Customer Service Manager

Carlton (Andy) Soots, PhD

*** ****** **

Advance, NC 27006

Home: 336-***-**** acxc2z@r.postjobfree.com Cell: 336-***-****

SUMMARY

Hands-on Leader with significant Technical, Operations, and Change Agent experience across multiple industries. Six-Sigma Master Black Belt with a proven ability in leading Teams through the Continuous Improvement process to meet Business goals and support Long-Term Strategies. A Leader with Strong Interpersonal Skills who is Results-Oriented and excels in Coaching, Leadership Development, and Problem Solving.

General Manager

Plant Manager

P&L Responsibility

Six-Sigma Master Black Belt

Quality Manager

Continuous Improvement Leader

Multi-Site Responsibility

Supply Chain Management

PhD Chemical Engineering

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Innocor Foam Technologies, High Point, North Carolina, 7/15-5/16

General Manager/Plant Manager

Primary Duties:

•P&L Responsibility for the East Region (3 Manufacturing Facilities located in NC, TN, and GA).

•Responsible for a total Headcount of over 200 people.

•Direct Operational Responsibility for the High Point, NC facility.

•Attainment of key business metrics: Safety, Quality, Customer Service, Inventory Management, Manufacturing Efficiency, Spending, and Headcount.

Significant Accomplishments:

•Developed and Successfully executed a 60 day Improvement Plan to restore the High Point Operation to profitability (21% reduction in direct labor costs and 13% reduction in Overhead costs).

•Led local implementation of JD Edwards Inventory Management System meeting cost and schedule requirements while maintaining target Customer Service levels. Consistently delivering “best in company” Inventory Accuracy post-implementation (99

•Implemented a DMAIC based Lean Six-Sigma approach to waste reduction that provided $300K in annual savings.

•Identified and Implemented Organizational Changes and Processes to improve Customer Service (15% improvement in On-Time Delivery) to consistently exceed 98% to customer request in a demanding short lead-time environment (<24 hours).

Charter Medical LTD, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 4/10-5/15

Director of Operations

Primary Duties:

•Responsible for EH&S, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality Control, Engineering, Human Resources, and Continuous Improvement for an ISO 13485 certified FDA registered Medical Device Company (95 people).

•Business Metric Attainment: Safety, Quality, Customer Service, Inventory Turns, Manufacturing Variances, Spending, and Headcount.

•Site P&L Responsibility (excluding SG&A).

•Development and Implementation of Lean Six-Sigma Initiatives in support of Cost Reduction Initiatives.

Significant Accomplishments:

•Delivered Profitability exceeding Budget and Lean Six-Sigma savings of at least 1.5% of sales.

•Achieved significant improvement in the Cost of Quality with a 30% reduction in complaints and 40% reduction in scrap utilizing Lean Six-Sigma tools (DMAIC/Poka-Yoke).

•Realized a 25% improvement in Customer Service (on-time delivery) through the implementation of a Lean based Production Planning and Execution Process.

•Facilitated a Kaizen Team that achieved a 20% increase in Inventory Turns.

•Implemented an “Organization of the Future” on the Manufacturing Floor focused on self-directed work teams.

•Provided Training and Development (including Certification) for 6 Lean/Six-Sigma Yellow Belt Practitioners (Production Operators and Supervisors).

•Key member of the Team responsible for executing Divesture of Charter Medical, LTD. Supported transitional activities required by the new Owner.

ConvaTec, Greensboro, North Carolina, 5/06-4/10

Associate Director Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement

Primary Duties:

•Responsible for Manufacturing, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement for an ISO 13485 certified manufacturing facility and FDA registered Medical Device Company (200 people).

•Responsible for the Development of Lean/Six-Sigma practitioners.

•Direct Reports include: Manufacturing, Engineering, and Maintenance.

•Served as acting Plant Director as needed.

Significant Accomplishments:

•Achieved average annual cost savings of $3MM.

•Developed and Implemented LSS Work Measurement and Feedback Loop Systems that improved productivity up to 25%.

•Trained, Developed, and Certified 15 Lean/Six-Sigma Green Belt Practitioners (Production Operators, Supervisors, and Leadership Team members).

•Partnered with Supply Chain to Develop and Implement a Program to minimize Inventory and Over-production without impacting Customer Service levels.

•Restructured Manufacturing and Technical Operations in support of Bristol-Myers Squibb Divesture of ConvaTec.

Continuous Improvement Manager (Master Black Belt)

Primary Duties:

•Provide Leadership in identifying and achieving Cost Reduction Initiatives.

•Responsible for the Training, Coaching, and Mentoring of DMAIC Six-Sigma Green/Black Belts.

•Develop and Implement Plant-wide Continuous Improvement Program utilizing Six-Sigma Lean tools.

