Steve Ellis

Steve Ellis is CFO of Protect Plus Holdings, a private equity-owned consumer goods manufacturing company. The company’s products are sold into retailers across the U.S., including The Home Depot, Menards, and Lowe’s.

He joined Protect Plus Holdings in 2018 after over 30 years of progressively higher leadership positions in primarily international manufacturing corporations. He was most recently CEO and a director on the board of Automated Solutions, a $20 million multi-family owned diversified manufacturing company of flexible protective packaging and construction products, sold across the U.S. and internationally, including in The Home Depot stores. Steve led the company to its five best years over its 20-year history with an EBITDA growth rate of 40%, added new product lines, and tripled manufacturing footprint and number of employees.

Prior to Automated Solutions, he was CFO and a director on the board of HSM Solutions (formerly Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company), a $550 million multi-family owned global diversified manufacturer of furniture, bedding, and transportation components. Steve engineered the first pension buy-in transaction in the U.S. with Prudential, negotiated and executed two credit agreements, and led a restructuring effort cutting $20 million in yearly overhead and administrative expenses. He also held P&L responsibility for the HSM majority-owned venture PTI, selling extruded polyethylene foam products across the U.S. into a variety of industries. Steve turned around PTI to generate its highest sales and EBITDA ever at that point.

Steve has served in a variety of leadership positions nationally and internationally. He was a VP with Tarkett, publicly-traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at that time. Before Tarkett he held a number of roles including UK & Ireland Finance Director at Gate Gourmet, owned by global private equity firm TPG. His positions with Gate Gourmet included almost three years living internationally in both Zurich and London.

Steve started his career as a Naval Officer and then transitioned from military service into Big 4 public accounting. His first role in the corporate world was as a controller for Horseshoe Gaming.

Steve holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University and an MBA degree from The University of Memphis. Steve is ultra-competitive in everything and enjoys maintaining a high fitness level, including competing in the first Obstacle Course Racing World Championship.