Steve Harper
Monument, CO 80132
************@***.***
719-***-**** office
615-***-**** cell
BACKGROUND SUMMARY: More than twenty-eight years engineering, technology,
operations, and business leadership experience includes:
Engineering Management Process Engineering Lead
Project Management Detail Engineering Facilitation
Management of Change Environmental and Safety Compliance
Proposal Development CADD
Project Cost Estimation and Project Front End Loading
Tracking Organized Labor Management
Operations Management Leadership Development
Global Business Management Strategic Planning
Technology Management Plant
Employee Development Commissioning/Startup/Optimization
Organizational Effectiveness Due Diligence and Opportunity
Work Process Design and Assessment
Re-engineering Quality Management
Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing Crisis Response/Media Relations
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Engineering Management and Technical Consultant (2009-Present)
President- President and owner of a consulting business that provides
engineering and project management expertise to the petro-chemical
industry. Led a multi-disciplined team of industry experts to provide a
comprehensive preliminary design for a polycarbonate facility to be built
in China. Served as the Engineering Manager and primary technical liaison
in the transfer of process engineering technology from the independent
technical consultants to the Design and Engineering firm, Mustang
Engineering based in Houston TX. Provided management of engineering
deliverables, schedule, and cost control for the project. The Basic
Engineering Package for a world scale polycarbonate manufacturing plant was
completed on budget and schedule and exceeded the Chinese client's
expectations.
Franklin Engineering Group (2008-2009)
Senior Project Manager - Managed numerous engineering design projects
requiring comprehensive project management expertise including developing
the Project Execution Plan, developing and maintain the project schedule
(MS Project), cost and manpower tracking and control, quality control,
managing project risks and unexpected events, presenting project status
reports, multi-disciplinary team management, client relationship
management, preparing project proposals and cost estimates, and project
closure reports. Developed a best in class work process that defines how
various roles engaged in a project productively meet the client's
expectations. Led numerous sophisticated capital projects requiring Front
End Loading (FEL) expertise, innovative engineering, comprehensive
simulation and Auto CAD modeling, and thorough detail design. Demonstrated
experience with many project management Value Improving Practices (VIP)
including process simplification, technology selection, waste minimization,
energy optimization, risk management, maintainability, operability, and
reliability. Proven track record in delivering projects on time and on
budget that meet or exceed the client's performance requirements.
The Sinclair Group (2002-2006)
Vice President, Technology - Responsible for technology development and
all intellectual property of The Sinclair Group, a consulting firm of over
70 consultants supporting the manufacturing sector globally. Chief
architect of the Rapid Transformation methodology used to transform
numerous major manufacturing corporations to best in class operations
performance.
o Personally led a Rapid Transformation project with Celanese
Corporation where over $60 million/yr savings were achieved in overall
manufacturing costs by transforming 20+ manufacturing sites globally.
o Served as project manager for the Invista (formerly DuPont fibers)
Rapid Transformation project that transformed 25+ manufacturing sites
globally, resulting in over $300 million/yr manufacturing costs
savings.
o Personally authored several of the best in class manufacturing work
processes used in the above projects.
o Served as Operations Expert in due diligence and opportunity
assessments.
New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO (1999-2002)
Licensed minister.
The Dow Chemical Company (1976 - 1999)
Director of Engineering and Technology, Texas Operations, Freeport, TX - As
a member of Dow's chlor-alkali global business team, was responsible for
developing and implementing technology and engineering projects in support
of the business strategy. Dow is the largest producer of chlor-alkali in
the world. Directed the implementation of both facilities and new capacity
capital for all of Dow's manufacturing sites around the world (typically
over $100 million/yr)
(1996 - 1999)
Led significant improvements in diaphragm cell technology, one of which
improved global capacity by 260 million pounds per year with minimal
capital investment.
Co-authored Dow's Technology Management work process.
Developed Dow's first technology strategic plan.
Certified as 6 Sigma management sponsor. Provided direction to numerous
Black Belts in using 6 Sigma methodology to solve technical problems.
Operations Manager, Western Canada Operations - Oversaw the efforts of
Plant Managers of four world scale plants (two chlor-alkali plants (1.3
billion pounds per year), one vinyl chloride plant (1 billion pounds per
year), one power plant (200 Megawatt). (1993- 1996)
Consolidated two chlor-alkali plants resulting in Dow's premier
manufacturing site in productivity and operational performance
Led the implementation of a new Dow oxy-chlorination reactor design and
vinyl chloride distillation design. The result was a 25% capacity
improvement with unit capital half the previous experience in Dow.
Led the development of Dow's first manufacturing work process. This new
work process was implemented in all Dow manufacturing sites globally
resulting in dramatic improvement in plant operations and operator
productivity...
Led site re-engineering effort which de-layered the site from seven to
three layers.
Led Site Issues Management Team responsible for chlorine issues and
media communications.
Vice-Chairman, Canadian Chemical Producers Association, Alberta, Canada
Management sponsor of the local Community Advisory Panel.
Led the power plant to the highest levels of performance in the Dow
system. The turbines were cited by G.E. as the most reliable and
efficient of all their units globally.
Received a Dow internal Award for outstanding people development.
Lean Sigma/Employee Development Manager, Texas Operations, Freeport, TX -
Served as Lean Sigma and Employee Development Manager for Dow's Texas
Operations site, the largest chemical complex in North America. Responsible
for the site Employee Developement Department, consisting of thirty
training delivery and development professionals. (1991 - 1993)
Led the site Leadership Team to a new leadership model and
organizational design.
Provided leadership to the sites Lean Sigma facilitators and engineers.
Provided management oversight to the sites ISO 9000 certification.
Initiated the use of statistical applications theory and utilized
trained statisticians to facilitate process variability reduction in the
seventy chemical plants throughout the site.
Managed the employee developement resources and facilities to enable
knowledge and skill development for all 8000 employees on the site from
Operator to Operations Vice President.
Personally instructed strategic planning, facilitative leadership, work
process redesign, and management essentials.
Plant Manager, Linear Low Density (Dowlex Plant, Texas Operations,
Freeport, TX - Led one of Dow's most complex (4 independent yet integrated
productions trains) and most profitable ($120 million PBT) plants to
superior production, quality, and safety performance. The efforts resulted
in the plant receiving Dow's first Quality Performance Award, the most
prestigious award given by Dow to a plant. Led the Polyethylene Process
Technology Management Team. Served as a member of the Dowlex( Product
Management Team. (1988 - 1991)
Led the plant to a 23% capacity increase to over 1 billion pounds of
polyethelene per year with no capital expenditure.
Improved plant yields by $3 million per year and reduced plant
maintenance by more than $1 million per year.
Led the development of Dow's first generation dual reactor resin family.
Laid the groundwork for the loop reactor, used to produce Dow's Insite(
family of polymers.
Reduced plant environmental and safety incidents by 25 percent.
Plant Manager, Polycarbonate Plant, Texas Operations, Freeport, TX - Helped
design the first Dow polycarbonate plant. Translated pilot plant
operations into process control code for the production plant. Supervised
commissioning and startup as Assistant Plant Manager. Named Plant Manager
during startup. Served as Plant Manager during second train design,
construction, and startup.
(1983 - 1988)
Led the production scale up effort of a new product (polycarbonate)
using internally developed technology. Guided the process from the
pilot plant stage to full commercialization. Designed and developed a
reliable and robust process control system for plant scale production.
The plant started up on schedule and produced industry superior quality
resins within its first year of operation.
Added a second polycarbonate production train parallel to the existing
production facility. The second train used a novel continuous reactor
approach. The train came on line as scheduled and at design.
Chairman of the Chemical Manufacturers Association Phosgene Panel on
Dispersion Modeling.
Senior Research Engineer, Texas Operations, Freeport, TX - Designed and
built an acrylonitrile pilot plant, including the design and programming of
a Honeywell TDC 2000 control system. Responsible for operation of an
acrylic acid semi-plant, which demonstrated full design capability of a new
Dow proprietary acrylic acid process. Developed and installed innovative
purification and polymerization inhibitor designs which resulted in
successful direct distillation of acrylic acid. Received six U.S. patents
for this work. Responsible for processes research for Latex and Hydroxy
alkyl acrylate plants. (1979 - 1983)
Demonstrated acrylonitrile reactor conversion and selectivity superior
to any commercially available technology.
Developed a kinetic model of the acrylic acid reactor which accurately
predicted temperature and composition profiles.
EDUCATION:
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, Texas A & M, College Station,
TX
Executive MBA, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Executive Program in Operations Management, Amos Tuck/Dartmouth College,
Hanover, NH
Doctor of Ministry, Wagner Leadership Institute
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND RECOGNITION:
Registered Professional Engineer, Texas
Granted six U.S. Patents
Published Author
Licensed Minister