Significant Accomplishments:

•Implemented Guiding Coalition which identifies Lean/Six-Sigma Cost Reduction Initiatives.

•Provided Six-Sigma Leadership/Coaching for 5 CAPA Teams focused on key corrective action

initiatives.

•Promoted to Associate Director of Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement after 9 months.

Duracell, Lexington, North Carolina, 4/99 – 12/05

Quality and Process Engineering Manager (Six-Sigma Master Black Belt)

Primary Duties:

•Manage combined Quality and Process Engineering Departments for an ISO 9001:2000 certified Manufacturing Facility.

•Provide Lean Six-Sigma Leadership to Quality, Process Engineering and Manufacturing.

•Coach and Train Six-Sigma Green and Black Belts.

•Served as Guiding Coalition member and Change Agent who contributed as Team Leader, Team Member, and/or Coach on Kaizen Events.

•Member of Senior Staff Management Team who assisted Plant Manager/Manufacturing Director in developing and executing Plant Strategy Deployment and Strategic Growth initiatives.

Significant Accomplishments

•Recipient of 2005 President’s Award.

•Obtained Six-Sigma Master Black Belt Certification.

•Utilized Six-Sigma DMAIC principles to drive 12% improvement in Manufacturing First Pass Yield (FPY).

•Provided Leadership to Process Engineering team that achieved a 42% reduction in scrap through the use of Lean and DMAIC principles.

•Implemented the use of statistical tools and SPC for data trending for predicting tool wear and addressing sporadic Quality issues.

•Led effort that resulted in Duracell becoming a Sony Green Partner (1st Battery Manufacturer to achieve this distinction).

•Provided Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt Training and Development (including certification) for the Senior Leadership Team.

Continuous Improvement Team Leader

Primary Duties:

•Responsible for Leading cross-functional Engineering Team (Quality, Electrical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineers).

•Achieve Value Stream KPI (Key Performance Indicator) targets.

•Identify and Execute medium and longer term Continuous Improvement projects.

Significant Accomplishments

•Utilized Six-Sigma DMAIC tools (PFMEA, RCA, DOE) and Lean (Value Stream Maps, 6S, Standard Work, Corrective Action) to identify effective solutions to Equipment, Process, and Manufacturing issues associated with a new product introduction.

•Utilized Six-Sigma DMAIC and Leans tools to realize a 160% improvement in productivity (OEE2), a 34% gain in Winder productivity, and an 80% increase in Battery Assembly productivity over a 6-month period.

• Provided Technical Leadership on Continuous Improvement projects that provided a 40% reduction in overall scrap.

•Promoted to Quality and Process Engineering Manager in 2003.

Senior Product/Process Engineer

Significant Accomplishments

•Led New Product Introductions into Manufacturing on schedule and within Budget constraints.

•Led Product Improvement Initiatives utilizing DOE evaluations to understand and resolve any differences noted in pre-production trials prior to introducing changes to Manufacturing.

•Completed material and product design evaluations to identify and qualify a “Low Cost’ product.

•Led effort to qualification of a new Prismatic product. This included managing the material and product issues through the qualification process to insure the product was launched on schedule and within budget.

•Promoted to Continuous Improvement Team Leader in 2002.

Energizer Power Systems, Gainesville, Florida, 7/96 – 4/99

Senior Process/Technology Engineer

Significant Accomplishments:

•Developed prototype electrode that provided a 15% increase in performance.

•Developed prototype electrode capable of high drain rate performance for power tool applications.

•Implemented process improvements to coating operation that provided a 25% improvement in scrap reduction.

•Promoted to Cathode Platform Steward in 9/97 (this was a Team Leadership position that was responsible for performance, cost, productivity, and quality of NiMH foam positive cathodes - this position reported directly to a Management Steering Committee).

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp, Macon, Georgia, 2/91 – 7/96

Senior Process Engineer

Significant Accomplishments:

•Developed alternative product drying and cooling processes which were implemented as part of a factory expansion. New systems provided reduced in-process time, improved product quality and a 40% increase in capacity.

•Developed and implemented improved in-process sampling and measurement that provided a reduction in rejected product that provided yearly savings exceeding $500,000.

•Developed and implemented an improved material handling system which provided a yearly savings of $700,000.

•Granted two patents.

•Promoted to Senior Process Engineer in 1994.

University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Instructor/Teaching Assistant

6/87 – 12/90

Milliken and Company, Barnwell, South Carolina, Production Supervisor

7/85 – 1/87

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy, Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 1990.

Dissertation Title: Optimal Control of Batch Solution Polymerization of Styrene.

Relevant Coursework: Statistical Experimental Design, Response Surface Methodology, Advanced Process Control Theory.

Master of Science, Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 1988.

Thesis Title: Modeling the Polymerization Process.

Relevant Coursework: Polymerization Principles, Polymer Processing.

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 1985.

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