Critical Manufacturing

As Vice President of Business Strategy, I’m tasked with driving strategic growth, business development, and helping the company expand its influence in the global manufacturing landscape. And because of my industry presence, I also act as an industry evangelist, guiding manufacturers through their digital journeys and helping Critical Manufacturing further strengthen its position as a leader in MES technology. It’s a perfect fit for my passion for innovation and driving meaningful change.

Vice President, Business Strategy

Hitachi Solutions America

When Hitachi Solutions decided to pivot from a technology-focused go-to-market strategy to an industry-led approach, they brought me on to lead that shift for the manufacturing sector. My role was all about aligning Hitachi’s 11 practices with the real needs of manufacturers, positioning the company as a leader in Industry 4.0. I focused on identifying new opportunities and ensuring our offering and value truly resonated with the market.

Senior Director of Industry Strategy, Manufacturing

Microsoft

Couldn't resist an opportunity to join one of the most innovative companies in the world.  In this senior-level role, I acted as an industry advisor helping U.S. manufacturers digitally transform their business at scale. This was accomplished through driving transformational wins, providing industry thought leadership, and enabling/supporting the sales team.

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Became a trusted advisor to several Multi-billion-dollar manufacturers, helping shape their digital transformation strategies
• Earned 11 industry awards and recognitions for being a top thought leader in AI, IoT, Industry 4.0, and Digital Transformation
• Earned the #1 Social Selling Index (SSI) on LinkedIn within Microsoft in September 2022 out of all 38,356 sellers (at the time)
• Earned the “Microsoft Good Neighbor” award for helping to contribute to the success of others
• Became an official content creator for Microsoft, and within 3 months earned the #1 spot for most engagement (Created 0.5% of all company content, yet earned 9.5% of all engagement) influencing over $250 million in revenue)
• Delivered multiple keynote presentations at industry conferences and private customer events, improving both brand awareness and customer engagement

Industry Executive, Manufacturing

Grantek

Expansion of my previous role to also include leading Grantek's Marketing department. I picked up responsibility for marketing strategy and execution; including developing and implementing strategies for social media, content, sales enablement, website, lead generation, and branding.   By Aligning business strategy and product development with marketing, I was able to more effectively lead the transformation of Grantek into a best-in-class Industry 4.0 solution provider.

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Launched a thought leadership campaign to increase brand awareness & brand engagement in FY21, resulting in 75.2% increase in Alexa Ranking and company LinkedIn following by 53.3% (through August), increased webinar attendance in FY21 by 94.6% over FY20 (through August), and increased Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) in FY21 over FY20 by 44.3% (through August)
• Control Engineering 2021 Engineers' Choice Award Winner for "Engineer in a Box"

Senior Director, Strategy & Marketing

Leveraging my success building Grantek's first and largest strategic initiative (Safety Business Practice), I took on a bigger role where I led a team of technology and industry focused business directors that support Grantek's vision of becoming a best-in-class Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation Solution Provider for manufactures.  My teams primary function was to provide the necessary strategic development of the What (Product/Service Offering), Where (Target Market), and How (Customer Engagement Model) to deliver high growth in a rapidly changing environment.

Accomplishments & Impact:
• 38.6% Growth in Strategic Industry Verticals (Life Sciences) in FY2020 to $20.1 Million
• 70.2% Growth in Strategic Technologies (Smart Manufacturing and Industrial IT & Cybersecurity) in FY2020 to $5.7 Million
• Developed and implemented a classification system for tracking and analyzing Grantek's 2000+ projects/year.  This resulted in a significant increase in revenue forecasting accuracy and better allocation of investment resources

Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives

While acting as a sales manager, I built a business case for why Grantek should be pursuing a new market (machine safety) including a strategy for how to grow revenue while sustaining a competitive advantage. Senior leadership accepted my proposal and challenged me with building out a new business practice to make it happen. In this role, I created a new portfolio of safety solutions, developed the associated marketing and sales strategies, and built a team of technical consultants who supported the sales pursuit of large-scale machine safety projects.

