Theodore J. Klein
Operations • Logistics • Leadership
OPERATIONS • LEADERSHIP • RESULTS
TED KLEIN
Operations Executive | General Manager | Turnaround & P&L Leadership
Building stronger operations through people, process, accountability, and practical leadership.
25+ years leading transportation, distribution, warehousing, supply chain, and complex multi-site operations—from frontline operations to full P&L and executive leadership.
CAREER IMPACT
Results That Tell the Story
A career built around leading people, improving operations, controlling costs, and delivering measurable results.
Your KPIs Look Great. Is the Business Any Better?
I don’t manage by colors. I manage by questions.
I want to understand what’s driving the number, what it’s telling us and what we’re going to do with that information.
I Have an Open-Door Policy. Great. Now Close It and Get Outside.
Your door could be wide enough to drive a forklift through and still not feel particularly accessible.
Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen… Want to Know What Your Employees Really Hear?
I started this morning. No training. No experience. But somebody gave me a toolbox and really excited about continuous improvement.
Why I Invited OSHA Into My Operation — On Purpose
Voluntarily inviting them into your workplace might sound a little like inviting the IRS over to help with your taxes.
25+
YEARS OF LEADERSHIP
Transportation, distribution, supply chain & operations
130+
EMPLOYEES LED
Across complex, multi-function operations
~20%
LABOR COST REDUCTION
Through financial and operational process correction
80%
CLAIMS REDUCTION
Creating approximately $34K in annual savings
$100K
ANNUAL INSURANCE SAVINGS
Through industry-leading safety performance
80%
Turnover Reduction
~7-year avg. tenure
CAREER JOURNEY
From the Operations Floor to Executive Leadership
A career built through progressive responsibility—from hands-on transportation and warehouse operations to multi-site leadership, full P&L responsibility, and business ownership.
CARLILE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Building the Foundation
Transportation • Distribution • Warehousing • Supply Chain
19 Years • 130 Employees • Multi-Facility OperationsREDDAWAY
General Management & P&L
LTL • Operations • People Leadership
120 Employees • Most Profitable TerminalGENE'S TOWING & TRANSPORT
Financial & Operational Improvement
Financial Controls • Multi-Site Operations • Turnaround
4 Locations • Built P&L Reporting • ~20% Labor ReductionKREATIVE KLEIN HOLDINGS
Entrepreneurship & International Business
Operations • International Sourcing • Logistics
Built Businesses & Operating Systems From the Ground UpCAREER EXPERIENCE
Select a role to explore responsibilities, accomplishments, systems, projects, and leadership scope in more detail.
CARLILE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS 1994–2015 | Progressive Operations Leadership
CARLILE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
1994–2015 | Progressive Operations Leadership
Overview
Progressive 19-year career spanning transportation, warehousing, distribution, inventory management, project logistics, production support, and multi-facility operations throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Advanced through increasingly responsible leadership roles, ultimately managing 6 direct reports and approximately 130 indirect employees while supporting customers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
Carlile’s core operations centered on freight consolidation and complex logistics—moving everything from parcel shipments and temperature-controlled products to hazardous materials, heavy machinery, industrial equipment, and major project cargo.
Leadership & Operational Scope
Led multi-facility transportation, warehouse, distribution, and inventory operations.
Managed 6 direct reports and approximately 130 indirect employees.
Oversaw hiring, coaching, performance management, promotions, and employee development.
Managed truckload (TL), less-than-truckload (LTL), parcel, temperature-controlled, hazardous material, tanker, heavy equipment, and project freight.
Oversaw receiving, storage, inventory control, consolidation, material handling, treatment, transfer, and outbound distribution.
Managed capital equipment purchasing, facility maintenance, vendors, and operational infrastructure.
Worked across truck, rail, ocean, and air transportation networks supporting Alaska and other challenging markets.
Managed specialized equipment including dry vans, reefers, containers, flatbeds, lowboys, step decks, double drops, stretch decks, and other specialized transportation equipment.
Managed rail operations utilizing a 1,000-foot rail spur serviced by Tacoma Rail.
Selected Accomplishments
80% Reduction in Employee Turnover
Strengthened leadership, employee engagement, accountability, and operating culture, reducing turnover approximately 80% and helping achieve an average employee tenure of approximately seven years.
80% Reduction in Parcel Claims | ~$34K Annual Savings
Developed and implemented a parcel tracking and accountability process that improved cradle-to-grave shipment visibility while reducing claims approximately 80% and generating about $34,000 in annual savings.
