Food Safety & Quality Assurance Operations Executive

Innovative leader with 15+ years of experience leading compliance standards, developing corporate safety programs, and processes in retail grocery environment and restaurants. Deep understanding of how "safety 1st" contributes to the bottom line of company profitability. Driver of change, motivator of people, innovator of new ideas, able to move businesses forward in a positive direction to become industry leaders.

Cost Analysis

P&L Responsibility

Training & Development

Org. Development

Policies & Procedures

Product Development

Cost Control

Regulatory Compliance

Program Management

Key Skills & Career Highlights

Cost Analysis

Developed program to review labor and productivity-to-sales analysis for individual cost centers in multiple locations, reducing labor costs 5%+.

Developed menu engineering program that reviewed cost of goods (COG) surrounding costs and product movement. This reduced overall COG 7%+.

Created daily scorecards for managers to analyze sales and labor activity, enabling process improvements and cost reductions.

Organizational Development

Developed comprehensive manager checklist for preparation for store visits and audit activity, reducing store visit time and increasing productivity.

Developed program to identify employee certification and training to provide feedback on needs and accomplishments alike.

Developed program to monitor vendors, utilizing remote team staff, on weekly calls to discuss successes and weaknesses for all parties in order to implement required steps to improve service and operation.

Cost Control

Instituted inventory controls to reduce cost of goods by 25% by using targeted inventory audits and developing awareness and importance of control.

Reduced multiple vendors providing common product helping to streamline catalog and reduce cost of goods by 20%.

Reviewed third-party scheduled services and renegotiated frequency of occurrences to reduce cost 9%+ without foregoing quality.

Developed program to monitor audit and store reviews in comparison to sales, cost of goods, and labor activity that contributed to increased sales and lowered prime costs by up to 10%.

P&L Responsibility

Led team that provided instruction and development for staff to understand intricacies of profit and loss position resulting in 12%+ increase in profitability.

Develop role within organization to monitor external influences (customer comments, social media, and employee perception) along with financial impacts that resulted in increased profitability and lowered costs.

Professional Experience

Save-A-Lot, St. Louis, MO 2018-2020

Food Safety Director

Led a team of 97, including 12 direct reports, that were responsible for driving compliance of food safety and store sanitation standards across 1200 retail stores according to federal, state, and local regulations. This included managing a $4.5M departmental budget.

Monitored product for quality and compliance issues that influenced both fresh and manufactured products.

Performed periodic audits, tracking food safety and risk analysis, assigning deeper training if needed while providing training oversight.

Increased communications by developing food safety and sanitation messages to foster continuous improvement

Investigated and provided follow up for recall functions, ensuring regulatory compliance, consumer protection, and store execution.

Built and maintained professional relationships with external and internal partners based on trust and open communication.

Maintained open channels of communication, suggestions, and complaints and developed new processes to enable rapid follow up.

Kroger, Cincinnati, OH 2016-2018

Food Safety Manager Implementation Manager

Led a team of 53, including 8 direct reports, that drove food safety compliance using ServSafe and National Registry training programs for across 800 locations. This included managing a $6M operating budget for the department.

Directed compliance for FDA menu labeling and category management for all non-retail supply and distribution programs.

Provided technical expertise and support to ensure food safety, improve food quality, optimize products, and processes.

Created training materials for "proof of concept" program and installed in multiple locations for the new concept.

Acted as corporate liaison and project leader for software integration solutions.

Gold Star Chili, Inc., Cincinnati, OH 2004-2015

Operations Services Manager Research & Development Executive Chef

Led research and development manufacturing of "hot, vertical fill" production for 100+ unit Quick Service Restaurants consisting of sous chefs, research assistants, area managers, plant managers, and plant employees.

Responsible for quality assurance of production and packaging and managed standard operation procedures, logging systems, and certificate of authenticity.

Provided technical expertise and support to new product development to ensure food safety, improve food quality, optimizing products and processes.

Spearheaded development, implementation, and training for all kitchen procedures. Conducted monthly inspections, audits, and risk analyses.

Introduced new software for technical documentation for all recipes and procedures, moving the program from "long-hand" to computerized system.

Education & Certifications

University of Houston, Houston, TX, BS, Business Management.

ServSafe & National Registry Certified Trainer, Certified Executive Chef.

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