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Developed Grantek's first "productized" solution offering, resulting in over $17 Million in new additional service revenue within 3 years
• Increased first-time buying customers by 68% in FY2017 and 26% in FY2018 
• Exceeded service revenue target by 3.8% and gross billable rate target by 22.8% in FY2017
• Exceeded service revenue target by 17.7% and gross billable rate target by 13.4% in FY2018
• Received "2020 Safety Professional of the Year" Award from ASSP Three Rivers Chapter 
• Received "Rising Stars in Safety - Class of 2017" Award from National Safety Council (NSC)

Director, Safety Business Practice

I accepted a sales management role with Grantek after learning about the company's impressive growth record and vision for the future.  What started as a territorial assignment quickly turned into becoming the first national account manager for Grantek's largest client (Client 1) and Grantek's largest multi-year project (Client 2). 

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Within two years, I increased the revenue of Client 1 by 58% to $11.4 Million and increased the size and scope of Client 2's multi-year project from $1.4M in FY2013 to $7.5M in FY2015.
• Managed Client 1’s 2015 vendor reduction initiative (Goal: Reduce 46 Engineering service providers down to 5) and succeeded in being selected as top engineering service provider
• Received "Engineering Leaders Under 40 - Class of 2014" Award from CFE Media (Control Engineering Magazine)

Sales Manager, Midwest Region

Omron Automation - Americas

As part of the post-acquisition integration of STI, I took on a new role to lead Omron's product marketing efforts across North America (~$42 Million Business Unit).  I was able to leverage my previous sales success in being the top performer for Omron's biggest new product release (G9SP) to develop a new sales strategy, sales enablement tools, and accompanying marketing campaigns to increase market positioning and new product revenue. 

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Created G9SP marketing campaign within 6 months resulted in 400.7% increase in product unit sales in North America. 
• Led pricing strategies of entire product portfolio, resulting in an 7.5% increase in overall product profit margin

Product Marketing Manager

When I joined Omron STI, it was a newly acquired, yet fully independent subsidiary of Omron focused entire on the Machine Safety market.  I led the sales efforts in a 5 state geographic region through a combination of distribution and direct selling efforts.  

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Over the course of my 3+ years in this role I grew the revenue of my sales territory 82.6% to roughly $3.6 Million.  
• Received "Employee Recognition Award - Challenge Spirit" in May 2012 for developing and implementing a new product launch sales strategy

Area Sales Engineer

Festo

At Festo, I managed a geographical sales territory focusing on a group of small & mid-size OEM Accounts. 

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Hit nearly 180% of target (January-May 2009) despite being in the middle of the 2008/2009 financial crisis

Sales Engineer

Rockwell Automation

Seeing an opportunity to expand my industry exposure, I joined Rockwell to help build out a new role: Component Sales Engineering.  In this role, I managed a $7 Million portfolio of product sales through local distributors across an OEM account portfolio. 

Accomplishments & Impact:
• A few major account conversions resulted in achieving 108% of target, one of only a few component sales engineers who hit target during the 2008/2009 financial crisis.

Component Sales Engineer

KEYENCE CORPORATION

First sales engineering job after graduating college where I was responsible for direct sales within a remote geographical territory (Southern Wisconsin) focusing on small & mid-size manufacturers and OEMs.   

Accomplishments & Impact:
• Youngest in company history (at time of employment) to be promoted to Sales Leader (Top 10% of 120 Sales Executives)
• 2x National leading scorer in sales contents (2007, 2008)
• Ranked 1st in company-wide sales role play contest (2008)
• Ranked 2nd in TSS Sales Ranking out of 120 Sales Executives in FY 2007
• Ranked 1st in New Product Sales Growth for Midwest Region in FY 2007
• Received the “Best Effort” award for going above and beyond the call of duty in FY 2006
• Ranked 1st in TSS Sales Ranking out of 120 Sales Executives in FY 2006

Sales Leader, Total Sensing Solutions Group

Industry 4.0 & Digital Transformation Enthusiast | Business Strategist | Avid Storyteller | Tech Geek | Public Speaker

My passion is helping manufacturers digitally transform in innovative ways through Industry 4.0 technologies.  Doing so requires a unique ability to bridge the gap between business strategy, industry trends, technology implementation, and change management.  

I enjoy building collaborative relationships with clients, partners, coworkers, and industry evangelists to help empower manufacturers to achieve more.  

I am very active within the industry as a thought leader to help inspire companies, professionals, and students to be excited about the future created by the fourth industrial revolution.  I write, speak, and share content on LinkedIn to foster a conversational environment and build meaningful connections. 

