Ellsworth Collins
Worth is the Executive Vice President for Advanced Solutions. In this capacity he leads a team of professionals dedicated to assisting companies improve their profitability through improvements in productivity, technology, quality, business processes, and customer satisfaction.
Professional Timeline
Before entering the consulting field, Worth had gained extensive experience in the material handling industry. His thirty plus years in material handling covered a diverse range of experience including Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and General Management. In addition to his individual contribution he has mentored many other professionals throughout his career. Team building has been one of the cornerstones of his success. He has always been quick to identify, attract, and develop unique talent, capable of generating breakthrough improvements in support of business goals. As a part of his contribution in the material handling industry, he is the inventor of eleven different Conveyor and Sortation Devices, which are patented in the US and several foreign countries.
During Worth’s tenure with Interlake Material Handling, he held several different positions of responsibility including Manager – Strategic Initiatives, General Manager – Conveyor Operations, Plant Manager – Conveyor Manufacturing, and Director of Engineering – Conveyor Operations. This diverse range of responsibilities provided Worth with the opportunity to develop a unique blend of experience and make valuable contributions to the business in a variety of different ways. Worth’s breadth of experience made him the ideal choice to implement many new technologies. He managed the installation of the plant’s first MRP Scheduling System, along with the development of part numbers, standard bill of materials, labor standards, and process routings. This system resulted in dramatic improvements in delivery performance, from low 80’s to 98% percent on time in the first year of use. He also led the development of computerized engineering and price estimating tools which reduced the time to prepare price estimates and drawings by 90%. He led the development of several manufacturing improvement initiatives such as Warehouse Works, an order consolidation and shipping system, and Kan-Ban production techniques where common sub-assemblies were used to assemble multiple products. These initiatives led to annual savings of more than $500,000. Worth’s proven success in a variety of different areas resulted in his being selected for many other key business assignments. Assignments such as: developing strategic business partners, leading the team for new business acquisitions, introduction of key new products such as the Wallaby Sorter, and developing a consulting capability within the organization to extend the value chain for both new and existing customers.
Worth’s educational background is nearly as varied as his career experience. Worth received a Master of Arts degree in Computer Resources and Information Management from Webster University of Jeffersonville, Indiana; a B.S. in Business Administration/Marketing from Spalding University of Louisville, Kentucky; and an ASME in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Louisville Technical Institute of Louisville, Kentucky. He has also continued to enhance his capability through professional development training opportunities and has been awarded a variety of different certifications including Certification as a Jonah in the Theory of Constraints, and Certification as a Zinger-Miller Front Line Leadership Trainer. He has participated in several professional associations and has found time to be very active in community affairs such as his current involvement as a director in his local chamber of commerce.
In addition to his consulting work, he is highly rated as an instructor in the KDP Program for The University of Louisville’s UPS Center for World Wide Supply Change Management (UPSi). He is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Spalding University, teaching Management Science and Computer Business Applications.