Arie Lax Email Address

Senior Systems Engineer

Astor Chocolate creates premium chocolate products from its manufacturing facility in Lakewood, N.J. The company specializes in providing options for hotel amenities, seasonal and occasional gifts, foodservice, corporate gift giving and private label manufacture. All Astor chocolates and truffles are made with Belgian chocolate. Gourmet retail products include Astor Stripes chocolate bars, Le Belge chocolates, fondue, dessert cups and shells, chess sets and caffettos. Astor Chocolate also offers chocolate thins, truffle assortments, specialty items, Kahlua Chocolates and baking ingredients.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” ... "Luck is the residue of preparation." ... "No plan survives first contact; adapt." I’m an executive with experience building transformative solutions for organizations and forming result-driven improvements in process, structure, and operations. A Technology leader with proven capabilities in managing company operations and practical proficiency directing and succeeding in complex implementations in Manufacturing, Finance, Distribution, Retail, Private Label, and Co-Manufacturing. Successes: SAP, Salesforce, IoT, Proprietary ERP Solutions, BI, Financials, Costing, Forecasting and Analysis, Production Floor Automation, MRP, Inventory, Labor and Cost Reduction, Formulation, Recipes and Batching, WMS and Material Handling, MRO, Direct Store Delivery, QC/QA, Serialization, and SQF Certification. A senior executive who has worked in multiple industries aligning technology goals with business objectives and is adept at developing strategies that promote a shared corporate vision, fostering teamwork and collaboration, and building strong internal and external relationships to drive organizational success and growth. Dedicated, results-driven leader with exceptional technical, problem solving, and written/verbal communication skills, as well as a proven track record of delivering comprehensive, multi-disciplined projects on time and within budget. Significant initiatives have led to substantial proven growth in revenue and an excess of $10MM in savings since inception. I have successfully managed multiple large and complex projects. I am responsible for all IT operations for three facilities, including our corporate manufacturing HQ in New Jersey, manufacturing facilities in Napa, California, and our Las Vegas, Nevada DS. My responsibilities include capital improvements and operating budgets, operations management, retaining staff, daily business technology continuance, business process analysis, and refinement.