Dawn Seifried brings over 35 years of diverse experience into her role at Proconex. Her career roots started traditionally as a CPA in public accounting, eventually leading her to a position as an independent consultant. This experience was the start of her passion for project management, process improvement and IT. Seifried served as a chief financial officer for other private companies, leading companies through financing negotiations, risk management and mergers and acquisitions before she assumed her current position at Proconex.
Proconex has a 75-year history as a sales and distribution partner for Emerson in the mid-Atlantic region. However, the company has evolved significantly beyond those roots and today, is a leading company through the next generation of industry with physical-digital convergence, leveraging the power of an entire network of Emerson Impact Partners, and a legacy of operational excellence. Proconex is home to big-brand valve and equipment products, and OT/ICS network infrastructure and service.
Since she joined the company in 2016, Seifried has led Proconex through two acquisitions, the formation of a joint venture, ERP systems upgrades, re-financing and a partial ESOP transaction. During Seifried’s tenure, revenue has increased 173% and EBITDA has increased nearly 200%. Seifried has also led the expansion of the human resources department, increasing performance management and talent capabilities.
At Proconex, Seifried’s role expands the traditional finance and IT oversight for a chief financial officer. She oversees every aspect of the support functions, including human resources, legal, quality, safety, facilities and business operations. “Dawn is able to understand all areas of the business, and she has a high threshold for managing multiple priorities and initiatives simultaneously,” said her staff. “She is trusted not only internally but also externally.”
Seifried said picking one area of the business that she is most proud of is difficult. “I’m most proud of being able to take on so many different areas of the business that had a need for strategic vision and change, help move those ideas forward, and do so in a way that helped the company grow top line and bottom line,” she said.
As a leader, Seifried said that she appreciates the diversity in skills throughout the organization. “My secret superpower is the ability to build relationships across all levels within and external to the organization,” she said. “I develop these relationships to help mentor as well as build bridges.”
If she could give her younger self advice, it would be to trust your gut and ask the right questions. “What’s most important is to know when you have the answers and when you need to rely on an expert,” said Seifried. “Those experts are the key to success.”
