Manage your business–
Don’t let it manage you.
Gain market share
and increase your company’s value
Proven, trustworthy business advice from experts who’ve been there
Trying to solve the big issues facing your business while juggling all the day-to-day moving parts can be overwhelming… we are your answer!
BearPath Management Consultants are seasoned professionals who know the value of true collaboration.
Most "big box" consulting firms have young MBAs who’ve never run a business. That’s not us. We’re actual operators with 40+ year careers in the trenches. Our consulting services are done “with you”— not “to you”!
We have broad knowledge + expertise
As manufacturing, engineering, product marketing/sales, and business development experts, we’ve helped companies ranging from middle-market to multinationals reinvent their processes and grow the top and bottom lines. We have deep industry knowledge in oil and gas, chemicals, fibers, agriculture, electronics, staffing groups, plastics and non-profits.
We deliver results
BearPath Management Consultants have worked alongside clients providing custom solutions using proven tools and methodologies. By identifying and developing creative solutions, we deliver measurable, real results. Past clients have described our engagement as “seamless – part of the company” and “a trusted partner” to help them out of their worries.
Tired of struggling with…
Gauging risk-reward?
Feeling Stuck?
Predicting the future?
Dysfunctional
Operations?
Competitive
Analysis?
Hitting a
growth ceiling?
Together we’ll implement a plan that will revolutionize your company and transform your bottom line.
“We're not some junior flyboys - we understand the pressures, frustrations and challenges of running a business.
Been there, done that!”
— James Maxwell
BearPath Management Consulting Founder
Here’s how it works
1. Bring Us Your Problem
Schedule a call and tell us about the challenges facing your company and we’ll share information on the resources we offer. You can also start with our free Business Assessment.
2. Get a Customized Plan
We will design a detailed project action plan to fit your needs with a fixed timetable, desired outcomes and specific deliverables that will get you there.
3. Grow Your Business
Measure results and celebrate success. You will have an established Control Plan so that your business will hold the gains and make evergreen the practices that ensure continued success.
Business is just not that hard or complicated. You can do this with our help.
Your work should make your world better, not stress you out! Here’s what our clients say…
“BPMC came to the rescue, empowering us to turn a 140-year-old family company into a multinational functional enterprise. Jim helped us map our strengths and weaknesses and create a path to success and growth. I recommend BPMC to anyone looking to evaluate any strategic business direction and develop the alignment and execution needed to accomplish its goals.”
— Jose R Perdomo, Pantaleon Sugar Holdings, Guatemala
“Cascade Engineering was invited by DuPont and Ford to help improve truck cold air duct systems, an innovation project with the automotive industry stretching between the US and Europe. The project won numerous automotive awards for innovation, productivity and quality. We collectively developed a collaborative approach across this new value chain, from materials suppliers to OEM. Approximately one year was eliminated in the timing to bring new products to market, eliminated five parts and achieved annual savings of over $1 million.”
— Fred Keller, Cascade Engineering Owner
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"As a result of working with Ron’s collaborative and effective leadership style, we successfully improved our productivity by over 20% in our agricultural business. Ron was able to build agreement on a vision to action plan that was a “win” for Wollin Products, our customer and suppliers. We improved our process by improving material, tool and screw design. We also improved our relationship, product quality and margins with our customers while reducing their costs. He helped change our mindsets on how to solve critical problems, achieve our goals and improve worker morale."
– Robert Howell, VP Marketing and Sales, Wollin Products Injection Molders
Our Proven Successes
Measurable Results
Helped a global agricultural chemical business team assess its operating performance relating market-back, voice of the customer research into action plans resulting in over a $100MM improvement in global net income.
Designed, developed and implemented a JIT supply chain model in a refinery operation resulting in a reduction in $15MM reduction in operating expenses, reduced staffing and improved refinery materials service.
Directed the development of winning strategies for a global seed Research & Development organization that netted over $20MM in logistics savings and repositioned ~20% of their portfolio toward higher potential projects.
Designed and facilitated a regional petroleum distribution consolidation and optimization by employing lean/6σ principles and resulting in a $10MM reduction in operating expenses with maintained customer service.
Designed and led a successful lean/6σ enterprise project to link manufacturing and a key customer resulting in coordinated manufacturing, improved quality, new branded products and supply chain integration of one of their main production facilities; impact included several millions in additional revenue and costs savings.
