Mergers, Acquisitions and Turnaround Professionals

RESK Consulting, LLC

Website: www.reskconsulting.com

Morris C. Rowlett

Today:

Partner, RESK Consulting, LLC

Board of Directors, JL French Automotive Castings

Board of Directors, TI Automotive

 

Past Positions:

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: Marathon Automotive Group (2007-2009)

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: GDX Automotive (2004-2005); Advisor (2006)

Chairman: Guilford, Inc. (2004-2005); Director (2006)

Director: Peguform, GmbH (2004-2006); American Fibers International (2003– 2006)

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President:  Pilot Industries, Inc. (2002)

Director:  BREED Technologies, Inc. (2001-2003)

Chief Executive Officer & Director: Diversified Diemakers (1999)

Chief Executive Officer & Director:  Ganton Technologies Inc. (1998-1999)

President & Chief Executive Officer:  Ryobi Die Casting (USA), Inc. (1995-1997)

Former Companies:  MascoTech; Robertshaw Controls; Hughes Aircraft Company

 

Highlights:

Morris Rowlett is a founding partner of RESK Consulting, LLC, a management-consulting firm that assists clients in identifying and investigating potential acquisitions.  RESK also provides leadership, vision, and operational management for troubled companies. 

 

2006-2009, Mr. Rowlett was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Marathon Automotive Group. MAG was set up by Marathon Asset Management and was designed to acquire companies in the automotive supplier space. CONTECH, LLC was purchased by MAG from SPX Corporation in 2007. During the recession of 2008 and 2009 CONTECH revenues declined by over 50% and a Chapter 11 bankruptcy was required. Rowlett assumed the CEO role and lead the bankruptcy effort, eventually selling the US Casting Group, the Tube Bending Group, the Forging Group and the UK Operations in separate transactions using the bankruptcy 363 sale process.

 

2004-2005, Mr. Rowlett was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of GDX Automotive. GDX is a leading global supplier which designs, markets and manufactures highly engineered sealing systems for both dynamic and static automotive applications. GDX products include weather-strip seals, glass encapsulation, modular sealing systems, engine dampers and anti-vibration components.  GDX operates twenty-one plants including eleven in North America, eight in Europe and two joint ventures in China.

 

2004-2006, Mr. Rowlett was Chairman of the Board of Guilford, Inc. in 2004 and a Director until August 2006. Guilford is one of the largest manufacturers of body-cloth and the leading headliner fabric producer in the US and Europe. The company also offers a wide variety of specialty fabrics for consumer and industrial applications and warp knit fabrics for active wear and team performance apparel. Mr. Rowlett remains a board member today.

 

2002, Mr. Rowlett was Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President of Pilot Industries, Inc.   Pilot is a full service tier 1 supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures fluid management systems and structural composite components. After a successful turnaround Pilot was sold to Martinrea International, Inc. Also in 2002, Mr. Rowlett provided consulting services to Meridian Rail Corporation. Once a turnaround was achieved in the division targeted it was sold to a strategic buyer.

 

2001-2003, Mr. Rowlett was a board member for BREED Technologies, Inc.  BREED is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and sale of all of the components used in complete, integrated occupant protection systems. 

 

2000-Present, Mr. Rowlett is a member of the board of directors for American Fiber Resources International.  AFR is a paper and pulp manufacturer with locations in Michigan and West Virginia. 

 

1999, Mr. Rowlett served as Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Ganton and Diemakers (acquired and managed with Ganton). Both companies are renowned for their expertise as automotive suppliers for assembled, machined and cast aluminum and magnesium products. A complete financial and operational turnaround was achieved at Ganton through a cultural change, executive accountability, manufacturing excellence, and technical expertise, followed by a successful integration with Diemakers, Inc.

 

1995-1997, Mr. Rowlett was President and CEO of Ryobi Die Casing (USA), Inc., a leading provider of large die casting for the automotive industry.

 

Education: 

Mr. Rowlett earned his BA degree in Economics from Chapman University, Orange, CA

 

Industry Experience:

Automotive:  die-casting; machining; stampings; electromechanical assembly; fuel systems; electronics; plastics; rubber

Other Industries:  defense systems; electronics; paper and pulp; plastics; foundry operations; railcar industry

 

Strengths: 

Mr. Rowlett has extensive industry turnaround experience and customer knowledge, which leads to respect and credibility within any organization.  He is an excellent communicator with the ability to articulate vision, motivate people and provide resources for staff members to improve performance.  Mr. Rowlett is a strategic thinker with the capability of recognizing value in the marketplace.

 

 

 

E-mail: mrowlett@reskconsulting.com

Founding Partner

Phone: 847-360-8270