Company Name
Rochester Midland Corporation
Search Job Title
VP of Supply Chain
Client Profile
Rochester Midland Corporation is a 135-year-old specialty chemicals manufacturer serving industrial, institutional, and commercial markets. After being family-led for multiple generations, the business entered a new chapter following its sale to private equity and the appointment of its first external chief executive officer.
This transition created a clear mandate to modernize and professionalize the organization, particularly across the supply chain. The new ownership structure required improved operational efficiency, stronger service performance, and a leadership team capable of supporting both organic growth and future acquisition activity while positioning the company for long-term value creation.
Role Objectives & Challenges
The newly appointed CEO engaged SCM Talent Group to conduct a confidential search for a Vice President of Supply Chain who could lead end-to-end transformation across a multi-site manufacturing footprint. This was the first time in the company’s history that an external executive had been hired into a role of this scope, making leadership credibility and cultural alignment as critical as technical capability.
The role required an executive who could modernize systems and processes, improve service levels, and remove cost while maintaining trust with a highly tenured workforce. At the same time, the leader needed to think strategically, building a scalable supply chain organization that could support private-equity growth objectives, integration of future acquisitions, and eventual exit readiness.
Our Approach to Solve the Search
SCM Talent Group entered the engagement with a deep understanding of the CEO’s leadership expectations, having partnered with him previously to place multiple senior supply chain executives at another organization. That existing relationship enabled immediate alignment on urgency, candidate profile, and the level of impact required from the hire.
The search focused on identifying supply chain leaders from specialty chemical manufacturing environments that closely matched Rochester Midland’s size, complexity, and operational maturity. Particular emphasis was placed on candidates with hands-on manufacturing experience and broad, end-to-end supply chain responsibility, rather than narrowly functional backgrounds. Cultural fit was paramount, as the incoming executive would need to lead change within an organization with long-standing institutional knowledge.
Geography was approached strategically. While the role was headquartered in Rochester, New York, SCM Talent Group evaluated talent in locations that offered strong travel connectivity and practical hybrid leadership models. Chicago quickly emerged as a primary market, supplemented by additional Midwestern and Northeastern locations. This targeted approach allowed the firm to move quickly without sacrificing quality.
Early in the process, SCM Talent Group identified two candidates who closely matched the required profile. Both progressed rapidly through interviews, creating a competitive environment that allowed the client to move decisively and confidently toward a final decision.
The Hire & Results
The search was completed in under two months from kickoff to accepted offer. Rochester Midland successfully hired a Vice President of Supply Chain with deep manufacturing roots, strong change-management capability, and the leadership presence required to guide the organization through its next phase of growth.
Within the first few months, feedback from all stakeholders was highly positive. The candidate described the role as a dream opportunity with meaningful runway to make an enterprise-level impact. The CEO, CHRO, and private equity sponsors expressed strong confidence in the hire and the direction of the supply chain transformation.
The success of the engagement extended beyond the initial placement. Shortly after the role was filled, the CEO reached out to SCM Talent Group regarding an additional executive need within another private-equity portfolio company, this time for a Chief Supply Chain Officer at a food and beverage manufacturer. The referral underscored the trust built through execution, speed, and outcomes, and reflected the type of long-term partnership clients can expect when working with SCM Talent Group.
This engagement demonstrates SCM Talent Group’s ability to deliver senior supply chain leadership in complex, private-equity-backed environments while maintaining pace, quality, and alignment across all stakeholders.
