Don Mitchell

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

Madera, CA *****

559-***-**** (Home)

559-***-**** (Cell)

accrbs@r.postjobfree.com

EDUCATION: B.S. FOOD SCIENCE, MINORS IN BACTERIOLOGY AND BUSINESS, CAL POLY SAN

LUIS OBISPO, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA

EXPERIENCE:

Present

WHITE OAK FROZEN FOODS DBA CASCADE SPECIALTIES.

Merced, CA.

QUALITY ASSURANCE /MICROBIOLOGIST/SANITATION ADVISOR

? Primary daily duties and responsibilities, overseeing daily functions of the Quality Assurance and

Microbiological lab, verification and consultant to the sanitation group, manage and direct the R&D /

Customer Request programs, direct and administer the company?s environmental collection programs.

? Food Safety and HACCP programs coordinator. Designed and authored all Food Safety Programs

including HACCP, SOP, GMP,TQM, Five S, Better Process Control, Microbiological / Environmental

methods and procedures, collection and testing of Water Systems, along with training of programs to

management and employee?s.

? Manager of customer quality concerns and issues, designed quality and grade of finished products.

? Administer of sampling programs for clients and regulatory agencies.

? Administer of positive release programs, retention of samples / and testing. Developed and implemented

product sampling and collection programs.

? Recruited and trained supervisors and lab personnel along with proper documentation of all quality

attributes and microbiological results.

? Administer of lab inventory and analyzed expenditures and forecasted budget of both micro lab and

analytical labs.

? Directed the design, construction and equipment purchases of microbiological, analytical lab and

Research and Development departments.

? Author of protocols/policies and programs for all department under my authority.

? Responsible for inventory control of consumables, materials, supplies and chemicals used for sanitation.

? Technical advisor, providing guidance to the production department on technical issues relating to raw, in

process, finished products, and contracted sanitation group

? Coordinator for third party audits and governmental inspection and reviews. Designed documents and

procedures for audits and reviews.

? Provide leadership and guidance to pest Elimination Company along with company?s internal and external

pest control program.

? Coordinator of collection, recording and testing of waste water and potable water testing protocols.

? Instrumental is completion of certification and validation of primary critical control points within the

processing systems. Established certification of microbiological kill step, high temperature short time

(HT/ST) heat process, testing was performed by Certified Labs of California. Completion of Organic,

Kosher, and HALAL certification.

? Instrumental in implementing GAP programs for primary growers.

March 2012 to March 2013

MITCHELL CONSULTING

Consultant to food and companies, writing Food Safety programs, HACCP, SOP, SSOP, GMP, Five S, SQF, FASI,

AIB, Sanitation, and training employee?s and Management in Food Safety, and QMS?s. Provide facility design and

new construction information for expanding companies. Facilitating growers, packers and shippers on set up and

design of Global GAP and GAP programs required for GAP certification.

March 2010 to March 2012

CALIFORNIA CITRUS PRODUCERS INC. (The Elliot Group)

Lindsey, CA

DIRECTOR of QUALITY ASSURANCE / MICROROBIOLOGIST & CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

? Primary responsibilities include directing all day to day quality assurance functions, training, auditing and

safety in three separate industries, citrus juice and concentrate products, citrus whole fruit packaging and

corrugated fiber container manufacturing.

? Hands on approach to quality labs, microbiology lab, and compliance. Trainer of Lab Methods and

Procedures and training of microbiological testing, reading and data logging of microbiological results.

? Developed and initiated quality policies and programs along with standards to monitor and track data

generated by new data base programs.

? Author and trainer of QMS, HACCP, GMP?s, SSOP?s, SOP?s, GAP and Quality along with Production

Methods and Procedures.

? Lead trainer and author of all safety programs, GMP?s, and Methods and Procedures for the Elliot Group.

? Developer of all production and manufacturing documents required by Federal, State and County

agencies.

? Corporate compliance and auditor of Safety, Food Safety, and compliance for the Elliot Group companies.

? Director of quality and compliance for new products and process development group.

? First responder to customer complaints and customer concerns. Developed data base for logging and

tracking of customer concerns and follow up methods and procedures to assure response to complaints.

? Lead contact to and for growers, vendors, and customers, for all production materials and raw products

specification along with customer complaint review and investigation of cause and effect.

? Responsible for quality and microbiology testing, along with research and development budget over view.

? Author and trainer of GAP and Global GAP programs for fresh citrus packaging division.

Other duties and responsibilities are too numerous to note.

September 2008 to January 2010

CRYSTAL GEYSER WATER COMPANY

Bakersfield, CA

QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER AND MICROBIOLOGIST

? Duties and responsibilities include, over site of sanitation, in process goods and materials, assure all in

process products are within specifications, release of finished products, microbiological testing of raw

material, in process products and finished products.

? Responsible for calibration of all lab equipment and in process equipment.

? Author of SSOP?s, SOP?s, Methods and Procedures, and training documents.

? Trainer of QMS, GMP?s, Food Safety, and leader of HACCP development team.

? Lead auditor of onsite and offsite storages, and auditor of vendors and suppliers of raw material and

ingredients.

? Responsible for customer complaint analysis of products and testing.

? Lead contact with government agencies.

? Author of new and existing in process and finished products specification sheets.

? Responsible for analysis of all incoming ingredients, proper storage of packaging materials, raw and

finished products, and packing materials.

? Quality leader for new product research and development.

