Quality Assurance Engineer
Resume:
KATE R. WHITESIDE
WICHITA, KS *****
Phone: 316-***-****
E-mail: *******@***.***
SKILLS SUMMARY
• Proven leader and developer of quality manufacturing systems using ISO standards and FAA regulation
guidelines coupled with methodologies for lean and continuous improvement programs.
• Excellence in detailed and technically oriented control and development for highly precise and mission
critical work.
• Proven track record in oral and written communication skills at all levels from shop floor to boardroom.
• Works efficiently and effectively in leading team-based environments.
• Experienced leader of a diverse customer base to provide the best solutions that create and sustain
partnerships.
• Creative and strategic thinker who consistently earns increasing responsibility within her organization.
• Problem solver that creates openings for organizations to exploit for competitive advantage.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Kansas, Arkansas, and Mexico 2004 to Present
• Summary: Track record of increasing responsibilities in management and engineering in many
different aspects of airplane production. Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading
manufacturer of business, special-mission, and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting
aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide.
Continuous Improvement Manager – King Air
•
Leader of diverse product line to re-evaluate line design and simplify work tasks, achieving goal of
$1.7M in savings.
Developer of key initiatives with General Manager and Director of King Air platform to eliminate
waste and streamline processes leading to increased production capability.
Instrumental in risk management of the transitional phase of sub and upper assembly parts to
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Chihuahua, Mexico.
Partner with Continuous Improvement representative in Chihuahua, Mexico to create a strategic
vision for facilities in and outside the United States.
Lean Manager – Little Rock Flight and Completion Center
•
Systems, tools, and technical guidance to provide to a continuous improvement culture; key measures coordinated
with senior management to include cycle time reduction, on time delivery, lower inventory and lean assessment.
Catalyst to create foundation for lean systems that realized $1.8M savings in three months.
Develop and recommend short and long-range objectives consistent with corporate guidelines.
Recommend capital investments and improvement projects.
Responsible for recommending operational plans to effectively utilize changing technologies,
facilities and employees.
Review organization and staffing plans to ensure that they are consistent and competitive for
attainment of company objectives
Team Leader – Lean Paint
•
Project lead for lean initiatives to reduce cycle time by 20% to equal $1M in savings in six months.
Quality Assurance Team Leader – Lean Final Assembly: 4000/Premier/987/400/King Air
•
Project lead for standardization across Hawker Beechcraft’s regarding Root Cause and Corrective
Action initiatives throughout the entire support value stream.
2
Operational leader to improve the manufacturing tooling program to reduce Cost of Quality on a
legacy aircraft.
Quality Assurance Engineer – Government Business
•
Project lead, JPATS (Joint Primary Aircraft Training System) platform, Corrective Action Board to
conduct GAP analysis research to determine sources of systemic issues and drive resolution using
Root Cause/Corrective Action methodology.
Developed a core statistical analysis tool for JPATS to establish base line goals and problem
areas to serve dual purposes to regularly maintain systemic issues within manufacturing and to
baseline goals for the future based on historical statistical analysis compiled using this tool.
Conceptualized risk-based critical thinking diagrams for use in Root Cause/Corrective Action
behavior and developed training for the entire Quality organization.
Reduced “scrap and repair” costs per aircraft by 10% using Six Sigma methodologies such as
business process mapping, process capability studies, cost-benefit analysis.
Team lead, Breakthrough Project tasked with reaching a six month goal of delivering three quality
certified Navy aircraft trainers totaling $50M and ensuring the successful entry of the experimental AT-
6 Irregular Warfare aircraft to military training exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.
Contract compliance quality liaison, negotiates and communicates directly with government contract
management agency to ensure all quality assurance requirements are met or exceeded.
Negotiated contract requirements from System Project Office (SPO) to include Quality requirements
to include ISO 9001:2000, internal Quality Assurance Instruction (FAA approved), and Work
Instructions (internal document control).
Reduced Cost of Quality (CoQ) by 10% in the year 2009 by developing training for workmanship
standards and creating a manual for wiring standards to be used in the production facility and at the
military bases to reduce anomalies and standardize output.
Quality Assurance Engineer – Hawker 4000
•
Quality production platform lead for newest flagship aircraft, the $22M Hawker 4000 which
delivered 19 aircraft its first year of production.
Created lessons learned document for the Hawker 4000 during the first year of production to aid in
the delivery and final assembly in the United Kingdom to include visual illustrations and Engineering
instruction to reduce scrap and repair costs of $300K per ship.
Completed reliability studies on aircraft systems to increase the rating from 50% to 90% reliability
through functional test, independent studies, and quality control processes.
Saved company $300,000 in product improvement research costs using Kaizen (lean)
methodologies.
Applied real-time quality assurance techniques in collaboration with Design Engineering to
troubleshoot new production issues and reduce failure rate of component integration in initial ramp-up
of Hawker 4000 production
Quality Assurance Engineer – Supplier Management
•
Compliance auditor for special processors, raw material houses, and manufacturing facilities to
ensure flow down requirements were met, proper interpretation of specifications were being
conducted, and all FAA and ISO requirements were being fulfilled to the company’s standards.
Performed quality in-flight inspections for the King Air and all Hawker lines to identify mechanical
system errors, airworthiness concerns, and customer satisfaction issues to ensure corrective action.
Project manage the coordination with final line inspection in direct negotiations with the customer.
Emprise Bank Wichita, Kansas 2001-2004
Summary: Provide banking solutions for consumers and businesses including checking accounts and
consumer loans.
KATE R. WHITESIDE 3
Loan Documentation Specialist
•
Prepared and analyzed legal documents for customers up to and including home mortgage loans,
lines of credit, and all other consumer loans.
Created and presented monthly finance reports for regulatory compliance and reporting
requirements to the Senior Leadership team as put forth by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
(HMDA) as part of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) requirements.
Compiled and analyzed information regarding loan vitals to government agencies.
CERTIFICATIONS
• Certified in RANA-Risk Based Decision Making
“RANA helps its clients develop their organizations and meet new challenges through innovative
human and technological processed delivered by an international network of professionals”
• Greenbelt Lean Specialist
Active member in lean initiatives throughout all factory processes to include value stream mapping,
Kaizen, 5S, and continuous improvement models.
• Six Sigma Greenbelt
Two projects complete with savings to Hawker Beechcraft Corp equal to $350,000.
• Hawker Beechcraft Export/ Import Liaison
• Attended Kansas World Trade Center training seminars and certifications achieved.
• United States Air Force Tiger Team
• Project Management
EDUCATION
• MBA, Baker University
• BBA, Management, Wichita State University
OTHER
• Microsoft/Windows Suite (Windows XP, Windows 7, Office 2007):
Advanced use of Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook, Project, Minitab
• Business Management Software, Engineering, and Publishing Software:
Adobe Acrobat, Visio, SAP, CAD Proeg
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