Sales Engineer
Resume:
STEPHEN B. PATE
*** ******** ****** **. * • Boerne, TX 78006 • Phone: 979-***-**** (C) • Email: ******@*****.***
OBJECTIVE
As an engineering manager with six years of experience, I have focused my career upon delivering products
and services on time, on budget, and to specification, despite adverse circumstances. In addition, as an engineer with
thirteen years experience, I have endeavored to develop products and services which are safe, cost effective, and
timely. I am seeking an opportunity with a dynamic and growing company, where my expertise may be utilized to
grow my company’s impact within the industry.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Private Consultant
2009-2010
(Confidential Industrial Product Manufacturing Corporations)
Engineering and Manufacturing Consultant
Consulted with existing engineering and manufacturing groups for the purpose of maximizing efficiency
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and minimizing costs. Key focus groups included engineering, manufacturing, procurement, logistics, sales
and finance. Cooperation and communication between key focus groups were stressed to minimize
apparent and concealed losses.
Key focus directed at engineering and manufacturing groups for the purpose of increasing suitable
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immediate improvement proposals and establishing long term goals with methods suitable for achieving
same.
Recommendations for long term review and revision of internal processes were developed to provide for
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continuous improvement and growth. These recommendations were based largely upon internal resources
and changing conditions.
Closure included reinforcement of inevitable change over time and appropriate responses for same.
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Specialized Pumping Systems, LLC, Oklahoma City, OK
2007–2008
(A startup manufacturer of Nitrogen pumping equipment servicing the oil and gas industry, both land based and
offshore, with annual sales of $35 million.)
Engineering Manager
Created and installed a part numbering system utilizing random part numbers, based upon growth targets
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and the existing PDM system. Designed the system for ease of use by shop personnel, minimizing costs
while maximizing usage and growth potential.
Created and initiated “engineering change order” and “deviation” processes, scaled down to match the size
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of the company while maximizing growth potential. These processes provided accurate and complete
documentation of assemblies as shipped, and provided improved responses to customer requests for parts
information.
Created and initiated basic engineering project procedures including product specifications, development
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schedules, design reviews, and design verification requirements. Teamed with staff engineers and
designers during the approval process to increase ownership and guarantee program success.
Created basic guidelines and schedules for performance evaluations of engineers and designers, including
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annual goals and quarterly status reviews for each individual. Utilized these tools to identify weaknesses
and strengths, and to support employees during their development.
Created common subassembly types within upper level assemblies to enable construction of upper level
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Bills of Materials. Teamed with the sales and marketing departments in employing this methodology,
resulting in a 20% improvement in the accuracy of repair and service parts orders.
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Teamed with the production department in determining key requirements and priorities for the
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engineering department. Established key contact lead personnel and appropriate schedules to ensure
complete engineering coverage, resulting in a 25% reduction in assistance calls.
Created and initiated procedures for a finite element analysis program within the engineering department.
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These procedures included modeling, loading, analysis, and verification stages, and provided a base for
continued growth in this area.
Executed a review process for all equipment hydraulic systems, including the creation of schematics and
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reviews of all listed electro-mechanical and fluid control components. Evaluated the performance,
capacities, and costs of components, and made changes where appropriate, reducing hydraulic component
costs by up to $25 thousand (a 10% reduction in published base price).
Created a background task to improve the engineering database accuracy by incorporating historical
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documents and engineering standards created prior to the establishment of the engineering department.
Texas A&M University, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering,
College Station, TX
2005-2007
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Provided instruction and guidance in experimental methodologies, design of experiments, statistics, and
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communications to senior engineering students within the college of engineering.
Provided an introduction to requirements and methodologies associated with engineering on a global scale,
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and stressed the differences between the academic and corporate environments for engineers, providing
“practical” real world scenarios.
Fielded innumerable questions from students concerning what it’s like to be a “real” engineer.
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Completed advanced coursework in mechanical engineering including fluid dynamics, heat transfer,
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numerical methods, thermodynamics, and research methods.
Dresser Wayne, Dresser Inc, Austin, TX
2001-2005
(Manufacturer of liquid fuel dispensers, electronic payment systems, and back-office systems serving the retail liquid
fuel industry. Annual sales $600 million.)
