Mark R. Bachmann has a broad business background including both Division President and CFO of a public company. Currently, Mr. Bachmann is President of The Bachmann Group where he coaches, consults and complements teams to accelerate performance.
Previously, Mr. Bachmann was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Zep Inc. ($700 million publicly traded chemical company) from 2005 until 2015 and retired when Zep was sold to a private equity firm.
During his tenure as CFO for Zep, Mr. Bachmann was instrumental in the spin-off of Zep from its parent, (Acuity Brands, Inc. NYSE:AYI) and prepared the Company to go public in the fall of 2007. After the spin-off, Mr. Bachmann played a critical role in restructuring the business post-recession and developing its growth strategy. Beginning in 2010, Mr. Bachmann led the company through seven acquisitions with total revenues of $235 million that reshaped the portfolio. He refinanced the business twice ensuring liquidity to support its strategies. Mr. Bachmann was also critical in selling the company in 2015 by supporting the marketing, due diligence and financing processes. He led the company through crisis communications and business continuity plan following a fire at a major production facility and was the primary individual negotiating a $50+ million settlement with the insurance companies.
Prior to becoming CFO at Zep, Mr. Bachmann held a number of other executive leadership positions in Operations and Finance within the Company or its predecessor parent companies.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Bachmann was associated with The Quaker Oats Company ($6 billion publicly-traded Consumer Packaged Goods Company) where he held nine different financial management positions of increasing responsibility including both domestic and international assignments. He began his career as an auditor at Deloitte.
Mr. Bachmann is currently serving on the Board of Trustees, Treasurer and on the Development and Endowment Committees of his religious institution. He is also on the Operating Committee and Treasurer for CEO Netweavers, a not-for-profit professional organization in Atlanta, as well as on the Leadership Council for Junior Achievement of Atlanta.
Mr. Bachmann has invested significant time and effort in leadership development and strengthening the finance function within the companies he has led, as well as in the community. He was Executive in Residence at Georgia State University and on their Board of Advisors for the Master of Science in Finance Program as well as previously served as Co-Chairman of its CFO Council. Mr. Bachmann is a frequent lecturer at universities and professional organizations. He has and continues to mentor a number of finance professionals.
Mr. Bachmann received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Illinois and his MBA from Northwestern University.