S T E V E N B A K U S
Green Oaks, Illinois 60048
Cell: 847-***-****
E-mail: ***********@*****.***
EDUCATION M.B.A., LAKE FOREST GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
B.S., MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, Packaging Engineering (technical option)
A.A., LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Pre-engineering
A.A., FERRIS STATE COLLEGE, Mechanical Drafting and Tool Design
AWARDS Abbott Laboratories, Inc.
Two Chairman’s Performance Awards
Vice-Presidential Division Performance Award
Two Director’s Awards
Engineering Excellence Performance Award
Award of Excellence (ADD quality systems initiative)
Two Star Engineering Performance Awards
Four Silver Division Performance Awards
Felt Products Manufacturing, Inc.
Three U.S. Patent Awards
First-Place Award, Chicago Packaging Institute Design Competition
LEADERSHIP Manager of Project Engineering – Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Diagnostics Division
. Packaging Engineering Manager – Felt Products Manufacturing (Fel-Pro)
President – Saddle Hill Neighborhood Community Association
Chairman - Village of Green Oaks Planning Commission
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY/ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Nov 2018 – August 2019 Senior Packaging Development Engineer
S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Racine, WI. (Contractor - Prokatchers LLC., Atlanta, GA.)
Provided packaging engineering support to the Home Cleaning Drain Products Development Group across several product packaging design projects.
Oct 2016 – Oct 2018 Principal Packaging Engineer
Zimmer Biomet, Inc., Warsaw, IN.
Provided packaging engineering support to a major corporate process and systems remediation project initiated in response to many FDA inspection audit deficiency observations. My team and I were responsible for remediation of all non-sterile product packaging.
Supported relaunch of an important product line consisting of a series of complex trauma bone repair kits and related peripheral products.
Mar 2014 – Apr 2016 Principal Packaging Engineer
Abbvie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois (Contractor – Automated System, Inc., Lake Bluff, Illinois)
Provided packaging engineering support for the Duopa drug delivery pump, related drug product and supporting peripheral products and hardware developed to treat advanced Parkinson’s Disease. Supported launch of both Gen-1 and Gen-2 products which involved working with 3rd party manufacturers located in Norway and the US and with Abbvie sites in Germany and the US.
Developed a replacement for the controlled-temperature shipping assembly used previously for Humira. This design provides Abbvie with annual savings of $1,000,000. in the form of reduced shipping costs, fewer packaging materials used and in reduced assembly labor.
2005 – Jan 2014 Principal Packaging Engineer
Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Diagnostics Division, Abbott Park, Illinois
Supplied packaging engineering support to launch of the LCx drug delivery system and its related diagnostic testing products and peripherals.
Met the Abbott Corporate packaging waste reduction goal of 15%, making the Diagnostics Division the only division within Abbott able to achieve this goal.
Identified and implemented cost reduction and process improvement opportunities.
2002 - 2005 Manager of Project Engineering
Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Diagnostics Division, Abbott Park, Illinois
Managed a 4-person packaging project engineering core team consisting of one principal engineer, two senior engineers and a junior engineer. This group provided packaging engineering support to existing products and to new product introductions for: LCx/Molecular Diagnostics, Aeroset/Clinical Chemistry, IMx, Prism, AxSYM, Architect, Commander and OEM products. This group was also responsible for other miscellaneous projects and for day-to-day issues that constantly arose.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, I also let a team consisting of eight Abbott engineers and scientists, 3rd part auditors and senior Abbott corporate management to establish specifications and control systems for over 3,000 manufacturing materials used by Operations during product manufacturing.
1996 - 2002 Principal Packaging Engineer
Abbott Laboratories, inc., Diagnostics Division, Abbott Park, Illinois
Provided all needed packaging design, development, component documentation and qualification support to the following major diagnostic test system launches:
oArchitect (high volume automated immunodiagnostic analyzer).
oAeroset (clinical chemistry analyzer).
Established a new process and rewrote associated Operating Procedures responsible for
qualification of incoming packaging materials and OEM products.
1992 – 1996 Senior Packaging Engineer
Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Diagnostics Division, Abbott Park, Illinois
Responsible for all packaging design, development, component documentation and qualification activities required to support the following major diagnostic test system launches:
oAxSYM (immunodiagnostic analyzer).
oLCx (DNA amplification analyzer).
oSeveral Test Pack product launches (rapid, point-of-service, diagnostic tests).
oImplemented use of bliss boxes as packaging for 10- buffer products, resulting in
annual savings in excess of $500,000.
1986 – 1992 Project Manager/Senior Development Engineer
Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Hospital Products Division, Abbott Park, Illinois
Supported development and launch of the Advantage drug delivery system.
Developed packaging for small volume perenterals, flexible I.V. solution containers, miscellaneous drug delivery systems and related products including kits and trays.
Managed the Nutri-Mix 3:1 project (total perenteral nutrition).
Implemented use of sterile content form-fill-seal blister packs as packaging for fluid delivery tubing sets.
1981 – 1986 Packaging Engineering Manager
Felt Products Manufacturing (Fel-Pro, Inc.), Skokie, Illinois
Further established the packaging engineering function as an integral component of product/plant support and new product development.
1977 – 1981 Packaging Engineer
FELT Products Manufacturing (Fel-Pro, Inc.), Skokie, Illinois
Responsible for all packaging related: design, trouble-shooting, cost reduction/process improvement activities in the company.
oProduct mix consisted of both industrial and retail: gasket kits, sealants, epoxies,
lubricants and adhesives.
Established the packaging specification system and set-up specifications for all existing and new packaging components.
Converted from using standard RSC boxes in the order filling area to using automatic bottom boxes. This change resulted in elimination of three headcount and a 90% reduction in floor space used.
1976 – 1977 Packaging Engineer
Baxter Laboratories, Inc., Artificial Organs Division, Deerfield, Illinois
Provided packaging engineering support for on-market products and developed, documented, and qualified packaging for new product introductions. These products included: artificial kidneys, blood oxygenators, instrumentation and related fluid delivery tubing sets.
1974 – 1976 Packaging Scientist
Carnation Company, Research Laboratories, Van Nuys, California
Provided packaging engineering support for existing and new products to several Carnation Divisions including: Can Division, Trenton Foods, Evaporated Products, Contadina, Pet Foods and Instant Products.
Developed new and modified existing packaging to improve performance and reduce costs. Executed qualification testing, addressed customer complaints, developed packaging component documentation while coordinating these activities with Distribution, Marketing, R&D and Manufacturing Sites.
MILITARY United States Army Reserve, Fort Sheridan, Illinois, Sergeant 1st Class
Illinois National Guard, Chicago, Illinois, Staff Sergeant
United States Army, Republic of South Korea, Sergeant