Quality Assurance

John Sorenson

*** ********** *****

Leesburg, GA 31763

Cell Phone: 229-***-****

Email: ********.****@*****.***

EDUCATION

A. A. Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, FL Associate’s Degree awarded 12/1984

B. S. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Bachelor's Degree awarded 12/1987

Major: Chemistry

Minor: Physics

M. A. American Military University, Charles Town, WV Master's Degree awarded 06/2002

Major: Program Management

M. S. Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, GA Master's Degree awarded 05/2009

Major: Quality Assurance

Southern Polytechnic is now part of Kennesaw State University. M. S. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Master’s Degree awarded 05/2017

Major: Human Environmental Science

Professional Certifications:

NRCC Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer (expired)

ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt

ASQ/ANAB Certified ISO 17025 Lead Auditor

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Supervisory Chemist, Quality and Safety Programs Manager 02/2016 - Present

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

6000 Ammendale Road

Beltsville, MD 20705

Manage all Quality Assurance and Laboratory Safety Programs. Responsible for maintaining the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation of the TTB's four analytical laboratories. QA/QC programs managed include; Proficiency Testing, Corrective Actions, Internal and External Audits, Document Control, Method Validation, Chemist Training and Competency Documentation, and Quality Control Sample Monitoring. Conduct quarterly Quality Assurance training for all division personnel. Safety programs managed include; Employee Training, Laboratory Safety Inspections, Safety Issue Mitigation, Industrial Hygiene Surveys, and External Safety Inspections. Trained and certified as an ISO/IEC 17025 Lead Auditor. Industrial Hygienist

09/2007 - 02/2016

Dept of the Navy

Navy Branch Health Clinic

814 Radford Blvd

Albany, GA 31704

As the base Industrial Hygienist I headed the effort to survey all employee work environments on the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (MCLB). The purpose of these surveys was to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and control all potential health hazards on MCLB. I also supervised the sanitation inspections of all food service locations on MCLB. I directly supervised and train 2 technician positions and a team of contractors. We assessed all occupational health programs on MCLB, Albany. These programs included, but are not limited to; indoor air quality, mold, hazardous chemicals, ventilation, heat stress, noise, and sanitation at all work sites. A large part of my job was training, planning and coordinating work of subordinate employees. I conducted the annual Chemical Safety and “Right-to-Know training for base employees. I also determined the training needs of my subordinates on a regular basis to ensure their ability to serve the base and meet their long term personal goals. (Two techs that left during my 8 years in this position actually doubled their salaries when the left.) It was also my job to analyze all test results to determine the quality of the testing process and the relevance of the results to the problem at hand.

While in this position I finished my MS degree in Quality Assurance (QA) and became an ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. (Certification #13947). I became the chairman of the clinic’s Change Management and Process Improvement Committee. Adjunct Instructor

09/2014 - 12/2015

Darton State College

134 W. 11th Ave

Cordele, GA 31015

I taught part time as an adjunct instructor at Darton State College (Cordele Campus) two nights per week. Developed course content and student evaluation procedures (within state guidelines and requirements). Lectured with and without the use of PowerPoint and other learning technologies, evaluated student progress, and provided academic council. Taught four different college classes; World History I and II, and U. S. History I and II. During my year and a half at Darton State College I taught 9 Sem. Hrs of American History and 6 Sem. Hrs of World History. Senior Chemist

02/2005 - 09/2007

Dept of the Navy (USMC)

814 Radford Blvd

Albany, GA 31704

Chemical Hygiene Officer and Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer in laboratory performing Chemical and Physical Properties Analysis of Chemical Defense equipment. Met with lab's customers to ensure that the tests we ran would provide the answers that the customers were looking for. Designed tests especially to test contract compliance. Analysis of laboratory data and its validity. In this role I stressed the importance of proper verification and validation of the testing process. Ensured that the precession and accuracy of test data was verifiable. As laboratory QA Officer my job was to prove the accuracy and precision of our data. I wrote all laboratory procedures to ensure standardization of work, which in turn ensured repeatability and reproducibility of test results as well as data quality. Analyzing work methods and procedures to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Planning, supervising, and training subordinate employees (3 technicians). Rebuilt GC/MS received from DRMO. In Dec. 2006 I was transferred from the lab into the program office and promoted to GS-13. Worked to set up intralaboratory data Quality Assurance program. It was while I was in this position that I worked on my Masters of Science Degree in Quality Assurance. Quality Inspector

08/2004 - 01/2005

Nestle Purina Pet Care

5001 Fayetteville Road

Fairburn, GA 30213

Pulling product off of production line and performing Quality Assurance testing in Laboratory. Use of Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points (HACCP) to determine key points in the process to sample the product for laboratory analysis. Our decisions on what (and when) to measure products off the line helped the production personnel make adjustments "on-the-fly" without shut down, or reworking an entire batch of product. Worked with operations and packaging personnel to ensure proper sampling. Worked with warehouse personnel to track down production lots that had to be resampled, retested, or stopped from shipping. Technical Advisor

08/2003 - 08/2004

Kalman and Company

814 Radford Blvd

Albany, GA 31704

Kalman and Company: Technical Advisor, Working on Contracting and Defense Acquisition teams to ensure the US Military obtains the highest quality Chem-Bio Defense and Detection equipment. Evaluated test data for the selection and purchasing of Chemical Defense equipment for National Guard Bureau and USMC Syscom. Ensured that customer requirements were clearly communicated to the industrial community, during bid solicitation. Reviewing work operations for compliance with policies and recommending changes. Worked with testing labs to insure that the proposed tests would yield results that were actually relevant to what the Contracting Officer needed to know to make his decisions. (Many times irrelevant tests were proposed just to produce stacks of data that would turn out to be unnecessary. Each test must yield an answer to a specific question.) Reviewed test quality data to evaluate testing processes to determine the validity of test data. Worked with manufactures to modify products that military customers were unhappy with. Advised upper management on the accomplishments of assigned programs and worked to resolve critical and systematic problems. Provided all technical information to LOGCOM Contracting Officer on all Chemical Defense and laboratory testing issues.

