At the end of December 2001, Gerry officially retired from a leading Fortune 500 global company as Vice President, Asia Sourcing Operations after 35 years of service as a first-line manager in five of the company's nine product groups.
The last 18 of his years of service have been spent in Asia, now his home base where from 1986 to 1991, he opened and managed the first two of the company's manufacturing plants in Asia including the largest mechanics tools manufacturing facility in Asia living on site inside the factory complex in Taichung, Taiwan for three years.
Gerry spent the next 12 years managing the technology transfer of $200 million in material purchases from domestic North American and European plants to over 200 Asian manufacturers, principally in China with the minority located in Taiwan, Thailand and Korea. He personally recruited, hired and trained 82 buyers and engineers and opened four procurement offices in China and Taiwan. During that time, Gerry also assisted two of the world's home center giants to establish their buying offices and presence in the Far East.
Gerry speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese which he learned in the classroom between assignments thirteen years ago. His particular strength is a first-hand understanding of the Asian mindset and culture.