~$100K Annual L&I Savings
Helped drive industry-leading safety performance, achieving an L&I experience factor of approximately 0.5 compared with a 1.0 industry baseline and generating approximately $100,000 in annual insurance savings.
20% Reduction in Ocean Transportation Costs
Identified and implemented operational and vendor improvements that reduced ocean transportation costs approximately 20%.
$250K+ in Grant Opportunities
Identified and pursued more than $250,000 in available grant funding supporting business and operational initiatives.
Systems & Technology
Member of the implementation team transitioning the organization from its legacy AS400 environment to EMS / TruckMate.
Participated in implementation of the PeopleNet ELD system.
Managed WMS-directed warehouse and inventory operations.
Used operational data and KPIs to manage productivity, inventory, service, labor, safety, and cost performance.
Selected Customer & Project Experience
The Home Depot — Alaska Distribution
Managed a dedicated consolidation center and inventory-control operation supporting Home Depot locations throughout Alaska, utilizing an internally developed WMS to manage product flow, consolidation, inventory visibility, and distribution.
Halliburton Energy Services — Production & Alaska Supply
Managed mud-box production and repackaging operations supporting Alaska requirements, including production workflow, material specifications, vendor coordination, inventory, and distribution.
TRW — Industrial Pre-Assembly
Worked directly with engineers and technical drawings supporting pre-assembly operations for a clean-coal project.
Additional customer experience included major industrial and energy organizations such as Shell and ConocoPhillips.
Safety & Regulatory Leadership
Worked both hands-on and in management within a certified hazardous-waste transportation operation. Served as a key operational liaison with regulatory, government, port, rail, and industry organizations including:
OSHA / DOSH • DOT • EPA • Port of Tacoma • Tacoma Rail • Washington Trucking Associations
Helped drive record-low accident performance through Behavior-Based Safety, employee involvement, training, measurement, and operational accountability.
Transportation & Equipment Experience
Held a Class A CDL for approximately 20 years with all endorsements, providing firsthand experience with commercial equipment, professional driving requirements, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Freight experience included:
General Cargo • LTL • TL • Parcel • Refrigerated • Multi-Temperature • Hazardous Materials • Hazardous Waste • Tanker • Heavy Machinery • Industrial Equipment • Project Cargo
Equipment experience included:
Dry Van • Insulated Van • Reefer • Multi-Temperature Reefer • Container • Flatbed • Lowboy • Step Deck • Double Drop • Stretch Deck • Rail Flatcar • Gondola
Major Project Logistics
Managed complex and unusual logistics projects requiring coordination among customers, carriers, vendors, government agencies, ports, railroads, and operational teams.
Projects included rapid handling of approximately 120 railcars / 2+ million pounds of steel sheet pile in three days for the Alaskan Way Viaduct project, as well as management of a first-of-its-kind regulated import segregation operation involving radioactive material.
Detailed project stories are featured below in Selected Case Studies.
REDDAWAY 2015–2019 | Terminal / General Manager
REDDAWAY
2015–2019 | Terminal / General Manager
Overview
Led full operations for a high-volume LTL terminal with approximately 120 employees across drivers, dock, dispatch, customer service, and administration. Held full P&L responsibility while leading the most profitable terminal in the company, balancing financial performance with service, productivity, safety, equipment reliability, and employee development.
Leadership & Operational Scope
Full P&L and operational responsibility for a high-volume LTL terminal.
Led approximately 120 employees across drivers, dock, dispatch, customer service, and administrative functions.
Directed city, linehaul, dock, dispatch, staffing, scheduling, equipment, and facility operations.
Hired, coached, and developed supervisors and frontline employees.
Managed labor and equipment resources against freight volumes and service requirements.
Monitored KPIs across productivity, labor, safety, service, and on-time performance.
Maintained DOT, OSHA, and company safety and regulatory compliance.
Worked directly with customers to resolve service issues and improve long-term operating performance.
Selected Accomplishments
Most Profitable Terminal in the Company
Led the operation to the company’s highest level of terminal profitability while maintaining strong service, safety, and operational performance.
Fleet Reliability & Driver Confidence
Developed a vehicle maintenance program focused on improving equipment reliability, reducing operational disruption, and strengthening employee confidence in the fleet.
Operational & Labor Efficiency
Aligned staffing, scheduling, dock workflow, and equipment resources with freight arrival patterns and operational demand to improve productivity and cycle integrity.
