Craig Fast

***** **** **** ****, *** Lake, Minnesota 55309 612-***-**** acxme1@r.postjobfree.com

Director of Operations

Process Reengineering / Cost Control / Design for Manufacturability / Engineering / Negotiations

P&L / Facility & Equipment Management / LEAN / Multi-Site / Project Management / Regulatory

With a unique combination of operations leadership and engineering expertise, I have successfully led all aspects of manufacturing including new product design and introduction, procurement, scheduling, HR, production, and shipping. My history has been in highly-regulated, fast paced, high growth environments.

I bring expertise in LEAN manufacturing concepts, product development, and value re-engineering products for efficient production. I have planned for growth, launched multiple expansions, and directed construction all attaining profitability within pre-established timelines with high quality and satisfied customers.

Reengineering manufacturing processes to control costs and enhance profitability

Eliminate the waste in excess materials and obsolete inventories

Create control metrics to measure and improve product quality and increased output

Negotiating governmental incentives

Building, leading, and motivating technical teams

Designing, expanding, and building manufacturing plants

Managing installations, maintenance, and repair plant equipment

Development of revolutionary new products, and introduction of these into the marketplace

Lead manufacturing operations in a Lean environment

I am known for my dynamic leadership skills, proven problem solving ability, and cross functional team building proficiency. I grasp technical matters quickly and develop solutions to difficult problems.

Education

Bachelor of Science, Bemidji State University. Industrial Technology, minor in Business Administration.

Selected Accomplishments

Improved production, efficiencies, and profitability. Challenged to cut cost at Elkay’s Minnesota hardwood dimension facility. Assessed plant operations, developed, and implemented strategy adding products and increasing production while cutting costs. Improved output 30% and saved $1.25M.

Slashed operating cost with no loss of quality or production capacity. Elkay’s Pennsylvania manufacturing facility needed to cut costs. Developed LEAN techniques and reduced raw material costs. Built and led cross-functional team for implementation. Saved $900K in eight months.

Invented machine to replace costly manual operation. Medallion Cabinetry’s production requirements necessitated controlling labor costs. Invented a specialized machine to automate a labor intensive manual operation. Teamed with plant leadership to bring new machinery in to operation and saved $450K in labor costs.

Directed the search team in location of Elkay facility expansions. Medallion Cabinetry required multiple expansions into new manufacturing facilities. Led the search and final selection of these company manufacturing locations.

Introduced revolutionary new surface finishes to the market. BTD Wood Powder Coating offered two standard powder coated finishes to the market. Developed two new powder coated finishes that are transforming the wood powder coating markets. Holder of patents for these new finishes.

Implementation of Lean culture. ISC was committed to implementation of a Lean Culture. Implemented Lean tools across office, manufacturing, service and install businesses.

Building high functioning leadership teams. ISC required a significant change in the leadership of the manufacturing plants. Trained local leaders in building teams to create efficiently operating production facilities.

Career History

Industrial Door Corporation. Coon Rapids, MN. Manufacturer of garage door springs, and garage door installation and service industry.

Director of Operations, 1/2015 to 9/2016. Lead Manufacturing for three garage door spring manufacturing sites and garage door installation and service in the Minneapolis metro area including all Production, Maintenance, Quality Control, Safety, and Engineering. Implemented Best Practices across production sites. Reduced scrap from 2.5% to 1.9%, drove Cost of Production to budget across the division. Introduced new metrics to better measure continuous improvement initiatives.

Continental Machines/DoAll Sawing Products, Savage, MN. A manufacturer of industrial metal cutting band saws.

Director of Manufacturing Operations, 12/2013 to 11/2014. Lead Manufacturing, Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering. Implemented LEAN initiatives of 5-S, Point of Use inventory for assembly operations, and Value Steam Mapping. Accomplished significant improvements in cost of quality, reducing scrap from over $5,000 per month to less than $500 per month. Decreased labor from 14.8% to 14.3% as measured in labor as a percentage to sales. Improved gross margin by 4% through reduced labor costs and improved material utilization. Introduced KPI’s to monitor results of change. Experienced with Navision ERP systems.

Contract/Short Term Assignments

Operations Lead, 6/2013 to 12/2013. Direct manufacturing operations. Lead manufacturing engineering, product development, and value engineering of product construction. Manage facilities, maintenance and preventative maintenance systems. Coordinate the utilization of materials and labor throughout the manufacturing operations. Leadership of plant manufacturing operations including Project Management for new orders, scheduling, purchasing, production and shipping for all company products and coordination of services. Documented operational annual cost reductions of $270,000 in material and labor costs. Implemented LEAN tools within both the office and plant cultures. Developed Single Piece Flow methodologies and the related plant layout changes for profitably manufacturing small run orders. 140 direct and indirect reports.

BTD Wood Powder Coating, Brainerd, Minnesota. A leading US provider of powder coated wood products.

Vice President of Operations, 8/2011 to 5/2013. Lead manufacturing operations, research and development of new product and implementation of process improvements. Manage company growth of 17% in 2011 and 5% in 2012. Developed numerous new products for market introductions. Improved operating margins and reduced material costs.

Elkay Cabinet Group, Waconia, Minnesota. A $300M division of home products and consumer goods manufacturer.

Director of Operations, 2007 to 8/2011. Managed manufacturing facilities and plant engineering departments. Responsible for corporate direction, policies and procedures for technical support. Plan and execute facility expansions and reductions. Directed lease negotiations, environmental compliance. Held $18M P&L and managed technical staff of 60. Led operations in the two hardwood manufacturing plants with total staff of 270.

Director of Facilities, 2005 to 2007. Directed construction and remodeling of facilities. Led asset management, procurement of major production equipment, and relocating production plants. Created and managed operating budgets for expansion plants. Responsible for $10M budget and 55 staff members.

Operations Manager, Medallion Cabinetry, Inc, ($100M cabinet manufacturer, owned by Elkay), 1996 to 2005. Directed all facility and maintenance requirements. Established locations, design, and operations of two plants. Purchased and installed production equipment. Led cost reduction initiatives. Responsible for $10M budget.

Earlier: Plant/Production Manager, The H Window Company. Manufacturing Engineer, Gerry Baby Products. Engineering Supervisor, Morgan Products. Manufacturing Engineer, Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc. Shift Supervisor, Marvin Windows.

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