Page 18 - CSLA_AnnualPublication

FINDING A FULFILLING FOCUSAlumnus Anthony von Behring Reese founded Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Associates in Illinois to help businesses establish effective planning practices for goal achievement.For Anthony von Behring Reese, nothing is more elegant than a well-executed business plan.“I’m intrigued by the challenge of aligning an organization on one plan. By doing so, I can help that business prepare for the future by evaluating scenarios that provide better results with less effort,” says Reese, who earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles, in 1991 and is co-founder and partner of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Associates in Illinois.“While we focus on the core business process of IBP, we have also developed capabilities in functional areas like forecasting, supply and demand planning, sales and operations planning, and strategic and financial planning.”Reese notes that even large successful enterprises face big challenges when it comes to collaborating on a strategy, plan, or tactics to achieve their goals. His years of experience in industry and as a consultant have shown him that misalignments can lead to poor performance and disappointing results.While Reese didn’t set out to establish his own business, he credits his experiences at the College with contributing to his success as an entrepreneur.“Attending the College as a student, as well with teaching part-time in the industrial technology program, gave me the confidence to know I could accomplish my dreams,” he says.Post-graduation, Reese went on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he joined the Leaders for Manufacturing program and earned a dual master’s degree in mechanical engineering and business management.After graduate school, he worked for Harley-Davidson before returning to California and jumping into high technology at Plantronics, a well-known communications device maker.“My career was focused in the area of engineering and new product development planning,” Reese explains. “These were both fulfilling and successful career moves and, in 2009 when the economy was really hurting, I saw an opportunity to apply the planning skills and practices that I had developed as a consultant. I thought I could help companies succeed during these challenging times with better plans and planning processes.”As a consultant, Reese met his current business partner, and they launched IBP. The company works with large enterprises like Dell, Sony, Energizer, Nestlé, Monsanto, and Microsoft, as well as some smaller firms like Ghirardelli Chocolate and Under Armour.To budding entrepreneurs currently attending Cal State L.A., he says he’d recommend focusing on one thing and doing it really well.“We set out to help companies develop effective IBP practices and have stayed focused on that one business process,” says Reese. “We have been very successful in helping our clients bring effective planning practices into their organizations. Certainly the highlight of this work, for me, is seeing client teams really embrace the purpose of IBP and succeed in meaningful ways that improve the business.” •ffffff16