? Work closely with outside research and development firms for new products development, including all

equipment and materials needed to support new product lines.

? Responsible for management of the quality department and its budget.

January 2008 to June 2008

SAPUTO CHEESE AND PROTEIN LLC

Tulare, CA

QUALITY ASSURANCE LAB MANAGER/MICROBIOLOGIST

? Responsible for in process, finished goods, and to assure positive release of both cheese and whey

products.

? Directed and verified all microbiological sampling and reading for all in process and finished products.

? Responsible for Appendix N validation and personnel compliance with state and federal agencies.

? Lead contact for state audits and sample procurement.

? Responsible for verifying calibrations on all lab equipment and updating of SOP?s for the quality group.

? Technical advisor to Environment Manager and Sanitation Supervisors.

? Responsible for tracking of cheese and whey products to assure shipment within customer?s specification

and time limits.

? Validate environmental testing in both cheese and whey as to location and timing of such testing.

Performed evaluation of each technician to set company methods and procedures.

? Responsible for lab equipment and lab personnel to pass all audits both internal and third party.

? Customer relations lead person for several customers.

April 2002 to January 2008

SUNKIST GROWERS

Tipton, CA

QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER/MICROBIOLOGIST

? Managed the entire QA/QC function which included Microbiological testing of in-process and finished

products, 12 technicians during harvest, 8 during normal production.

? Responsible for calibration, daily testing and records keeping of off line, in process and finished products.

? Responsible for six million gallons of aseptically stored Not From Concentrate orange juice (Micro and

Quality).

? Perform microbiological testing of stored juice, concentrates and shipments from aseptic storage.

? Lead person of facility training for HACCP, cGMP, Safety, CIP methods and procedures, lab methods and

procedures.

? HACCP coordinator for Citrus Juice and Oils business Unit Tipton processing facility.

? Facilitator of wastewater testing and reporting to Tulare County and State of California.

? Member of R&D Team for Tipton Fruit Juice and Oils Business Unit.

? Sanitation and Safety coordinator Orange Processes division Tipton processing facility.

? Facility and auditor of sanitation, safety, cGMP?s and HACCP compliance.

? Monitor, record and testing of waste and fresh water systems and flows.

? Implemented methods and procedures for quality assurance and production.

? Perform audit of offsite storage and processing facilities throughout the United States.

? Member of the Sunkist Fruit Juice and Oils division products and processes evaluation team.

? Trained in ISO 9000, 22000, Food Safety and Advanced HACCP for Juice and Juice Products.

? Leader of third party audits team including customers? and audits by FDA and USDA.

? Responsible for half million dollar budget for the quality and research and development department.

1999 to 2002

RUIZ FOOD PRODUCTS

Dinuba, CA

QUALITY CONTROL SUPERVISOR

? Ruiz Food Products is a major manufacturer of Mexican frozen food entrees.

? Responsibility for sanitation audits, quality testing of finished and in-process products, HACCP team,

Third party and USDA Audit leader, production processing advancement team, microbiological sampling

and analysis, and sanitation auditors prior to production start up.

? Managed four quality technicians.

1996 to 1999

GOLD COAST PISTACHIOS

Coalinga, CA

QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER

? Responsible for production (roasting, salting, and packaging of pistachios), Shipping, Quality Assurance,

Receiving, Safety, established initial legwork for HACCP, Budgetary and Capital projects for the Lab, and

Research and Development.

1991 to 1996

KEENAN FARMS PISTACHIOS

Avenal, CA

PLANT MANAGER

? Responsible for Production, Shipping, Quality Assurance, Receiving, Budgetary and Capitol projects,

Maintenance, Sanitation, Safety, Equipment Procurement, Employee Training, HAACP

1989 to 1991

PISTACHIO PRODUCERS OF CALIFORNIA

Madera, CA

ASSISTANT PLANT MANAGER

? Responsible for the management of 35 full time employees and 85 harvest employees for three shifts,

seven days per week operation.

? Directed harvest operations from scheduling to picking, hulling, drying, processing and storage.

? Directed QC personnel and set standards for incoming and in-process nuts.

? Monitored production and quality attributes from hulling to finished product.

? Conducted audits and did training for all personnel in cGMP, safety, first aid, maintenance, training

seminars for lockout tag out.

? Directed and scheduled shipping of finished products from quality to verification of loading.

? Worked closely with plant manager as to budgets, assessment of labor needs, and material expenses.

? Conducted GMP and safety audits. Met monthly with grower/owners as to direction of the company.

Farm Manager for ten years. Grower, processor, storage along with shipping and receiving of Peaches, Plums,

Nectarines, and two varieties of grapes, Ruby seedless and Thompson seedless.

Owner Mitchell Consulting.

Consulting, structural design and writing of HACCP programs, SSOP?s, SOP?s, GMP?s, Processing Methods and

Procedures, Safety, along with food products processing facility design and construction.

Special Training/Classes Attended:

Certified JPA Auditor

ISO 9000 & 22000 Training

Advanced HACCP Training and Certified

QMS, GMP, SSOP, SOP, and Food Safety Trainer and Author.

USDA & FDA Inspection Training and Certification

HAZMAT Training and Certification

Sanitation and Food Safety Training/ AIB Training and Certification/ Food Safe Training/BSK Food Laboratories

Firmenich Flavors sensory training and certification.

SQF, BRC Training and experience.

GAP & Global GAP training and certification.

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