Strategic Clarity: From Conglomerate to "100-Year-Old Startup" | Carrier CEO, Dave Gitlin

Strategic Clarity: From Conglomerate to "100-Year-Old Startup" | Carrier CEO, Dave Gitlin

What happens when a 100-year-old industrial company suddenly has to operate like a startup? Dave Gitlin explains what it looked like to spin Carrier out of a major conglomerate in April 2020, exactly as COVID was turning into a global crisis. Almost immediately, the company had to navigate survival mode, rethink its operating model, reshape its portfolio, and define what Carrier would become as an independent business. What followed was a broader transformation around strategic focus, capital allocation, connected systems, AI infrastructure, and the future of thermal management. Dave shares how Carrier evolved from a traditional HVAC manufacturer into a thermal solutions company operating at the center of some of the largest infrastructure shifts of the modern era. Dave is the Chairman and CEO of Carrier and also serves on the board of Boeing following decades of leadership experience across Collins Aerospace and the former United Technologies businesses. What You'll Discover In This Episode * Spinning Carrier out of United Technologies during the start of COVID * Building a "100-year-old startup" with a new culture, operating system, and leadership rhythm * Using strategic clarity to reshape the portfolio and capital allocation * The growth of AI infrastructure and the cooling demands behind data centers * Moving from HVAC products to intelligent thermal solutions * Rethinking global manufacturing through lifecycle cost, cash flow, and customer proximity Guest Bio Dave Gitlin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david--gitlin/] is the Chairman and CEO of Carrier [https://www.carrier.com/]. He previously served as President & Chief Operating Officer of Collins Aerospace [https://www.rtx.com/collinsaerospace], and was President of UTC Aerospace Systems after leading the integration of Goodrich Corporation with UTC. In addition to his leadership roles, he has extensive experience in business development, strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. Gitlin holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com [http://thefactorydoctor.com] to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

Scaling the Defense Industrial Base in a Demand-Driven Era w/ George Whittier

Defense manufacturing is shifting from competing for programs to building the capacity to deliver them. Budgets are rising, demand is increasing, and timelines are compressing. As George Whittier explains, the challenge is no longer winning work; it's delivering at the scale and speed this moment requires. George is the CEO of Fairbanks Morse Defense and brings over 30 years of experience in commercial and defense manufacturing. He has led the company's transformation from an engine manufacturer into a supplier of critical equipment and lifecycle services to the U.S. Navy. What You'll Discover In This Episode * From fighting over programs to scaling industrial capacity * Moving beyond engines into full lifecycle equipment and services * The compression of shipbuilding timelines from years to near-term delivery pressure * Constraints across labor, supply chain, and materials * Leadership decisions under speed, pressure, and imperfect information Guest Bio George Whittier is the Chief Executive Officer of Fairbanks Morse Defense [https://www.fairbanksmorsedefense.com/], where he leads the company's expansion as a provider of mission-critical equipment, services, and technologies supporting the U.S. Navy and broader maritime defense ecosystem. A seasoned manufacturing and defense leader with over 30 years of experience, Whittier has played a central role in transforming the business from a traditional engine manufacturer into a diversified supplier delivering full lifecycle naval solutions. You can connect with him on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewhittier?utm_source=chatgpt.com]. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com [http://thefactorydoctor.com] to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

The Gap Between Mission Statement and Real Performance w/ Hexcel CEO Tom Gentile

When leaders look to improve performance in complex industrial businesses, the focus often turns to individual areas, operations, supply chain, quality, or workforce. Each part has its own targets, its own pressures, and its own way of measuring success. My guest on the show, Tom Gentile explains, performance is not driven by any one area on its own. It's driven by how well these parts operate together. Tom currently is the President and CEO of Hexcel and held executive leadership roles at Spirit Aerosystems, GE Aviation, GE Capital, and GE Healthcare, where he developed deep expertise in operations, productivity, and industrial systems. What You'll Discover In This Episode * The role safety and quality play in setting the standard for performance * Why performance breaks without alignment * How to translate a mission statement into execution * Why material science is shaping the future of performance and capability * When manufacturing capability becomes a national security issue Guest Bio Thomas Gentile is the President and CEO of Hexcel Corporation, a global leader in advanced composite materials. Over his career, he has led major turnarounds, improved operating performance, and driven growth across global organizations, including serving as a Senior Vice President at GE and a member of the Corporate Executive Council under former CEO Jeff Immelt. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and holds a degree in Economics (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the boards of Spirit AeroSystems and Synchrony Financial, and has also held leadership roles, including Chairman of Care Innovations (a GE and Intel joint venture) and Chairman and Director of InSightec. Connect with Tom on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgentile3/]. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com [http://thefactorydoctor.com] to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

You're Chasing Strategic Breakthroughs in the Wrong Place w/ex-Boeing VP Pat Shanahan

When companies are not hitting their business objectives or have poor customer satisfaction, a common comment to this is, "We need a new strategy." So after the Corporate Strategy Leader or Management Consultant completes the strategic assessment, many times what comes back is, "The Process." As my first guest, Pat Shanahan, pointed out, strategy is not a process. Pat brings decades of experience: * Former President/CEO of Spirit AeroSystems; * Former Senior VP at Boeing; * Deputy Sec of Defense and Acting Sec of Defense (2019). So how do you make your strategy come to life, create engagement in large, multi-functional organizations, and hit your strategic objectives? What You'll Discover In This Episode * The leadership secret to get the highest levels of engagement from your key people * How to turn naysayers into champions * The overlooked advantage of the American worker and how to leverage it * One thing you MUST know before you set goals * One tactic to get your people to take immediate problem-solving action * The first steps Pat recommends leaders take to put a strategic change into action * The one question Pat asked in meetings that drives deeper thinking and better performance * The biggest pitfall leaders fall into when looking for a 'strategy' breakthrough * How to build new strategic initiatives into your 'management system' to ensure that everyone owns their piece * How the tipping point of 1000 employees affects your change management and your chances of hitting new strategic objectives * How to make your strategy come to life * The key to reshoring that works * How the old model of 'blue collar vs white collar work' no longer applies Guest Bio Pat Shanahan is an experienced global business and government leader, most recently serving as President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems. Pat spent three decades with Boeing, with VP roles in Commercial Airplane Programs, Missile Defense Systems, and Rotorcraft Systems. In government, Pat served as the 33rd Deputy Secretary of Defense, as well as Acting Secretary of Defense (2019). About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com [http://thefactorydoctor.com] to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

From Factory Floors to the U.S. Commerce Dept: How It Changed My View of Industrial Policy

We're at a critical moment in American reindustrialization. We need more than good intentions or mission statements. That's why we're launching The Factory Doctor. In this first episode, Alex shares how he earned the nickname 'The Factory Doctor,' how his family and military background shaped his perspective, and how being inside the U.S. Commerce Department changed the way he thinks about industrial policy. What You'll Discover In This Episode * How leading soldiers twice his age in Kosovo turned out to be the best training ground for optimizing factories * How 20+ years inside Fortune 50 operations, supply chains, and factory floors shaped Alex into a different kind of industrial advisor * The quiet, decades-long erosion of American industrial capability…and the key to reindustrializing and reshoring the right way * Why Alex took one year away from his thriving consulting firm…and what building Patriot Industrial Partners from scratch revealed about the state of American industry * What Alex saw from inside the U.S. Commerce Department that most manufacturing executives never get to see * What Alex is focused on that he couldn't do from Washington * Why this moment in American reindustrialization demands more than good intentions…and how this show can be a part of the solution About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.