Curriculum Vitae

Carlos E. Perez-Cruz

*** ******* **** **.

Huntsville, AL 35811

+1-206-***-**** Mobile phone

Professional Experience – Curriculum Vitae

Summary: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co and JT International (JTI) since 1987: Held several positions within RJR and JT International organizations in the Engineering, “Environmental, Health & Safety” (EHS), Quality Assurance, Operation Customer Services, Logistics and Operation General Management. This includes various positions within the management teams in Puerto Rico, USA facilities and International assignments in the Dominican Republic, Republic of Azerbaijan, Germany, Switzerland, Asia Pacific and Russia/CIS regions.

2015 to present Global EHS Director for GSC & GL (JTI Headquarters, Geneva Switzerland based)

Responsible for supporting all factories and leaf Agro sites in implementation and operation of EHS management systems ISO14001/OHSAS18001/ISO50001, providing technical support in occupational safety such as machine safety and ergonomics, and environmental related systems such as advanced water and air treatment systems, including odor abatement systems. Directly responsible for Environment and Safety in the construction of two state of the art factories in Philippines and Taiwan performing periodic audits and leading a team of over 25 safety officers in both sites, personally facilitating trainings to both, JTI subordinates and local contractors in Contractor’s Management, Work at Heights, Hot Works, Safer Work at Night (both sites were under construction 24 hours a day, seven days per week) weight lifting, Scaffolding, safety observation/dialogues and incident investigation. During this time, I was 40% of my time dedicated to these two projects already completed achieving cero lost time incidents during the construction process and plant start-ups.

2012 to 2015 Regional Engineering Director, CIS Region (Saint Petersburg, Russia based)

Responsible for all engineering related activities within the CIS region serving five factories (Saint Petersburg (2), Moscow, Yelets and Kremenchug in Ukraine), and five contract manufacturing and licensees. Responsible for all capital expenditure in the region as well as installation and commissioning of manufacturing equipment, facilities infrastructure including utilities and information technology equipment, startup of manufacturing process until quality standards are achieved, following ISO 9001, OHSAS18001 and ISO14001 standards. Responsible for all technical aspects of “New Product Development” and implementation for CIS factories and the Russian market. Responsible for management of preventive maintenance programs for all manufacturing related equipment including manufacturing equipment and utilities, equipment spare parts stock and inventory control, preparing and getting approval of strategic and operating financial plans for all region as well as capital expenditure plans, and all environmental related activities ensuring compliance with all the different countries local laws and regulations.

Executive active member of JTI Global Engineering, and responsible for all Global Engineering projects development and implementation in CIS region.

2010 to 2012 Regional EHS Director, CIS Region (Saint Petersburg, Russia based)

Accountable for the Environmental, Health and Safety programs for the JTI factories in the CIS Region, leading ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 Management Systems in the CIS factories, fully accountable for the implementation of Global initiatives in the Environmental, Health and Safety of JTI factories in the region. Executive active member of the Global Environmental, Health and Safety team based in company headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

2009 to 2010 Energy, Safety & Environment Director, JTI Global Engineering (Trier-Germany based)

Short assignment after successful completion of Safety Change Program, assigned to Global Engineering to write and publish Global Engineering Machine Safety Standards, and overlook all environmental oriented capital projects, including but not limited to energy saving/recovery and new technologies for sustainable energy.

2007 to 2009 JT International Services: Global Safety Change Program Lead (Trier-Germany based)

This is a 3-year role to lead the implementation of the JTI Global Safety Change Program and reporting directly to the Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain. The position covers all aspects of project management including design, planning, scope control, budget and deliverables, with the overall goal of realizing the safety vision in the GSC. Plan and lead the implementation of JTI's Global Safety Change Program, involving the delivery of training, safety dialogues and an audit review process in all factories. Day to day project management. Organize and manage internal and external resources in order to ensure all required work is delivered on time, within budget and is effective in delivering desired change in safety behaviors. Engage, follow-up and give feedback to factory managers and operations to ensure program activities are adapted to meet factory needs and program goals. Work closely with corporate EHS to obtain maximum professional support and to communicate requirements from corporate to drive necessary change. Ensure effective standards and materials are developed. Manage the DuPont contract, budget and deliverables in order to deliver “JTI-tailored” effective services to sites. Ensure effective communication of best practice and learning’s from program.

