Mohamad T. Mershon

***** ***** *** ***** ************, IN 46236

(317) 645-7325c acrcik@r.postjobfree.com

Executive Profile

Business Development Global Team Leadership New Product Development & Manufacturing

Sales Management Technology Development & Deployment Operations Management P&L Responsibility

Senior level sales and manufacturing executive with great technical acumen and fifteen years of success in high profile multi-cultural and multi-functional leadership roles. Drives sustainable revenue, market share growth and brand exposure while maximizing margins and net income. Communicates effectively with customers, vendors, peers, senior leaders, stakeholders and team members at every level.

Rapidly and thoroughly assesses growth opportunities, implementing critical technologies to penetrate new markets and manufacture responsive new products. Builds individuals, departments and groups into cohesive and dedicated teams driven to achieve corporate and personal goals. Consistently delivers successful outcomes even within highly competitive, mature environments. Additional competencies include:

International Marketing Vendor Management

Planning & Implementation Direct & Channel Sales

Cross-Functional Team Leadership Project Management & Implementation

Key Client Relationship Management Awarded Multiple Patents in Auto/Transportation

Career Synopsis

ContiTech Air Springs, Indianapolis IN 1999-Present

$300 million division of Continental AG, a $35 billion corporation, manufacturing products used in automotive and heavy duty vehicular suspensions, vibration isolation applications, robotics, and industrial machines and actuators.

Managing Director, North American Division

Reporting directly to the President, leads and directs Sales, Production, Engineering, Accounting, QA, Logistics, and Purchasing departments totaling more than 250 employees. Handles development of technology, manufacturing and sales in the NAFTA region. Plans, directs and manages operations of the important factory in Mexico. Subject matter expert in OEM and aftermarket industries. Managed P&L to achieve annual budgeted revenue and margins. Led establishment and implementation of CAPEX budget. Recruited, hired and trained staff for on-site management of operations at Mexico plant.

Increased sales from $1.3 million to $100 million. Started with only one customer and grew the base to more than 25, including Hendtickson INTL divisions, Daimler truck NA (Freightliner), SAF-Holland, Link MFG, Paccar, Reyco-Granning, and FleetPride, to name a few.

Saved in excess of $200,000 annually by reducing scrap rate in the factory by 5%, from 9% to 4%, by implementing QS 9000 system and improving the building and manufacturing processes.

Captured $20 million annual contract for 20 years with the largest suspension manufacturer in the world by inventing and patenting a new manufacturing process, saving the customer millions of dollars; won CEO Award.

Won $12 million annual contract for seven years with Freightliner by designing and developing an innovative new design.

Reduced late payments by 15 days by assigning sales managers to call on customers to help our accounting department and pegging part of sales managers’ performance bonuses to their success.

Saved $250,000 per year in freight cost and pc prices by locating approved suppliers in Mexico and/or persuading US suppliers to produce products in Mexico for metal stamping, injection molding and die casting.

Led construction and development of new air spring manufacturing facility in Mexico dedicated to the NAFTA market for truck and trailer OEM and aftermarket products, over $10 million in orders to be present in NAFTA and manufacturing the product for North American customers. There have been 3 additional expansions since the start of the program, doubling the capacity each time and securing production capacity for NA customers.

Evaluated, approved and managed suppliers for metal stamping, injection molded plastics and aluminum casting components. The suppliers included Nyloncraft and Stuani for injection molded plastic components using BASF, DuPont, Ridicci, and Omni nylon resins and Stuani for the steel products, bringing them to Mexico and constructing local plants to save several hundred thousand dollars and enhance accessibility for making new prototypes. Contracting with Pace Industries for the die cast aluminum components and EverRoll for the steel ring.

Led ISO and QS 9000 certification by leading and directing qualification teams.

Negotiated sales and distribution agreements with aftermarket distributors representing over $25 million in revenue annually for the company with partners including FleetPride, Paccar Parts, Navistar, and Volvo.

Firestone Industrial Products Company, Noblesville IN 1987-1999

A $150 million division of a $5 billion corporation manufacturing engineered products used in vehicular suspension, vibration isolation applications, and robotics.

