Craig A. Taylor
Career
Building high-growth, high-profit organizations through disciplined, people-first leadership
Cornerstone Technologies - Chief Operations Officer / CFO
Salt Lake City, UT
As Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Cornerstone Technologies, Craig A. Taylor has played a pivotal role in transforming this family-run, Salt Lake City-based live event production company into a global industry leader. Cornerstone Technologies specializes in delivering end-to-end event production solutions—including audio, video, lighting, staging, and technical direction—for high-profile corporate, entertainment, and experiential events worldwide.
Driving Operational Excellence and Financial Transformation
Upon joining Cornerstone, Craig assumed responsibility for all aspects of operations, human resources, and accounting/finance, directly overseeing six senior leaders and indirectly managing a workforce of over 150 employees. His dual COO/CFO mandate has been instrumental in scaling the company’s capabilities and professionalizing its management structure, while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit and client-centric culture that define Cornerstone’s brand.
Key Achievements:
Revenue Growth and Profitability Expansion:
Under Craig’s operational and financial leadership, Cornerstone’s annual sales have soared from approximately $30 million to $75 million. More importantly, he has driven a dramatic improvement in bottom-line performance, increasing net profitability from 6% to 17%—a rare achievement in the highly competitive, margin-sensitive live event production industry.Post-Pandemic Recovery and Resilience:
The live event sector was among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with global revenues plummeting and many firms shuttering operations. Craig led Cornerstone’s recovery by:Rapidly rebuilding operational capacity as in-person events returned.
Diversifying service offerings to include hybrid and virtual event solutions, capturing new revenue streams.
Implementing robust risk management and scenario planning to ensure business continuity amid ongoing uncertainty.
His efforts not only restored Cornerstone’s pre-pandemic position but established a foundation for sustainable, long-term growth.
Enterprise Maturation and Value Creation:
Recognizing the need to evolve from a founder-led business to an enterprise capable of attracting strategic buyers or investors, Craig:Introduced scalable systems and processes across operations, HR, and finance.
Built a high-performing leadership team, fostering accountability and cross-functional collaboration.
Enhanced financial reporting, forecasting, and controls, providing the transparency and discipline required for future due diligence and valuation.
Helped shape a strategic roadmap for a planned exit within the next decade, aligning all stakeholders around value creation and succession planning.
Global Expansion and Industry Leadership:
As Cornerstone’s reach extended internationally, Craig ensured the company could deliver consistent, high-quality experiences for clients across North America, Europe, and beyond. He leveraged his expertise in cross-cultural leadership and global operations to:Standardize best practices and service delivery worldwide.
Navigate complex regulatory, logistical, and talent challenges unique to the live event industry.
Position Cornerstone as a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies, major entertainment brands, and large-scale public events.
Industry Context
The live event production industry is characterized by rapid technological change, high client expectations, and intense competition. Success requires not only creative and technical excellence but also operational agility, financial discipline, and the ability to scale quickly in response to market shifts. Craig’s leadership at Cornerstone exemplifies these qualities—combining strategic vision with hands-on execution to deliver exceptional results for clients, employees, and shareholders alike.
Cirris Systems - Chief Executive Officer & President
Salt Lake City, UT
At Cirris Systems, a $30M ESOP manufacturer of hardware and software for electrical wire harness and cable testing, Craig stepped in as CEO and President reporting directly to the Board of Directors and overseeing teams in China, Germany, Mexico, and North Africa. He inherited a technically strong but culturally and operationally constrained organization and turned it into a high‑performing, sale‑ready asset that ultimately attracted a premium acquisition offer.
Craig treated Cirris as a design challenge, not just a financial problem. He began by clarifying a simple future state: Cirris would be one of the most trusted, efficient, and globally integrated electrical testing technology platforms in the world. Every decision—people, systems, capital—was aligned to that outcome.