Where do I spend my time?
• Driving customer success through deep industry and technical expertise
• Developing senior-level industry and client relationships
• Defining and shaping business and go-to-market strategies
• Acting as a company ambassador, technology evangelist, and industry influencer
• Challenging the status quo and continually driving innovation
• Developing & implementing sales enablement strategies
• Finding innovative ways to leverage new technology to provide unique value
• Building, mentoring, and inspiring high-power teams

Jeff Winter

Downtime is the universal villain.
Manufacturing hates it. 
Facility management hates it. 
And according to a 2024 Limble's CMMS report everyone is still fighting the same monster… just in different arenas.

🏭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 = 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐩𝐮𝐭
In manufacturing, every minute of downtime is a direct hit to throughput, delivery schedules, and revenue.
So their downtime strategy leans toward speed and precision.
Think: sensors everywhere, predictive maintenance programs, operator checks, and “don’t-let-this-line-stop” root-cause discipline.
The stakes demand sophistication.

🏢 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 = 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Facility management lives in a world where downtime is less financially catastrophic but far more publicly painful.
A broken HVAC or elevator outage doesn’t ruin OEE, it ruins someone’s day.
So facilities double-down on consistency and reliability: routine PM, fast response cycles, clean work-order flow, and vendor coordination that keeps the building humming.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐩
Both rely on smart planning, skilled techs, and data visibility. Both need to spot patterns before problems. And both know downtime rarely comes from one big disaster, it comes from a hundred tiny failures nobody tracked.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
Manufacturing treats downtime like a revenue emergency.
Facilities treat downtime like an experience emergency.
The real test isn’t how fast you respond when things stop. It’s how well you design your operations so the “stop” rarely happens at all. That’s where leaders separate themselves.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲: https://lnkd.in/djjfivw8

*******************************************
• Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends
• Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

★ Director - Manufacturing Industries | Digital Transformation | IT-OT Convergence | Sales

Yokogawa

►Hired to move Yokogawa’s position up in the Chemical Market in North America (Unites States, Canada, and Mexico) reporting to the Vice President of Sales in North America and to the Global Sales Director in Japan.

►Developed and executed a strategic plan to guide the sales force on the segments of the Chemical Industry to focus with a value proposition to accelerate market share growth leveraging the complete Yokogawa portfolio including control systems, and advanced software solutions. Supported the growth of Fluence Analytics, LLC, an affiliate after equity investment. For the Systems Division, percentage of orders coming from the Chemical Industry grew 5% since 2018.

►Published thought-leadership articles and interviewed for renowned Hydrocarbon Processing Industry media, besides representing Yokogawa before the American Chemistry Council (ACC), World Petrochemical Conference (WPC), and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

►Developed and implemented a 24-hour training program to help the sales force position as a strategic partner towards existing and potential customers in the Chemical Industry.

►Involved in global strategic decisions regarding Digital Transformation (Industrial Internet of Things - IIoT, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Industrial Autonomy) working directly with headquarters in Japan.

★ Chemical Market Director | Digital Transformation | Industrial Autonomy | Sales

★ Chemical Market Leader  | Digital Transformation  | Industrial Autonomy |  Sales

Honeywell Process Solutions

►Recruited to grow the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) business within the Americas in line with the Honeywell Connected Plant strategy developing and selling outcome-based solutions based on an integrated Edge-to-Cloud platform transforming process and asset data into actionable insights through Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics algorithms.

►Align, engage and educate internal resources on new product offerings and strategic initiatives aiming to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of industrial operations across a single facility or several sites across an enterprise.

►Currently targeting Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to build an ecosystem of partners who bring their intellectual property into an Asset Performance Management (APM) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model.

★ Sales Leader  | Internet of Things  | Digital Transformation  |  Business Development

Consultative Selling Advisory

►SALES & MARKETING SKILLS
Sales & Marketing, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Customer Centricity, Solution Selling, Global Account Management (GAM), Sales Account Plans, Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy, Sales Effectiveness, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Customer Success Management (CSM), Consultative Selling, Sales Channel Management (Original Equipment Manufacturer - OEM vendors, Integrators, Value-Added Resellers -VARs, Distributors, Representatives), Strategic Alliances & Partnerships, Business Development, Strategic Planning, Marketing Strategy, Salesforce.com (SFDC), International Business, Business-to-Business (B2B) Solutions.

►TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE
Internet of Things, Enterprise Software, Industrial Automation, Industrial Wireless Technology, Process Control & Instrumentation, Advanced Process Control, Real-Time Process Optimization, Asset Performance Management, Machinery Health Management, Information Management Systems, Supply Chain Management, Production Planning & Scheduling, Dynamic and Steady-State Process Simulation, ERP Integration, Industrial Data Intelligence, Predictive Analytics.

►SOFT SKILLS
Ethics, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Complex Problem Solving, Creativity, Service Orientation, Active Listening, Coordination with Others, Judgment and Decision Making, Cognitive Flexibility, People Management, Negotiation, Critical Thinking, Teamwork, Goal-Centric Thinking, Collaboration, Learning, Troubleshooting.

►SELLING B2B SOLUTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRIES
Enterprise Software, Capital Goods, Process Equipment, Heavy Machinery, Industrial Automation, Computer Hardware, Information Services, High-Tech Products, Chemical Products.

►SELLING B2B SOLUTIONS TO THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRIES
Industrial, Manufacturing, Electronics, Enterprise, Process Industry (Oil & Gas, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Metals & Mining & Minerals, Pulp & Paper, Food & Beverage, Life Sciences & Pharmaceuticals).

★ Global Sales & Marketing Leader | B2B Solutions | Sales Consulting

Cameron, a Schlumberger company

►Led a direct and indirect sales force covering a territory formed by Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, and South America to secure orders of high-tech B2B solutions based on flow metering and crude oil quality measurement products for applications like oil & gas production, custody transfer, pipeline leakage management, and in-line petroleum blending.

►Achieved 143% of bookings target in 2014 corresponding to 10% of the global business volume, and managed the only world area on target regarding orders goals in 2015.

►Optimized the network of representatives to align with the growth expectations deriving more than 50% of the booked orders through the indirect channel. Reenergized many representatives by working with the finance department to improve commission payment through the SAP Incentive Administration by Vistex software.

►Improved engagement of direct sales force in keeping the Salesforce CRM database up to date.

★ Sales Director  | Oil and Gas Production Equipment  | Sales Leadership

Emerson Electric Co.

►Led five direct reports to influence a sales force of 500 professionals in 47 countries (Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, and South America) to secure orders of high-tech B2B solutions based on an industrial wireless product portfolio from the Emerson Process Management business platform growing bookings at a 54% compounded annual growth rate since the launch in 2007.

►Reached a 39% market share for wireless devices in process manufacturing in Latin America in 2011, a position that was larger than the next five competitors combined, according to the marketing research firm ARC Advisory Group.

►Booked 3 times more than the traditional share of Latin America in world markets, closing orders amounting to comparable levels in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East. One particular country in Latin America beat the China business volume in 2010. Never in the 120-year history of the corporation had Latin America had such performance.

►Developed a 5-year strategic plan inspired on Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing The Chasm" concept targeting the early adopters of the product (the technology enthusiasts and visionaries) and moving towards the early majority (the pragmatists) market segment.

►Implemented a process of managing the pipeline of opportunities, preparing forecasts, and documenting success stories and references based on a “Deliberate Practice” discipline to improve performance. Issued over 100 editions of a newsletter to internal senior executives broadcasting results and victories, a leadership practice copied by other world areas.

►Developed opportunities leveraging industrial Wi-Fi products from Cisco, Alvarion, ProSoft, Apprion, FreeWave, AeroScout, and Belden/Hirschmann to deliver converged video, data and personnel/asset tracking applications.

►Received the “2009 Latin America Customer Value Enhancement in Wireless Industrial Automation Award” from the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

★ Sales & Marketing Director  | Industrial Wireless  | Sales Leadership

►Developed a go-to-market plan to replace a representative by a direct sales force in a region responsible for the generation of 20% of the revenues for the Brazilian subsidiary of the Emerson Process Management business platform. Coordinated a cross-functional team addressing legal and labor issues, defined the new sales team, proposed mechanisms to secure a smooth transition, and prepared a 5-year pro-forma income statement.

►Screened potential companies to be acquired in Latin America and presented the selected targets for due diligence.

►Assigned to the team in charge of the 5-year strategic plan to take revenues from $400 million to $1 billion in Latin America, which was presented to the CEO in an annual planning conference.

►Developed and presented a workshop on how to research facts about a corporation, and facilitated a course on how to sell to executives. Wrote a business case used in a leadership development program which trained over 40 leaders with the purpose of showing how uses of cash by a customer can help set a sales strategy.

