James Cummings

About

COO who specializes in professionalizing early-stage/growth operations for sale readiness—at Cooperative Laundry led a major restructuring (40% headcount reduction), redesigned operating hours (24 to 18) to reduce labor cost and improve maintenance uptime, and implemented Lean/Six Sigma systems with KPI-driven operating cadences across multiple sites. Emphasizes cultural transformation ('no surprise' accountability) and mentoring non-ops executives to independently run data-driven operations; cites driving the business to 7x EBITDA and positioning for an acquisition in 2026.

Experience

Education

Key Strengths

• COO-led operational restructuring to prepare early-stage company for planned sale
• Reduced headcount by 40% while retaining key internal talent via skills assessment, gap analysis, and promotion/development plans
• Shifted operations from 24-hour to 18-hour model to cut labor costs and create dedicated preventative maintenance windows
• Implemented Lean/Six Sigma-driven continuous improvement and real-time performance tracking across multiple sites
• Built a 'no surprise' accountability culture focused on quality and cost efficiency
• Drove company performance to 7x EBITDA (per candidate) and positioned business for acquisition targeted in 2026
• Effective at mentoring non-operations executives through coaching and workshops to build operational literacy and independent problem-solving

Reference Highlights

• Exceptional forward thinker
• Thrives in constantly evolving business environments
• Willing to challenge the status quo
• Keeps teams engaged and energized
• Strong executive presence
• Speaks his mind professionally
• Delivers feedback with impact
• Trusted advisor (others still call him for advice)
• Fearless leader
• Makes immediate and long-term impact
• Highly respected by peers
• Strong strategic foresight (correctly anticipated Amazon’s competitive impact)