Quality Assurance Manager
Resume:
Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 1
Kevin Kopitch
************@*****.***
Professional Experience
Di Stefano Cheese
Pomona, CA July 2022 to Present
Quality Assurance Manager
Achievements:
• PCQI Certification
• HACCP Certification
• IBWA Certification
• SQF Practitioner
• Gained SQF certification for Di Stefano Cheese within six months.
• Transitioned many quality inspections and production checks to digital formats saving time and money.
• Implemented a robust training program for all areas of the facility.
• Overhauled the quality department.
o Revised Customer complaints; tracking and trending. o Revised Microbiology department; tracking and trending. o Revised Hold policy and procedures.
o Revised CAPA policy and procedures.
• Introduced and implemented shelf-life validation studies. o Studies showed benefits in shortening some shelf lives, as well as extending a few other products.
Responsibilities:
• Manages local, state, customer/third party, and federal audits, and inspections.
(FDA, CDFA, USDA, City of Pomona)
• Manages the operation of the plant laboratory, including ensuring supplies and equipment are available and calibrated.
• Ensures product safety, regulatory compliance, and compliance with company standards.
• Ensures adherence to appropriate regulations and Company standards for raw milk quality.
• Drives Continuous Improvement efforts in product quality/performance and process optimization.
• Develops, facilitates, and maintains the Milk HACCP program.
• Reviews CCP daily
• Ensure all SQF audit requirements are met.
• Support and oversee Food Safety policies, activities, trainings.
• Implements and maintains all Di Stefanos quality systems. Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 2
• Supervises the appropriate chemical, bacteriological, sensory and utilization tests on raw materials and pasteurized products.
• Communicates quality metric and inspection results to appropriate managers and others in leadership positions including, but not limited to daily, weekly, or monthly KPI reporting.
• Ensures that proper sanitation procedures are utilized and that adequate sanitation tests are performed; provides “troubleshooting” efforts in the event of sanitation system failure.
• Develops and maintains documentation of all required quality tests and activities.
• Assists in adherence to all contract packaging quality requirements.
• Cooperates in a cross-functional manner as a change agent with all departments within the Company.
• Provides leadership in coaching, education and training to management staff and plant employees for Quality Assurance and Food Safety.
• Reviews / revises all SOP’s, SSOP’s and quality related policies.
• Assist in reviews of all product labels used in the facility and ensures adherence to regulatory and Company standards.
Niagara Water
Rialto, CA October 2015 to June 2022
Quality Assurance Supervisor
Achievements:
• PCQI Certification
• HACCP Certification
• IBWA Certification
• SQF Practitioner
• Implementation of new customer's finished products (Coca Cola, Pepsi, Essentia)
• Qualification of new production lines
• LIFE Training
• Foundations Training
Responsibilities:
• Track and trend KPI
• Implement effective change strategies with management to improve quality of finished product
• Audit preparation SQF Level 3
• Review compliance of internal policies / regulations, and customer policies / regulations
• Work with neighboring departments to continuously improve quality
• Review and submit various compliance and consumer reports to customers, managers, and Niagara corporate team
• Manage NCRM and consumer complaints
Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 3
• Manage the quality lab in a fast paced environment
• New hire training and annual training
Niagara Water
Ontario, CA August 2013 to October 2015
Quality Assurance Technician
Achievements:
• Help update and rewrite Standard Operating Procedures
• Involved in Auditing Procedures
Responsibilities:
• Line and Packaging checks, Cap Torque, Fill Levels, Top Loads, Force to Load
• Calibration of pH, TDS, Torq-O-Meter, Turbidity Units and Balances
• Calibration and monitoring Ozone skids and Water Quality Monitoring Systems
• Accurate and timely record keeping with IQS and Presage systems
• Perform quality checks such as pH, TDS, Turbidity, Sensory, and Visual Inspection
• Daily Microbiology Testing, Yeast and Mold, Coliform, and HPC
• Maintain Lab Inventory and Minerals for Batching
• Knowledge of GMP’s, GLP’s, CQP's Food Safety, and High Speed Manufacturing Environment
Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Victorville, CA
April 2010 through March 2013
Quality Assurance Lab Technician Lead
Achievements:
• Promoted from QA Technician to Quality Assurance Lab Technician Lead
• Certified Infinity QS International SPC Training
• ByWater Certified SQF Internal Auditor
Experienced in the Calibration and use of the following equipment: Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 4
• Micro Blend; ratios, CO2, Brix
• GRUNKE Seam checker
• HPLC (Waters and Thermo Scientific)
• Refractive Index (Bellinghem Stanley)
• pH Meters (Thermo Scientific)
• T.A.,Titratable Acid, auto and manual, (Thermo Scientific)
• Asorbic Acid Titraion
• TDS, Conductivity Meters
• CARBO QC Validation, CO2 and Brix
• Maselli In-Line Meter Calibration
Responsibilities:
• Line Checks: Weights, Brix, pH, Torque, Pull-ups, Lug Stop, Vacuum Seal checks, Pasteurization, Packaging; Raw Materials and Finished Goods.
• Troubleshooting – Batch adjustments, lab equipment, overall quality team support and liaison between quality assurance and production.
• QA hold, disposition, and release
• Infinity QS Administrator
Fresh and Easy
April 2009 through April 2010
Quality Assurance Technician
CIP Technician, Lab Technician
Responsibilities:
• Entire operation - Internal Audits for GMP’s and sanitation
• HACCP – CCP monitoring and documentation
• Pre operation – factory release, line release
• Verification & validation of quality documents to assure traceability
• Receiving inspection of all raw ingredients (meats, produce, and ingredients) Nestle Waters North America
Calistoga, CA July 2007 through January 2009
Cabazon, CA Est. 2005 through July 2007
Quality Assurance Technician
CIP Technician, Lab Technician
Achievements:
Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 5
• Started in production and promoted to Sanitation Team and then promoted into Quality Control
• Helped update and rewrite Standard Operating Procedures
• Involved in Auditing Procedures
Responsibilities:
• Perform CIP’s on Production Lines, CIP Skids, Silos, Truck Stations, Resin Beds and Filter Change outs
• Analytical Lab tests
• Regeneration of Fluoride and Green Sand Units
• Lead of I.C.P. program in Calibration of pH, TDS, Turbidity Units and Balances
• In charge of Bromate and Bromite analysis on IC equipment
• Accurate and timely record keeping with IQS systems
• Perform quality checks such as pH, TDS, Turbidity, Sensory, and Visual Inspection
• Knowledge of Brix and Refractive Index Units
• Maintained Chemical Inventory and Safety Practices
• Make standards and test for Arsenic, Antimony, Manganese, and Fluoride levels on A.A.
• Operation of filler, labeler, and various packaging equipment
• Knowledge of GMP’s, GLP’s, Food Safety, and High Speed Manufacturing Environment
Education
Hemet High School, Hemet, CA
High School Diploma
06/1997
References
Gwen Wright
Quality Supplier Management - National
Nestle Foods, USA
Glendale, CA
Kim Wright
National Quality Assurance Manager - Supply Chain
Nestle Waters North America
14020 Elm Street
Cabazon, Ca. 92230
Kevin Kopitch • 951-***-**** • ************@*****.*** Page 6
Andrea Evans
Q.A. Supervisor
Nestle Waters North America Calistoga, CA
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