John S. Kokoska brings more than 32 years of professional experience managing financially distressed and underperforming companies. With more than 130 assignments as a turnaround consultant, interim manager and financial advisor, he has assisted clients in a broad range of industries, including:

Automotive parts manufacturing Catalog and mail order Distribution Healthcare Light and heavy manufacturing

Lumber, paper, wood products Metal foundries and smelting Multi-store retail National franchising Service

As an interim executive, he has served as CEO, CFO and chief restructuring officer. Significant assignments and accomplishments include:

• Interim CEO of a $180 million Tier I automotive manufacturing company, where he led an extensive restructuring in which the stamping, prototype and truck body divisions were sold, resulting in 900 jobs saved
• Led the restructuring of a lumber mill operation with two mills producing dimensional lumber for the construction market, as well as a multi-plant CCA wood treater, which also had a mill operation producing wood products for the lawn and garden market
• Led a viability assessment and turnaround strategy project for a nursing home chain operating in five states, resulting in improved operating expense reimbursement, lowering costs and achieving profitability

Adept at providing practical solutions quickly and efficiently, Mr. Kokoska is an expert on viability assessment. He has led numerous programs to address customer-mandated cost reductions, upgrade quality policies and training, improve contribution margin through pricing and yield and meet JIT requirements.   He has spearheaded turnaround strategy development and plan implementation projects. Additionally, Mr. Kokosa has extensive experience in restructuring secured and unsecured debt, as well as obtaining refinancing and equity participation. He is skilled in creditor relations, union negotiations and bankruptcy matters.

His merger and acquisition experience includes managing buy-side due diligence, negotiation of terms and assistance with transition activities. His going-concern sale assignments have involved preparing businesses for sale, management of sales activities, identifying qualified buyers, marketing, and assessing potential offers and buyer capability.

Prior to entering consulting, Mr. Kokoska was employed by several privately held and publicly traded companies in senior-management positions in finance and operations.

Mr. Kokoska started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He is a Certified Turnaround Professional, a CPA and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Western Illinois University.