Product Engineering Manager (2002-2005)
Provided technical direction in the reorganization and consolidation of facilities within the Dresser Wayne,
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North America organization. Created a single engineering group, consisting of 12 mechanical engineers, 6
electrical engineers, 2 designers, and 2 lab technicians for the operation in Austin, TX, saving $2 million
annually.
Managed project and task workflows for all assigned engineering personnel to minimize development
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times and costs, while promoting growth in individual and team capabilities, increasing workflows by 15%.
Assisted and teamed with the production, procurement, manufacturing engineering, and quality assurance
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departments in developing processes and procedures employing Lean and Six Sigma programs and Kaizen
events.
Maintained the integrity of all North America Dispenser Engineering databases through the review of
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procedures, including both electronic and hardcopy data.
Ensured compliance of Wayne, North America products with all applicable regulatory agencies, including
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UL, NFPA, CSA, ASTM, EPA, CARB, NIST, ANSI, ASME, IEC, and others. Proactively formalized
agency approval requirements to minimize errors and omissions during approval stages, and in the
operation of equipment.
Developed and implemented cost reduction programs associated with fluid control and electro-mechanical
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products to provide the revenue stream required for the facilitation of the reorganization. These included
both design and warranty improvements producing a savings of approximately $25 million annually for 3
years.
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Coordinated new product development with operations departments in South America and Europe to
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facilitate the standardization of global product development, reducing costs by 15% ($150 thousand).
Led the engineering team in providing support for the Wayne North America quality assurance function and
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all derivative initiatives as another key enabling factor for the company restructuring program.
Established and maintained a strong working relationship between the North America marketing and
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product engineering departments. This effort ultimately resulted in a new dispenser line (Ovation) which
currently accounts for approximately 40% of annual dispenser sales (6,000 of 15,000 units).
Assigned key engineering staff the task of providing new technology integration within current product
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lines to enhance customer value during the reorganization. This was a primary enabling factor in the new
Ovation dispenser line.
Provided support for the current product line, and the Wayne North America production function. Reduced
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engineering resource participation from 80% to 30% through continuous communication and a resulting
reduced error rate.
Project Engineer (2001-2002)
Developed and instituted a review process for technical documentation and implemented storage
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procedures, ensuring appropriate technical information created by company personnel was securely retained and
easily resurrected.
Initiated and managed a schedule process for all engineering projects, allowing team members to identify
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the status of any project at any time, and providing a means by which project issues could be readily identified.
Developed and instituted a “stage gate” project management process to standardize project requirements
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and procedures.
Provided strong support for Lean and Six Sigma training within the engineering and other company
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departments.
Roper Pump Company, Commerce, GA
1999-2001
(Manufacturer of fluid transfer equipment used in chemical, sanitary, petroleum, and fuel applications with annual
sales of $80 million.)
Project Engineer
Developed components for use in high pressure, ultra low viscosity fuel systems, employing innovative
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materials and manufacturing techniques to enable fuels to be pumped at pressures up to 70 bar, where previous
units operated to 40 bar, increasing sales by $500 thousand ( a 3% increase in fuel system sales) within the first
year of release.
Provided analysis and innovative solutions for very high pressure downhole mudmotor power sections
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based upon elastomer and profile modifications, maintaining service costs while increasing sales by 15% within
the first year.
Designed and developed a compact hydraulic power system suitable for driving transfer pumps on tanker
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trucks. The released system included a compact, high efficiency heat exchanger and associated operator control
system, increasing tank truck product sales by 10% annually( a $150 thousand increase) during the first 2 years.
Danfoss Fluid Power, Easley, SC
1994-1999
(Manufacturer of fluid power components including pumps, motors, spool valves, and cartridge valves for
construction, turf, and agricultural equipment, with annual sales $250 million.)
Project Engineer (1997-1999).
Teamed with customers, and the sales and quality assurance departments in the statistical analysis of
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production and field failures of fluid control and electro-mechanical components.
Provided a single point of contact and initial assistance to OEM accounts in troubleshooting hydraulic
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systems and components containing our products.
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Provided assistance to manufacturing and quality assurance personnel within the cartridge and spool valve
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groups to ensure product specifications.
Developed a family of high efficiency/very low noise positive displacement pumps based upon customer
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requirements regarding noise attenuation. This endeavor increased pump sales by 10% ( a 4000 unit increase).
