GERALD BEST

817-***-**** ada5f1@r.postjobfree.com

Certified Lean / Six Sigma Black Belt Leader

Driving Operational Excellence by Accelerating Business Transformation

SUMMARY

Multi-functional value chain leader with strategic, manufacturing and operational experience in Aerospace, Automotive, and Consumer Product industries. An integrator of quality assurance and innovation to improve key work processes. Talent for identifying and implementing changes to capture opportunities and reduce risk. Accelerates deployment and adoption of Lean Six Sigma principles, systems and tools to create value for stakeholders. One of 250 Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence International Examiners in the US.

Areas of expertise include:

●Strategic Planning & Execution

●Lean Product Development

●Operations Management

●LSS Master Black Belt 2006

●Lean Shingo Prize Examiner 2004

●Continuous Improvement Defense Program Management

●Budgeting & Cost Control Risks Management

●Digital Manufacturing

●Industrial Transformation - IIOT

●Process Improvement

●Supplier Quality Assurance

●Change Management

●Leadership & Mentoring

●Quality Management Systems (QMS)

Brings high-level strategic vision with a tactical commitment to execution – knows what’s required to achieve the highest results and able to make the decisions, assemble/lead the teams, implement the changes, and track the metrics required to ensure product excellence. Strong decisive and motivating leader that excels in talent development and assessment.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Aunalytics (PAAS) - South Bend, IN

Vice President of Digital Manufacturing and Industrial IoT 7/2017 - 5/2019

The Industrial Internet of Things brings together machines, advanced analytics, and people. It’s the network of connected assets and devices by communications technologies that results in systems that can monitor, collect, exchange, analyze and deliver valuable new insights. These insights help drive smarter, faster business decisions for manufacturers.

Served as Manufacturing Technologist Executive for Small to Medium sized Industrial Transformation (IX) solution development. Domain expert in Manufacturing applications to help forward-thinking companies leverage AI, Blockchain, Machine Learning and COTS products so they can unearth the unknown, predict the future, and optimize their business. Lead the requirements, development and implementation of enterprise and business area data management solutions. (Supply Chain, Quality 4.0, Preventative Maintenance)

●Conducted Industry 4.0 technology market research and advisory services to help manufacturers craft a digital transformation strategy, and to select technologies and partners

●Assessed present and future operational risk and prescribed the appropriate advanced manufacturing and advanced analytics solutions resulting in a measurable end to end operating systems integration.

●Return on Investment visibility by methodically selecting the correct technologies and implementation projects, based on neutral third party information. Resulting in streamlining the digital transformation process, accelerating desired results and avoiding misinformed decisions.

●Developed technology product development strategies to help manufacturers answer: What’s happening on their shop floor, right now? Do you know how efficiently your machines are running? Do you know what the main source of down time is? How effective is my supply value stream to deliver the perfect order?

●Benchmarked and developed a Supply Chain Analytics product development strategy to increase speed to market, enhance the customer response, and allow the critical path suppliers to have the capability to produce any part, any day based on customer demand. Outcomes produce the highest quality product and have the lowest product cost.

Delivery & Distribution Solutions LLC – Burr Ridge, IL

Vice President of Operations 1/2017 – 6/2017

Delivery & Distribution Solutions LLC is a full service delivery and logistics company providing traditional courier package and equipment delivery, warehousing, supply replenishment, consolidated shipment (cross docking) and driver outsourcing. We provide these services to the entire Chicago-land & NW Indiana areas with other markets opening soon.

Responsible for setting strategic and operational direction in the customer driven expansion of the business to 15 states. Leads the professional development of new entrepreneurial leaders in the evolving eCommerce commodity space.

Principal Accountabilities

●Established a business plan, created and ensured the implementation of site strategy and annual operation plan for the plants and facilities.

●Planned and directed, through management and supervisory staff, the safe and compliant operation of the plant to achieve schedules at the lowest cost consistent with the quality standards.

●Responsible for achieving the expected financial results (conversion cost, quality, inventory, capital investment) by continuous improvement of processes and implementation of new programs in the plant.

