Engineering Manager Customer Support

Udaya Ekanayake, PMP

Livermore, CA • **************@*****.*** • 408-***-**** • linkedin.com/in/udayae/

Accomplished executive leader with over 20 years of experience that includes management of international programs and driving operations and complex contract manufacturing efforts for leading technology companies. Results-oriented with a consistent track record of success in driving new revenues, optimizing productivity, reducing costs, and identifying innovative solutions to large challenges. Effective communicator, motivator, and mentor able to foster positive work environments and empower high-performing teams. Quick learner with proven ability to master new skills and navigate unfamiliar subject matter, with expertise in Product Life Cycle management, supplier management, lean manufacturing, supply chain, financial management, and the 5Ps of management (Program, Product, Project, Process, People).

Program / Project Management

Supply Chain Development / Management

Product Management / Development

Operational Leadership

Packaging Engineering

Team Leadership & Training

Quality Control / Assurance

Product Life Cycle Management

Process Improvements

Problem Solving

EXPERIENCE

FreeWire Technologies - San Leandro, CA May 2021 - present

FreeWire is a Series C startup focused on solutions for charging electric cars in a timely and efficient fashion.

Director - Contract Manufacturing/ New Product Introduction

Hired to direct critical contract manufacturing initiatives caused by a spike in demand related to growth and a large contract award from British Petroleum. Lead organization responsible for new product introduction and change control activities.

Researched and qualified contract manufacturers and selected a Mexican firm as a CM partner. Negotiated contract and master services agreement.

Trained Mexican CM on proper build of chargers and led transfer of assembly build responsibility.

Identified European CM partner to assist in fulfilling charging station delivery needs related to $60M BP contract in the UK that is slated for expansion across the EU. Regulations prohibit shipping of lithium ion batteries by air freight.

Lead new product introduction division with responsibility for evaluating changes or product enhancements and determining feasibility of changes for manufacturing.

Serve as leader of Change Control Board and manage and monitor all change control activities.

Lead talks with Department of Transportation to obtain first-ever special permissions for shipping of lithium-ion batteries one ton by air, requiring collaboration with packaging suppliers on crate design for dangerous goods and engagement with compliance teams.

Identify opportunities and long-term strategies with CM partners to leverage competitive advantages (e.g. volume purchasing power, shipping costs).

Lead regular Quarterly Business Reviews, Executive Business Reviews, and drive supplier performance improvement initiatives.

Liaise between Freewire stakeholders and CM stakeholders to ensure overall delivery success and alignment.

Proactively pursue cost optimization opportunities and lead cross-functional efforts to achieve goals.

Lam Research, Inc. - Fremont, CA 2013 – Mar 2021

Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) designs, manufactures, and markets semiconductor processing equipment used for integrated circuits.

Senior Program / Product Manager – Customer Support Business Group (CSBG) (2017 - 2021)

Recruited internally by former Director to assume control and turnaround a failed Product Life Cycle (PLC) management program, with a mandate to develop and introduce PLC processes as the first PLC Program Manager. Led a team of seven junior product engineers and two business analysts supporting PLC activities. Additionally, served as Product Manager for legacy controllers and PVD systems with a five-member engineering team.

Developed PLC processes for adoption across the company as PLC Program Manager for 350+ systems under Etch, Deposition, and Clean functions and product groups of Lam. Automated PLC functions to optimize production efficiency and standardized PLC Management System at 30% below industry standard cost by providing out of box cost effective solutions.

Determined system manufacturing and customer support requirements by developing and implementing data driven mechanisms based on revenue and part obsolescence.

Provided annual PLC management notification to inform internal and external customers of product group decisions and upcoming discontinuations to enable customers to plan for future changes and improve customer satisfaction.

Led PLC efforts that contributed to Lam increasing customer satisfaction rates on customer scorecards, 2019 supplier awards from key customers Intel and TSMC, enabled Lam to reallocate 30% of engineering and technical resources to higher priority work, and increased spares/service sales 15% for older spare parts.

Assigned low revenue generating systems to third-party suppliers and introduced licensing process to minimize operations cost.

Elevated spares sales by $6M per year by integrating scarce part management system.

Built roadmaps for controller life and addressed obsolescence solutions.

Earned ranking as “Role Model” in six of eight Lam core values (ranking in top 1% of Lam employees).

Engineering Manager – Supplier (Vendor) Management and Technology (SMT) (2013 - 2017)

Converted to Lam after Novellus merger with responsibility for overseeing all aspects of SMT operations while leading various engineering teams, including 19 engineers and 12 technicians to lead First Articles Inspection process and evaluate First Article documents with up to 600 First Articles weekly.

Spearheaded supplier management operations including packaging and training activities on Lam process and procedures.

Revolutionized the first article process and increased quality and efficiency while reducing cost through offshoring by hiring 12 specialized engineers from India to evaluate first article documentation. Reduced US inspection team by 50% to save $120K per year.

Managed three metrology labs measuring various critical parameters of machine parts.

Led packaging engineering function after merger with Novellus and SEZ, including managing three packaging engineers and packaging suppliers. Consolidated three packaging management systems into a single system developed a standardized packaging specification that was featured in a presentation by Lam’s CEO to President Barack Obama to highlight a Lam sustainability initiative.

Senior Supplier Development Engineer – Supplier Management (2005 - 2013)

Recruited by past associates from Applied Materials based on performance at Suntron in to supplier role at Novellus (acquired by Lam) with bottom-line accountability for supplier development, quality assurance, and supplier selection.

Partnered with Manufacturing Engineering and Product groups to break down systems into sub-assemblies for outsourcing to CM for existing products and extended outsourcing to new products aftermarket release.

Revolutionized supply chain by focusing on mid-scale suppliers as major suppliers while meeting quality and delivery standards and minimizing cost.

Drove efforts to increase supplier manufacturing 5x for two CM suppliers in three years. Introduced lean manufacturing processes to increase efficiency, optimized factory space, cross-trained staff, and added new shifts.

Conducted supplier audits for approved suppliers and new suppliers while monitoring supplier performance on a regular basis.

Designed and implemented supplier process qualification plan (PQP) for critical assemblies.

Performed diversified supplier management activities, including quality planning and contribution to product approval process while serving as main supplier development engineer for PVD and SIG business units.

Initiated localizing spare parts from Asia including refurb and repair activities.

Suntron Corporation - Fremont, CA 2000 - 2005

Suntron is a contract manufacturer of semiconductor processing equipment

Program Manager/Quality Engineering Manager

Led efforts to increase Suntron’s ranking with Applied Material from 37th (of 38 suppliers) to 1st (based on quality, delivery, and cost reduction), which led to 2003 Best Supplier Award. Oversaw quality planning, increased testing and training, created a cell for rapid manufacturing, expanded capacity through cross-training assemblers and opening additional shifts and overtime, and reduced costs through volume and engineering design.

Successes led to expansion of Suntron business into module manufacturing.

GBN Consultancy Service - San Jose, CA 1997 - 2001

GBN was a startup software consultancy that supported dot.com era startups and Y2K projects.

President/Co-Owner

Co-founded a software consulting startup and held responsibility for operations, project management, HR and financials.

Grew company to 80+ engineers and $6.5M annual sales.

Sold company due to partner’s declining health and negotiated $2M sale to Indian investment firm IT Brain.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

MS Electrical Engineering, University of South Alabama - Mobile AL

BS Electrical Engineering, University of South Alabama - Mobile AL

MBA Technology Management, University of Phoenix - Livermore CA (Dec 2023)

Certified Project Management Professional, Project Management Institute

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