Key elements of his impact:
Dramatic value creation for employee‑owners and shareholders
Craig led a focused financial and operational improvement program that drove a 270% increase in ESOP share price. Rather than chasing short‑term optics, he concentrated on structural improvements—margin expansion, cash generation, and system reliability—that made the company inherently more valuable. That sustained performance and clarity of strategy ultimately resulted in a premium offer to acquire the company by a Swiss group, validating both the turnaround and the long‑term design.Transforming a dysfunctional leadership team into a high‑trust engine
On arrival, Craig found a leadership group that was misaligned and low‑trust. His consistent leadership style illustrated that he did not lead by fear or force. Instead, he:Reset expectations around shared purpose and behavior.
Re‑seated or upgraded roles where necessary.
Created more open, candid rhythms of communication.
The result was a leadership team able to operate as true owners—capable of supporting global operations, scaling decisions, and carrying the culture across geographies.
Lean transformation and operational redesign
Craig brought his lean and Six Sigma mindset to Cirris, shifting the company from traditional production lines to lean production cells. This reduced manufacturing expenses by approximately 25%, increased quality, and significantly reduced obsolete inventory through better planning and pull‑based execution. Much like the “tiny hinge” decisions in his current CEO day, these changes were small, precise moves at key leverage points that unlocked outsized financial and operational gains company‑wide.Cross‑cultural leadership at global scale
Responsible for teams in China, Germany, Mexico, and North Africa, Craig applied the cross‑cultural leadership philosophy reflected in his broader story: ask precise questions, design for simplicity, and empower local leaders.Unified global teams around a clear strategic narrative and operating standards.
Leveraged cultural diversity for better problem‑solving and innovation.
Built trust across time zones by being accessible, transparent, and consistent.
This allowed Cirris to function as a single, globally coherent enterprise rather than a loose collection of regional operations.
In short, at Cirris Systems Craig took a solid but under‑optimized ESOP manufacturer, rewired its leadership and operations, multiplied its value for employee‑owners, and positioned it for a successful sale—doing so through calm, high‑leverage leadership rather than crisis management.
Emily R.
Gained clarity on career direction
Built confidence to make big life changes
Left her 9–5 to launch her own business
“Coaching helped me realize what I truly wanted — and gave me the support I needed to actually go for it. I feel more confident than ever.”
Blendtec - Chief Executive Officer
Orem, UT
As CEO of Blendtec, a $130M designer and manufacturer of high‑speed commercial and residential blenders, Craig was brought in by the Board of Directors to lead rapid growth, global expansion, and operational excellence for a family‑owned company with fully U.S.‑based design and assembly in a 270,000 sq. ft. facility.
He approached Blendtec as both a scaling challenge and a cultural transformation opportunity: how to double the size of the business, protect profitability, and build systems that could sustain global growth, all while keeping the company’s innovation engine and people at the center.
Key results and contributions:
Doubling top‑line revenue while protecting profitability
Under Craig’s leadership, Blendtec achieved a 116% increase in top‑line sales while maintaining a healthy 11% profit margin. Rather than “buying” growth with margin erosion, he:Prioritized high‑margin channels and products.
Structured distribution and pricing to avoid destructive channel conflict.
Implemented disciplined financial and operational controls to keep profitability intact as scale increased.
This is a hallmark of Craig’s leadership: growth that compounds value, not growth that introduces fragility.
Explosive distribution expansion and brand presence
Craig led a 900% expansion in product distribution, dramatically increasing Blendtec’s presence across retail, commercial, and international channels. He treated distribution as an ecosystem design exercise:Identifying strategic partners and retailers aligned with the brand’s positioning.
Building repeatable playbooks to launch and support channels at scale.
Managing the tension between rapid expansion and brand integrity.
This created a resilient, diversified revenue base and significantly expanded brand recognition.
Lean Six Sigma and manufacturing redesign
Bringing his lean expertise to Blendtec’s 270,000 sq. ft. facility, Craig:Transitioned from straight production lines to production cells, reducing waste and improving flexibility.
Embedded Lean Six Sigma practices and frequent Kaizen events, instilling a culture of continuous improvement on the manufacturing floor.
Improved throughput, quality, and cost per unit, giving Blendtec a structural cost advantage without offshoring its manufacturing.
These changes mirror the operational discipline and system thinking described in his current CEO‑day narrative.
