President & CEO of Tightlines Advisors, John Abplanalp, recently participated as part of a panel of industry-expert judges at Fordham Foundry’s VentureUP competition. This premier event is a self-described “launchpad for new ventures led by Fordham alumni and current students.”
Having earned his MBA from Fordham University, John actively devotes time and energy in support of his alma mater through a variety of activities. He was initially approached to assist in acquiring support funding for the annual VentureUP competition. However, with his many years of entrepreneurial and venture equity experience, John was also deemed an outstanding choice to join the event’s panel of judges.
The Fordham Foundry is Fordham University’s center for studies in innovation and entrepreneurship, making the organization ideally suited to organize and host this type of event. Offering a total of $40,000 of prizes throughout the event, the competition consists of teams of innovators, each making a ten-minute pitch for investment to the panel of judges in hopes of securing the $25,000 grand prize in cash and services for their idea. “The level of intelligence, insight and planning that the participants brought to the table was exceptional,” said Abplanalp in reflecting on the event. “It’s encouraging to see and hear the visions of our next generation of youthful entrepreneurs.”
In announcing John’s selection to the prestigious panel, the event sponsors cited his thirty-five-years in manufacturing, his tenure as CEO and President of Precision Valve Corporation and Chairman of the Board from 2013 to 2015, as well as his service on the Executive Board of the Consumer Specialty Products Association as hallmarks of his qualifications.
While several of the judges in the event, including Abplanalp, were marketing and idea visionaries, John brought a unique and valuable operational perspective. He was extremely well-suited for digging into the day-to-day planning & manufacturing efficiency aspects of the competitors, using his years of experience as the head of Precision Valve Corporation. Today, as the founder of Tight Lines Advisors, John brings valued operational efficiencies to companies in the U.S.
In his dual role as judge and “cheerleader,” John encouraged the competitors to compile and evaluate data to make positive changes. What John brings to the table is a unique process for collecting the data, engaging the organization, data evaluation, and creating & implementing the actionable changes that truly make an impact on an organization’s capabilities. This is the foundation that forms the outstanding value of the Tight Lines Advisors Performance AcceleratorSM, a principled strategic operating approach for developing exceptional and mutually beneficial relationships among clients and their various stakeholders.
During and after the event John spent considerable time discussing his methodologies with these emerging, ingenious thinkers in the 3D printing, new-age apparel, and dynamic online publication space, among others. When John explained the Performance Accelerator processes to them, they were excited about the opportunities that putting his methods into practice could create for them.
John’s experience with aligning manufacturing & operational changes with private equity & venture capital needs created immediate and impactful relationships with these aspiring entrepreneurs and companies, taking them to new levels of thinking.
“It was a deeply rewarding experience for me,” John concluded. “This growing community of doers is willing to admit they don’t have all the answers but are hungry to learn and passionate about being successful. With the right tools, and their unstoppable attitude, they’ll play an important role in making the world a better place.”
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ABOUT JOHN ABPLANALP
John Abplanalp is the former CEO and President of Precision Valve Corporation. During his tenure there, John successfully led the transformation of the company into an effective and efficient global supply chain management system for the manufacture and assembly of more than 30 billion parts annually.
A hands-on leader, John learned from the bottom up during his 35-year career in manufacturing. He founded Tight Lines Advisors LLC to utilize his extensive experience in the manufacturing industry and assist companies in improving their operational performance.
John has served on the Executive Board of the Consumer Specialty Products Association from 2002 to 2015 and as their Chairman and Assistant Treasurer. He received his MBA from Fordham University and undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Manhattan College.
ABOUT TIGHT LINES ADVISORS LLC
Tight Lines Advisors LLC is a business consultancy with values-driven operational processes for enhanced business efficiency, performance, competitive position and financial growth. The firm offers a comprehensive and principled strategic operating approach, The Performance AcceleratorSM. This holistic five-step process is an inclusive partnership process, which results in sustainable operating efficiencies and open-ended value creation. Among the industrial sectors the firm serves are plastics, injection molding, metal forming, packaging, assembly, consumer products and others.
