Operations Leader

Nearly ** years experience as professional manufacturing process manager. Experienced in all aspects of heat treatment of materials, heat-treat metallurgical lab management, design of experiments (DOE), lean manufacturing, process improvements and team building.

Proven ability to lead problem-solving teams in a production environment.

7 years experience driving engineering cost improvement, engineering design optimization, and engineering quality improvement.

Core Competencies

Heat Treat Operations / Production

Process Optimization

Structural Design

Strategic Planning / Vision

Design of Experiments

Financial Expertise

Team Development / Facilitation

Metallurgical Engineering

6 Sigma Black Belt Trained (OPEX)

Experience & accomplishments

Lead mechanical design engineering approvals for new generation Whirlpool bottom freezer refrigeration platform. Utilized DOE tools to lead team through design solutions in problems with structures. Mechanical structures met all design specifications on time at launch of product.

Lead Modular Systems architecture development for US & MX home refrigeration products.

Lead ProE/Creo design team on cost improvement and structural design changes.

Managed Engineering cross category team to move all extruded aluminum product from Chinese suppliers to Mexico, Canada, and US for $50M cost avoidance due to Federal Trade Commission mandate.

Utilized DOE tools to determine factors in packaging design and structure that contributed to refrigerator cabinet creasing during shipment testing. Application of DOE techniques allowed successful clear view packaging implementation for $3M annualized savings.

Successfully managed 3-shift heat treat operation. Lead installation of ~$5 million of new equipment. Improved productivity of cast belt heat-treating (hardening) furnace by 30% while improving heat treatment quality using DOE techniques.

Promoted from Metallurgical Engineer to Production Manager to Plant Manager in less than 4 years. As plant manager - lead reorganization of 30-year old metal processing plant, one of the largest metals processing plants in the mid-south. Responsible for entire operation including fiscal.

Lead redevelopment and process optimization for 1st tier automotive supplier and the plants largest customer.

Lead reorganization of quality control systems using ISO and QS-9000 principles.

Worked closely with research and development to optimize processes in state-of-the-art mesh belt heat-treating furnaces using DOE, materials science and process engineering principles.

Optimized process of advanced vacuum metal heat-treating furnace using DOE techniques. Improved furnace utilization by ~25% due to high customer demand of improved material distortion.

Worked closely with roll steel provider to provide best cost material meeting design specifications for Whirlpool products.

Working closely with production line employees to improve process quality, productivity and visibility to the customer.

John Deere comprised about 80% of work. Rotationally molded corn heads, air conditioning ducts, fuel tanks, plastic tractor side panels with graphics, and various other parts to John Deere specifications. Primarily molded with polyethylene and cross-link resins. Selected as John Deere’s supplier of the year as result of team effort.

Computer skills

Microsoft Windows and Mac, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project

JMP Statistical Software

Windchill project management software

Employment

Tri-City Heat Treat Company, Rock Island, IL

Plant Metallurgical Engineer, Processing Development, Business Development 2014-6/2015

Lead processing development on heat treatment work. Performed metallurgical analyses and failure analyses as needed.

Lead new job development.

Lead sales activities for new work development.

Whirlpool Corporation, Amana, IA

Senior Engineering Project Lead 2012-2014

Lead development and implementation of new metal refrigeration handles for all brands. Specify material, processing, finishing, etc.

Lead material design and implementation of new platinum gray interior refrigerator. Worked closely with vacuum thermal forming to design and execute DOE to optimize material quality and cost optimize thickness.

North American Mechanical Structures Technical Lead 2009-2012

Lead refrigeration mechanical structures design approvals for North America (Amana, Evansville, Fort Smith, & Ramos)

Reviewed and approved all metal and plastic mechanical structures designs

Lead extruded aluminum material change from China avoiding $50M federal trade commission fine due to anti-dumping

Lead global cost & complexity improvement work through modular system development, control and cross category work

Lead 3 dimensional tolerance stack and FEA analysis teams to drive cost optimized material and design solutions

Cost Improvement Project Manager 2006-2009

Lead cost savings projects totaling more than $12M annually as cost improvement manager. Most projects in steel specification optimization and supplier consolidation work.

Centro Incorporated, North Liberty, IA

ISO 9000 Systems Trainer 2005-2006

Contract Job: Trained 40+ associates on quality system for ISO9001 continuing certification.

Production Manager (Business Process Owner) 2000-2003

Managed 2, 3 shift rotational plastic molding production lines with a total production staff of 35 employees.

The Johnson – TEAM

Co-Owner 2003-2006

Managed all finance & technology for wife's real estate sales & investment real estate

Klein Tools, Skokie, IL

Heat Treat Manager 1998-2000

Managed 3 shift-35 employee steel heat treatment operations for professional hand tool manufacturing company.

Lead purchasing, installation, start-up and process specification of $4M of new heat-treatment equipment.

Headed process development and optimization on newly installed metal processing equipment.

Paulo Products Company, St. Louis

Plant Manager 1994-1997

Starting at Paulo in 1991: promoted from metallurgical engineer to production manager, St. Louis plant to plant manager, Memphis.

Responsible for all plant operations including P & L. Plant employed up to 60 associates.

Processes included: copper braze annealing, zinc plating, black oxide, hardening of steel, annealing, carburizing, carbon-nitriding, ferritic-carbo nitriding, fluidized bed surface hardening, vacuum hardening, austemping and wheel-a-brating (surface blasting).

Education

Iowa State University – Ames, IA

Bachelor of Science – Metallurgical Engineering - emphasis in steels

Bachelor of Science – Engineering Science – emphasis mechanical engineering, polymers & composite materials

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