CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER DIVISIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Waxhaw, NC 28173 mark.sowka@gmail.com cell: 704.280.4903 home: 704.256.3888 http://www.linkedin.com/in/marksowka

MARK A. SOWKA

Corporate Strategy Business Development Operational Leadership

Masterful corporate strategist and business development specialist who delivers multimillion dollar impact and leads organizations to new heights. Poised for a senior executive role with a progressive, innovative manufacturer of highly-engineered products. Game changer. Repeatedly selected for strategic, operational, and commercial leadership roles requiring foundational expertise plus a fresh perspective, in order to drive business direction and promote growth. True talent for translating long-term business planning into short-term, hands-on, tactical execution in start-up / private equity, high-growth, and Fortune 100 firms. Reputation for driving rapid revenue growth and delivering unparalleled operational excellence. International business experience. EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS LIVINGWELL HEALTH SOLUTIONS LLC, Charlotte, NC 2010 to 4/2012
Early-stage, private, equity-backed company delivering chronic disease management services, operating more than 70 health management wellness clinics across the US.

High-Growth Business Execution New Business Development P&L Management Organizational Development Business Transformation Corporate Restructuring Financial Management Discipline Business Process Optimization Go-To-Market Strategy Cost Reduction Initiatives Staff Performance Elevation

Chief Operating Officer: Joined the organization to introduce standard operating processes, controls, and discipline, which would promote growth and provide the foundational infrastructure needed to scale the business. Defined a corporate strategy built upon systematizing clinic and administrative operations, strategically capturing new business, heightening profitability from existing business, upgrading the financial management approach, and directing a full-scale IT upgrade. The majority of these objectives required a paradigm shift for the owners, executive team, and staff.

Delivered 40% annual revenue growth, and increased new client rollouts four-fold, by instituting a systematic, scalable
client implementation process, focusing business development activities, and leveraging best practices.

Lifted client satisfaction and reduced client loss rate by half, largely due to improved service delivery resulting from
heightened execution discipline and improved operational processes.

Improved new business gross margin 50%+ by improving understanding of true service costs, creating a disciplined

pricing process, aggressively raising fees based on market analysis, and incenting customers to buy optional add-ons. Re-engineered financial management, establishing proper internal controls, rigorous analysis, and comprehensive reporting. Also, developed KPIs, and used that intelligence to drive operational performance and strategic decisioning. Drove a paradigm shift in the organizations utilization of IT and automation in virtually every business-critical aspect of the company, constituting a comprehensive upgrade from long-held manual procedures. - Successfully implemented new company-wide Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. - Deployed advanced document scanning technology that increased health assessment processing capacity four-fold. - Launched an online health assessment scheduler which garnered 75% user adoption the 1st six months. Initiated a comprehensive talent assessment, evaluated skill sets, and replaced 2/3 of direct reports. Installed a new Controller, Director of Operations, Director of Account Management, and several account managers. COVENANT EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, Rock Hill, SC
Top 20 provider of material handling and other heavy equipment wholesalers in the US.

2004 to 2010

Chief Executive Officer: Acquired this firm, a family-run operation, and orchestrated an organization-wide overhaul and expansion. Defined a corporate strategy to extend the business reach by strategically identifying high-potential heavy equipment retailers, and by aggressively building the import / export business. Infused the company with a new managerial philosophy. Ultimately, positioned the business for successful sale.

Propelled sales 80%, 1st by increasing capitalization, then augmenting staff, expanding marketing programs, and optimizing
workflows to raise output capacity. Garnered mention among Inc. 5,000s fastest-growing companies in the US. Increased EBITDA 100%+, driven by top line growth, economies of scale, and focus on higher-margin products; a focus made possible by vastly-improved financial systems and cost analysis. Placed a sharp, new emphasis on marketing and branding. Expanded trade advertising, launched an e-commerce platform, and increased the business presence at industry trade shows.

 Migrated from manual to automated processes across the enterprise, particularly, financial management and inventory
control. Instituted repeatable processes to systemize operations and scale the business. CONTINENTAL AG
$30B manufacturer of tires, brake systems, vehicle stability control systems, and electronics for the automotive industry.

