Steve Deist's Email & Phone

Steve Deist is a Partner with Indian River Consulting Group. He has over 20 years of experience in the wholesale distribution and supply chain arenas. Steve is the author of Value Creation Strategies for Wholesaler-Distributors, the definitive guide for building sustainable profitability. He also co-authored NAW'S sales management bible The Five Fundamentals for the Wholesale Distribution Sales Manager. He is a highly sought speaker and a frequent contributor to industry trade publications such as Modern Distribution Management. Steve is a board director and sits on the faculty of the University of Industrial Distribution. Steve is IRCG's strategic planning specialist and manages the firm's channel consulting projects for manufacturers who sell through distribution. He advises strategic buyers and private equity groups on investments in the distribution space. By applying his process skills and industry knowledge, Steve has helped hundreds of companies achieve lasting competitive advantage. Prior to joining IRCG, he was director of consulting services at a major supply chain software vendor. He led teams in designing, developing and implementing large-scale systems for dozens of manufacturers and distributors. In earlier positions, Steve was a project manager responsible for implementing complex material distribution solutions, process control systems and executive decision support software. At IRCG, Steve has managed large-scale consulting projects in areas including marketing, channel design, strategy, sales management and information technology. He led the design of IRCG's groundbreaking Sales Effectiveness Process. He has helped distributors and manufacturers become class leaders in operational efficiency and customer service. Steve's focus areas for consulting and speaking engagements include: Strategy development and execution Sales effectiveness and sales management process improvement Marketing channel optimization Business assessment and valuation Operational excellence, business process improvement and customer service Information technology Inventory management, including logistics, sourcing, forecasting and purchasing Project management Steve obtained his MBA with honors from USC's Marshall School of Business. He graduated summa cum laude from the Ohio State University with a BSEE.