Richard Wickham
Zebulon, North Carolina, ***** – 408-***-****
Director of Quality
Quality Engineering Reliability
Strategic Planning
Equipment Engineering
Product Development
Quality Systems
Semiconductors
Automated Machining
Statistical Analysis
Compliance Observance
Document Control
Technology Reliability
Customer Collaboration
Lessons Learned
Stakeholder Management
Innovative Improvements
Resourceful, meticulous, and proven business, quality, engineering, and operations leader, with project management expertise across diverse environments. Leads strategic planning, process controls, and consistently maintains IEC & UL standards and ISO Quality Management systems.
Guides high performance teams using Six Sigma methodologies, focused on lean processes, efficiency, accuracy, and all stages of the operations and project lifecycle Expert in managing quality systems and documentation, in a product development environment.
Skills include gathering information and analyzing business systems, functional requirement specifications, and the serves as subject matter expert in equipment engineering processes. Experienced with Oracle, SAP & other ERP software.
Offers proven abilities in reliability testing, developing SOPs, good manufacturing processes (GMP), quality auditing, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC standards, root cause analysis, and compliance.
Highly capable of managing diverse and talented project teams; with training focused on system testing, assigning job role responsibilities, deadlines, and monitoring all progress.
Practiced at overseeing and presenting all departmental KPIs, consistently supporting company objectives, compliance mandates, and providing detailed status updates.
Builds solid relationships with partners, leaders, and teams through critical communication, team oversight, collaboration, and excellent interpersonal skills
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PV Evolution Labs- Napa, CA April 2023-Present
Director of Quality
Responsible for Accreditation of ISO/IEC 17025 Certified Laboratory for Electrical Equipment Testing
Documentation & Records
Processes & Audits, Management Review
Internal & External Calibration, Reference standards
Corrective & Preventive Actions
Engineering Controls, Management of Change
PALZIV NORTH AMERICA – Louisburg, NC March 2022-April 2023
Manager of Quality and Training
Improve overall Quality systems and introduce State of the Art Process Control strategies
Enable automation of measurements and collect in process, relevant data to improve customer quality and reduce scrap
Implement 6Sigma and Lean tools to optimize product and process quality
Introduce a “Quality Culture” to the senior staff and Operations Team
Spearhead Lean SixSigma training & tools
SOL PAD INC., BIA CONTROLS INC. San Jose, CA Aug 2019 – Nov 2021
Director of Operations, Head of Quality
Led high-performance and qualified teams through the establishment of Quality Systems and relevant documentation within a product development environment for this startup organization focused on product development, energy storage, and load management. Held responsibility for driving excellence related to testing, UL certification of electronic products, and quality assurance mandates.
Key Achievements
Proactively implemented quality systems and process control measures for manufacturing.
Managed all relevant operational requirements for managing contract manufacturing objectives.
Introduced and initiated all quality management system needs, and operational improvements.
Facilitated the completion of UL testing and certification of product.
CELESTICA PRECISION MACHINING Fremont, CA Jan 2018 – Aug 2019
Senior Quality Manager, Freemont Operations
Led day-to-day activities for a team of 43 employees across four locations. Facilitated the reduction of business locations from four to two within one year, to reduce costs and improve throughput. Efforts focused on supplier and customer quality outcomes, post process critical cleaning, and monitor the automated precision machining process in situ for semiconductor equipment components.
Key Achievements
Generated significant savings through the compression of quality teams, from 43 to 12 members.
Delivered sound improvements in operational and quality efficiency ratings, across all locations.
Introduced and executed Quality Systems and measurement systems for in process SPC.
Achieved the ISO certification which included the transition to ISO 9001:2015
Developed and presented comprehensive statistical analysis reports and progress activities to staff and customers.
Maintained relationships with suppliers, and delivered customer quality reports, and post process surface cleaning results.
Actively involved in the consolidation of four to two metrology labs operating 24/7.
STION CORPORATION San Jose, CA and Hattiesburg, MS Mar 2010 – Dec 2017
Senior Director, Quality and Reliability
An integral member of the executive team, responsible for leading diverse teams, reliability testing FA, process sampling, and customer quality management initiatives. Oversaw the corporate quality & reliability in a 24/7 production environment.
Revitalized all document control, process of record, and management of change operations.
Inspired and implemented operator and support team training and certifications, as a requirement.
Successfully passed 20 customer and 3rd party audits, during tenure.
Promoted continuous improvement processes, which included 5S, CAPA, and SPC.
Increased module power from 130W to 165W utilizing process improvement methodology.
Maintained SPC with 100% automated data collection, that also included alerts.
Achieved the ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Director of Sustaining (Engineering (2010 – 2013)
Accomplished the development and implementation of key metrologies and statistics that supported continuous improvement functions and resolved multiple manufacturing issues creating a high-yield, and high-volume production result.
Boosted production by 80% in both pilot and high-volume manufacturing operations.
Conducted the successful transfer of pilot processes from CA to MS for efficient and lucrative factory startup.
Initiated solid improvements to the process yield, from 30% to 90%, and lowered costs by 40%.
Additional Experience:
Senior Manager, Facilities & Equipment – Innovalight / Dupont, Sunnyvale, CA Scientist, Senior Engineer – SolarWorld Industries America, CA, WA, OR Director of Quality - SoloPower, Portland, OR Senior Tooling Engineer - Honeywell, Costa Mesa, CA Director of Engineering - ACSI, Milpitas, CA
EDUCATION
Certificate Program: Computer Science – Hobart & William Smith, Geneva, NY
Electronics Engineering Technology – Cayuga County Community College
Certifications:
NSC Certification Program – Electronics & Troubleshooting
Six Sigma Greenbelt Certified by Honeywell Aerospace
Six Sigma & Lean Manufacturing tools and techniques
Project Champion for Green belt certification programs
Statistical Process Control
Awards:
Outstanding Individual Contributor Award
Award from Shell Solar Industries for delivery of a process to reclaim silicon for growing solar grade Mono-crystalline silicon
Patents
Scrubber Sterilization Process (#5397546) - Equipment and process for eliminating biological growth in industrial fume scrubbers using a low level of reactive halogen (elemental iodine) that is effective, controlled and environmentally friendly.
Air Purification Method (#5756047) - A method to eliminate biological contamination from an air stream for use in sterile air environments. Using a sprayed, aqueous-based solution of elemental iodine and a sterile wet particulate filter in conjunction with condensing coils for containment.
Affiliations
American Society for Quality IEC Technology Assessment Group for Photovoltaics Institute for Operational Excellence NREL PVQAT Technical Group 8 Lean Enterprise Institute
*** Publications and references available upon request