J.A. Batcher, III--Principal

J. A. Batcher, III, is a Principal of M. Arthur Consulting Group and a practice area head of Marketing and Product Management. Mr. Batcher has thirty years experience in growing the sales of small, medium and large companies. He earned a B.S. degree in Experimental Psychology and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Pittsburgh. While attending graduate school, Mr. Batcher formed a small business consulting company that later became a university service to the community and a continuing part of the graduate curriculum.

His experience areas include:

• Marketing Planning
• Strategic Sales Management
• Competitive Brand Positioning
• New Product Launch
• Management Development
• Business Planning
  

Mr. Batcher served as Vice President of Marketing and Executive Committee principal for a global manufacturer of rolling bearings and has held senior management positions with TRW, Firestone Tire and Rubber, and Gulf Oil Company. He was Director of Sales and Marketing with Rollway Bearings and a member of Sun Oil Company’s first Corporate Planning Department. Concurrent to his corporate career, he acquired a fast food restaurant and used aggressive marketing techniques to increase revenues six-fold over six years.

As Vice President of Marketing, Mr. Batcher started a team-based Strategic Planning process that accommodated international cultural differences and served as a vehicle for concentrating global resources to achieve corporate objectives. Strategic focus resulted in identifying $300million of new sales targets, launching a new generation of rolling bearing product, and establishing the company’s first Web site.

Mr. Batcher successfully introduced Total Quality management to sales organizations. He improved customer satisfaction measurements through customer service training, coaching, and selling skills education, and his teams have achieved QS9000 registration for plants supplying the automotive industry. As Regional General Manager, Mr. Batcher reversed a declining sales trend and led a sales growth resurgence that quadrupled revenues over five years. He relocated the company’s northeastern region headquarters, created termination incentives, hired and trained new inside sales and warehouse personnel, and sold the old headquarters building. He upgraded the sales force and set up and trained customer care teams. His region won four consecutive annual President’s Awards for sales and service excellence and became the model for all regional operations.

In corporate planning positions, Mr. Batcher worked as in-house liaison with internationally known consulting firms in developing diversification strategies. He completed projects with Boston Consulting Group at Gulf Oil and he coordinated Bain & Co. consultants at Firestone.

At TRW Bearings Division, Mr. Batcher led the business planning function, which included strategic marketing, advertising and capital budgeting. He was responsible for launching three new bearing products, creating award-winning advertisements, and developing sales strategy by product/markets. He represented the company in the industry’s association as Chairperson of the Statistics Committee. Later, he managed the sale of the division, including the disclosure team during due diligence after TRW changed corporate direction.

Mr. Batcher reversed the sales decline of a medium-sized, industrial manufacturer by developing an aggressive sales plan, retraining the sales force, realigning sales territories and increasing sales incentives. He introduced a different type of product to the company and doubled the potential market that the company served. Sales increased by 44% over three years and gross margins grew by nearly 30%.

Throughout his career, Mr. Batcher has been known for his enthusiasm, intelligence, and good humor in solving business problems. He realizes that business is people and people are more productive when they enjoy what they do. His practical analysis of complex problems has resulted in fresh approaches and unique business solutions.