John Cronin, RIMES CEO / Professional Business Advisor

John administers a full-service business development service providing local manufacturers with tools to sustain their profitable growth. RIMES is an independent not-for-profit corporation funded in part by client fees for lean enterprise management, engineering and training services. Public sector support leverages company investments through the RIMES affiliation with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network..

Over the 5 years that John has lead RIMES, he has transformed the company to a complete-solutions team recognized as a national leader based on high customer satisfaction and economic impacts. Integrated services including lean enterprise development, marketing / supply chain development, Six-Sigma, facility layout, ISO 9000/quality systems, executive coaching and workforce development has enabled RIMES to serve over 500 manufacturers since 1998 who report annual impacts of $35M in increased sales; $11M in decreased costs; and an estimated 470 jobs created or retained as a direct result of RIMES projects.

Prior to his current leadership role with RIMES, he was the Executive Director of the Greater Rhode Island Regional Employment and Training Board, the Director of Operations for the Economic Innovation Center in Newport, a Town Planner in North Kingstown and a Truck Loader/Union Steward with UPS.

John is a board member of the Northeastern Economic Developers Association. He is a founding member of the Manufacturing Summit and the president of the Manufacturing Supply Chain Consortium. He also donates time as a mentor with the RI Children's Crusade and as a basketball coach with the N. Kingstown Recreation Department.

He is a graduate of Brown University, and holds a BA degree in Economics. He also holds a Masters in Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island.