Created and instituted a program for recording and providing product numerical analysis for use by the
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engineering staff. This employed both programmed and analytical methods with detailed notes and explanations,
where required. After one year, only approved methods were allowed as technical justification for a product or
process.
Interim Engineering Manager (1996-1997)
Developed and presented a justification to management for a one time $100 thousand capital improvement
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budget for the engineering test lab. The project provided for improved functionality and accuracy for product
testing, and ultimately enabled the development of new high pressure and low noise pump product lines which
generated $40 million in annual sales ( a $1.5 million increase) during FY98.
Teamed with the IT department in establishing guidance for the engineering staff in the proper storage and
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retrieval of electronic information. This program was ultimately expanded to cover all information associated with
work done at, and for the company.
Project Engineer (1994-1996)
Designed and developed a new high (275 bar) pressure hydraulic pump based upon a new pressure loading
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mechanism and modifications to the gear teeth. This design ultimately grew into a new product line targeted at
the mobile construction equipment industry, increasing sales by 10% (500 units) within the first and second years
of release.
Developed a new line of hydraulic motors with significantly improved overall efficiency (50%
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improvement over existing) while retaining the original costing structure. This product was particularly effective
within the turf care industry, where the company saw a 25% increase ( a $350 thousand increase) in sales to that
industry within the product’s first year of release.
Dana Mobile Fluid Products Division, Greenville, SC
1993-1994
(Manufacturer of fluid power components, including pumps, motors, spool valves, and cartridge valves for
construction and agricultural equipment, with annual sales $200 million.)
Project Engineer
DEVELOPED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS TARGETED AT INCREASING THE ALLOWABLE OPERATING
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TEMPERATURE IN POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS AND MOTORS FOR USE IN THE MOBILE HYDRAULICS INDUSTRY. THESE
CHANGES WERE ULTIMATELY INCORPORATED INTO STANDARD PRODUCT LINES WITHOUT COST INCREASES.
Developed and published procedures for the modeling and simulation of hydraulic components and
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systems based upon theoretical and empirical data. Established accuracy verification through an extensive testing
program before release to engineering.
Created a review program for returned warranty products, providing a feedback loop for product failures.
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The program coordinated communication paths between the sales and engineering departments and customers,
reducing warranty rates by 10% ($250 thousand) within the first year.
Roper Pump Company, Commerce, GA 1990-1993
(Manufacturer of fluid transfer equipment used in chemical, sanitary, petroleum, and fuel applications, with annual
sales of $40 million.)
Project Engineer
Developed a positive displacement sanitary pump family employing high performance polymers.
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The new line reduced product costs (as measured against direct competition) by about 25%, while maintaining
equipment performance, and growing company gross sales by 10% the first year.
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Revised engineering testing procedures and documentation to reflect advances in data acquisition
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and digital storage of information. This resulted in significant improvements to operating instructions and a
20% annual reduction ($200 thousand) in warranty claims.
Developed components for use in high pressure (50 bar), very low viscosity fuel systems using
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innovative materials and manufacturing techniques. Fuel systems sales increased by 25% ($250 thousand), with
no margin decay following the incorporation of these improvements.
Established design procedures for the use of innovative materials in fluid transfer products,
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based upon fluid characteristics and operating requirements. This enabled increased applicability of
products, resulting in a 20% increase in annual sales with an expanded customer base.
EDUCATION
Texas A&M University
Graduate Coursework in Mechanical Engineering
Research Areas: Computational Heat Transfer & Fluid Dynamics
Microscale Heat Transfer & Fluid Dynamics
Numerical Methods
Georgia Institute of Technology
MSME
Research Areas: Numerical Methods
Fluid Dynamics
Heat Transfer
Clemson University
Graduate Coursework in Mechanical Engineering
Research Area: Applied Mathematics
Texas A&M University
BSME
Research Areas: Fluid Dynamics
Heat Transfer
Numerical Methods
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Society of Automotive Engineers
American Chemical Society/Rubber Division
Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics
PERSONAL
I am a veteran and have experience as owner and manager of a residential construction company. I
am married with two sons and two daughters. For relaxation, I enjoy jogging and woodworking.
Contact this candidate