1999 to 2004

Vice President of Business Affairs, Continental Automotive Systems, Auburn Hills, MI (2003 to 2004): Advanced to this newlycreated role as the organization experienced a restructuring to strategically direct a series of special projects, primarily impacting high-level business strategy, competitive positioning, financial management, and asbestos litigation.

Directed an initiative to comprehensively analyze a proposed multi-billion dollar merger. Ultimately recommended
against it, due to the weak financial assets of the other company, which later declared bankruptcy. asbestos claims. Reduced overall financial exposure by $10M+.

Partnered with the legal team to contribute a financial risk management perspective to the disposition of a host of
Vice President, Original Equipment Business Unit & Tire Technology Continental Tire, Charlotte, NC (2001 to 2002): Selected by the company Chairman to turn around this $400M business unit, hemorrhaging $10M+ annually, due to weak product lineup, inefficient manufacturing, and ineffective management practices. Held full P&L responsibility and defined a long-term business plan, with a chief objective of bridging relationships between the North American divisions. Guided engineering and R&D for the original equipment and aftermarket units. Oversaw 200 employees across 5 facilities in North America.

Raised sales 17% and operating margin 10%, primarily through new commercial business development and strategic

price negotiations with key customers. Drove a corporate culture shift surrounding the approach to opportunity development, essential to expanding future sales 80%, and raising operating margins 20%. Instituted product design reviews and product improvement programs, directly leading to a 30% increase in product robustness, 50% manufacturing yield improvement, and 25% boost in customer quality performance. Introduced new forecasting methodology, and enhanced the financial asset management process, critical to raising sales forecast accuracy 50%, reducing inventory 30%, and slashing overdue receivables 50%. Vice President, Electronic Brake Systems, Continental Automotive Systems, Auburn Hills, MI (1999 to 2001): Retained and promoted to this role when Continental acquired ITT Automotives brake and chassis division (below). Principally guided this $600M operation, the largest Continental Automotive Systems business unit in North America, which developed nextgeneration electronic braking and vehicle stability technology. Directed P&L, supply chain, and manufacturing operations for 3 fabrication and assembly facilities. Oversaw 1,000 employees. Merited IndustryWeeks 2000 Best Plants in America award.

Improved EBITDA 29%, simultaneous to reducing prices 8%+, through deploying a series of productivity initiatives and

cost reduction strategies. Generated future business fueling 40% sales growth and 100% EBITDA increase: optimized the product mix, introduced new products, and spearheaded an aggressive consumer marketing program. Conceptualized and implemented an integrated technical, operational, and supply chain strategy to achieve 90% supplier quality improvement and 80%+ customer quality improvement. Fully directed the establishment of new manufacturing facility in Mexico, from concept to launch. Subsequently oversaw staffing and manufacturing operations. ITT AUTOMOTIVE, INC., Auburn Hills, MI
Global automotive supplier with $3B in annual sales.

1992 to 1999

Director, Business Development & Planning (1997 to 1999): Strategically directed a $700M division: market analysis, new business, and strategic alliances. Generated 21% annual revenue growth. Captured the largest win in company history, $1B. Product Line Manager, Conventional Brake Systems (1995 to 1997): Conceptualized and deployed strategy for a $250M product line. Increased EBITDA $8M. Spearheaded new business development, successfully capturing $200M. Manager, International Projects (1993 to 1995): On assignment in Frankfurt, Germany, directed sales and program management for key European and Japanese OEM customers with operations located in the US. Executive Marketing Engineer (1992): Led sales and program management for select US accounts valued at $80M annually. EARLY CAREER Hughes Aircraft Co. (7-year tenure) Mechanical Design Engineer; Aerospace Engineer (Advanced Systems Engineering) ACADEMICS MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business MS, AEROSPACE ENGINEERING, University of Southern California BS, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, Stanford University Stanford, CA Los Angeles, CA Stanford, CA