Scott Cran has over 20 years of experience in human resources, including his current role as Director of Human Resources for the North Region at Dean Foods, where he oversees HR operations for 9 divisions. He has expertise in labor relations, employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development. Previously, he held HR leadership roles at Garelick Farms and Reiter Dairy, where he successfully negotiated union contracts and maintained non-union status. Cran received a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management and has additional training in areas such as labor arbitration, negotiating union contracts, and employment law.
Dynamic HR Leader with Expertise in Labor Relations, Employee Engagement, and Continuous Improvement
1. SCOTT M. CRAN
scran22@gmail.com
Dynamic Human Resource Leader with a proven track record adding value with these capabilities:
Labor Relations Employee Relations
Workforce Planning Union Avoidance
Employee Engagement Succession Planning
Performance Management Employment Law
Leadership Development Continuous Improvement
Professional Experience:
Dean Foods, 2003 - Present
Director of Human Resources, North Region, 2011 – Present
Direct accountability for the North Region Human Resource teams including 9 divisions, with
7000 employees in 38 operating plants and distribution sites. 6 Sr. HRBPs, 13 HRBPs and 18
HRCs.
Led the Regional Leadership in the development of People Planning for HR, Commercial and
Operations. Identified bench strength as well as development needs of potential candidates for
General Managers, Sales Managers, Plant Managers and the Human Resource Organization.
Provide day to day employee relations support to the regional and divisional teams working with
the corporate Labor Team in both union (25 Bargaining Units) and non-union work forces.
Negotiated 5 Collective Bargaining Agreements and managed the grievance processes.
Led HR teams to successfully avert 7 Unionization attempts.
Drove Performance Management program which aligned the work of 350 salaried professionals
within the North Region.
Led Dean National Academy training sessions in Essentials of Supervision to all Supervisors and
Professional Sales Negotiations to all Sales Representatives that negotiate contracts with
customers.
Delivered Franklin Covey “Speed of Trust” training to North Region functional leaders and all 9
Field Leadership teams.
Senior Human Resource Manager, Northeast Region: 2009 - 2011
Implemented a plan to provide strategic HR leadership and more consistent application of HR
administrative responsibilities throughout the region while reducing HR salary expense by
$700,000.
Direct accountability for the Human Resource teams at Tuscan Dairy Farms, Broughton Foods,
Reiter Dairy, Dean Dairy and Meadow Brook operating companies, including an HR staff of 5
HRBPs and 4 HRCs responsible for 1000 employees.
Led the implementation of the “Improving Performance”, a Performance Management Process for
the Northeast region ensuring all exempt employees have objectives consistent with the Company’s
Strategic Plan, it also fostered on-going coaching with formal review of performance at mid-year
and year-end.
Northeast Group Common Market Structure Champion, leading this redesign of the Sales
organization, providing a nationally consistent “go-to-market” strategy and reducing $3,000,000 of
salary.
Led Achieve Global training modules at multiple locations throughout the Dean Foods
organization as part of the rollout of the Continuous Improvement initiative.
Handled escalated employee relations issues for the Northeast Group.
Cell: 508-918-6008 18 Hales Pond Lane
Wrentham, MA 02093
2. Human Resource Manager, Garelick Farms, Franklin MA: 2004 - 2009
Served as the Human Resource Manager for both Garelick Farms of Franklin as well as Miscoe
Springs supporting approximately 600 employees.
Maintained union free status at Garelick Farms of Franklin. The Company prevailed in the one
campaign by IAM that resulted in an election by a 2:1 margin. Several other card signing attempts
never resulted in petitions.
Facilitated a Labor Cost Reduction imitative; reducing labor and benefits costs by greater than
$1,200,000 without negatively impacting the business.
Provided Leadership Training to managers, supervisors and foreman using Achieve Global
materials and Tandem Training.
Human Resource Manager, Reiter Dairy, Akron Ohio: 2003 – 2004
Served as HR Manager for Reiter Dairy; Akron, OH including a depot in Ashtabula, OH.
Negotiated a 3 year contract with Teamsters local 348 including several critical benefit concessions
by the union.
Outsourced the fleet maintenance function and negotiated the terms of the Garage closure with the
union.
Caraustar Mill Group, 1992 - 2002
Human Resource Manager, Coated Paperboard Division: 1996 -2002
Served as Human Resource Manager for Caraustar’s 3 coated paperboard mills located in Ohio,
Iowa and Connecticut
Managed employee labor relations. Negotiated labor contracts with 4 local unions. Handled union
grievances internally as well as through third party arbitrations.
Supervisor development. Trained employees using Analytical Troubleshooting (root cause
analysis), Development Dimensions International supervisory skills, safety observations and
incident investigation skills.
Recruited, interviewed and hired for all levels of the $150MM organization.
Served as member of Caraustar’s senior HR group in annual evaluations and recommended
changes to employee benefits in order to help control costs.
Coordinated and managed the benefits administration for the division.
Oversaw the safety performance where we realized a 50% reduction in the Lost Time Incident
Record and Total Case Incident Record.
Human Resource Manager, Midwest Mill Division: 1994 – 1996
Responsible for the HR function for Caraustar’s 4 Midwest papermills, manufacturing tube and
core stock, located in Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. These duties included labor
relations, contract negotiations, grievance arbitration, and EEOC complaint processing. Oversaw
staffing, hiring, firing, and organizational development as well as benefit compensation.
Responsible for the Cincinnati Paperboard’s safety program.
Account Manager, Cincinnati Paperboard: 1992 – 1994
Sold recycled paperboard to converters in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina
and South Carolina.
Established customer relationships, developed new customers and increased Caraustar’s market
share within my territory.
Education: Chapman University, Orange, California
Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations, December, 1988
Emphasis: Human Resource Management and Development
Additional Certificates:
Certified Trainer for Achieve Global, Development Dimensions International (DDI), Kepner-
Trego, Analytical Troubleshooting (ATS)
Labor Arbitration Advocacy, Labor Arbitration Services
Negotiating and Administering the Labor Contract, University of Michigan
Certificate in Employee Relations Law Seminar, Institute for Applied Management and Law, Inc.