John Hilgers
Assistant Director – Protein Procurement
Austin
Summary
Dynamic procurement professional with a proven track record of streamlining purchasing processes, enhancing supplier relations, and significantly reducing costs. Expertise includes fostering team collaboration and adapting to rapidly changing environments to drive efficiency and innovation. Recognized for exceptional negotiation skills and strategic planning capabilities, consistently delivering value and optimizing resources to achieve organizational goals. Committed to leveraging industry best practices to enhance procurement functions and support overall business objectives.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Director – Commodity Trading & Procurement
Hormel Foods
02.2024 - Current
- Promoted to Assistant Director based on consistent performance and strategic impact.
- Provide Annual Operating Plan (AOP) guidance across 20+ unique categories to support sales and marketing budget planning.
- Support M&A activities, including due diligence and onboarding of newly acquired entities.
- Contribute to Hormel’s Transform & Modernize initiative within the Buy Pillar of One Procurement.
- Assumed additional responsibilities totaling $500 million in annual spend, consolidating procurement for satellite facility meat and commodity vegetable crops.
- Maintain core accountabilities from previous Corporate Manager role, with expanded strategic oversight.
- Various Roles | May 2006 – Present
Corporate Procurement Manager – Commodity Trading
Hormel Foods
02.2021 - 02.2024
- Managed a $2 billion portfolio of meat and nut commodities supporting flagship brands including Skippy, Justin’s, Planters, Hormel Pepperoni, Spam, and Hormel Black Label Bacon.
- Delivered $25+ million in annual cost savings and cost avoidance through strategic sourcing and supplier negotiations.
- Oversaw top-to-top supplier relationships with leading global meat and nut companies.
- Leveraged advanced procurement technologies including Ignite, Oracle Cloud, EximWare, Cirtuo, Mintec/Expana, and Copilot for RFI/RFP execution, market research, and sourcing events.
- Implemented risk mitigation strategies for critical raw materials and sole-source suppliers.
- Supported Hormel’s Global Impact and Sustainability Goals, including carbon footprint analysis and KPI development for supply base.
- Led a team of 5 category managers, 2 area managers, and 2 clerical staff.
- Directed strategic sourcing innovation and raw material project management.
- Managed contract lifecycle via IronClad in collaboration with senior legal counsel.
- Ensured compliance with the Packers and Stockyards Act through timely payment enforcement using DataServ.
- Achieved a claims clearance rate exceeding 98% across 750–1,000 annual supplier claims spanning 20 production facilities.
Corporate Manager – Production Planning & Raw Material Procurement
Hormel Foods
12.2015 - 02.2021
- Led a cross-functional team responsible for the sourcing and procurement of $1 billion in raw materials including pork trim, beef, chicken, and turkey.
- Managed the production planning team overseeing the distribution of all primals from Hormel’s fresh pork plant operations.
- Ensured alignment between procurement strategy and production needs to optimize supply chain efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Developed and maintained strategic supplier relationships to support consistent material flow and mitigate supply risks.
- Played a key role in balancing inventory levels, forecasting demand, and coordinating logistics across multiple facilities.
Purchasing Manager – Hormel Foods Progressive Processing
Hormel Foods
07.2011 - 12.2015
- Leadership & Team Management:
- Direct oversight of the Shipping & Receiving department, including the supervisor and team.
- Manage the Mechanical Buyer and Storeroom Supervisor, along with their respective teams.
- Lead cross-functional teams to ensure seamless operations across procurement and logistics.
- Procurement & Contract Negotiation:
- Serve as the Purchasing Manager for the facility, accountable for all procurement activities.
- Personally manage purchasing of packaging materials, indirect supplies, ingredients, and raw materials.
- Lead negotiation of Hormel’s primary poultry annual contract, representing a spend of approximately $100 million.
- Scheduling & Forecasting:
- Responsible for all facility scheduling, including:
- 12-week forecasting
- Day-to-day production scheduling
- Long-term planning to align supply chain and production needs.
Corporate Buyer – Flexible Packaging
Hormel Foods
05.2010 - 07.2011
- Managed $100 million procurement and contract management for flexible packaging contracts across Hormel Foods’ operations.
- Served as the primary point of contact for supplier-related issues, including quality and pricing concerns reported by production facilities.
- Maintained and strengthened supplier relationships using performance matrices and strategic engagement.
- Collaborated with marketing and product development teams to integrate suppliers into new product launches and go-to-market strategies.
Corporate Buyer – Labels & Miscellaneous Supplies
Hormel Foods
03.2008 - 05.2010
- Oversaw $50 million procurement and contract management for diverse categories including labels, sanitation chemicals, pallets, displays, and plastic containers.
- Acted as the main liaison between suppliers and production facilities to resolve quality and pricing issues.
- Fostered supplier relationships through structured performance evaluations and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Played a key role in new product development, aligning supplier capabilities with marketing objectives to support product innovation.
Mechanical Buyer
Hormel Foods
12.2006 - 03.2008
- Managed a $1.5 million mechanical parts inventory to support uninterrupted plant operations.
- Balanced inventory levels to ensure availability of critical components while minimizing excess stock.
- Collaborated closely with the maintenance team to align procurement with operational needs and equipment reliability.
- Implemented inventory control measures to optimize cost efficiency and reduce waste.
Relief Production Supervisor
Hormel Foods
05.2006 - 12.2006
- Supervised a team of 25 third-shift employees to ensure smooth execution of the plant’s sanitation program without disrupting production schedules.
- Maintained a strong focus on employee safety, well-being, and compliance with company standards.
- Drove efficiency and productivity across the facility by coordinating sanitation efforts with production goals.
- Acted as a liaison between sanitation and production teams to optimize operational flow and minimize downtime.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Operations Management, Supply Chain Management
University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
05.2006
Master of Business Administration - MBA
University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium
05.2011
Skills
Contract Negotiation
Strategic Sourcing
Relationship Management
Data Analysis
Strategic Planning
Teamwork and Collaboration
Timeline
Assistant Director – Commodity Trading & Procurement
Hormel Foods
02.2024 - Current
Corporate Procurement Manager – Commodity Trading
Hormel Foods
02.2021 - 02.2024
Corporate Manager – Production Planning & Raw Material Procurement
Hormel Foods
12.2015 - 02.2021
Purchasing Manager – Hormel Foods Progressive Processing
Hormel Foods
07.2011 - 12.2015
Corporate Buyer – Flexible Packaging
Hormel Foods
05.2010 - 07.2011
Corporate Buyer – Labels & Miscellaneous Supplies
Hormel Foods
03.2008 - 05.2010
Mechanical Buyer
Hormel Foods
12.2006 - 03.2008
Relief Production Supervisor
Hormel Foods
05.2006 - 12.2006
Master of Business Administration - MBA
University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium
Bachelor of Science - Operations Management, Supply Chain Management
University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
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