United Nations Military Observer, Operations Officer 01/2003 - 08/2003

US Navy Reserve (Active Duty)

Navy Reserve Active Duty: (Jan.2003-Aug. 2003), Operations Officer of UN Observer Team responsible for monitoring a 1100 square mile area along a remote border region between two hostile African Nations. As Operations Officer it was my job to plan four daily patrols each day, then evaluate their daily reports. Comparing daily reports, over time, allowed me to follow troop movements and plan future patrols to maximize daily intelligence gathering efficiency. Supervised, planned and evaluated the daily work of 8 team members (Four 2 man patrols each day).

Project Chemist

11/1999 - 01/2003

Battelle Memorial Institute

Dugway Proving Ground

Dugway, UT 84022

Battelle Memorial Institute: (Nov.1999-Jan.2003)

Position: Program Manager. (Feb.2002-Jan.2003) Liaison between client (USMC) and laboratory performing Physical Properties and Toxic Testing to extend shelf-life of NBC protective gear. Position: Project Chemist. (Nov.1999-Feb.2002) Wrote and executed testing and laboratory procedures for physical and chemical testing of chemical warfare agents, detectors, defenses, PPE, and decontamination procedures for the U.S. Army at Dugway Proving Grounds. Laboratory testing to test product capabilities and compliance to contract specifications. Wrote the step-by-step Laboratory Procedures for ISO 9000 lab. Assisted the Test Directors with the technical portions of the Detailed Test Plans. Coordinated the execution of day-to-day test operations and provided technical advice to the Test Directors. Lab instrumentation used; GC- NPD, GC-MS, MINICAM, and ICP. Testing included; RestOps, Chemical Incident Clean-up Procedures, Canister Breakthrough (Smartman), Material absorption and penetration, and Laboratory Air Safety Monitoring.

Analytical Chemist

02/1995 - 11/1999

Florida’s Natural Growers

20250 US Highway 27

Lake Wales, FL 33853

Florida’s Natural Growers, (Feb.1995-Nov.1999)

Position: Analytical Chemist. I was the only chemist at Florida's Natural, so I had to test all incoming ingredients as well as test final product prior to shipment. EVALUATE, ANALYZE, VALIDATE AND ASSESS ALL LABORATORY PROGRAM OPERATIONS. Worked in beverage processing plant to enforce HACCP analysis and GMP requirements. I set up a multi pesticide residue test program to test incoming and out going juices for organochloride, orthophosphate and carbamate pesticide classes. Statistically validated all processes and developed control measures to maintain verifiable data quality. Innovated Change Management and Process Improvement by developing a new Solid phase extraction process to save laboratory chemical usage and disposal expenses. Laboratory instrumentation used; GC-NPD, GC-ECD, HPLC with post column deriveration and florescent detector. Analytical Chemist

10/1993 - 02/1995

Quanterra Environmental Services

Tampa, FL

Quanterra Environmental Services, formerly Enseco Labs. (Oct.93-Feb.95) Position: Analytical Chemist. GC analysis for trace residue levels of pesticides and other semi- volatile compounds. Set up and validated all systems and wrote procedures for PAH analysis by HPLC.

Analytical Chemist

10/1987 - 10/1993

Florida Department of Agriculture

Tallahassee, FL

Florida Department of Agriculture (Mar.90-Oct.93)

Position: Chemist III, Asst. QA/Safety Officer in the Chemical Residue Lab(Nov.92-Oct.93). Ordered, maintained, and tested all pesticide standards used in the lab. Implemented GLP and TQM processes. Wrote lab SOP's in accordance with EPA and USDA regulations and GLP requirements.

Position: Chemist II, Analytical Chemist, Chemical Residue Lab(Apr.91-Nov.92). Trace level analysis of pesticide residues in environmental and food crop samples. Position: Chemist II, Laboratory Supervisor of Dairy Lab. #2.(Mar.90-Apr.91) Planned coordinated, and directed all operations of laboratory, which preformed chemical, physical, and microbiological testing of milk and other dairy products. Training and supervision of three Lab Techs.

Naval Reserve Officer Training, Active Duty, (Aug.88-Mar.90) Chemist I, Analytical Chemist

Florida Department of Agriculture

Feed Laboratory

Dec.87-Aug.88

Mineral analysis by AA spectroscopy, Phosphate analysis by UV/vis spectroscopy

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MILITARY EXPERIENCE:

As a member of the Navy Reserve I have about 7 years of Active Duty experience. I joined as a Seaman Recruit (E-1) in 1979 and retired in 2009 as a full Commander (O-5). Served as Training Officer of 4 separate Navy Reserve units and as a Commanding Officer of 2 reserve units with 75 personnel.

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