Manager Customer Service

THOMAS E. GILMER

*** ***** ******

Tupelo, MS *8801

Home 662-***-****, Cell 662-***-****

E-mail: *****@*********.***

WORK EXPERIENCE

INNOVATION SEATING SOLUTIONS, LLC Tupelo, Mississippi

Vice-President Manufacturing - April 2009 to March 2011

. Responsible for initial start-up operations of a furniture

manufacturing plant to include hiring, material procurement,

inventory, scheduling, logistics and safety

. Secured, designed and implemented construction and set up of a water

based finishing line for wood chair production

. Actively involved in all areas of product development

MISS EATON INC. Pontotoc,

Mississippi

Director of Special Projects - February 2008 to April 2009

. Worked with plant management to redesign plant layout improving

production efficiencies and workflow

. Assisted each department manager in reviewing product, production and

manufacturing operations to improve efficiencies and effectiveness

. Developed product costing program and procedures

. Initiated changes in insurance programs to reduce cost, improve

service and benefits for company and employees

WESTWOOD INDUSTRIES, LLC Tupelo, Mississippi

General Manager - May 1998 to February 2008

. Overall responsibility for P&L of furniture manufacturing plant

. Supervised the implementation of SAP and DJM computer software systems

. Responsible for 235 employees with eight department managers reporting

to me

Customer Service/Quality Control Manager - July 1995 to May 1998

. Restructured customer service department to increase communication and

responsiveness to customer needs

. Trained franchisee and retail sales associates on manufacturing

operations

. Achieved an average reduction of 1.1% in credits paid monthly

Operations Manager - November 1993 to July 1995

. Implemented JIT purchasing methods and controls resulting in 23%

reduction in inventory cost

. Created a scheduling system for production in two plants and reduced

finished goods inventories by 30%

. Redesigned manufacturing layout utilizing cellular manufacturing

concepts

. Constructed cushion fabrication departments for both the California

and Mississippi facilities

Project Manager -February 1992 to November 1993

. Designed and executed a shipping program that generated a 12.54%

average gross profit per load

. Reorganized poly department increasing production efficiency 20% and

reducing waste 10%

Leather Manager -July 1991 to February 1992

. Restructured leather cutting department to improve efficiencies

. Instituted procedures to increase yield savings by 11%

. Developed a leather manual to train manufacturing and sales associates

EDUCATION

University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa - Bachelor of Arts, May 1983

Major: Management with emphasis in Production Minor: Industry

Instructor for the Continuing Education Program - October 1989 to February

1991

Course: Training Employees

Richland Community College - Richardson, Texas

Certificates: Total Quality Management Seminar

Management Quality College

Quality Education System Master Instructor

In Search of Excellence

Peer-to-Peer Communication

Dynamics of Supervision

References available upon request

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