THE PROCUREMENT INTERVIEW
In the landscape of American manufacturing, legacy is often synonymous with stability. For TAMKO Building Products, an 80-year-old independent leader in roofing and waterproofing, that stability was built on manufacturing excellence and deep-rooted family values. However, as the global supply chain moved toward a more volatile, data-driven era, the company recognised a“ white space” in its organisation: a strategic procurement function.
Dean Czuma, who would go on to become the Chief Procurement Officer, heard of the opportunity whilst he was on a decade-long hiatus from internal procurement leadership and a leader at McKinsey & Company. Dean was drawn back to the front lines by the opportunity to build something from the ground up. At TAMKO, he isn’ t just managing spend, he is leading a holistic procurement transformation, positioning the function as the engine for opening strategic degrees of freedom rather than a tactical back-office necessity.
The greenfield diagnosis: threading the needle Transforming an organisation requires a forensic understanding of what makes the company tick. Dean’ s approach to diagnosing TAMKO’ s needs was a blend of high-level strategy and“ boots-on-the-ground” immersion.
“ Diagnosing TAMKO prior to building the function required extensive listening, learning and having a lot of candid and expansive conversations,” Dean explains.
26 April 2026