RICK NIKOLICH
Email: *********@*******.***
Mount Vernon, Indiana 47620
SUMMARY
Senior level Plant/Operations Manager, with Black Belt Six Sigma
certification, with a strong record of increasing profits, cost reduction,
lean manufacturing, and teamwork development where the focus is 30%
operations and 70% process improvement (time, cost, quality). Successfully
realized over $1 million in savings in one year, through training of
Engineering Six Sigma Green Belts and Lean Kaizen implementation.
Background includes development and maintenance of multi-million dollar
budgets, high volume production feasibility, hiring and supervising staff
of over 600, lean single piece flow transformation, over $1 million
inventory reductions, staff reductions, successful plant certifications for
ISO 14001, ISO 9000, TS 16949, and NADCAP. One of only 63 Plants certified
by MIOSHA's VPP program for Safety. Eliminated EHS non-conformances from
over 90 audit findings to zero, optimized plant floor flow, and waste
elimination.
EXPERIENCE
Mead Johnson, Evansville, IN
2011-Present
Operations Manager Providing leadership for the entire high volume Powder
and Pre-Mix Operation. Manage the manufacture of specialty formulas which
include critical hygiene zones in a FDA regulated environment. Leading
Evansville Supply Chain in cost reductions and OEE improvements.
. Implemented Powder Plant Key Measures. Data driven actions at all
levels to focus the Plant on the biggest opportunities.
. Mentored Continuous Improvement and Reliability Engineers in the
application of Lean and Six Sigma.
. Improved process flow and OEE by 19% in less than a year utilizing TPM
tools.
. Utilized Pareto approach to improve yields in excess of $1.1 million
annually.
Pittsburg Glass Company, Automotive- Evansville, IN
2010-2011
Operations Manager Providing leadership to over 600 employees (Engineering,
Maintenance, Quality and Production) that manufacture automotive
windshields and tempered glass for Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler,
GM and Audi.
. Key part of Leadership Team that successfully implemented 4 crew 24/
Plant Operation.
. Implemented structured Total Productive Maintenance system for a
continuous operation.
. Trend, Pareto and focused actions for Operation's key indicators.
. Utilized Six Sigma and Lean tools to drive positive change and address
corrective actions.
Stewart Warner-Aerospace-Troy, Indiana
2006-2009
Operations Manager (One of dozens of positions eliminated due to economic
down turn) Provided leadership to 150 technical personnel, including
Engineering and Maintenance, in this high volume aerospace manufacturing
supplier including goal setting, driving teams to achieve goals, and
creating business plans to meet marketing projections. Managed a $15
million operating and a multi-million dollar capital budget involving rates
of return on new projects. Hired, trained, evaluated, and supervised the
leadership team of seven direct reports.
. Reduced headcount and cost-per-unit, shortened process lead time (from 43
to 7 days) and reduced scrap, improved quality and on-time delivery
(moving from 63% to 100%).
. Re-organized manufacturing into customer focused single piece flow value
streams.
. Successfully pursued certifications in ISO 14001, ISO 9000, and NADCAP.
. In EHS reduced non-conformance findings from >100 to zero, reduced water
usage by 7 million gallons/yr, saving $15K/yr and lowered electrical use
by 26% for an annual savings of $90K.
. Developed and led the team that re-designed the plant floor to optimize
flow, eliminate waste and free-up over 40,000 square feet for new product
lines.
Federal Mogul, Bearing Manufacturing- St. Johns, Michigan
2003 - 2006
Plant Manager Led a team of nine direct reports (HR, controller, and
managers of quality, engineering, lean, IT, materials and two in
production) 510 UAW employees in a tier one and two plant. Maintained and
improved all plant operations, quality, maintenance, P&L, and accounting,
for $80 million in annual sales and $3 million in capital. Led Six Sigma
initiative, hired two Black Belts and trained 16 Green Belts.
. Implemented Toyota Production System methods to reduce dependency on
inspection.
. Reduced Customer Quality PPM's from 47 to less than one in 18 months, and
past due orders from $350k to zero while improving OEM shipping
performance to 100%. Implemented ISO 14001
. Part of team that successfully negotiated a concessionary agreement with
the UAW and State of Michigan to get a tax law passed. Total savings of
$4.5 million over four years.
Demmer Corporation, Automotive-Lansing, Michigan
2002 - 2003
Director of Engineering (Part of division staff that was eliminated due to
financial in-stability)
Led maintenance for five plants, engineers, safety and quality director, in
taking customer designs and developed project plans, manufacturing process
and control plans. Monitored quality and completion of major milestones,
along with process improvements, to meet or exceed customer expectations
for 5 plants.
. Saved over $400,000 in first five months by successfully facilitating
Kaizen teams.
. Saved over $600,000 from projects completed by the training of Six Sigma
Green Belts.
TRW Automotive and Steering Division; Portland, Michigan
1998 - 2002
Lean Manufacturing Engineering Manager
Drove Lean Manufacturing, including single piece flow and value stream
mapping, throughout the plant using a structured approach and facilitating
26 Kaizen events in just one year. Managed Maintenance, Environmental,
Safety, Tool Room and Engineering Departments while achieving both ISO14001
and TS16949 certifications Hired and supervised a team including a safety
coordinator and the following engineers: tool room industrial,
manufacturing, environmental, lean, and tooling.
. Coordinated training and projects for 2 Six Sigma Black Belts and 49
Green Belts.
. Completed $1,100,000 in cost reductions in 2001 by leading Kaizen and Six
Sigma.
. Reduced salaried and indirect personnel by 14 in 1999 saving over
$800,000 annually.
EDUCATION
Bachelor's in Organizational Leadership, with honors
Purdue University, Lafayette, IN