Leadership & Team Development
Built a stable, accountable operating team through visible leadership, clear expectations, coaching, and supervisor development.
Technology & Compliance
Managed implementation, driver adoption, and ongoing compliance for the Qualcomm ELD system, ensuring operational continuity and regulatory compliance during the transition.
Used operational data and KPIs to manage:
Labor • Productivity • Service • Safety • Equipment • On-Time Performance • Cost
Driver Recruitment & Workforce Development
Built long-term relationships with commercial driving schools and regularly spoke with students in an educational capacity about the transportation industry, professional expectations, safety, and career opportunities.
These relationships also created a sustainable recruiting pipeline and helped introduce future professional drivers to career opportunities within the organization.
Industry Engagement & Driver Pride
Developed a strong relationship with the Washington Trucking Associations and hosted the Washington State Truck Driving Championships at the Reddaway facility for multiple years.
The event provided positive exposure for the company while strengthening driver pride, employee engagement, industry relationships, and recruiting visibility.
GENE'S TOWING & TRANSPORT 2019–2021 | CFO / General Manager
GENE’S TOWING & TRANSPORT
2019–2021 | CFO / General Manager
Overview
Led financial and operational management across a four-location towing, transportation, and heavy-recovery company. Combined CFO-level financial oversight with hands-on General Manager responsibilities, building greater visibility into company performance while strengthening operational controls, systems, vendor management, and accountability.
Leadership & Operational Scope
Led financial and day-to-day operational management across four locations.
Built company P&L reporting from the ground up, creating greater visibility into operating performance and cost drivers.
Managed transportation, towing, recovery, dispatch, staffing, equipment, and facility operations.
Worked across financial and operational functions to connect business decisions with measurable P&L impact.
Strengthened inventory, purchasing, vendor, and expense controls.
Supported managers and employees through hands-on leadership, problem solving, and process improvement.
Managed vendor relationships, contract negotiations, technology, and operational support systems.
Selected Accomplishments
~20% Labor Cost Reduction
Identified and corrected a significant flaw in the company’s commission and payroll structure, reducing total labor costs by approximately 20% while improving compensation accuracy and financial control.
Built P&L Reporting From the Ground Up
Created company P&L reporting and financial visibility that allowed leadership to better understand operating performance, identify cost issues, and make more informed business decisions.
Multi-Location Cost Control
Reviewed vendor spending across four locations, identified overlapping and unnecessary services, renegotiated agreements, and transitioned services to more cost-effective providers.
Inventory & Operational Controls
Strengthened inventory tracking and accountability across multiple locations, improving visibility and establishing more disciplined control processes.
Systems & Technology Improvement
Improved workflows within the company’s management software and implemented remote IT support to reduce downtime, improve system reliability, and support operations across multiple locations.
Operations & Fleet
Maintained hands-on involvement in daily towing, transportation, dispatch, and heavy-recovery operations while strengthening vehicle inspection, maintenance, and operating processes.
Balanced equipment availability, staffing, customer requirements, safety, and cost while supporting consistent service across the company’s four locations.
Recruiting & Workforce Development
Continued relationships with commercial driving schools, speaking with students about transportation careers, professional expectations, safety, and opportunities within the industry.
Combined educational outreach with long-term recruiting efforts to help develop a pipeline of potential commercial drivers and employees.
KREATIVE KLEIN HOLDINGS 2021–Present | President / Founder
KREATIVE KLEIN HOLDINGS S.R.L.
2021–Present | President / Founder
Overview
Relocated internationally and founded Kreative Klein Holdings, applying decades of transportation, logistics, financial, and operational leadership experience to building businesses from the ground up.
Responsible for the full business lifecycle—from identifying opportunities and sourcing equipment to developing operating systems, managing finances, building supplier relationships, marketing, technology, and day-to-day execution.
Business & Operational Leadership
Built business operations from concept through launch and ongoing management.
Developed operating procedures, workflows, policies, and customer-service standards.
Manage financial performance, budgeting, purchasing, vendors, and business planning.
Built technology and web-based systems supporting reservations, agreements, customer communication, and daily operations.
Manage equipment maintenance, scheduling, logistics, and asset utilization.
Developed branding, marketing, websites, and customer acquisition strategies.
Built operations around disciplined cost control and a low fixed-overhead structure.
International Sourcing & Supply Chain
Work directly with manufacturers, suppliers, freight providers, customs professionals, and other business partners across international supply chains.
