Darren Smith
COO at Rahr Corporation- Claim this Profile
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English -
Topline Score
Bio
Credentials
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General Certificate in Brewing
Institute of Brewing and Distilling
Experience
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Rahr Corporation
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United States
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Food and Beverage Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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COO
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Mar 2021 - Present
COO COO
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Unit
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United States
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Financial Services
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100 - 200 Employee
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President, Processing
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Mar 2020 - Mar 2021
- Leadership of 4 malt businesses (Canada Malting, Great Western Malting, Bairds Malt and Barrett Burston Malting) - P&L responsibilities for the processing businesses of United Malt - Member of the executive leadership group of United Malt
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President
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Jan 2019 - Mar 2020
- Leadership of 4 malt businesses (Canada Malting, Great Western Malting, Bairds Malt and Barrett Burston Malting) and 3 warehouse and distribution businesses (Country Malt Group, Brewers Select and Cryer Malt) - P&L responsibilities for the malt businesses of GrainCorp - Lead strategy, safety/health/environment and personnel for the malt group - Member of the executive leadership group of GrainCorp
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Chief Operating Officer
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May 2014 - Mar 2020
• Hold comprehensive management responsibility for all elements of the global commercial and production activities, including all malt sales, barley procurement and risk management. • Ensure that the company has a well-articulated sales and procurement strategy that is aligned with customers. • Identify and investigate new business opportunities. • Provide active oversight to production initiatives and projects utilizing specific knowledge of the global barley, crop market and malting… Show more • Hold comprehensive management responsibility for all elements of the global commercial and production activities, including all malt sales, barley procurement and risk management. • Ensure that the company has a well-articulated sales and procurement strategy that is aligned with customers. • Identify and investigate new business opportunities. • Provide active oversight to production initiatives and projects utilizing specific knowledge of the global barley, crop market and malting processes. • Work closely with the operations, safety and the corporate management teams to ensure operational performance goals are set, communicated and effectively monitored in line with customer requirements and company strategy. • Provide the necessary communication to Senior Management, the Board of Directors, and employees. • Liaise with commercial counterparts globally to ensure communication and offers are aligned and coordinated. • Define and set contract administration requirements for global malt sales agreements. • Ensure IT support systems are consistently used to ensure compliance with process and protocol. • Provide guidance and oversight on procurement position and strategy and operational matters. • Lead strategy across operational elements including plant operations, maintenance and lab areas for all global sites. • Coordinate monthly meetings to review key strategic plans around productivity, sustainability, cost, capex investment etc. • Identify any shortcomings in operational capability and, where appropriate, propose corrective actions. • Establish and review local and global sales profitability and asset utilization and identify and investigate new business opportunities. • Maintain an awareness of market conditions and activity through research, discussion and network and use intel to minimize risks and develop opportunities. • Actively provide oversight to barley and sales position across business units.
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Managing Partner
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Oct 2012 - Apr 2014
• Managed relationships of approximately 20 companies in North America and Australia. • Initiated company's involvement in the Craft Brewing Industry via the launch of the Craft Brewing Letter and the Craft Supply Conference. • Operated the North America Business Unit. • Completed numerous consulting projects, including initiating a warehouse and distribution unit for an existing malt supply company, building of a micro malt house, market analysis for a malt company's purchase of a… Show more • Managed relationships of approximately 20 companies in North America and Australia. • Initiated company's involvement in the Craft Brewing Industry via the launch of the Craft Brewing Letter and the Craft Supply Conference. • Operated the North America Business Unit. • Completed numerous consulting projects, including initiating a warehouse and distribution unit for an existing malt supply company, building of a micro malt house, market analysis for a malt company's purchase of a competitor, and design of a long term agreement strategy for a malt purchasing company. • Held speaking engagements at numerous industry related conferences. • Provided market analysis of barley/malt industries to the bi-weekly journal. Show less • Managed relationships of approximately 20 companies in North America and Australia. • Initiated company's involvement in the Craft Brewing Industry via the launch of the Craft Brewing Letter and the Craft Supply Conference. • Operated the North America Business Unit. • Completed numerous consulting projects, including initiating a warehouse and distribution unit for an existing malt supply company, building of a micro malt house, market analysis for a malt company's purchase of a… Show more • Managed relationships of approximately 20 companies in North America and Australia. • Initiated company's involvement in the Craft Brewing Industry via the launch of the Craft Brewing Letter and the Craft Supply Conference. • Operated the North America Business Unit. • Completed numerous consulting projects, including initiating a warehouse and distribution unit for an existing malt supply company, building of a micro malt house, market analysis for a malt company's purchase of a competitor, and design of a long term agreement strategy for a malt purchasing company. • Held speaking engagements at numerous industry related conferences. • Provided market analysis of barley/malt industries to the bi-weekly journal. Show less