●Responsible for developing and maintaining high morale of union and non-union employees under direction and close employee-company relationships; created a work environment that is characterized by trust and mutual respect.

●Oversaw capital asset maintenance, including maintaining existing plant facilities/ equipment and replacing or making adjustments to plant in line with budget when necessary.

●Ensured customers’ satisfaction by achieving the required service level and establishing effective communication.

●Led fundamental team and management capability development through the annual talent management cycle.

Federal Mogul Corporation Project – N.A-Automotive and Heavy Industrial Bearings Mfg. Plant – Greenville, MI

Plant Quality Manager 09/2015– 2/2017

Responsible for Aluminum, Tin and Copper based Bearings and Bushing manufacturing from Sintering/Strip Casting to Roll Bonding.

●Performed a quality Gap Assessment and developed a strategic long term vision and path to best in class quality systems.

●Researched and implemented technologies and test methods to improve quality performance and efficiency of quality personnel resulting in a 25% CPK improvement of critical to customer characteristic sustained performance.

●Partnered with Customers to resolve quality issues in a timely manner while determining root cause and establishing long term corrective action via joint Six Sigma structured improvement activities.

●People Excellence: Hired and rebuilt a team of engineers, developed standard-work and matured Product Development on new projects to establish customer specifications, requirements and testing protocols to deliver products that meet customer expectations while maintaining a 2% schedule slip.

●Prepared for and participated in all 3rd party audits resulting in successfully sustainment of plant ISO-TS16949, Ford Q1 and General Motors BIQS certifications.

AXLE-TECH INTERNATIONAL – US GEAR PLANT Project (Division of General Dynamics) – Chicago, IL

Quality Manager 12/2014 – 05/2015

Axel-tech International is a high-precision machine gear manufacturer. Project scope was to form a cross functional team and manage process to qualify the plant for its ISO third party registration. TUV ISO-2008 Certification achieved and sustained.

WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION – St. Joseph, MI.

North American Region Supplier Quality & Development Manager 2014 to 11/2014

Responsible for the definition and execution of the Supplier Quality and Development strategy for North America. Partnered with Strategic Component / Basic Technology and Raw Material Commodity Managers to align spend strategy and development engagements. Served as the quality leadership escalation of new product launch producibility and design for manufacturability for critical path suppliers. Set supplier performance targets and manages the supplier risk assessment process. Development (SQ&D) organizational processes and engineering competencies for US and Mexico.

●Product Leadership: Drive new part and system level qualification and advanced development validation with suppliers through the Supplier Development Engineers for 100% PPAP on schedule delivery.

●One Whirlpool: Collaborate with Whirlpool Global Quality leaders in the Asia International Purchasing Office and other whirlpool regions for quality system and development work with suppliers outside the US and Mexico

●Operating Excellence: Engaged critical path suppliers senior management to initiate an appropriate improvement program to achieve a 30% reduction in supplier PPM.

●People Excellence: Hired and rebuilt a team of engineers, developed standard-work and matured Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) competencies.

UNITED TECHNOLOGIES AEROSPACE SYSTEMS – Rockford, IL

Business Unit Supplier Quality & Development Manager 2012 to 2014

Manage a global organization of 91 regionally based suppliers to meet current and future engineered and electronic business needs, specifications and value for money for an annualized $1.1B spend rate. Served as the main liaison between Electric Systems Business Unit and Supplier Quality and Development (SQ&D) organizations on all supplier quality issues. Represents assigned business unit on strategic initiatives at various levels throughout UTC segments.

●Verified and validated high risk suppliers, developed a strategic plan, leveraged a consultative approach resulting in 65 % acceptance of a critical path supplier process freeze initiative.

●Engaged critical path suppliers’ senior management to initiate an appropriate improvement program to achieve a 25% reduction in supplier PPM.

●Enhanced supplier change management work transfer utilization to identify and mitigate risk earlier in the product life cycle and achieved the Design to Target Cost (DTC); on track to deliver results at 2% less than targeted by 2015.

●Led weekly Corrective Action Board (CAB) meetings and Quality Management Systems audits. Trained suppliers in SQ&D tools and techniques that included Process Certification, Quality Clinic Systems, Relentless Root Cause Analysis, Mistake-Proofing and Value Stream Mapping.