Source vehicles, equipment, parts, and products directly from manufacturers and suppliers in the United States and China.
Coordinate purchasing, specifications, supplier relationships, freight forwarding, customs clearance, brokerage, and importation into Costa Rica.
Manage international procurement from initial supplier identification through final delivery.
Developed relationships with manufacturers, freight providers, customs brokers, legal professionals, and other international partners.
Provide sourcing and logistics guidance for goods moving from the United States and China into Costa Rica.
Entrepreneurship & Business Development
Founded and developed a transportation-related rental operation serving Costa Rica’s tourism market, managing the complete operation from equipment sourcing and importation through customer delivery.
Built the business using an asset-conscious operating model designed to maintain low overhead while providing direct customer service.
Responsibilities include:
Equipment Sourcing • Importation • Fleet Management • Maintenance • Scheduling • Logistics • Customer Service • Financial Management • Technology • Marketing
Developed the company’s online presence, reservation processes, digital agreements, and customer communication systems while generating business primarily through organic search, referrals, and repeat customers rather than dependence on paid advertising.
Operations Consulting
Provide consulting and operational support drawing on more than 25 years of transportation, warehousing, distribution, and general management experience.
Areas of focus include:
Operational Efficiency • Transportation • Warehousing • Cost Control • Process Improvement • Systems • International Procurement & Logistics
Support U.S.-based transportation and warehousing operations with practical recommendations focused on efficiency, operating controls, workflow, and cost performance.
What Entrepreneurship Added
Building businesses personally provided a different perspective from managing established corporate operations.
Every decision directly affects capital, customers, assets, cash flow, reputation, and long-term viability.
The experience strengthened my ability to operate with limited resources, evaluate risk, make decisions quickly, build systems where none exist, and remain accountable for the complete result.
SELECTED RESULTS
Measurable Impact Across Operations
A few examples of the operational, financial, safety, and people results delivered throughout my career.
Claims Reduction
Developed a parcel tracking and accountability process that reduced claims by approximately 80%.
Labor Cost Reduction
Identified and corrected a compensation process issue while serving as CFO / General Manager.
Annual Insurance Savings
Helped drive record-low safety performance and an L&I experience factor of approximately 0.5.
Turnover Reduction
Improved employee retention through leadership, engagement, accountability, and a strong operating culture.
Ocean Cost Reduction
Reduced ocean transportation costs through operational improvements, planning, and vendor management.
Grant Funding Identified
Identified and pursued available grant funding to support business and operational initiatives.
HOW I LEAD
Practical Leadership. Clear Accountability. Measurable Results.
I believe strong operations are built by understanding the work, developing people, using data intelligently, and creating clear accountability around the things that matter most.
People & Culture
Build trust, develop supervisors, recognize good performance, and create an environment where employees understand expectations and feel ownership in the result.
Operational Excellence
Stay close to the operation, identify constraints, simplify processes, and use practical continuous improvement to make the work safer, easier, and more efficient.
Financial Discipline
Connect operational decisions to P&L performance, labor, cost, productivity, and long-term business results.
Safety & Accountability
Make safety part of daily operational performance, reinforce standards consistently, and use data, coaching, and follow-through to improve results.
I’m equally comfortable reviewing a P&L, coaching a supervisor, meeting with a customer, or walking the floor to understand why a process isn’t working.
SELECTED CASE STUDIES
Problems I’ve Been Asked to Solve
Some of the best examples of leadership don’t fit neatly into a résumé bullet. These are a few situations where the solution required initiative, collaboration, operational judgment, and execution.
80% Fewer Claims. ~$34,000 in Annual Savings.
Early in my career at Carlile, while working as a dock lead, I attended claims meetings and saw a growing problem with parcel shipments.
Inbound packages from carriers such as UPS and FedEx were entering an operation with limited tracking visibility once they reached our facility. We were still operating with a legacy green-screen system, and the technology available was limited.
I developed a proposal to capture inbound tracking information and carry it through our internal system—providing customers with better shipment visibility while creating greater accountability within the operation.
The required hardware investment was approximately $147.
The proposal was initially declined because there was skepticism that the concept would work. Rather than work around the approval process, I continued through the proper channels, refining the idea and involving the people needed to make it successful.
That process ultimately created something just as important as approval: stakeholder ownership.
The system was implemented successfully.
