts for the South Texas Downhole division, achieving record revenue in July 2011. Assisted in managing P&L responsibilities across multiple service facilities, optimizing pricing strategies, overseeing accounts receivable, and identifying upwards of $1MM in lost sales opportunities, leading to increase in rental fleet. Supervised a team of seven, implemented process improvements, and introduced an automated ordering system.

Managed $190MM in offshore drilling rig projects from contract signing to commissioning, collaborating with Sales, Engineering, and Manufacturing to ensure customer satisfaction. Led cost reduction and negotiation efforts, increasing project margins by nearly $5MM over two years. Oversaw global equipment testing and installation, supervised a Project Coordinator, and served as the primary customer contact for project changes and order management.

Led strategic initiatives to evaluate renewable energy opportunities, potential acquisitions, and future growth strategies. Served as a key liaison between technical and non-technical teams to enhance communication, efficiency, and cost management. Improved reporting methods and streamlined division-wide documentation, contributing to the establishment of a new department.

Participated in a rotational leadership program, gaining cross-functional experience in the energy industry and the organization. Developed expertise in rig design, operations, and inventory management, including a hands-on role in a Louisiana warehouse. Led an initiative to improve forecasting for buyers, reducing stock-outs by 10%.

Analyzed shipping and parts data, increasing accuracy by 15% and creating an improved process for managing back ordered products

Led the on-campus sports promotion initiative to increase attendance and enthusiasm at Wash U Bears sporting events by hosting special events for each varsity athletic team

Organized and catalogued data from Mars Exploration Rovers in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology

Harvested CHO cells and performed assays to determine efficacy of various gene delivery vehicles, contributing to paper later published in Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Concentration in Biomechanics