Employee Relations Plant Manager

Professional Summary

Plant Manager with more than 10 years of experience achieving production, quality, and safety metrics in food manufacturing environments. Dedicated, energetic leader with a proven track record of supervising, training, and guiding groups of union and non-union staff, maintaining strong employee relations. Detail-oriented and well-organized problem solver adept at interfacing with external auditors to safeguard compliance with state and federal regulations.

Areas of Expertise

Food Production

Team Leadership

Meat Manufacturing

Employee Relations

Process Improvement

Inventory Management

Quality Control

Regulatory Compliance

Operations Management

Professional Experience & Accomplishments

Dearborn Sausage & Ham – Dearborn, MI 03/2022 – 11/2024

Plant Manager

Managed food manufacturing across a 50K square foot facility, supervising grinding, blending, stuffing, and smoking activities with oversight of 30-40 personnel to meet all production goals.

Orchestrated process improvements, implementing streamlined staffing scheduling rotations and resource allocation to increase production by 10% and facilitate further revenue.

Sustained a strong partnership with Omaha Steak for $35M per year, producing skinless hot dogs, hams, pork loins, and bacon to fulfill service level agreements (SLAs).

Communicated with union members to maintain strong employee relations and satisfaction.

Operated a buffalo chopper to produce specialized sausages in smaller amounts as needed.

Kowalski – Hamtramck, MI 05/2013 – 03/2022

Assistant Manager

Oversaw up to 50 personnel in food manufacturing of potato salad, pasta salad, spinach dip, pierogies, and twice-baked potatoes, effectively meeting all production, quality, and productivity metrics.

Implemented process improvements on cleaning and sanitation, instituting the eight rules of cleaning and initiating the use of a detailed cleaning service to ensure a safe and compliant workplace.

Gained experience in a variety of food preparation, production, and manufacturing settings, operating in and leading stations spanning chopping, cooking, stuffing, grinding, and packaging.

Interfaced with the USDA on audits, safeguarding regulatory compliance.

How About Lunch – Birmingham, MI 05/2003 – 05/2013

Owner & Operator

Established, owned, and ran a carryout food business that provided catering for corporate events, weddings, graduations, and birthdays, building sales from nothing to $400K in annual revenue.

Handled all operations including customer service, sales, accounting, logistics, inventory control, shipping and receiving, and purchasing to sustain effective business activities.

Demonstrated people leadership acumen by hiring, onboarding, training, supervising, mentoring, and coaching a team of four employees, sustaining a positive and collaborative work environment.

Previous Experience: Matter of Taste – Executive Chef

Education Associate of Arts (AA), Culinary Arts

Oakland Community College

Training Eight Rules of Cleaning – USDA

Dry & Semi-Dry Sausage Making – Iowa State University

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