Manager Plant

Stephen Branch,

Roscoe, IL, *****

C: 815-***-****

E: *************@***.***

OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

Leadership * Management * Entrepreneurship * Operational Excellence Six Sigma Blackbelt that is an operations expert that can drive culture change and achieve world class, metric driven results. Possesses excellent oral and written skills, able to handle multiple projects simultaneously, and meets tight deadlines. Operates with a strong sense of urgency and thrives in high pressure environments. Especially interested in opportunities requiring autonomy and high level decision making. Experience in Aerospace, Industrial, Automotive, Food Service, and Medical Equipment markets. Fluent in English and conversant in Spanish. Core competencies include: Plant Management * Process Improvement * LEAN * BTO * 5S * Supply Chain Management * Change Agent * Quick Study

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

FCA – FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOTIVE * Belvidere, IL

High volume/Low Mix Manufacturer of domestic and export passenger vehicles. Unit Leader (February – present)

Managing a union assembly line for the Compass and Patriot vehicles. Assigned primary responsibility for the Autonomous Maintenance elements in the robotic assembly cell designated as the

“Model” for the entire plant.

ULTRASONICS POWER CORPORATION * Freeport, IL

Low Volume/Low Mix Manufacturer of precision ultrasonic cleaning and liquid processing solutions. International customer base, serving every business sector that requires precision ultrasonic cleaning and process management.

Operation Manager (June 2015 – September 2015) - Contract Assignment Responsible for Assembly, Manufacturing, Facilities, and Field Service. Tasked with implementing Lean Processing and prepare Production for a doubling of sales in near term. Lowered cycle time by 50%. Identified and corrected a defect in a key process (epoxy bonding of transducers to tanks). Identified and proposed a solution to a process that was not in compliance with EPA regulations.

LKQ * Rockford, IL

World's largest provider of aftermarket collision replacement products, recycled OEM products and refurbished OEM collision replacement products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights which are used to repair light vehicles. In 2013, LKQ had over $5B in sales. Plant Manager (May 2009-May 2015)

Responsible for Hiring, Training, Environmental Health and Safety, Advertising, and Revenue/Profit generation.

The Rockford Plant is a Self Serve Yard with thirteen employees and $3M in annual sales. With no previous Salvage Yard or Retail experience, grew net income $500K on $2.5M in sales in one year. Uncovered and addressed theft issues, reworked buying processes, instituted better harvesting methods.

Awarded “President's Club” status three of the last five years. Shared most improved plant designation in second year.

WOODWARD GOVERNOR COMPANY * Rockford, IL

Low volume/High Mix Manufacturer of leading-edge technologies into fuel, combustion, fluid, actuation, and electronic control systems for the aerospace, industrial, medical device, and energy markets and achieved $1.9B in sales in 2013. Director of Operations (January 2007-January 2009) Responsible for Production Engineering, Supply Chain Management and Assembly/Test of Fuel Metering Units (FMU), Actuators, Pumps, Sensors, and Servovalves (250+ people) for the Rockford Plant which was producing $200M in annual revenue. Championed project that reduced customer rejects by 300% (from 10% down to 3%)Introduced Mixed Model and Mixed Product flows into Assembly and Test to support LEAN initiative. Lead times dropped from 27 days to nine days.

Worked directly with casting foundry to address past due, delivered quality, and OTD issues over eighteen month period, achieving a 300% reduction in past due and 20% yield improvements. Consolidated Production Engineering down from two managers to one, resulting in lower overheads and improved synergy.

Improved external supplier OTD from 70% to over 90%. Teamed with Development Group on New Product Introductions to reduce lead time into Production and improve ease of Assembly/Test.

Plant Manager, Woodward Niles Plant (October 2004-January 2007) - Automotive and Industrial Manufacturing (non-union plant)

Responsible for High Mix/High Volume Production, Purchasing, Facility Maintenance, Manufacturing, Quality, Process Improvement, Logistics, Inventory (150+ people). Worked directly with Chinese counterparts in Suzhou, China to move high volume lines there from USA.

Woodward purchased SynchroStart, a manufacturer of Industrial power management products; synchronizers, actuators, and fuel metering devices. No previous experience at this plant or with these products.

Implemented 5S throughout the entire plant and provided "Yellow Belt" process control and improvement training to every employee.

Familiar with TS-16949 and ISO quality system requirements. Reduced past due from $3M on $1M/month sales to under $100K and improved On Time Delivery from under 50% to over 90%.

Oversaw reintroduction of obsoleted product line to generate over $500K of profit in one year. Involved detailed negotiations with customer, suppliers, and strategic rehires. Product Family Leader (Rockford) (1997-2004)

Responsible for a vertical organization including Assembly and Test, Production Engineering, and Supply Chain. Had best in class operational metrics. Achieved double-digit productivity gains year over year (over three years), reducing costs by over $100K.

Completed Blackbelt training and project that reduced metering valve port opening variation by 78% using Design of Experiment (DOE), data analysis, observation, and process change/control. Improved FPY at FMU level by 8%. The DOE successfully identified the critical variables and led to the discovery of the EDM wire being deflected by coolant while cutting fuel metering port openings. Changed process to immersion cooling and the variation was reduced and port openings became much more consistent.

Operations Manager (1985-1994)

Part of Core Team that opened a new repair facility; Aircraft Product Service Center.

Contributed on design of new repair product facility, including floor plan for Production Assembly and Test, and Pump Farm.

Drove revenue from $10M/year to over $50M/year in 24 months by adding and training staff and dramatically improving service offerings and performance. Achieved 100% on time delivery

(OTD) for seven months straight.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Colorado State University * Fort Collins, CO Master of Business Administration Rockford College * Rockford, IL Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration University of Wisconsin * Madison, Wisconsin Certificate in Mid-Management Development PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Six Sigma Black Belt, Air Academy Associates

Project Management, Dennis Young and Associates

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