Darrin G. Valentine

***** ******* **

Kearney MO 64060

816-***-****

I’ve spent the last 22 years with Belfonte Ice Cream/Hiland Dairy, having started as the Sanitation Manager where I worked my way up to Assistant Plant Manager, Plant Manager, Ice Cream Plant Manager, Hiland Dairy Corporate Quality Control Member and eventually, the Plant Operations Manager for Belfonte Ice Cream and Dairy Foods Co.

EXPERIENCE

Plant Operations Manager Belfonte Ice Cream and Dairy Foods 8/1/2018 to 4/29/2022

As the Operations Manager, I oversee the day-to-day operations.

I also work very closely with the Corporate Staff on Human Resources, Quality Control, Budget projects and processes, ROI’s KPI goals, Shrink, Monitoring of OEE, Lean Manufacturing metrics and establishing plant goals.

I work closely with all departments to ensure the plant performs efficiently.

Recent accomplishments:

Restructured Maintenance department adding new Maintenance Manager and implementing new CMMS program.

Relocated Maintenance department and oversaw construction of a new ammonia engine room with two new Vilter screw compressors and 500 ton glycol chiller. Also conversion of all tanks, silos and evaporators to glycol vs ammonia reducing our ammonia footprint capacity.

Hired new Ammonia system operator certified by GCAP to protect ammonia system investment.

These changes reduced Production line downtime by 20%

Hired and trained new QA Manager which resulted in an audit score of 98 on last SQF audit.

Increased plant volume by 25% over last 3 years.

During 2020, increased profits by over $400,000/Mo. Through collaboration with UDSA Food for Families Food box program.

Won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards for Yogurt, and Cottage Cheese at the 2021 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.

Quality Chek’d Irving Weber Award finalist.

Kicked off new line of Classic Ice Cream products in January 2021

Worked hard on Succession planning by promoting in house talent to Front line supervisory roles to train and coach them for replacement of older Managers who will be retiring in the near future.

Wrote and implemented new OSHA safety policy and guidelines reducing number of OSHA recordable incidents and work comp claims over the last 2 years.

Assisted HR department in implementing Employee Retention Program reducing employee turnover by 4%

Upgraded Ice Cream production by installing new ingredient feeder and Shrink wrapper resulting in increased efficiency and Quality in the ice cream department.

Installed 2 new cream tanks and 2 new ice cream mix silos

Reconfigured Cottage Cheese production to allow two lines to run simultaneously rather than one line at a time improving productivity and reducing Labor costs.

Relocated Sanitary parts storage area using 5S techniques improving inventory accuracy and parts availability.

Installed Receiving bay tanker overhead walkway so receivers can access tanker manhole for sampling without having to wear a harness.

Upgraded HTST control to PLC based system

Installed additional CIP system allowing multiple circuits to wash at one time reducing sanitation labor costs and hours.

Hired and trained three new Cheese cooks in an effort to reduce over time and improve product quality.

Reformulated Regular and Lite Sour Cream products for cost reduction on ingredients and improved product quality.

Improved Yogurt product quality by installing new metering pumps to get consistent fruit percentages in the product.

Reduced waste water surcharges from the City by controlling waste water discharge by 75%.

Corporate Quality Assurance / Profit and Loss Hiland Dairy 4/1/2016 to 7/31/2018

As a member or a group of five, I traveled to each of the Hiland dairy plants to help develop, implement and monitor Quality Control or any need or assistance the facility needed.

Corporate Quality Assurance would also be present to assist with Food Safety Auditors and government, including State and FDA, inspectors, to assist with Food Safety and Regulatory Issues.

Ice Cream Plant Manager Hiland Dairy 8/1/2013 to 4/1/2016

Plan, oversee and schedule the production of Hiland Dairy-Springfield Ice Cream facility.

Schedule Loads arriving and departing. Schedule and oversee the workforce.

Worked closely with other departments including Quality, Maintenance, Fluid milk plant to produce as efficiently as possible.

Plant Manager Belfonte Ice Cream and Dairy Foods 11/1/1999 to 8/1/2013

I started as the Sanitation Manager, and quickly moved up to Plant Manager.

While in this role, I did most of the scheduling, helped with Quality Control, worked on many improvements to the production area.

EDUCATION

SQF Practitioner

FSPCA certified

HACCP certified

Quality Chek’d Dairy Employee and Organizational Development Graduate.

Penn State Ice Cream Short course and Culture products short course.

Refences

Greg Helbig – Director of Operations – Hiland Dairy 417-***-****

Doug Hicks – Operations Manager – Hiland Dairy Ice Cream 402-***-****

Sabina Alexander – Corporate Quality Assurance Hiland Dairy 417-***-****

Paul Gregory – 417-***-****

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