★ Business Consultant | Process Automation | Management Consulting

The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania

►Received the Joseph Wharton Grant (merit-based award to 5% of the class).

►Volunteered to be the Co-Chair of the 2004 Wharton Latin American Conference.

►Introduced Alain Belda, Alcoa's CEO, to the audience of the Wharton Leadership Lecture, and published an article in the Wharton Journal about the presentation.

►Participated in the Leadership Venture at the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia.

★ Full-time MBA Student | Marketing | Graduate Level Education

General Electric Co.

►Analyzed market trends for Remote Monitoring & Diagnostics (RM&D) systems of manufacturing physical assets for the GE Fanuc Automation business (today GE Automation & Controls).

►Examined current capabilities across all GE business units and compared them against competition, and reviewed GE installed base using the Siebel CRM database.

►Designed an enhanced architecture to include applications that add value to customers and incorporate functions that cannot be matched by competition. 

►Performed market segmentation and recommended which niches should be pursued. Devised a go-to-market strategy leveraging the existing direct sales force, sales representatives and distributors. Estimated revenue projections and studied pricing policy for the improved product. 

►Proposed strategic acquisitions and partnerships to strengthen GE’s position in the RM&D market.

★ MBA Summer Intern | Industrial Data Intelligence | Business Development

Meridium Inc. (acquired by GE Digital)

►Developed pipeline of opportunities promoting the Meridium Asset Performance Management (APM) software to a portfolio of over 50 manufacturing companies in the US, Europe, South Africa and Brazil. 

►Analyzed United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings to identify customers' challenges related to the reliability of their physical assets which can be addressed by the Meridium technology.

►Demonstrated how to reach executive levels in customers' organizations by presenting value propositions to initiate a business conversation.

★ Account Executive | Enterprise Software | Sales Management

Aspen Technology, Inc.

►Promoted to secure bookings of Process Optimization Enterprise Software license and consulting services from customers in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. 

►Developed and executed a business plan in order to exceed quarterly financial targets by coordinating cross-functional teams in Latin America and in the USA, besides developing local agents, representatives, and partners. 

►Achieved 100% of the annual software license sales quota.

►Developed a portfolio of 43 corporations as customers, turning transnational companies Petrobras, Braskem and Vale into strategic accounts responsible for the bulk of the revenues.

★ Sales Account Manager | Enterprise Software | Sales Management

►Increased throughput and improved product quality while saving energy for  the petrochemicals producer Fina-Borealis (now Total Olefins) in Antwerp, Belgium by Implementing an Advanced Process Control (APC) system.

★ Project Engineer | Enterprise Software | Process Control Engineering

I lead sales teams to exceed goals profitably and ethically while building a loyal customer base. I grow revenues, gain market share, and penetrate new markets by envisioning how to win “the game” before it starts.

It all starts with Customer Centricity: targeting the right customers in the right way to generate the right results.

In a Business-to-Business (B2B) commercial relationship, I promote solutions based on Enterprise Software, Capital Goods, Process Equipment, Heavy Machinery, Industrial Automation, Computer Hardware, Information Services, or Chemical Products to address customer challenges and needs taking the relationship to a Trusted Advisor level.

By communicating expectations clearly, supporting and motivating the market channels continuously, coaching on the right segments and opportunities to focus, and sharing best practices, I lead the sales team to build the pipeline of opportunities, and move potential deals through the sales funnel until orders are closed. I inspire team members towards goals, gain their trust, and demand performance.

I enhance Sales Effectiveness through the direct sales force and the indirect channels (Original Equipment Manufacturer - OEM vendors, Integrators, Value-Added Resellers - VARs, Distributors, Representatives) by applying strategies like Solution Selling, Consultative Selling, and Key Account Management, in addition to leveraging Predictive Analytics tools.

The outcome is the delivery of profitable results by growing the business organically taking market share disproportionately away from competitors, and by turning my team into a relevant contributor to the overall performance.

How is all this achieved? The trick is in the doing.

If you need a Global Sales & Marketing Leader to grow your business profitably, contact me at sergio.fernandes.wg05@wharton.upenn.edu.

Global Sales & Marketing Leader | Internet of Things (IoT) | Digital Transformation Strategy | Growing Sales Profitably

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Jeff Winter

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