Jay Frayser Joins nGROUP Team As New Director Of Operations

Welcome!

Jay Frayser | Director of Operations

nGROUP clients continue to tell us they value our expertise in reverse logistics. And as more and more companies discover the opportunities in this growing area of their supply chains, that expertise is just going to become even more valuable.

Lucky for us, Jay Frayser recently became our newest Director of Operations.?

“Reverse logistics is a very misunderstood piece of the business,” Jay said. “I think a lot of companies still look at it as a necessary evil rather than as an opportunity to capitalize on their processes for a better customer experience.”?

Jay would know. Out of his 32 years working in Walmart’s logistics operations, 27 were directly related to returns––both general and e-commerce.

His exposure to reverse logistics began in 1997 as the Area Manager for Walmart’s brand new Return Center 8098 in Bentonville, Arkansas, where he created and implemented all the procedures for processing customer returns while managing 50 hourly employees. He also traveled to other return centers where he conducted extensive training on the new procedures.

Eight years later he became Manager of the Return Center Division for Walmart.com. There he had operational responsibility for the retailer’s $300M e-commerce returns business including its operational, compliance, accuracy and financial performance. During this time, he reduced the operating expenses of six return facilities from $5.25 to $2.40 per unit. He was also selected by the executive team to collaborate with Corporate Fraud to identify gaps and solutions to reduce/ eliminate fraudulent e-commerce returns.

Jay went back to the Return Center in Bentonville, Arkansas and then the Return Center in Greenfield, Indiana; both times as Operations Manager. During his time in both facilities, he managed a combined 13 direct reports and 445 hourly associates. He also optimized available personnel to current and future operational requirements through 30-60-90 manpower plans for three facilities.

For nGROUP, Jay’s deep, hands-on expertise in setting up, managing and optimizing return operations set him apart. It was clear his in-the-trenches experience in returns––both general and e-commerce––for a very large retailer would translate well for a new and very large retail client.??

“The commodities are very similar if not the same,” Jay said. “The chance to get the first reverse logistics building up off the ground is very exciting. Starting up this brand new operation for the new client is a phenomenal opportunity.”

“New” is part of what attracted Jay to nGROUP. Thanks to a longstanding relationship with Bob Duron, Jay already knew a bit about nGROUP when Bob called him to consider an opportunity to join the company. And as he and Bob continued to talk, Jay became more convinced it was the right move.?

“It's still a growing company,” he said. “And I’ll get to jump into returns with 27 years experience. It’s a great opportunity to bring my expertise to the team and help them grow the business.”

?When he’s not wielding his mastery of reverse logistics, you can usually find Jay dominating a grill. “I'm a self professed Pitmaster on the barbecue,” he said. “I have two Green Eggs and a Blackstone. I do a lot of cooking on the Green Eggs.” In fact, Jay has prepared everything from brisket to biscuits to pizza in the oddly shaped grills. “I’ve even smoked my own cheese,” he said. “I haven’t yet found anything you can’t cook on them.”

Jay, we are excited to have your expertise in reverse logistics on our team! We know everyone from our own team members to our clients will benefit more and more in the years to come from your real-world know-how.

Congratulations Jay Fraser, Director of Operations! As we grow our reverse logistics services and offerings, we’re so glad to know you’ll be there to guide us and our clients.