Paul Hoogenboom was elected Senior Vice President - Manufacturing and Operations, Chief Information Officer at RPM International Inc. ("RPM") in October 2006. In this capacity, Mr. Hoogenboom's responsibilities include oversight of worldwide manufacturing and logistics processes, inventory and property asset management, and the supporting capital investment. He also manages corporate-wide sourcing consolidation programs that globally span over 50 decentralized operating units and encompass $100's of millions of annual spend. Additionally, in his CIO capacity, Paul oversees the executive information systems management team, which includes over 125 websites (highlighting RPM products and services) that are built and maintained at the RPM headquarters facility in Medina, Ohio.
RPM is a $3.4 billion global specialty chemicals NYSE listed [RPM] firm headquartered in Medina. Paul Hoogenboom reports to Frank C. Sullivan, RPM's Chairman and CEO, and he is part of the RPM executive team. Mr. Hoogenboom joined RPM in 1999, heading up RPM's e-commerce subsidiary, RPM-e/c, Inc. (since merged into RPM International Inc.). In October 2000 he was elected to Vice President – Operations and Systems, and in October 2001 to Vice President – Operations and CIO. Mr. Hoogenboom was formerly a Director with Cap Gemini, where he managed business development with major clients in the manufacturing, distribution, retail and financial services sectors. Prior, he worked in numerous technology management positions, both in-house for global manufacturing companies such as A.W. Chesterton and Burndy, as well as for large-scale system integrators such as Lockheed and Sperry (now Unisys). Mr. Hoogenboom is a 1982 graduate of Colgate University with a BA in both Computer Science and Mathematics.
Ohio is the dominant logistics hub of RPM's North American operations, with over 40% of all inbound and outbound freight passing through or terminating in-state. RPM's annual world-wide logistics spend exceeds $300 million, spanning over 400 facilities and more than 60 countries.
RPM's presence in Cuyahoga County includes the world headquarters of Day-Glo Color Corp. and its largest plant on St. Clair Avenue (Cleveland, Ohio); The Euclid Chemical Company and its largest plant at E. 185th; (Cleveland, Ohio) and the Building Solutions Group, located on Green Road (Beachwood, Ohio). The Building Solutions Group includes the Tremco Sealants Division with its primary USA plant located on Miles Road (Cleveland, Ohio), and the Tremco Roofing Division with its primary USA plant located at E. 80th Avenue (Cleveland, Ohio). Over the past 10 years, more than $100 million in capital has been invested in these Cuyahoga County-based operations.
RPM uses a corporate-wide Internet-based transportation management system, Nistevo, from Sterling Commerce in Dublin, OH. Nistevo permits the many decentralized RPM operations to use one common system to optimize freight decisions, deliveries and costs. Led by its Building Solutions Group in Beachwood, RPM is in the midst of a North American logistics network analysis to determine its short and long term logistics strategy. As such, RPM has a critical long-term strategic stake in the region's port capabilities.
One-half of RPM's logistics network is comprised of its suppliers, with the single largest segment being the polymer industry. The polymer industry is the largest industrial segment in Ohio; over $55 billion in size. For both RPM and Ohio's polymer industry, the single most significant long-term factor to viability and growth in the global economy is the Port Authority. Global manufacturing competitiveness requires a world class port.
