Robert B. Gowens

Bio

Bob Gowens is a Senior Advisor at Phoenix and has more than 45 years of senior leadership experience in a variety of business environments. He has been a senior operating executive for more than 21 years at both growth-oriented and challenged companies and has had full P&L responsibility as CEO, President, and Vice President/General Manager. 

He spent his initial professional years and the past 18 years as a consultant with multi-national consulting firms and with his own consulting practice–with 15 of those years focused on turnarounds. Bob is an effective leader, having worked with companies ranging from under $10 million in sales to more than $3 billion in sales in both the public and private sectors.

He has a financial education and background and is a CPA with prior licenses in Ohio and Colorado. Additionally, Bob has in-depth operational experience in manufacturing processes; product and process engineering and related database development; financial management; quality systems; sales and marketing; strategic planning; brand management and related market share management; distribution channel development; financial management and cost accounting; organizational structure development; information systems development; supply chain management; inventory management; and product development. Bob brings a high-value approach to each engagement, prioritizing business objectives and then integrating products and services, processes, internal and external activities, reporting systems, and metrics to meet defined success criteria.

Life Before Phoenix

Prior to joining Phoenix, Bob led a consulting firm for seven years, providing strategic planning, turnaround management, reengineering, due diligence support, and other consulting services to a variety of middle market clients. Before his latest role as consultant, he served as CEO, President, and Vice President/General Manager for three different consumer durables manufacturers, including two engine companies and a boat manufacturing company. Bob began his career in the consulting business, having been a Principal at A.T. Kearney and a Manager in Arthur Andersen’s Consulting Division.

Education & Affiliations

Bob earned a B.B.A. in Accounting from Kent State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant with prior licenses in Ohio and Colorado. He is active in a number of organizations, including serving on the board of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). Bob has been a keynote speaker twice to the International Boatbuilders’ Exposition, the annual international conference that showcases leading-edge technologies for the recreational marine industry.

Featured Transactions

Advisor, Publicly Held Tire Manufacturer: Restructured operations, resulting in more than $300 million of inventory reduction while increasing customer service levels to over 95%.

Advisor, Capital Equipment Manufacturer: Led the strategic and operational restructuring for a $10 million manufacturer with four different operations, closing the largest of the businesses and consolidating the remaining businesses into a single location with significantly reduced operating costs.

President, Engine Manufacturer: Increased market share of engine manufacturer with 10 plants in the United States and China by refocusing employees on various operational tasks.

CEO, Cigarette Boat Company: Replaced the management team, overhauled the product line-up, streamlined the entire manufacturing process, and created an international dealer organization, increasing sales over 500% and increasing the export business from 7% to 57%. Four years after the turnaround began, the company was selected by Fortune magazine as one of the “Top 100 Products Made in America.”

Vice President and General Manager, Parts and Accessories Division of Mercury Marine: Reorganized the entire division by hiring blue-chip professionals to lead engineering, sales and marketing, and distribution.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Largest Division of an Engine Manufacturer: Introduced new or better processes that resulted in large market share gains of over 20% in certain markets.

CEO, Upscale Boutique Airplane Manufacturer: Assumed the leadership role of the business and quickly assessed the market for the company’s aircraft and where to deploy internal operations and manufacturing process improvements.

Advisor, Distribution Center: Led an engagement to consolidate two distribution centers (DC) into one location to reduce the Company’s costs.

CEO, Consumer Electronics Distributor: Worked with the key management team to develop a near-term strategy, restructuring plan, and revised budget in order to lead the consolidation of the various businesses and eliminate redundant facilities and organizational functions.

Expert Witness, Japanese company: Analyzed the details of the case and provided guidance to the defendants over the course of six months in order for his clients to prevail in their defense.

Led Strategic and Business Planning Activities, Industrial Design and Product Development Studio: Provided executive coaching to the CEO and Design Director and strategic input for the studio’s major client opportunities, while implementing a project management system that focused on quality and profitability.

Advisor, Publisher of Children’s Puzzles, Games, and Books: Developed a negotiation strategy for a publisher with its third party fulfillment and distribution house, identifying more than $1 million in legitimate claims.

Key Member of an International Team, International CPA Firm: Performed the company’s manufacturing software integration with the Design Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering Database modules.