Dennis Kirby
Louisville
Summary
Strategic and operational finance executive with 25+ years leading growth, transformation, and value creation across complex, high-growth, and capital-intensive manufacturing environments. Known for building forward-looking finance organizations, strengthening operational discipline, and leading companies through turnarounds, integrations, M&A, and large-scale expansion. A people-centered leader who connects seamlessly from the production floor to the boardroom and delivers measurable improvements in P&L performance, cash, and organizational effectiveness.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Financial Officer
HMI Glass, Inc
Louisville, KY
01.2024 - 01.2026
- Mandate: Transform a reactive finance function, improve operational performance, and strengthen cash, cost, and supply chain effectiveness across three facilities.
- Rebuilt the finance organization into a forward-facing, decision-support function by removing structural barriers, redefining roles, and embedding operational finance into daily execution.
- Delivered $0.5MM in cost savings by designing and executing volume-leveraged sourcing strategies across three plants.
- Harmonized financial reporting to shift from historical reporting to real-time, value-add analytics that improved speed and quality of decision-making.
- Led supply chain restructuring, creating a high-performing team that achieved $4.0MM in reduced input costs.
- Increased inventory turns from 1.9 to 3.6, reducing inventory by $4.0MM through targeted actions in planning, scheduling, and supplier alignment.
Chief Financial Officer (Interim)
DRT Holdings, LLC
Cincinnati, OH
01.2023 - 01.2024
- Mandate: Right-size the business, stabilize performance, and integrate a newly acquired company.
- Delivered $1MM in cost savings by developing and executing cross-business cost-reduction and spending-leverage initiatives.
- Built and executed the acquisition integration playbook, aligning systems, reporting, controls, and organizational structure.
- Standardized financial reporting to enable real-time decision-making and improve operational accountability across three distinct businesses.
Executive Vice President – North America
Flanders
Evansville, IN
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Mandate: Lead strategic turnaround, drive operational performance, and execute strategic growth.
- Designed and executed a Stability–Standardization–Optimization turnaround strategy, restoring operational discipline and improving performance within 18 months.
- Restructured the organization and built a centralized supply chain function that delivered $1MM+ in annual savings.
- Refocused the sales organization on wallet-share expansion, enabling targeted regions to double revenue within two years.
Chief Financial Officer/ Vice President of Finance
JAC Products, Inc.
Saline, MI
01.2012 - 01.2021
- Mandate: Lead global expansion, M&A, capital deployment, and operational finance for a high-growth automotive supplier.
- Led global expansion across North America, Asia, and Europe, including greenfield launches and acquisition integration to support growth toward $1B revenue.
- Managed North American greenfield facility from concept through start-of-production, delivering on time and within budget.
- Refinanced $170MM in credit facilities, strengthening liquidity and supporting growth investments.
- Directed M&A strategy, identifying and executing opportunities that increased shareholder value.
- Preserved $20MM in cash during COVID-19 through rapid scenario modeling, cost actions, and disciplined working capital management.
- Served as Chairperson of the Board for JAC China, providing governance and strategic oversight.
Vice President of Finance for Global Chassis Division
Affinia Group Inc.
Chicago, IL
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Led the carve-out of the Global Chassis business, establishing standalone financial processes, systems, and reporting.
- Integrated a newly acquired $45MM business into standard operating processes.
- Developed product costing models to evaluate customer and product profitability.
- Prepared the division for sale, including Quality of Earnings and CIM development.
Complex Finance Leader
Johns Manville
Waterville, OH
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Oversaw financial management for the company’s largest furnace operations, including capital investments from $0.5MM to $60MM.
- Implemented SAP across two 24/7 facilities with zero production or customer impact.
- Created financial models to minimize EBITDA impact during the 2008 downturn.
- Supported labor negotiations, contributing to the company’s first 5-year union contract.
- Developed and mentored finance talent, including succession planning for the Controller role.
Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis
Danaher Motion
01.1994 - 01.2008
Senior Financial Analyst
ABB Inc.
01.1994 - 01.2008
General Accounting Manager
Alcoa Fujikura Network Services
01.1994 - 01.2008
Accounts Receivable Manager
National Diabetic Pharmacies
01.1994 - 01.2008
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting & Finance
Radford University
Radford, VA01-1994
Skills
- Executive Leadership
- Organizational Design
- Operational Turnarounds
- Financial Turnarounds
- Cash Flow Optimization
- Working Capital Optimization
- M&A
- Integrations
- Carve-Outs
- Supply Chain Transformation
- Cost Transformation
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Execution
- Private Equity
- High Growth Environments
Community Service
- Anthony Wayne High School, Treasurer, 2015, 2017
- Junior Generals Baseball, President, 2015, 2018
- Generals Baseball, Boosters, & HS Lacrosse, Member at Large, 2018, 2020
- Lacrosse Booster, President, 2021, 2022
Earlier Roles
- Danaher Motion, Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis, 01/01/94, 12/31/94
- ABB Inc., Senior Financial Analyst, 01/01/94, 12/31/94
- Alcoa Fujikura Network Services, General Accounting Manager, 01/01/94, 12/31/94
- National Diabetic Pharmacies, Accounts Receivable Manager, 01/01/94, 12/31/94
Timeline
Chief Financial Officer
HMI Glass, Inc
01.2024 - 01.2026
Chief Financial Officer (Interim)
DRT Holdings, LLC
01.2023 - 01.2024
Executive Vice President – North America
Flanders
01.2021 - 01.2023
Chief Financial Officer/ Vice President of Finance
JAC Products, Inc.
01.2012 - 01.2021
Vice President of Finance for Global Chassis Division
Affinia Group Inc.
01.2011 - 01.2012
Complex Finance Leader
Johns Manville
01.2008 - 01.2011
Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis
Danaher Motion
01.1994 - 01.2008
Senior Financial Analyst
ABB Inc.
01.1994 - 01.2008
General Accounting Manager
Alcoa Fujikura Network Services
01.1994 - 01.2008
Accounts Receivable Manager
National Diabetic Pharmacies
01.1994 - 01.2008
Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting & Finance
Radford University