Quality Control Assurance

Robert Earl Jester

*S*** Creekside Ct, Elburn, IL 60119

Hm. 630-***-**** Cell 630-***-****

Objective: Challenging leadership role in a progressive company

providing rewarding utilization of my management, communication,

networking, creative development and technical skills to insure

that this company provides innovative, safe, high quality,

consistent products for their customers and consumers.

Professional overview: 30+ years food industry professional with

progressive experience and responsibilities in Quality

Assurance, Product Development, Product and Process Control and

Contract Manufacturing Quality and selection. Leading

associates in facility audit, product audit, quality systems

development, practical use of statistical tools. Experience

gained in a Lean Manufacturing culture with record safety

performance.

Professional Experience:

Sara Lee Corporation, Downers Grove, Il

Jan 2008-Present Director Quality Assurance (Co-

manufacturing)

Bakery, Beverage, Meats, Cheese,

Meals

. Expanded co-manufacturing quality role from meats business to

all foods including over 100 facilities.

. Developed data portal for sharing of co-man quality data.

. Standardized product quality audits and developed summary

scoring methodology.

. Supported strategic co-man business reviews with QA metrics

reporting.

. Collaborated with Co-man procurement, R&D and business unit for

improved communication, business reviews and business alignment.

. Through focused action plans and reporting achieved consumer

complaint reduction of co-man facilities by more than 50%.

. Provided technical services across co-man businesses including

meats, bakery, cheese and beverage.

. Lead product quality audit team in evaluating products across

all Sara Lee lines of business

. Lead the Sara Lee Corporate chemistry laboratory, driving

standardization of methods, accountability to identify and

support cost saving opportunities to supply chain through

reduced product variability.

Sep 2002 - Jan 2008 Director Quality Assurance

. Provide Quality Assurance leadership for four Sara Lee

manufacturing plants and two mixing centers.

. Provide Quality Assurance leadership in support of meat products

co- manufactured for Sara Lee. This includes contributing to the

creation of a Sara Lee co-man management strategy to address LRP

planning. Co-mans included over 80 companies, over 100

facilities and over 400 SKU's

. Support new product introductions initiated with co-

manufactures.

. Technical support of product development resulting in new

product offerings and product quality improvements resulting in

increased sales.

. Key role in revisions to pathogen control methods for Sara Lee.

Established data base of USDA pathogen control alternative

classifications for all Sara Lee Foods SKU's.

. Revised hot dog manufacturing methods in Haltom City facility,

improving yield and quality.

. Lead Chicago facility through regulatory excess by local USDA.

. Lead the coordination of R&D with QA fostering the development

of a Master Specification approach to specification management.

. Key member in broad based Sara Lee Foods management efforts

including emergency management, food safety team, technical

advisory group and UCCnet/GTIN labeling.

July 2001- Sep 2002 Sara Lee Foods Retail, Blue Ash, Ohio -

Director of Product Development

Transitioned Ball Park Brands technical management into the new Sara Lee

structure including the hiring of a new Product Development department.

Combined Product development efforts 1992 to 2002 supported an 82% increase

in Ball Park Branded sales.

July 1999-July 2001 Ball Park Brands, Southfield, Mi.- Director of

Tech Services and Product Supply

Continued Director of Technical Services responsibilities including

management of Research and Development, Quality Control, regulatory

affairs, nutritional labeling, processing methods, sanitation methods, and

Least Cost Formulation.

* Managed warehousing, logistics, customer service, purchasing,

co-man selection, negotiation and auditing with a combined

budget of $15MM

* Improved order fill to in excess of 98.5% and reduced

distressed product sales to less than two tenths of a percent

of sales.

* Established a vendor Quality monitoring and reporting system

for suppliers resulting in a 15% improvement in conformance to

specification.

October 1992 - July 1999 Hygrade Food Products, Southfield, Michigan-

Director of Technical Services

Managed Research and Development, Quality Control, Regulatory Affairs,

nutritional

labeling, processing methods, sanitation methods, and Least Cost

Formulation requiring multi-plant

and multi-company interaction and responsibilities.

Developed formulation and labeling compliance with the NLEA act of 1994.

Developed database and formulation methods to determine nutrient profile in

lieu of chemical analysis.

Personally developed innovative new products including; Ball Park Fat Free,

Beef Fat Free, Smoked White Turkey, Lite and Beef Lite. Patent application

for Ball Park Singles

Consistently improved products quality and cost through process, ingredient

and formula evaluation.

Identified and implemented cost improvement and containment programs

resulting in savings in an excess of 2 million dollars per year each year.

Member of the Sara Lee Technical Advisory Group, establishing

microbiological monitoring and control procedures.

Coordinated and managed the Ball Park emergency and recall management

programs.

Dec 1984- Oct 1992 Hygrade Corporate Process Specialist

. Managed Quality Control, and regulatory and processing issues

for five processed meat facilities.

Formalized and computerized shelf life monitoring, code dates and curing

pickle formulation.

Initiated long-term process improvements in five Hygrade facilities

including uniform emulsification methods, net weight and fat and added

water controls.

Established product audit and feed back system for improved product

uniformity.

Implemented Listeria control and microbiological monitoring procedures.

Substituted for Plant manager and operations department managers as needed.

As Hygrade came under Sara Lee ownership in 1989, transferred product

procedures, formulae and technology to other corporation facilities while

supporting the closing of three Hygrade facilities.

Jun 1978-Dec 1984 Hygrade Food Products, Livonia, Mi. -Product

Technologist to Quality Control Mgr.

Implemented a USDA Total Quality Control Program.

Developed and implemented process controls for sausage and ham products

resulting in the reduction of giveaway, improvement of yields, increased

product shelf life and improved product uniformity.

Established foreign object control methods.

Conducted product and procedure tests and refined quality control and

laboratory methods.

Implemented liquid smoke applications, and machine injection of hams.

Education: ? B. S. in Food Science, Purdue University

* HACCP trained

* SQF Practitioner

* Better Process Control School

* Viscase Meat Processing School

* American Meat Institute, Sausage, Smoked Meat and Quality Control

Short Courses

* SME Design of Experiment

* MIT Management of New Product development

Associations/Awards:

American Meat Institute (Scientific Advisory Committee),Institute of Food

Technologists

American Meat Science Assoc

Phi Tau Sigma, Food Science Honor Society

Sara Lee Corporation Food Safety Award and New Product Development Awards

(Presidents, Excellence, Vision)

Computer Skills: Windows, Microsoft Office, Internet, Stat Graphics, Least

Cost Formulation

Hobbies and Interests: Scouting - Eagle Scout and many adult leadership

positions. Native American crafts and culture, camping, computers, home and

auto maintenance.

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