Stephan's Journey
Humble Beginnings, Bold Leadership, and a Legacy Built on Faith and Innovation
Stephan Kruger’s journey is one of humility, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to achieving greatness rooted in faith, family, and community. From his early life in South Africa, shaped by values of service and perseverance, to leading global operations for some of the world’s most iconic companies, Stephan’s story is defined by hard work, integrity, and inspiring others to succeed. With a passion for innovation and a heart for service, he has turned challenges into opportunities, building high-performing organizations while staying grounded in the values that matter most. Explore his extraordinary path of purpose and achievement.
Ethos of Awareness
VISUAL RESUME
LIFE & PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY
80's & 90's
Early Life and Family Values
Stephan Kruger’s, one of three siblings an older brother and younger sister, journey began in South Africa, where he was raised in a home deeply rooted in Christian faith, integrity, and an unwavering work ethic. His father, a general manager at the country’s electricity distribution company, worked in South Africa’s renowned grape farming region. A tragic field accident during an after-hours call left Stephan, at just 17 years old, to step up in his household, supporting his mother. His mother, a senior psychiatric nurse, modeled resilience and compassion, instilling in Stephan a deep commitment to service and perseverance.
1995 - 1999
Academic and Early Career Beginnings
With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Stephan left South Africa with his high school sweetheart, who would later become his wife, to start a new life in the United Kingdom. He began his career in the automotive industry, where he quickly earned a reputation for mending fragile customer relationships and mastering the fundamentals of technical design, manufacturing operations, supply chain management, and product development. This foundation laid the groundwork for his future success. It was during this time that their first son, Eugene, was born in England.
2004 - 2011
Expanding Horizons in the United States
Recognizing his growing expertise, Stephan’s German employer relocated him to the United States to address critical business development challenges. He forged strong partnerships with heavy-duty truck OEMs, solving complex technical issues and securing significant contracts. During this time, their second son, Reinhart, was born.In 2008, amid a global recession, Stephan was entrusted with the monumental task of launching a greenfield manufacturing facility in the Atlanta metro area. Leading a cross-functional team spanning Finance, HR, Quality, Process Engineering, Logistics, and Maintenance, Stephan grew the business from $5 million to $30 million in under two years. He implemented automation processes, transferred fully automated lines from Canada, and ensured zero supply interruptions for customers. His team thrived on a culture of respect, collaboration, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Stephan's persistent pursuit to stabilize out of control processes followed by installing standardized procedures which he would further optimize has been the foundation of practice and recipe that would deliver great results at ElringKlinger and his future operations roles.
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Continuous improvement fundamentals still at the core of how Stephan operation
2011 - 2014
Turning Around Operations at Lydall
After 12 successful years at ElringKlinger, Stephan joined Lydall Thermal and Acoustical in rural North Carolina. This period was marked by personal resilience as Stephan donated a kidney to his wife during her battle with renal failure. Balancing family and professional responsibilities, Stephan transformed underperforming plants, driving EBITDA from 8% to 16.6% within 16 months. He focused on waste reduction, continuous improvement, and fostering a high-performance culture. During this time, he attended the Center for Creative Leadership, deepening his understanding of self-awareness and leadership principles.
Stephan donated a kidney to his wife in 2012
2014 - 2018
Driving Innovation at Apple
An opportunity at Apple brought Stephan to Cupertino, where he led the operational readiness for metal-stamped parts across multiple global locations. He optimized design-for-manufacturing practices, reduced product launch costs, and established strong vendor relationships. Stephan’s contributions were pivotal in the launch of iconic products like the Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.One of his most significant achievements at Apple was the turnaround of their haptic engine manufacturing. Facing severe supply constraints, Stephan’s team doubled throughput within six months, optimized automation processes, and significantly reduced costs. By consolidating operations from eight locations to four, he improved efficiency and scalability.
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Apple further honed Stephan's leadership skills on the international stage
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2018 - 2020
Global Expansion at Juul
With both Stephan's parents spending a lifetime smoking he joined Juul to lead the global expansion of liquid pod assembly. Motivated by a personal mission to provide healthier alternatives to smokers, he increased monthly production capacity from 30 million to 130 million units in just four months. He also spearheaded the transfer of production to North America to mitigate tariffs, launching a new contract manufacturing site in record time. Stephan’s role included navigating complex regulatory landscapes and ensuring compliance with FDA’s Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) standards, transforming Juul’s operations into a medically regulated industry.
Comprehensive multi industry new product launch experience with verification and go-no-go processes obtained from Apple, Juul, Peloton and Bryte
2020 - 2021
Meeting Unprecedented Demand at Peloton
After a brief sabbatical, Stephan joined Peloton during the COVID-19 pandemic to address supply chain and capacity constraints. Despite remote work and travel restrictions, his team doubled production throughput within three months, reducing product delivery lead times by over 50%. Stephan also led the launch of new products, including the Tread and Rower, across multiple markets. As demand stabilized post-pandemic, Stephan began exploring leadership roles in more stable, long-term environments.
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From his early careers launching products in the automitive industry to the scrutiny and regulatory requirements of Apple or Juul product respectively, Peloton was yet another great demonstration of the diversity of complex product launches Stephan was responsible for.
2021 - 2023
Building Resilient Ecosystems at Bryte
At Bryte, a smart bed technology startup, Stephan saw the potential to revolutionize sleep through AI-driven solutions. He built an efficient operations ecosystem, aligning vendor partnerships, ERP systems, and supply chain processes to support growth. However, due to funding challenges, the company faced financial difficulties. Stephan worked closely with the CEO to reduce costs and transition leadership while pursuing new opportunities.
2023 - 2025
Strategic Leadership at Carrier
In his most recent role at Carrier, Stephan led global supply chain strategy, optimizing a $9 billion network and identifying over $800 million in annual savings opportunities. Within his first year, he executed $200 million in cost savings by leveraging make-versus-buy strategies and comprehensive supply chain analysis. Despite his success, Carrier’s acquisition of Viessmann and subsequent restructuring led Stephan to amicably part ways, prioritizing his family’s roots in Atlanta.
2021 - 2025
Entrepreneurship and NeuVitality
In late 2022, Stephan and his wife opened the doors of NeuVitality (www.neuvitality.com), a functional medicine clinic serving their local community. Despite entering a highly regulated industry, the business achieved operational break-even within 10 months. Today, NeuVitality is an established as a reputable brand providing premium concierge medical services to the local community. Employing nine part-time registered nurses and four nurse practitioners, providing critical services that promote natural immunity and holistic well-being. This endeavor reflects Stephan’s commitment to his community and again demonstrates his ability to embrace new challenges, learn new industries, and succeed in even the most complex environments.
