Curtis Greve, CEO of TMG Recovery Service, was formerly Principal at Greve Davis – The Reverse Logistics Experts, and is a recognized leader in reverse logistics and aftermarket services. Prior to starting Greve-Davis in 2008, Curtis worked for Genco for 15 years where he was responsible for all reverse logistics services, including operations, systems, and customer relations. Before joining Genco, Curtis worked for Walmart Stores for 12 years, the last four of which he was responsible for Walmart’s reverse logistics division.

For over 25 years Curtis has worked with Fortune 500 companies around the world helping them develop reverse logistics capabilities. His experience includes working with third party service providers, retailers, manufacturers, and liquidators to develop and improve returns management capabilities.

Returns management covers a broad array of processes and services including facility operations, store return processes, vendor agreement administration, product disposition management, repair & refurbishing processes, recycling and sustainability programs, reverse systems design and liquidation solutions. Curtis has worked with a wide variety of clients including hi-tech OEM’s, pharmaceutical manufacturers, consumer goods manufacturers, 3PL’s throughout North America and Europe, liquidators and a broad range of retailers.

In addition to his expertise in returns management, Curtis has extensive experience and capabilities in traditional supply chain management and labor relations. Curtis is a well know speaker on reverse logistics and has been a featured speaker at numerous events around the world. In addition to the many industry events, Curtis has been a guest lecturer at colleges across the country including the University of Tennessee, University of Arkansas, Duquesne University, and the University of Nevada, Reno. He has also been featured in articles published in Business Week, The New York Times, CFO Magazine, The London Times, Canada’s Globe and Mail, and France’s Logistique’. In June 2011 Curtis conducted the first ever reverse logistics webinar for Harvard Business Review. This was the highest rated and best attended webinar for Harvard Business Review at that time.

The Extended Bio

Curtis Greve spent 15 years at GENCO, a leading third party logistics company(3PL), and prior to that worked for Wal-Mart Stores for 12 years.  Throughout his time at Genco, Curtis was a member of the senior staff, during which time he was directly responsible for all reverse logistics customers, operations and systems; including pharmaceutical returns and damage research businesses. Curtis was responsible for HR, IT, and retail distribution center operations over the course of his career at GENCO as well.   He was a key senior executive that helped lead GENCO from being a small regional 3PL to North America’s second largest warehouse based 3PL.

In addition to his responsibilities over three business units and various corporate departments, Curtis lead the effort to expand Genco’s business into Europe.  As part of this, Curtis studied the 3PL market extensively and eventually negotiated a joint venture agreement with Wincanton, a leading European 3PL.  Curtis also represented Genco on the board of their Indian joint venture.  Initially responsible for operations, having ran the world’s largest return center at Wal-Mart for four years, Curtis also found success selling Genco services.  His ability to sell and his position lead to being assigned responsibility over all sales and marketing functions, in addition to his other responsibilities.

While Curtis wore many hats at Genco, he had a wide variety of experiences at Wal-Mart as well. Curtis worked for Wal-Mart for 12 years where he held number of positions including Corporate Audit Manager, Wal-Mart Supercenter Controller, and Vice President of Reverse Logistics.  He worked on the team that initially designed Sam’s Club back office processes, lead the re-engineering efforts on Wal-Mart stores invoice office functions, developed the Construction Audit process and rewrote the Wal-Mart’s Store Audit program.

Along with these achievements, while heading up returns management and reverse logistics at Wal-Mart, Curtis designed the network of facilities that is used today to efficiently process returns from across the US.  He was the driving forces behind the development of operational KPI’s, the first incentive program for hourly worker in the returns center, designed and oversaw installation of the first reverse logistics system application, and developed many back office processes and functions that enabled Wal-Mart to realize a 285.0% decrease in reverse logistics costs over his four year tenure.  Perhaps Curtis’ proudest achievement was when his Bentonville Return Center, with over 375 employees, set a safety record  for Wal-Mart’s Distribution Facilities by going over two years without a lost time accident.

For over 25 years, Curtis has been considered a thought leader in the field of reverse logistics and returns processing. He is also a recognized expert in supply chain management, 3PL contract negotiations, labor relations and outsourcing.  He is a well known speaker and has made presentations throughout North America and Europe.  Curtis has a broad array of skills and is a dynamic creative thinker that can guide your organization to improve returns and maximize profits.