Company Hires Jim Miller as Vice President Sales
CHARLOTTE, NC – March 3, 2021 – A majority of employees at Compass Precision are from the Southeastern region of the United States. But sometimes, to get to the next level, an organization has to stretch beyond its typical hiring regions. That’s exactly what Compass has done with its latest major appointment.
Compass Precision, a leading manufacturer of precision metal and engineered plastic components, announced this week that it has hired Jim Miller as its Vice President Sales effective immediately.
“We are absolutely thrilled with Jim joining Compass to lead our sales efforts seeking new business,” explained Gary Holcomb, Compass’s CEO. “He checks every box — outgoing sales personality, deep background in CNC machining and fab, demonstrated success in all prior roles, and a ‘We’ not ‘I,’ guy.
“Jim is poised to make a great contribution to our growing Compass by a lot.”
As a third-generation Californian, Jim will provide a fresh perspective to Compass’ business, yet the new VP Sales will fit right in due to his vast experience. He has spent 25 years in machining and fabrication. During that time, he started his own company twice and served as a VP of sales for more than half a decade.
“[I’m] Super pleased and excited to join the group,” said Jim. “Can’t wait to get started.”
Jim began his first machining company, Custom Engineered Products, with a partner in 2008. While it was not the best time to begin a new business venture due to the financial crisis at the time, the company managed to stay in operations. Then in 2011, Jim elected to start a new company entirely on his own — CJ Precision Manufacturing.
Built from complete scratch, CJ Precision Manufacturing grew its sales to $1 million behind a worldwide network developed under Jim’s leadership. After three years in operation, Crenshaw Die & Manufacturing purchased CJ Precision and hired Jim as its VP of Sales. He left the company during the final week of February, which was just a few days shy of his six-year work anniversary.
After his first visit to the Compass operating companies, Jim said numerous things impressed him. He called Compass’ equipment “world class” and simply stated there isn’t a “more qualified” company from an equipment perspective. He was also extremely complimentary of the facilities, employees, and each company’s ability to be unique.
“On paper, it looks like there’s crossover, but once you get down there to the nuts and bolts, yes, there is some crossover, but a lot less than what you would think,” said Jim. “Every unit kind of specializes in something.”
More specifically, Jim raved about the ability an Advanced Machining & Tooling, LLC employee has to be able to take a part for a customer “from womb to tomb” and the fabrication aspect of the business at Quality Products & Machine, LLC. The 5-axis machining equipment at Gray Manufacturing Technologies, LLC and the creative business model of Tri-Tec Industries, LLC, also left Jim in awe.
As is the case for a lot of Compass employees, Jim stated he is also excited about working as part of the team.
“I’m looking forward to the team atmosphere and the capabilities that Compass has — to be able to go out and really show those capabilities out in the marketplace.”
Jim has yet to take a deep dive into the Compass business behind the scenes, but prior to his first employment date, he identified diversifying the customer base and markets, creating stability, and growing each of the four operating companies as his top goals.
“Most of the divisions have been around a long time, and they’ve got a pretty solid customer base, but I think it can only get bigger and better, and that’s what I’m being hired to do.”
Life-long residents of Southern California, Jim and his wife, April, will be relocating to the Charlotte area.
After acquiring Advanced Machining, Quality Products and Tri-Tec Industries, Main Street Capital Holdings formed Compass Precision in Oct. 2019. Quality and Tri-Tec are both located in Charlotte while Advanced Machining is in Salisbury, NC. In Aug. 2020, Compass added Gray Manufacturing, which is located in Denver, NC. The company continues to scout for additional acquisitions and hopes to purchase one or two more CNC machining firms in 2021.
Through its operating companies, Compass machines and fabricates complex metal and engineered plastic components. The firm specializes in low-to-mid volume requirements, including prototypes, and serves numerous fast-growing markets including aerospace & defense, power generation, medical, telecommunications and industrial automation.
Compass differentiates itself through its ability to handle complicated geometries and difficult materials, offer many processes within one organization, and seamlessly serve customers from part definition to order shipped complete.