Agile engineering and accelerated product development
Recognizing that engineering was a critical value creation engine, Craig implemented agile methodologies in the product development organization. This allowed Blendtec to:Launch numerous new products faster.
Address channel conflicts by tailoring product lines to distinct segments.
Capture emerging revenue opportunities with less lag between insight and launch.
In practice, he turned engineering from a traditional, sequential function into an adaptive, market‑aligned innovation engine.
Leading a global workforce through values and clarity
Craig directly led a global team of approximately 1,500 employees, plus numerous distributors worldwide.He grounded teams in a clear purpose and simple, shared performance measures.
Made himself accessible and human, even at scale.
Balanced high expectations with genuine investment in people’s growth and safety.
During his tenure, Blendtec was recognized as Utah Valley Business of the Year (2015) and earned Utah Best of State – Manufacturing (2013, 2014, 2015), reinforcing the market’s and community’s view of a well‑run, innovative, and values‑driven manufacturer under Craig’s leadership.
Marcus T.
Overcame self-doubt and fear of failure
Created a consistent morning routine
Improved communication in relationships
“For the first time in years, I feel in control of my mindset and my future. This work changed everything for me.”
Innovative Flexpak - Chief Financial Officer
Springville, UT
At Innovative Flexpak, a $25M contract manufacturer of complex food and nutrition products (liquids, gels, purees, pastes, oils, emulsions) for global brands, Craig served as VP Finance/CFO, reporting directly to the CEO/owner. He was brought in to rebuild the finance function from the ground up, professionalize the company’s financial infrastructure, and position the business for aggressive growth and international expansion.
He treated the role not as “back‑office accounting,” but as a strategic lever—very much aligned with the way his current‑day CEO story treats capital, data, and systems as tools for freedom and value creation.
Core contributions and impact:
Rebuilding the finance function and strengthening the enterprise
Tasked with replacing the existing accounting and finance team and building a new, high‑capability function, Craig:Implemented robust controls, reporting, and forecasting disciplines.
Ensured the production of audited financial statements, increasing transparency and credibility.
Built strong relationships with investors, lenders, and stakeholders, positioning Innovative Flexpak as a fundable, trustworthy growth platform.
Driving profitability and smart risk management
Craig orchestrated financial strategies that drove a 13% increase in company profitability, blending revenue optimization with disciplined cost management. At the same time, he:Implemented risk assessment protocols and compliance frameworks that reduced compliance‑related issues by 7%.
Ensured the company could grow rapidly without stepping into hidden regulatory or financial landmines.
Securing significant growth capital
Through accurate, credible financial forecasting and investor‑ready narratives, Craig helped the company secure $50M in additional funding. This capital:Stabilized the company through market volatility.
Enabled capacity projects, innovation, and international expansion.
Demonstrated to capital partners that Innovative Flexpak was a sound, scalable platform.
Enabling international expansion and global market reach
Craig played a key role in expanding into Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, extending Innovative Flexpak’s reach and diversifying its revenue base. He ensured:The financial models and risk assessments supported cross‑border expansion.
The capital structure and working capital could support longer supply chains and new regulatory environments.
Leadership understood the implications of global growth on pricing, cost, and margin.
This international work foreshadowed the cross‑cultural and global leadership he later exercised at Cirris and in his broader manufacturing career.
At Innovative Flexpak, Craig effectively turned finance into a strategic control tower: directing capital to its highest use, de‑risking growth, and enabling the company to move from a $25M domestic manufacturer to a credible global player. It was one of the foundational roles where he began operating not just as a CFO, but as an enterprise‑level architect—setting the stage for his later CEO roles.
Nadia L.
Discovered what truly matters in her life
Set strong personal boundaries
Found renewed purpose and motivation
“I’ve never felt this clear about who I am and what I want. The transformation was deep, empowering, and long overdue.”
Devon C.
Made a major life transition with confidence
Took control of stress and mindset
Feels more aligned and in control than ever
“I came in feeling stuck and overwhelmed — now I feel grounded, focused, and excited for what’s next.”
© Copyright 2026. Craig A. Taylor. All Rights Reserved.