GREGORY KIRTLEY

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

Newark, DE ****2 ac7c5h@r.postjobfree.com Cell: 302-***-****

Summary

Versatile, hands-on Operations Manager with over 24 years of increasingly responsible and diverse manufacturing experience including supervision of both Union and Non-Union workforces, plant management, sanitation, pest control, supply chain and logistics. Known for consistently meeting and exceeding goals, exceptional communication skills at all levels of the organization, and developing and maintaining outstanding vendor and supplier relations.

Professional Experience

HANOVER FOODS (AMERICAN WAFFLE COMPANY), Clayton, DE 2013-2018

Operations Manager

• Compile and distribute daily Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) pertaining to Waffles produced,

direct and indirect manpower usage, scheduled and non-scheduled downtime occurrences and all

nonconformance product produced per shift.

• Customers include: Shoprite, Harris Teeter, Weis, Market Basket, Kodiak Cakes

• Completed 4th consecutive year of at least a “B” rating in the British Royal Consortium (BRC).

• Supervise and schedule Sanitation crew for both waffle line and our USDA further processing line.

• Implemented continuous improvement project to increase throughput by 50%.

• Implemented lean manufacturing initiative to reclaim quality product by 25%.

SAMUELS AND SON SEAFOOD COMPANY, Philadelphia, PA 2011-2013

Night Operations Manager

Hands-on supervision of 100 union and 9 non-exempt employees in Receiving, Packing, Internal Distribution and Shipping departments of a large seafood distributor. 90% of our products are prepared for shipping under my supervision. Daily communication with our buying teams and sales teams to ensure our ability to service over 1,000+ customers on a daily basis.

Assisted upper Management in revising HACCP Team and convinced upper Management to have other Managers HACCP certified.

Assisted in rebuilding Food Safety Team and have begun search for new 3rd party audit firm.

Re-introduced the concept of cross training our workforce to eliminate “specialists”.

Implemented continuous improvement project to improve overall product flow by 75%.

Implemented continuous improvement project to improve truck loading efficiency by 75%.

SWEET OVATIONS, LLC, Philadelphia, PA 2007-2011

Plant Production Manager

Directed six non-exempt and 60 union professionals in Production and Maintenance operating three aseptic and three conventional production lines in a three shift 24/6 operation. Led daily meeting with Shipping/Receiving, Purchasing, Quality, Scheduling, Maintenance and Controller. Conducted weekly "scale up" meetings with R&D, Regulatory, Sales & Marketing, Purchasing and Quality for all new business and cost savings projects. Involved with annual budget planning based on sales forecast.

Refined the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan to ensure compliance with all customer audits.

Reorganized the Food Safety team in order to address customer complaints the same day.

Negotiated Union contract with an incentive performance bonus system and developed a strike plan.

Implemented bar code system to track all product vessels and incoming raw materials.

Achieved 1,000,000 man hours with no lost time accidents.

Customers included: General Mills, Starbucks, Stonyfield, Kraft and Motts.

MICHELE'S BAKERY, Philadelphia, PA 2006-2007

Plant Production Manager

Directed five shift supervisors and 70 Union professionals in Production, Maintenance, Shipping and Receiving departments supporting 12 product processing lines in a 24/6 commercial baking operation.

Led process redesign reviews creating new manufacturing methods with potential to cut $200,000 in production costs while improving product consistency.

Managed shut down of a major national food product from both production and HR aspects.

Collaborated on company food safety and plant safety teams.

Customers include Entenmanns (Bimbo), Pepperidge Farms Chick Fil-A, Subway and Sara Lee.

PHILLIPS MUSHROOM FARMS, Kennett Square, PA 1998-2006

Manager

Hands-on supervisor of 125 hourly employees in Growing, Receiving, Packing, Distribution and Transportation departments. Managed customer service relationships with over 100 local wholesale and retail customers. Managed daily inventories of over 150,000 pounds of fresh mushrooms and $25,000 in packing materials.

Added vacuum coolers and reduced receiving bottleneck by 50%.

Researched and implemented the utilization of Bentley trucks vs. Penske trucks which reduced transportation downtime by 75% and reduced costs by 50%.

Implemented pallet control measures and reduced costs by 50%.

Vice Chairman of PA State Accredited Safety Team.

C & C CARRIAGE MUSHROOM COMPANY, Avondale, PA 1996-1998

Assistant Director of Operations

Supervised 50 hourly employees and 40 over-the-road tractor trailer driver employees. Accountable for Receiving, Packing, Shipping and backhauling freight.

Started up fresh sliced mushroom operation.

Increased efficiency and throughput by 400% retaining Pizza Hut as a customer. Added Papa John's the following year.

COUNTRY FRESH MUSHROOM COMPANY, Avondale, PA 1990-1996

Packing Manager

Supervised 50 hourly employees coordinating production to Customer needs. Trained and mentored new employees. Handled all performance reviews and discipline issues.

Established hiring process.

Developed and implemented action plan to service Domino's Pizza chain with fresh sliced mushrooms. Increased sales revenue initially by $500,000.

Managed $750,000 annual budget for packing and hygiene (GMPs).

PERDUE FARMS, Lewiston, NC 1988-1990

Assistant Foreman

Supervised 3rd shift eviscerating and receiving departments.

Built relationships with U.S.D.A. Employees to gain their trust and confidence.

Completed Perdue’s Management Trainee Program.

Education

BS, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Technology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Professional Development

Completed Safe Quality Food (SQF) training in 2010.

Implemented on site Alchemy training program for all Employees in 2010.

Completed Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) training in 2008.

Implemented Qqest payroll system in 2008.

Completed American Institute of Baking (AIB) short course in 2007.

Manufacturing systems plus Word, Excel, Outlook, Lotus Notes and SAP.

Working knowledge of Conversional Spanish.

Memberships

LinkedIn

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