Fractional & Consulting Leadership

Gene
Cadiz

Principal, TFC Advisors — Solutions and Trust

20+ year CPG executive delivering enterprise-level supply chain, procurement & operations leadership on a fractional basis. I embed as a trusted partner, drive measurable outcomes, and leave your team stronger than I found it.

Work With Me View Services
TFC Advisors — Solutions and Trust
20+
Years CPG Leadership
$10M
Procurement Savings in 3 Yrs
1,000+
Employees Led at Peak
33
Products Commercialized
About Gene

Problem Solver.
Trusted Partner.
Relationship Builder.

I'm a transformative CPG leader with two decades of hands-on expertise across supply chain, procurement, operations, and continuous improvement. I've opened greenfield manufacturing facilities from the ground up, negotiated multi-million dollar supplier agreements, and led cross-functional teams through challenges including a global pandemic — consistently delivering measurable results.

As Principal of TFC Advisors, I bring that same enterprise-level rigor and servant leadership to companies on a fractional or project basis. Whether you need a seasoned operator to stabilize your supply chain, a skilled negotiator to build a savings pipeline, or a trusted partner to mentor your operations team — I embed and get to work.

I hold a B.S. in Food Science & Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois and completed Six Sigma Black Belt Training through the University of Illinois Business Innovation Services. Proficient in SAP, SAP Business One, NetSuite, Qlikview, Power BI, and MS Office.

Based in Park Ridge, IL — available on-site and remotely, nationwide.

Areas of Expertise

Supply Chain Management
Procurement & Sourcing
Operations Leadership
Cost Reduction
S&OP Planning
Supplier Relationship Mgmt
Commercialization / NPD
Risk Mitigation
Lean Six Sigma
ERP Implementation
P&L Management
Data Analytics
Project Management
Cross-Functional Collab.
Team Building & Coaching
Negotiation
What I Offer

Fractional & Consulting Services

Every engagement is built around accountability and measurable outcomes — not slide decks. I embed as a trusted partner and work alongside your team to get things done.

01

Fractional VP / Director of Supply Chain

Part-time executive leadership for CPG companies that need seasoned supply chain oversight without a full-time hire. Supplier relationships, planning cycles, procurement strategy, and team development on your timeline.

02

Procurement & Sourcing Strategy

End-to-end procurement support — supplier identification, RFP management, multi-year contract negotiation, and spend control. I've managed $60M+ spend budgets and built savings pipelines exceeding $5M.

03

Operations & Plant Start-Up

Proven experience designing, building, and opening large-scale GFSI-certified manufacturing facilities. I've launched multiple 500k–1M sq ft plants — hiring teams, setting KPIs, and hitting production targets from day one.

04

Cost Reduction & Process Improvement

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt-trained with a history of delivering $2M–$10M in savings across operations, packaging, external manufacturing, and logistics. Quick wins and durable improvement pipelines.

05

Commercialization & New Product Launch

Built and led commercialization processes from scratch — 33 products launched in 2.5 years, including Walmart exclusives delivered ahead of schedule. I bridge supply chain, sales, and marketing to move faster.

06

ERP & Systems Implementation

Co-led implementations of SAP, SAP Business One, NetSuite, Qlikview, Power BI, and CMMS/EAM systems. Technology that sticks — with hands-on training and change management included.

Results That Speak

The Numbers

$10M
Procurement savings
over 3 years at Sara Lee
+17%
Supply performance
improvement
300%
Sales growth supported
at Natural Sourcing Int'l
99%
Order fill rate achieved
(100% to Amazon)
Career History

20 Years of Proven Leadership

A track record built across some of the most demanding CPG environments — from pandemic-era supply chains to greenfield facility launches.

TFC Advisors
2026 – Present
Principal

Founded to deliver two decades of CPG operational expertise to companies as a fractional leader and strategic consultant — focused on supply chain, procurement, operations, and commercialization.

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery
2020 – 2026
Sr. Manager Procurement — Multiple Roles

Progressed through Supply Chain Manager → Head of Packaging → Material Supply & Operations over six years at a major frozen CPG brand in Oak Brook Terrace, IL.

  • Managed $60M packaging spend; delivered $10M savings over 3 years with a $5M pipeline
  • Improved supply issue "No-Impact Rate" from 76% to 89%
  • Negotiated multi-year contracts locking in 80% of packaging spend
  • Led QBRs and joint improvement plans with all strategic suppliers
Natural Sourcing International
2017 – 2020
Director of Operations – Midwest

Built the Midwest operations infrastructure to support 300% sales growth in 3 years, sourcing and managing co-manufacturers, 3PLs, and warehouses.

  • Launched commercialization process; 33 products to market in 2.5 years including Walmart
  • Increased order fulfillment 90% → 99% (100% fill rate to Amazon)
  • Reduced inventory from $1.2M to $800k while improving accuracy to 98%
  • Co-led SAP Business One ERP implementation
Ferrara Candy Company
2014 – 2017
Sr. Operations / Plant Manager

Led the full design, construction, and opening of a 24/6, three-shift BRC "AA"-rated packaging facility employing ~1,000 people.

  • Delivered $2.1M in Year 1 savings through throughput improvements and labor optimization
  • Launched 23 production lines in under 2 years; achieved OEE of 80% within first year
  • All start-up goals met on schedule and within budget; staffing fill rate 96% vs 95% target
Peacock Foods
(now Maker's Pride)
2007 – 2014
Operations, Commercialization, CI & QA Manager

Rapidly promoted across four disciplines over 7 years — from QA through CI, Commercialization, and Operations Manager of a 500k sq ft USDA facility with 750 employees.

  • Opened 500k sq ft facility; SQF Level 3 certification within first 3 months of operation
  • Saved $5M through integrated Lean/Six Sigma CI programs across 4 facilities
  • Reduced downtime 50%; drove consumer complaints to <20 CPMU
  • Led EAM/CMMS (TabWare) sourcing and full system implementation
Get In Touch

Let's Build Something Together

☎
Phone
847.962.3285
✉
Email
gene@tfcadvise.com
in
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/genecadiz
◎
Location
Park Ridge, IL — Available nationwide

"Solutions and Trust —
that's what every
engagement is built on."