●Provided leadership in the execution of supplier compliance audits and supported the commodity strategies to meet operations 90 % build rates and keep customer contractual commitments.

EATON CORPORATION Vehicle Group Forge Operations – South Bend, IN

Plant Operational Excellence Manager 2010 - 2012

Quality and Engineering Manager that provided leadership to the Eaton Vehicle Group Forge plant (150 team members). Created a customer focused continuous improvement culture to manufacture Net and Near Net gear assembly forgings for US and EURO/MEX customer operations. Led a quality, design and manufacturing engineering team (8 direct reports) with a systems approach from new product development through manufacturing /safety process enhancements.

●Developed and sustained a quality plan, which ensured the plant quality systems and policies were in compliance and reduced PPM by 30 % to goal.

●Enhanced and managed an ISO 9001 / TS 16949 quality system and achieved successful recertification. Deployed a lean transformation strategy by applying the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence criteria resulting in work process effectiveness and waste stream reductions of 43%.

●Built organizational capability, by maturing project management skill sets in direct reports with capital expenditure projects deliverables under forecast budget and 2% schedule slip.

●Reduced the cost of non-conformance to 4.2% of sales for 4 quarters by managing actions to mitigate COPQ (Cost of poor quality).

LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION 2004 to 2009

SPACE SYSTEMS Company, Strategic Missile / Satellite Programs – Sunnyvale, CA

Continuous Improvement Program Manager 2006 – 2009

Served as Master Black Belt by developing and executing the operational excellence continuous improvement program for the $50B U.S. Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Program / AEHF, MOUS and TSAT Satellite Programs. Utilized transformation methodologies to lead process improvement projects to achieve program objectives. Provided technical guidance for continuous process improvements and increasing process discipline along the entire product life cycle, resulting in increased mission success.

●Provided leadership in the completion of 137 SIAs in 2006 which resulted in $32.7M of Navy- SP27 approved savings and $21.9M in company Approved Savings (FY06).

●Developed, optimized, and deployed Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt training, mentoring, and certification processes across programs to build and improve change agent infrastructure.

●Coached/Mentored 38 Greenbelts,12 Black belts and 22 Lean Leaders while stimulating management thinking to deploy continuous improvement (CI) initiatives to industrial supply base in order to optimize lean benefits throughout the supply and value chain.

●Established CI Savings & Reinvestment Process that allows for capture and re-allocation of $25M of CI Savings into annual contract negotiation process.

LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

AERONAUTICS – Fort Worth, TX

Supplier Lean Deployment Operations Engineer Staff - LM21 Black belt 2004 - 2006

Represented Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Supply Chain as the subcontract Lean Six Sigma focal point for F-22 and F-35 aircraft suppliers.

●Developed lean six sigma program excellence plans with Company and subcontractor senior leadership.

●Seized $1.2M value stream efficiencies linked to program critical path hardware and software.

●Established 97% supplier quality rating through the integration of technical solutions to complex problems that required root cause analysis, KTA and risk reduction.

●Served as a change agent, internal consultant to Program Managers for supplier quality improvement initiatives for the following international suppliers: Alcoa Fastening System, Northrop Grumman, Honeywell, BAE, Acrymil Machining, Goodrich, Raytheon.

●Facilitated joint Kaizens involving product feasibility, quality and the associated process improvements that directly pertained to engineering disciplines: failure analysis, industrial manufacturing, quality assurance, design reliability, supplier quality and test.

EDUCATION

Masters of Science, Technical Management. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fort Worth, TX (in process)

Bachelors of Science, Behavioral Science. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Lockheed Martin Corporate Leadership Institute (CLE) Training. Subcontract Program Management (101-201-301)

Subcontract Source Selection

MILITARY

UNITED STATES ARMY, Fort Bragg, NC

Special Operations / Civil Affairs Battalion Supply Officer S-4 (managed budget $19M)

Captain Engineer/Quartermaster Corp (Company Commander 223 soldiers)

Platoon Leader/Senior Logistician (47 soldiers)

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