2005 to 2006: JT International: Engineering, Environmental, Health and Safety Director for Asia Pacific Region (Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia based)

Besides the responsibilities of Engineering Director, became accountable for the Environmental, Health and Safety programs for the JTI factories in the Asia Pacific Region, leading the implementation of the ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 Management Systems in the Malaysia and India factories, fully accountable for the implementation of Global initiatives in the Environmental, Health and Safety of JTI factories in the region. Executive active member of the Global Environmental, Health and Safety team based in company headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

2002 to 2005: JT International: Engineering Director for Asia Pacific Region (Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia based)

Responsible for all engineering related activities within the Asia Pacific region serving three factories (Malaysia, India and China), five contract manufacturing and licensees (China, Philippines and South Korea). Providing technical support to the Sales and Marketing offices in every Asia Pacific country, in terms of warehousing and infrastructure of Market offices. Responsible for all capital expenditure in the region as well as installation and commissioning of manufacturing equipment, facilities infrastructure including utilities and information technology equipment, start up of manufacturing process until quality standards are achieved, following ISO 9001, OHSAS18001 and ISO14001 standards. Responsible for implementation of preventive maintenance programs for all manufacturing related equipment including manufacturing equipment and utilities, equipment spare parts stock and inventory control, preparing and getting approval of strategic and operating financial plans for all region as well as capital expenditure plans, and all environmental related activities ensuring compliance with all the different countries local laws and regulations.

Executive active member of the JTI Global Engineering team and responsible for all Global Engineering projects development and implementation in Asia Pacific region.

2001 to 2002: JTI Manufacturing of America; Operations Services Manager (Puerto Rico USA based)

Responsible for non-tobacco materials warehouse and leaf inventory control, production planning and logistics, purchasing department and export services. Accountable for “On Time Delivery” of finished goods to the customer and customer relations with the served markets. Supporting Marketing and Research & Development in product improvement and new product development. Responsible for the implementation of “JTI Best Practices” for staffing and materials yield. Continue supporting the engineering and environmental departments with engineering solutions to reduce operating cost and implementation of new technology on the various processes.

1999 to 2001: JTI Manufacturing of America (Formerly RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Yabucoa Puerto Rico, USA); Engineering Manager

Responsible for capital expenditure management, total operation maintenance program including manufacturing and support equipment, provide technical assistance to Environmental Officer in pollution prevention devices and waste-water treatment plant operation and maintenance, lead efforts in Best Practices Staffing and Yield teams, development and implementation of factory improvements projects, productivity and efficiency improvement through engineering solutions to reduce labor requirements, reduce cost, improve product and tobacco cut filler quality and yield.

1997 to 1999: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Baku, Azerbaijan; Operations Director

Responsible for all manufacturing operation activities, reporting to the Vice President of Operations for CIS and Baltic region based in company headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The manufacturing operation, a Joint Venture with the local Azerbaijani government, was a newly acquired factory consisting of a 900+ employee manufacturing site supporting the domestic and Middle East markets. As a new operations acquisition, the main task was to transform the factory operation from a Soviet style organization to a Western style organization and the technology transfer of our processes, create a positive team approach and develop local talented employees into key operation positions. Being part of the Board of Directors of the Joint Venture, and General Director for the operation, represented the interests of the Company in the Board, interacting with the Azerbaijan government agencies and the local Partner. Developed and implemented a Voluntary Separation program for excess manpower after a detailed analysis of the operation’s manpower requirement, successfully separating over 500 employees.

Worked closely with the Research & Development and Marketing groups in the development of new product brands. After two years of incumbency, the company decided to return the Operation to the Azerbaijani government due to adverse business conditions.

1996 to 1997: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co, Yabucoa Puerto Rico; Quality Assurance and Engineering Services Manager

Main responsibilities included the implementation of statistical process control in the manufacturing area, coordination of product development with our Research & Development group in Headquarters, handling customer’s feedback regarding our product quality, interacting as liaison with raw material suppliers in qualification and approval for manufacturing raw materials. Other responsibility includes providing technical assistance to marketing group in the development of new products and improvements of existing products. This position was held being Engineering Manager of the operation at the same time due to the technical similarity of both positions.

1992 to 1996: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Yabucoa Puerto Rico, USA; Promoted to Engineering Manager

Responsible for all plant engineering services including production engineering, environmental, maintenance and safety engineering. Fully accountable for environmental permit negotiations and compliance under the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board. Fully accountable for compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). Team leader for the Total Quality and Continuous Improvement program (KAISEN) fully implemented in the operation. Continued performing all the production engineering needs for the operation including making and packaging equipment as well as primary process equipment. Responsible for the relocation, installation, start-up and commissioning of a 10-ton Primary Process line transferred from a North Carolina factory to Puerto Rico. Responsible for the selection of manufacturing equipment to be purchased, interacting with equipment suppliers and negotiating cost for installation and start-up processes. Also, responsible for factory infrastructure expansion and renovation, including existing and new buildings and utilities, interacting with external consultants in the project development, management and execution.

