Smithey named VP at Fortress Building Products

9/4/2019

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Dave Smithey (photo via LinkedIn)
Dave Smithey (photo via LinkedIn)
MechSE alumnus Dave Smithey (MSME ’99) has been named to the executive team of Fortress Building Products as the Vice President of Operations.

As part of a significant growth initiative, the company has launched a new plan called Fortress 2020 Vision. This plan will guide the organizational transformation into a new structure engineered to better serve customers and support expansion of multiple brands and product categories in strategic channels of trade, the company announced in a press release. 

As vice president, operations, Smithey will provide leadership and oversee the warehousing and inventory management, global logistics and order management, as well as global sourcing and manufacturing teams. He will lead the one- and three-year operations plans designed to deliver improvements in efficiency, quality, capacity, safety, costs and delivery for both internal and external customers.

“We are very excited to have Dave join the Fortress team. We are at an important inflection point in the growth of the company. Dave’s skills and experience will enhance our team’s capabilities as we expand our manufacturing and supply chain footprint, increase our product offerings and seek continuous improvement in serving our customers,” said Mike Walsh, chief operating officer at Fortress Building Products. 

Smithey earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Michigan State University.

He brings operational experience to Fortress from his previous position at GKN Aerospace, where he held the position of vice president, supply chain transformation. Prior to that, he spent 19 years in the domestic refrigeration and HVAC industries with Johnson Controls and Lennox International. He has held numerous positions in the U.S. and Mexico focusing on the value stream of business from engineering, operations and supply chain management to distribution and continuous improvement. Smithey focuses on Lean operating principles and teamwork to build growing and profitable businesses.


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This story was published September 4, 2019.