RON PLACHNO

41451 Grand View Drive Cell: 951-760-5557

Murrieta, CA 92562 Email: ron@rpsoft2000.com

CAREER SUMMARY
A very wide range of experience including Motorola VP of Engineering and Manufacturing in both Domestic
US and the also the UK (three years in the UK), to a Sr. VP of Manufacturing Operations for Novatel Wireless
at its startup, business consulting, plus the startup of two new businesses at a personal level. Experiences in the
startup locations include not only some of the previous Engineering and Manufacturing skills, but also finance,
more profit and loss experience, negotiations, software, customer service, some sales and even, of course, added
jobs including marketing, customer relations, website creation, web sales and more.

CURRENT SITUATION
As you read the below you will note that I began several entrepreneurial activities including two businesses that
are still in operation: About Wireless, Inc. and rpsoft2000 ® software. However, I have structured both such
that I do not have daily activities with either of these businesses at this time. With About Wireless, Inc. my
current role is that of being one of the founders, one of its two investors, and a board member for occasional
meetings. I am, therefore, free to pursue new challenges. I am partially open minded to opportunities, but I of
course would prefer a challenge where both myself and new employer could take advantage of my background
knowledge and successes.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ENTREPENURIAL, ABOUT WIRELESS INC. (Murrieta, CA) Jan 2005 to Present

I began a California Corporation with my wife and son with our enterprise called About Wireless Inc. whose
purpose is retail store sales for cellular phones. At its height after about 3 years, the business had achieved
profit, and had consisted of two operating store business fronts selling cellular phones, service, and accessories,
and gross income was just under $1 million per year. While much of that time we were exclusive to Nextel, and
then Sprint / Nextel via contract, at times we also did sell T-Mobile and Verizon cellular phones and accessories.
At this time my position there is of course still as a founder, but also as a board member without day to day
activities in the corporation. http://www.about-wireless.com/

ENTREPENURIAL, CONSULTING and RPSOFT2000 ® (Murrieta, CA) Mar 2002 to Present

I have contracted with Infopro Corp. for multiple on-line executive business courses as subject matter expert on
12 courses total. I also am founder of rpsoft2000 ® software, a profitable software company with internet sales.
Rpsoft2000 ® software has 13 US copyrights with the Library of Congress, plus its own US registered
trademark and has sales to over 25 countries. Rpsoft2000 ® software continues profitably and with very few
returns or complaints, but it mostly runs by itself and is not a high rate of income. http://www.rpsoft2000.com/

NOVATEL WIRELESS INC. San Diego, CA Jan 2001 to March 2002

(New Exciting Operation in wireless data communications just passed its IPO stage when joined)
Sr. Vice President of Operations, San Diego, CA
Responsible for Internal Manufacturing and Contract Manufacturing Operations. Achieved getting Operations
costs in line within the company with the following wins:
• Achieved significant reduction in internal costing in the areas of: contract manufacturer margin (50% or
more), freight (50% reduction), capital equipment / depreciation (50%), and variation (75% reduction
expected).
• Reduced the number of contract manufacturers from a starting point of 4 growing to 6 (plus internal
manufacturing) down to a single outsourced partner, which was one of the most esteemed in the business.
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• Negotiated an even split of excess inventory with the prime contract manufacturer, closed internal
stockrooms selling off the parts, and saved the company more than $6 million in inventory in the process.
• Achieved a reduction to less than one fourth the previous Operations team with a simultaneous improvement
in impact

THE MOTOROLA CORPORATION, Illinois Chicago Suburbs 1971 to 2000

($30 billion supplier of networked systems and electronic communication equipment)
Vice President and Director Illinois Mfg., CMD / NSS, Arlington Heights, Illinois (1998 to 2000)

Responsible for NSS Illinois Manufacturing for a $1 billion/year, 2500 person, multi-plant operation. Also
responsible for the consolidation and outsourcing of that business to other Motorola locations and to contract
manufacturers.

• Achieved a $64 million inventory reduction, 50% internal quality improvement (was previously stalled), and
a ten to one improvement in delivery performance to promise date.
• Achieved a one-third force reduction with a 33% improvement in productivity.
• Established an excellent Outsourcing team to look for business alternatives to internal manufacturing, and
outsourced approx $400 million per year of business to three major contract manufacturers.
• Successfully achieved closing of major facility, while maintaining dignity of personnel and positive
community relations. Outsourced product to other Motorola facilities and external contract manufacturers.
Vice President and Director of GSM Current Product Operations, Swindon, England (1994 to 1997)
Shared responsibility for P&L management for global $1 billion/year, 1200 person multi-plant supplier of GSM
Cellular Systems. Led Hardware Design Engineering and Manufacturing solely and directly.
• Was the first person asked by Motorola to move to England and fix this $1 billion a year business that was
losing $100 million per year, with quality judged by a customer to be 3 times less than the prime competitor.
• Achieved profitability (previously a loss business) and won back a major customer previously lost.
• Achieved a four to one field reliability improvement, changing our quality image to a most positive one and
also achieved a marked improvement in delivery to promise date.
• Led our Hardware Engineering team to release the world’s first Microcell Base Station, announcing at the
Germany Hanover fair. This accomplishment put competitors in a catch - up mode.
• Led Engineering team to a new base station product release, that was half the parts and half the cost of the
previous model. This new model helped propel this loss division into profitability.

PREVIOUS EXPEIENCE (Illinois) Before 1994

After college I was employed by Magnavox in Urbana, Illinois at first as an electrical engineer and established
myself there, and after a year began receiving the more interesting projects. After 3 years I left for Motorola,
where I again worked as establishing myself as a credible engineer who could achieve profit for them, and
worked my way through the ranks as Engineering Group Leader, Engineering Section Manager, and then of
course to Operations Manager, Director titles and finally VP of Operations.

EDUCATION
BSEE, Electrical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
Six Masters courses, Digital Electronics/Software, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
Seminars in Outsourcing and Negotiations among other Management Skills