1990 to 1992: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Yabucoa Puerto Rico, USA; Project Manager

Assigned as Project Manager for a new license agreement in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic. Fully accountable for the installation, start-up and commissioning of manufacturing equipment. Accountable for quality assurance of RJR products manufactured in the Dominican Republic for a period of two years.

1987 to 1990: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Yabucoa Puerto Rico, USA; Production Engineer

Accountable for the implementation and execution of preventive/predictive maintenance program for all manufacturing and utilities equipment in the factory, including spare parts consumption and requirement analysis. Served as liaison with manufacturing equipment manufacturers for equipment selection, price negotiations and technical assistance requirements. Responsible for installation, star-up and commissioning of manufacturing equipment, including new equipment and transferred equipment from other RJR factories.

1985 to 1987: Caguas Mechanical Contractors Inc., Caguas Puerto Rico USA; Contract Manager

Responsible for mechanical equipment installation, start-up and maintenance in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing industry, representing our company with the project owners and management, negotiating contracts and schedules to satisfy the interests and needs of the industry. Projects developed such as chemical plant installations, clean room constructions and validation as per US FDA / GMP standards and requirements, utilities equipment and all related infrastructure to support the manufacturing process. Specialized in “Turn-Key” projects.

1983 to 1985 Rexach Construction Co. Inc., San Juan Puerto Rico USA; Chief Mechanical Estimator

After two summer jobs working as mechanical estimator during university years, hired as Chief Mechanical Estimator after completing the Engineering degree in 1983. Performed as project engineer in several small projects in the pharmaceutical industry in Puerto Rico during that period.

Professional Career Achievements

Selected among other candidates for a Global position as “Safety Change Program Lead” to develop and manage a “Safety Behavioral Cultural Change” in all JTI factories worldwide.

Promoted as Operations Director for a newly acquired business in the Republic of Azerbaijan, a former Soviet Union Republic. During two years, a transformation of the operation was performed from a Soviet style system to a western style system, interacting with local entrepreneurs and the Azerbaijani government as Joint Venture partners, and leading the organization to accomplish the financial and operational plan for investment and development.

Selected among other engineers to manage the installation, start-up and commissioning of a manufacturing process in a Licensee factory in the Dominican Republic, and for a period of two years, achieve a very high product quality and process efficiency while maintaining the operating costs and yields at very low levels.

Selected among many other executives to be part of the first integration team to spend three months in Japan to exchange process and manufacturing technology knowledge with the company that purchased the International division of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co.

During my 34 years’ career, I have been promoted to many high responsibility positions inside the organizations I have worked with, in which I have performed at a very high standards level, giving the confidence to top management to assign me to many other challenging positions and to lead many important projects without the doubt of failure.

Main challenge during my career has being to lead multicultural teams in different countries, people having different way of thinking and different methods of manufacturing, bringing them together and being able to make them understand and follow established company policies and procedures and utilizing the best practices in the different countries to optimize the process in the region, sharing a total teamwork approach for the benefit of the Global Organization, eliminating barriers that prevent a Global company to be productive and successful for both, the organization and the shareholders.

Personal Achievements

Selected by the Puerto Rico National Cycling Team as a team member to compete in many local and international road cycling events. Selected for two consecutive years as “Outstanding Cyclist of the Year” by the Puerto Rico Cycling Federation.

Selected during Secondary School years as Company President in the “Junior Achievement” junior entrepreneurs program sponsored by the US Department of Education and US Chamber of Commerce together with the private enterprise sector.

Achieved the “Eagle Scout Rank” in the Boy Scouts of America youth program.

Achieved the highest average Honor in the graduation year of Secondary School

Education: University of Puerto Rico, USA, Mayaguez Campus; Bachelor in Science in Mechanical Engineering. Minor degree in Electronics Engineering. 1977 to 1983

Colegio Nuestra Señora de Belen, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Primary and Secondary education. Graduated in 1977.

Languages: Fully bilingual in Spanish and English languages.

Organizations: Puerto Rico Board of Professional Engineers

Professional Engineer license # 16001

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Associate Member

Contact this candidate