Tom Pettit

Chief Operations Officer at Xylem

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

About

As a Chief Operating Officer and IT and Cyber leader, I transform businesses’ value chains to deliver measurable customer and financial results, year after year while improving risk and resiliency. Drawing on my breadth of financial and P&L leadership, as well as experience in renowned organizations such as West Point, McKinsey, GE and US Army, I develop forward-thinking strategies and practical execution plans. My success improving profits and cash flow includes leading complex global operations and commercial organizations in multiple industries ranging from industrial, high tech, logistics, services, consumer, and healthcare. As current and past COO in public companies, I am known for my expertise in transforming businesses through process and technology improvement, and creating a culture of learning and disciplined execution. Often called on to quickly assess and improve challenging situations, I build and develop teams that increase accountability and solve problems, and collaborate with colleagues to build alignment. I improve quality and speed of decision making and execution by utilizing data analytics and AI, and modernizing IT systems. As a leader, I elevate the urgency, accountability and problem solving of my teams and peers. As a member of a leadership team I am known for bringing innovative thinking, partnering with peers for alignment, and accelerating impact. I am skilled at collaborating across boundaries between business units, functions, countries and organizational levels. In a future Board of Directors or Advisory role, I will leverage my depth and expierience in strategy, P&L, risk management, IT / Cybersecurity / AI, growth, operations and talent to coach and support Management to increase shareholder value, year after year.

Experience

  • Chief Operations Officer (with responsibility for IT and Cyber) at Xylem
    Nov 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 9 mos

    Lead Integrated Supply Chain, Operations and IT/cyber team for $9B revenue global water equipment and solutions company, supporting global business units and regions. CEO direct report. Oversee all Xylem operations, driving customer experience, operational excellence, information technology, cyber, lean continuous improvement, 80/20 simplification, and business continuity planning across the company globally.

  • COO at Generac Power Systems
    Feb 2020 - Nov 2022 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Managed an amazing team responsible for Order Management, Planning, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Logistics, Customer Care, and Aftermarket Service P&L. Reported to CEO. More than doubled the company in under 3 years, overcoming incredible supply chain, logistics, labor and inflation challenges during and resulting from the pandemic. Improved resiliency of supply chain, manufacturing and logistics footprint. Developed and executed digital strategy to improve customer experience and financial performance. Strengthened talent and leadership and lean enterprise culture, problem solving, processes and results. Upgraded contact center technology and processes and implemented salesforce.com CRM to improve customer experience and growth. Grew aftermarket parts and services P&L while improving quality and warranty.

  • Chief Supply Chain Officer, EVP at nVent (spin off of Pentair)
    Apr 2018 - Oct 2019 · 1 yr 7 mos

    Created new CSCO role to successfully spin out former Pentair division into independent, public company nVent. Managed Operations, Procurement, Planning, Logistics, Manufacturing, Quality, Lean, EHS and Real Estate for global electrical products company. Helped stand up the new company and operations function, then decentralized operations and supply chain and eliminated central team, including CSCO role.

  • SVP Global Operations & Supply at Pentair
    Nov 2015 - Apr 2018 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    Rehired to support four global business units of a $7B industrial company to improve employee, customer and shareholder processes and results. Worked at Pentair and spinout nVent for 9 of last 12 years. Led transformation in lean enterprise, supply excellence, operational excellence, logistics, zero harm EHS, and real estate. Directly managed corporate operations and supply team, and indirectly managed 100 plants and $3B of direct materials spend. Led turn around of Valves and Controls operations and sale to Emerson, and separation of Pentair Water from nVent Electric (Operations, Sourcing, Real Estate, people) to unlock shareholder value. Promoted to Chief Supply Chain Officer (Operations COO) of spin out company nVent.

  • Chief Operating Officer at Option Care Health (acquired Bioscrip Inc.)
    Jul 2014 - Nov 2015 · 1 yr 5 mos

    Led $1B home infusion segment of public pharmaceutical services company Bioscrip, with 2500 employees in 80 locations. Managed operations, pharmacy, nursing, human resources, clinical sales, and reimbursement. Developed and executed business transformation plan to deliver patient, payer and provider satisfaction, and financial objectives.