Engineering Manager (1992-1999)

Reporting to VP of Engineering, directed and managed ten engineers, two technicians and the test lab. Sustained and improved multiple product lines, new product research and development, design and prototype testing, process design and manufacturing method, project management and resource allocation. Interfaced closely with customers and suppliers. Led design and development of new product lines from concept to unit production and led cross functional team. Wrote Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis & Process Failure Mode Effect Analysis, conducting capability run and Production Part Approval Process.

Created and implemented a restructuring plan that resulted in successful completion of incoming engineering projects in a timely and cost efficient manner. Planned and implemented cross training of over 15 engineers, who were previously assigned to a specific market segments, i.e., truck, trailer, bus, medium duty vehicles, rail, industrial, after market, etc., enabling them to take on multi projects when the number of projects in their segment went down and projects in the other segments increased.

Cut design cycle time by 25% by developing and authoring a comprehensive FEA code.

Established priorities within assignments so as to provide the greatest return on company's investment of money, facilities, and time.

During the union workers’ strike of 1994 and 1995, personally worked on the factory floor 12 hours per day, 6 days a week. Due to managerial responsibility, worked for 2 months in each floor to become better acquainted with key manufacturing processes. Responsibilities included the QA function, scheduling, logistics, production (calendaring and mixing of the rubber compounds, building, volcanizing, assembling and finishing), as well as purchasing.

Hired, trained, led, motivated and evaluated performance of personnel assigned. Adhered to the philosophy of delegation and accountability to ensure staff was not micro managed and took ownership of assigned programs; assessed team member performance twice a year based on progress of projects and which programs went from conceptual design to PPAP and production.

Key member of ISO and QS 9000 certification team.

Leader of quality management team conducting quality audits and surveys in order to approve over 10 new suppliers after they passed the QS audit and met targeted company standards.

Served on a team of 3 (from engineering, QA, and production) tasked to complete the transfer of the tooling and presses to a new factory and implement a lean process that involved redesigning to enhance automation. This resulted in several million dollars in annual savings and a significant ROI.

Cut cost of air spring by $7 each by changing from steel to injection molded plastic, saving weight and improving corrosion resistance; received CEO award for great technical achievement.

Product / Application Engineer (1987-1992)

Reported to Engineering Manager. Handled conceptual design and development of prototypes, obtained tooling estimates, conducted testing programs to establish engineering characteristics and specifications, authored and updated product specification documentation, and drove production start-up. Interfaced with customers, suppliers, and sales. Entrusted with the more complex projects that required new tooling and investment. Performed application engineering, collaborated with the sales account managers to meet with customers and establish client relationships focusing on the technical aspects of their needs.

Cut design cycle time 25% by developing, verifying and documenting a user friendly finite element analysis software package and training the end users.

Saved $175,000 annually by designing and developing a new mold contour that reduced scrap rate on a major product line by 30%.

Designed and developed the first three automotive air springs using the FEA code and produced prototypes to test Ford vehicles including: Crown Victoria, MarkVII, and Aerostar; instrumental in the completion of the APQP process and leading the projects to production, representing an over $10 million program for the company.

Developed various thinner and lighter designs involving various casting, injection and compression molded plastic components, saving nearly $100,000 per year.

Selected as a member of team of 3 (from engineering, QA, and production) that was tasked to complete the transfer of the tooling and presses, and dies to a new state of the art factory and implement a lean process that involved redesigning of the crimping dies into progressive dies to eliminate steps in the manufacturing of the stamped metal plate used in the products and complete the PPAP qualification, resulting in an ultimate annual savings of approximately $500,000.

Received President's Technical Achievement Award for designing and approving an injection molded piston to replace the previously used steel piston, lowering the cost by $7 for each part for Freightliner.

Education & Training

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering

Full Academic Scholarship

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics

Emphasis in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Firestone: Statistical Process Control

Firestone: Taguchi Design of Experiments

Firestone: Principles of Total Quality Control

Firestone: Training based upon Chrysler, Ford Motor, General Motors Publications in QS-9000, APQP, FMEA, GD&T, PPAP

The Engineering Society for Advance Mobility Land Sea Air and Space: SAE Advanced Suspension Toptec

Continental: Principles of Accounting

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