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Director of Sales - Canada
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Feb 2002 - May 2011
• Coordinated activities of 5 Sales Managers and numerous brokers. • Managed all North American sales/logistics for 3 Canadian plants. • Management responsibilities included working with team on contract negotiations, contract administration, credit arrangements, invoicing and receivables, logistics, grain pricing, risk management, quality control, margin/competitor analysis, malt operations, quality management systems, good manufacturing practices, HACCP and budgeting. • Acted as the… Show more • Coordinated activities of 5 Sales Managers and numerous brokers. • Managed all North American sales/logistics for 3 Canadian plants. • Management responsibilities included working with team on contract negotiations, contract administration, credit arrangements, invoicing and receivables, logistics, grain pricing, risk management, quality control, margin/competitor analysis, malt operations, quality management systems, good manufacturing practices, HACCP and budgeting. • Acted as the liaison between team and 10 large and hundreds of mid to small sized brewing/distilling/food companies located worldwide. • Performed active daily management of the warehouse and distribution business (Country Malt Group) and involved in the strategic management of group. Show less • Coordinated activities of 5 Sales Managers and numerous brokers. • Managed all North American sales/logistics for 3 Canadian plants. • Management responsibilities included working with team on contract negotiations, contract administration, credit arrangements, invoicing and receivables, logistics, grain pricing, risk management, quality control, margin/competitor analysis, malt operations, quality management systems, good manufacturing practices, HACCP and budgeting. • Acted as the… Show more • Coordinated activities of 5 Sales Managers and numerous brokers. • Managed all North American sales/logistics for 3 Canadian plants. • Management responsibilities included working with team on contract negotiations, contract administration, credit arrangements, invoicing and receivables, logistics, grain pricing, risk management, quality control, margin/competitor analysis, malt operations, quality management systems, good manufacturing practices, HACCP and budgeting. • Acted as the liaison between team and 10 large and hundreds of mid to small sized brewing/distilling/food companies located worldwide. • Performed active daily management of the warehouse and distribution business (Country Malt Group) and involved in the strategic management of group. Show less
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Production Manager
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Sep 2000 - Sep 2002
• Managed 4 supervisors and 35 Teamster union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for both domestic and international markets. • Oversaw total yearly production of 155,000 MT. • Served as Plant Manager for 3 months in an interim position during transition to Sales. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and operational budgets for the facility. • Served as plant lead on capital projects, as well as customer communications and problem… Show more • Managed 4 supervisors and 35 Teamster union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for both domestic and international markets. • Oversaw total yearly production of 155,000 MT. • Served as Plant Manager for 3 months in an interim position during transition to Sales. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and operational budgets for the facility. • Served as plant lead on capital projects, as well as customer communications and problem solving.
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Production Manager
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Sep 1997 - Sep 2000
• Managed 2 supervisors and 22 Teamster union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for domestic markets. • Oversaw total yearly production of 92,000 MT. • Held Plant Manager role for 6 months. • Served as a member of a corporate-wide ERP team for Y2K system upgrade. • Served as a member of an international technical trade mission to China. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and operational budgets for the facility. • Served… Show more • Managed 2 supervisors and 22 Teamster union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for domestic markets. • Oversaw total yearly production of 92,000 MT. • Held Plant Manager role for 6 months. • Served as a member of a corporate-wide ERP team for Y2K system upgrade. • Served as a member of an international technical trade mission to China. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and operational budgets for the facility. • Served as plant lead on capital projects, as well as customer communications and problem solving.
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Production Supervisor
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Jul 1995 - Sep 1997
• Held production unit supervisory responsibilities for up to 15 UFCW union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for both domestic and international markets. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and meeting operational budgets for the production unit. • Held production unit supervisory responsibilities for up to 15 UFCW union employees in the 24-hour manufacturing of malt for both domestic and international markets. • Ensured adherence to plant's quality, safety, environmental objectives and meeting operational budgets for the production unit.
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Education
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1986 - 1991
University of Alberta
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Food Science
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