Developed market-back winning growth strategies for the Mexican-based business unit of an agricultural chemicals firm to raise SVA and define a plan to double revenues ($80MM - $160MM) by 2010.
Developed market-back wining strategies and implemented lean/6σ demand and supply methodologies for several market segments within a Mexican automotive coatings business resulting in a return to profitable operation with one and accelerated growth plans for others which should double or triple annual revenues of $200MM.
Developed strategies used by a chemicals joint venture to increase revenue and net income by 100% over the following three years that included reengineering the entire supply chain which saved 30% in purchasing spend over two years while improving customer satisfaction.
Led a successful lean/6σ enterprise project to link a fiber manufacturer’s operations and a key customer resulting in coordinated manufacturing, improved quality, new branded products and supply chain integration of one of their main production facilities; results included $5.3MM in additional revenue and 2MM in costs savings.
Developed market-back wining strategies for the South American division of an agricultural chemicals firm that helped triple their size ($40MM to $120MM revenue) and return them to positive Shareholder Value Added (SVA).
Led a Rapid Strategy Development project resulting in the development of winning strategies for a newly acquired agricultural chemical joint venture bringing this $40MM business back to profitable operation within 10 months.
Developed with a set of strategies for a Crop Protection Brazilian team concentrating on route to market improvements that increased revenues by $700MM and resulted in improved SVA in excess of $40MM over a 5 year period.
Developed market-back wining strategies for several paint market segments within Mexico resulting in a return to profitable operation with one and doubling growth plans for another Refinish business.
Led an Agricultural distributor team operating out of Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica resulting in an increase in first year profits of $8MM and developed a set of strategies and tactics to profitable revenue from $40MM to $100MM by 2010.
Developed and implemented a successful strategy and engagement process for a global oil company in Alaska to adopt a new project prioritization, budgeting and planning model that resulted in $80MM in efficiency gains over 3 years.
About Us
James Maxwell
James G. Maxwell is currently President of BearPath Management Consulting, Inc., a firm he created in 2003. Jim’s career has spanned over 30 years working with clients in a breadth of industries including oil and gas, chemicals, fibers, agriculture, electronics, staffing groups, plastics and non-profits.
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Jim has experience in numerous industries applying methodologies in process improvement, performance planning, new business development, vision and strategic development, financial planning, project management and management consulting. Most recently he actively led a project team to improve their sourcing from China and implement supply chain savings. Jim worked in Alaska for 8 years enhancing their planning, budgeting and execution of projects conducted on the North Slope of Alaska for a major oil company. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Consultant within E. I. Dupont for 15 years with a number of individual business units and leaders.
Jim has developed his own “tool chest” of methodologies in the area of Vision & Strategy and is currently writing a book to help others in this practice area. His involvement in South and Central America contributed to significant growth in sales and profitability. While at Dupont, Jim helped to create an internal consulting practice that grew from 4 consultants to 120 in 5 continents. While Jim has experience in many competency areas and is known for his broad-based experience and creative application of methodology in helping to solve clients’ problems.
Jim received his BS in Physical Sciences from Michigan State University in 1978 and his MBA – Finance in 1980.
Ron Mathos
Ron Mathos is currently a Partner of BearPath Management Consulting, Inc. Ron’s career spans over 30 years guiding, improving performance, and innovating processes for clients in automotive, chemicals, fibers, agriculture, electronics, staffing groups, plastics and non-profits. During this time, he collaboratively improved profits along his target value chains of well over $400,000,000. Ron’s attitude is value-led, purpose-driven and passion-fueled.
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Ron has experience in numerous industries applying methodologies in profit improvement, innovation, business development, vision and strategic development, project management and management consulting. He has successfully led over 100 innovation project teams to improve application and business systems across many industries improving profits by over $200,000,000. He led the plastics industry to build the Ferris State University Plastics and Elastomers School of Technology to serve their industry. He worked as a Senior leader within E. I. Dupont for 25 years with a number of individual business units and leaders collaboratively improving profits by over $200,000,000.
Ron has developed his own “tool chest” of methodologies designed for execution in areas such as innovation and profit improvement. Ron has experience in many competency areas and is known for his broad-based experience and creative application of methodologies in helping to solve clients’ problems. At DuPont, he led development and implementation of many best practices, including collaborative problem solving..
Ron received degrees in chemical engineering and polymer science from Carnegie-Mellon University and was a member of numerous programs with DuPont University and the University of Delaware MBA program.