RESULT
80% reduction in parcel claims
Approximately $34,000 in annual savings
WHEN 2–3 RAILCARS BECAME 120
120 Railcars. 2+ Million Pounds. Three Days.
Carlile was supporting logistics for steel sheet pile required for Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct project.
The operating plan anticipated receiving approximately two to three railcars per day for offload, storage, inventory, and distribution.
Then approximately 120 loaded railcars were released at once.
The unexpected volume created immediate downstream risks, including rail congestion, demurrage charges, capacity issues for Tacoma Rail, and potential disruption to surrounding rail customers.
Working with Tacoma Rail and our operational teams, we developed a revised plan, coordinated train and staffing resources, and devised a handling method that allowed the sheet pile to be safely removed from each railcar in a single lift and efficiently staged.
RESULT
~120 railcars processed in three days
2+ million pounds of material handled
No demurrage charges
No disruption to surrounding short-line rail customers
A First-of-Its-Kind Regulated Shipment
Historically, when an imported shipping container arriving through Seattle exceeded allowable radioactive-material readings, the entire container was returned to its country of origin.
An opportunity arose to handle one differently.
At Carlile, I managed the first container authorized for sorting and segregation rather than automatically returning the entire shipment overseas.
The operation required coordination with government agencies and border officials to develop a process that could be executed safely and compliantly.
A plan was established to identify and segregate the affected material, prepare it for return to its country of origin, and allow the compliant product to remain in the United States for final-mile delivery.
RESULT
Contaminated material safely segregated for return
Compliant product retained for U.S. delivery
First-of-its-kind process successfully executed
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Operational Experience Built From the Ground Up
Broad hands-on and executive experience across transportation, distribution, supply chain, financial management, people leadership, technology, and complex operational environments.
Executive & General Management
- P&L Leadership
- Multi-Site Operations
- Operational Turnaround
- Financial Controls
- Budget & Cost Management
- Strategic & Tactical Leadership
- Capital & Asset Management
- Vendor Negotiation
- Change Management
- Cross-Functional Leadership
Transportation & Logistics
- LTL & TL Operations
- Freight Consolidation
- Fleet Operations
- Dispatch & Route Planning
- Refrigerated Transportation
- Project Logistics
- Rail Operations
- Ocean Transportation
- Air Freight
- International Logistics
Distribution & Supply Chain
- Distribution Center Operations
- Warehousing
- Inventory Management
- Receiving & Shipping
- Material Handling
- Freight Consolidation
- Procurement
- International Sourcing
- Vendor Management
- WMS-Directed Operations
People & Organizational Leadership
- Leadership Development
- Supervisor Coaching
- Recruiting & Retention
- Workforce Development
- Performance Management
- Employee Engagement
- Culture Development
- Change Leadership
- Training
- Organizational Accountability
Safety & Compliance
- DOT Compliance
- OSHA / DOSH
- EPA
- Behavior-Based Safety
- Hazardous Materials
- Hazardous Waste
- ELD Compliance
- Regulatory Coordination
- Vehicle & Equipment Safety
- Risk Management
Systems & Continuous Improvement
- ERP / WMS Implementation
- TruckMate
- PeopleNet
- Qualcomm / Omnitracs
- AS400
- KPI Development
- Process Improvement
- Workflow Design
- Labor Optimization
- Operational Reporting
ABOUT ME
Built From the Ground Up
My career started on the operational floor and progressed through transportation, warehousing, distribution, supply chain, and senior leadership roles. That path shaped how I lead today.
I understand the importance of strategy, financial performance, and accountability, but I also believe leaders need to understand what employees experience every day. I’ve spent my career working across both sides of the operation—from hands-on transportation and warehouse environments to full P&L responsibility, multi-site leadership, and executive decision-making.
After more than two decades in the Pacific Northwest, I relocated to Costa Rica and built businesses of my own. Entrepreneurship gave me a different perspective: when it’s your capital, your customer, your assets, and your reputation, every decision matters.
I’m now preparing for the next chapter of my career in the Pacific Northwest and am especially interested in organizations where experienced leadership, operational improvement, financial discipline, and developing great people can make a measurable difference.
LET'S TALK
Interested in What We Could Accomplish Together?
I’m interested in connecting with organizations where experienced leadership, operational improvement, financial discipline, and developing strong teams can make a measurable difference.
TED KLEIN
Longview / Kelso, Washington Area
Relocating from Costa Rica
U.S. 1-253-328-7585
Costa Rica +506-8731-8686
Email tedklein11@gmail.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/tedklein1
