Manufacturing Manager

Ben Watson

Objective To obtain a Management position that will offer me the ability to use my education and experience to contribute to the team’s success and one that will offer me opportunities for growth and advancement.

Experience  Sept 09 – Current Progressive Foam Technologies Conway, AR

Product Manager

 Promoted to Corporate Product Manager. Responsible for all interfaces with current customers for the development of new products, current product modifications, and cost reduction programs. I oversee all facets of our customer relationship. Travel up to 20% of the time. I help represent Progressive Foam at various trade shows across the country. I also help manage our intellectual property and over see third party product testing.

 Jan 08- Sept 09 Progressive Foam Technologies Conway, AR

Assistant Plant Manager

 Promoted to the Assistant Plant Manager. Responsible for a 24/7 operation. Directly responsible for all three manufacturing departments. A total of five direct reports, three production managers, Safety manager and Quality manager. Travel up to 20% of the time. Awarded my Lean-Six Sigma Black Belt in February 2008. Managed two improvement teams and oversaw four green belt teams. Have written three Access databases to capture and summarize production and quality data.

 Helped reduce plant scrap by 8% through various Six Sigma initiatives.

 Dec 05–Jan 08 Progressive Foam Technologies Conway, AR

Operations Manager / Operational Excellence Manager

 Promoted to Operational Excellence Manager in January of 2006. Responsible for Plant Safety, Facility Maintenance, Plant Quality and Continuous Improvement. Two direct reports, the Quality Manager and the Maintenance Manager. Responsible for a 24/7 plant. Helped develop a 24/7 staffing model. Responsible for customer interaction in respect to sales, quality concerns, and new business. Travel up to 20% of the time following up on new and current business.

 Hired as the plant’s first Operations Manager. Directly responsible for two departments: Cutting, and Assembly. Two direct reports – the manager from each department. Responsible for Plant Safety. Implemented several major capital projects, improved department efficiency by establishing key metrics and weekly staff meetings. Implemented various programs to track downtime, productivity and scrap. Worked with local machine shop to design new machinery to improve ergonomics and speed of assembly.

 Jan 2001 – Dec 2005 GDX Automotive Batesville, AR

Supervisor / I.E. / Cost Acct. / CIM Manager / SBU Manager

 Promoted to Strategic Business Unit Manager in March of 2005. Responsible for all aspects of production, quality and safety. Staff includes 3 engineers, 2 supervisors, and over 40 hourly employees. Responsible for the transition of this business from Asheville, NC to Batesville, AR.. Total department sales over $20 million.

 Promoted to Plant Continuous Improvement Manager, August 2002. This is my current position. I am responsible for carrying out an intensive three phased lean manufacturing program to help reduce waste in labor, material, and overhead. Elements successfully implemented include: TPM, 5S, VSM, Visual Management, Kanban, Takt time analysis, Line balancing, Waste Elimination, Standard Work, SMED, Team Training, and Line Stop.

 Promoted to plant Cost Accountant. Served six months as part of a learning process to understand the financial side of the business. Responsible for 1/3rd of the month end closing process, daily charts, special financial projects, account reconciliation, and financial audits.

 Promoted to Industrial Engineer. Served eight months. Responsible for plant layouts, capital project request, time studies, new business quotes, and numerous charts and data.

 Hired as a supervisor. Over a six month period was moved over half the plant to supervise different areas. Supervised as many as 85 people at one time. Responsible for Safety, Quality, and Quantity. Also worked closely with the local union.

 Aug 2000 – Dec 2000 Odom’s Tennessee Pride Little Rock, AR

Industrial Engineer / Night Shift Superintendent

 May 1999 – Aug 2000 Tyson Foods, Inc. North Little Rock, AR

Production Supervisor

Education  University of Arkansas, AR (2001-2003)

 Masters of Business Administration

 GPA: 4.0 / 4.0

 Lyon College, Batesville, AR (1995-1999)

 BA, Economics and Business Management

 GPA: 3.67 / 4.0

Honors

 Black Belt Lean Sigma Certified thru Kent State University– April, 2008

 Helped GDX Automotive’s Batesville Plant to become a Shingo Finalist in 2003.

 Graduated with top honors in the School of Business from University of Arkansas and Lyon College.

 Dean’s List – Stayed in the top ten percent of my class all four years at Lyon; graduated the top business student of my class, and Cum Laude.

 Alpha Chi National Honor Society – Ranked in the Top Ten Percent.

**References Available Upon Request**

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