Manager Quality

Catherine Stewart

*** ********** *****, ************, ** ********@********.***, 901-***-****, 731-***-****

Work Experience:

Electrolux Major Appliances April 2012- Present

Director of Quality- Greenfield factory start-up & transition from legacy product through redesign to production of range appliances. Successful launch of 1,200 person non-unionized built-in oven manufacturing facility. Awarded Customer Obsession Core Value award for 2013 for North America. Site has press, powder paint/ enamel, laser weld & assembly operations.

Responsibilities Include:

Lead development of ISO documentation, partnering with cross-functional team & 2 other cooking facilities to open state of the art cooking facility.

Change agent, applying LEAN, EMS, SAFe, Toyota Kata tools to rapidly implement change and develop a culture that embraces change and continuous improvement.

Implemented Quality System, standardized APQP planning process as part of early launch and initial quality performing better than committed targets in first 12 months. At 12 months maturity, 3 of 5 product lines performing at better Quality rates than legacy product with the 2 remaining lines at and <10% difference from product with mature experience.

Developed and led Quality Audit process to ISO standards, interface with UL and CSA (regulatory agencies), ensuring regulatory compliance

Developed Runtest system supporting Operations and deployment to ensure functional test

oTesting to collect data and control product conformance by utilizing statistical parameters and methods for analysis

oCreate testing interlock between test and FG label print applications to prevent a unit from getting a shipping label without a passing test record

oDeveloped sub-assembly control panel and cooktop testing to find defects up-stream to final test (and mitigate value added activity to rejected product).

Departmental financial responsibility

Supporting Operations in day to day manufacturing operations, application of common sense approach to visual standards and consumer expectations, tie customer expectations from call center and translate to product and process improvements

United Technologies Corporation November 2006- April 2012

Quality Manager- Managing quality department for a 1,200-3,200 person (seasonality of business) United Steel Workers Unionized factory (high volume, high mix environment). Manufacturer of residential and light commercial air conditioners and heat pumps. Site houses coil fabrication (aluminum fin cutting, copper bending, lacing, expansion, press operations, and paint) and unit test and assembly.

Responsibilities Include:

Led Agency & Internal Audit programs, resulting in zero UL or ISO findings for 4 years

Supporting operations in day to day manufacturing operations

oCollaborative development of standard work

oInitiated development and utilization of Control Plans and process FMEA documentation

oLead quality improvements by gaining front end Operational buy

oDeveloped and implemented interactive review of field returns

oLeading Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, TPM, cell design, and other Lean events, teaching lean principles

oLeading Quality and ACE Pilots in achieving Lean Silver certification 2 months earlier than planned.

Analyze Quality data and implement corrections to improve customer quality

oEscape reductions 40% 1st year, 30% 2nd year

oDOA rate reduced more than 50% 1st year, 42% 2nd year

oField Reporting System experienced a 66% ppm reduction while expanding the customer base using the system

oParticipated in process certification activities that have realized COPQ reductions of $18M in 1st year, $12M in 2nd year.

oLed product cost reductions that resulted in $4.2M in savings in 1st year.

Implemented field return process to return field complaints to factory for teardown analysis and root cause analysis and corrective action implementation

Train and Mentor team members through the Lean curriculum and certification levels

Reduced salaried and hourly overtime labor while expanding services provided

Participated in Coil Shop Process Certification process, team leader in Assembly, first team to reach milestone 3

Departmental financial responsibility, working inside of budget, reduced headcount YOY by implementing quality improvements and automation

Collaborated automation project for box leak process, Green belt trained as part of ACE Practitioner Certification

Foamade Industries September 1999- November 2006

Plant Manager- Hillsdale Operations 150 non-union employees, Tier 1, 2 & 3 automotive supplier of gaskets, seals, filters and acoustical interior components. Supplier of small engine filters, consumer product foams and filters and surgical pouches and instrument holders. Processes include lamination (foam to PSA adhesive), die cutting, heat sealing, assembly, wire burning, sealing screens, high resolution printing, branding, spin cutting, hot melt adhesives and application, spiral cutting and kitting.

Responsibilities Include:

Opened new facility, assumed responsibilities for existing facility, participated in capital appropriation request/ approval, purchase of equipment, implementation of set-up and start of production. Defined material flow of factory

Managing day to day manufacturing operations of 2 plants in Hillsdale, full P&L responsibility

Participated in new facility purchase, new equipment purchase, product transfer and launch of greenfield facility

Successful financial management at plant level

Relocated traditional product from Auburn Hills facility to 2 plants in Hillsdale in 2005

Experienced in Automotive, Medical, Small Engine, and consumer product industries

Foamade Industries

Director of Quality

Corporate Auburn Hills facility located office, 400 employees UNITE union, Tier 1 & 2 automotive. Supplier of flexible foams, gaskets, seals and filters for automotive interiors. Processes include lamination (foam to PSA adhesive), die cutting, thermoforming, hot melt adhesives and application, and assembly.

Managing the quality side at multiple sites, improved quality ratings with key customers

Train teams on various quality standards, requirements, (QS, ISO, and TS) and methods to obtain compliance while applying common sense and the best interest of our business

Lead cross functional teams to implement quality and productivity improvements

Resolve QS probation, achieve QS/ISO certification & subsequently documented TS upgrade at 3 sites, Agency audit Mmgt Representative

Worked closely with Suppliers and Customers

Coordination of corrective action teams, resolving issues keeping reasonable cost and customer demands carefully balanced

Developed, visited and evaluated current and potential suppliers

Conducted collaborative and side by side comparative tests to products and materials both in response to customer rejection and during new product development

Created Plant Level APQP team to review new product status, implement quick changes, develop the appropriate design, utilizing the team approach in a lean organization

Conducted internal audits and implemented layered process audits

Lear Corporation (formerly Masland Industries, formerly H.L. Blachford)

Quality Manager / Manufacturing Manager February 1994- September 1999

125 person, non-union site. Vacuum forming EVA and mixing of wet chemicals to produce cast in place foam for automotive Tier 1 interiors, producing dash insulators and other acoustical components for the automotive industry.

Upon hire, facility was on Q-1 probation and losing more than $2M monthly, part of team that turned business profitability while reinstating Q-1 in good standing and becoming QS9001 certified.

Worked closely with OEM customers

Worked on KAIZEN teams, facilitated training on-site and at other sites

Responsible for PPAP submissions, Lead facility to QS Certification, 3rd Party audit Mmgt rep.

DOE trained (Tagucci Methods), led multiple on-site DOE

Reviewed and approved tooling, QS Internal Auditor, developed supplier qualification process

Acting Plant Manager in Plant Manager’s absence

BA Michigan State University

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