Don Mulder, Managing Partner

Don’s experiences include:

• General Manager of an Engineered / Prefabricated Building Component Manufacturer
• Technical Sales Manager for manufacturer of both commercial and military Jet Engine components
• Project Management of numerous ventures and new product launches
• A 20+ Career in the US Air Force

With an MBA as well as an Engineering Degree from the US Air Force Academy, Don brings experience and industrial knowledge to the table. He is a licensed commercial pilot, and still relies on the lessons he learned as an Air Force Pilot and as a Commercial Pilot to help him make business decisions. Don’s technical training along with his marketing, business development and customer skills has been a key part of BES success with assisting clients to profitably expand into new markets.

James C. Hook, Jr. Senior Partner

James (Jim) Hook is a Finance MBA with extensive experience in business strategy and planning, general management, market planning and development, and product marketing for organizations large and small, local and global. Jim also served for 12 years as the founding treasurer and member of the board of trustees for a highly successful, public, not-for-profit charter school in Michigan.

Leveraging his expertise and facilitation skills, Jim leads the BES team’s corporate planning and general management practice in areas including strategy development, business planning, turnaround, ownership transition and integration support, metrics and governance program development, acquisition due diligence, and market development.

 

William R. Ryckbost, Senior Partner

Bill Ryckbost along with the team of BES experts assists clients in various aspects of supply chain management (SCM). With 30 ears of experience working with medium sized and fast growth electronics based manufacturers and as VP of Purchasing and Logistics with a large publicly traded company, Bill has led a wide range of functions within the SCM arena. Bill spent significant time at the executive level, providing unique insight into the challenges of executing a global SCM strategy through multiple levels in the organization.

Bill earned an MBA from The University of Notre Dame and has been active in several professional organizations in the Supply Chain Management field including serving as Chair of the Board of Governors for the Chief Purchasing Officers Council of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, as well as Vice-Chair of the West Michigan Supply Chain Management Council. He also serves as a Trustee at his undergraduate alma mater and serves in leadership positions at other volunteer organizations.

 

Bill Neely, Senior Advisor and Founder

Bill had a 20 year career in the United States Air Force before entering the aircraft production & manufacturing industry.

Bill's Experiences Include:

• A combat tour in Southeast Asia
• Served as a Test Pilot for NASA
• Commanded a USAF Flight Test Squadron and was the USAF Program Manager for an F-15 Technology Demonstrator Aircraft
• Was Military Program Manager and Vice President of Operations for two divisions of Textron
• Site Leader for Woodward Corporation’s Aircraft Engine Systems

Bill also led an organizational turnaround in the competitive aircraft structures industry while in that field. He has implemented a combined Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma strategy in numerous facilities and industries.

After retirement from Woodward in 2001, he began a consulting career with BES, and now specializes in Lean implementation projects and plant relocations. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, and is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College and the USAF Test Pilot School.

Don Wolting

Don has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from Kettering University. Don has more than 25 years experience in the research, engineering, and management with ceramics, injection molding, and motion control.

Don's extensive experience in plant engineering and field support (in power generation, hydro-electrics, and automation) allows him to provide solutions for manufacturing companies. Don has also served for 15 years as a member of local government on planning and zoning boards managing industrial, commercial, and residential growth.

 

Steve Creswick

Steve Creswick is a seasoned electrical engineer with experience in new product development, project management, and process engineering. Steve's ability to bring order to chaos as well as bring unique perspectives to problems makes him a valuable addition to any team, Steve has extensive experience in the automotive as well as the aerospace and defense industries.

 

Dan Mulder

Dan Mulder has more than 10 years of industry experience, following a 20 year career in the Air Force. Dan's Air Force experiences ranged from flying various aircraft to managing command and control functions. With a patent to his credit, Dan completed numerous R&D projects for the Air Force from space power to particle beam weapons.

Dan's industry experiences include R&D work at Sandia National Labs, new product development and
production for a technology firm, and serving as Electronics Manager at the small business level. Dan earned advanced degrees in Physics from Ohio State and the University of Illinois. His extensive DOD experience and government contracting work make him well-suited to assist companies that have an interest in expanding their government contracts.

Teresa Heger

Teresa Heger has more than 12 years of operational experience, primarily in the office furniture industry. Teresa most recently owned and operated Total Innovative Manufacturing, LLC. After 5 years as an owner of the company, Teresa sold her interest in the company to her partner.

Teresa’s operational experiences consist of: new product development, materials management, production management, and other management roles. Teresa is Jonah certified with extensive Lean Enterprise experience. She strives for continuous improvement, and has led Kaizen events and trained employees in Lean Enterprise philosophy, Kaizen techniques, and other operational skills. Teresa has a manufacturing administration degree from the School of Engineering at Western Michigan University.

Tinker AFB and Oklahoma City Associates

Mr. Ray Parker and Mr. Jamil Siddiqui both reside in the Oklahoma City area. They are both engineers with more than 50 years of combined experience working on-site at Tinker AFB in various engineering and management roles. They provide on-site support for BES clients that have business or are seeking business at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC). Their combined experience includes work with General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls Royce Corp. on various systems and engines.

Brandon Dekker

Brandon Dekker graduated from Northwood University in 2009 with a dual major in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship.