SENIOR MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVE
GENERAL MANAGER / CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT DIRECTOR
Repeatedly produce sustained revenue and EBITDA growth in dynamic and changing markets.
Proven achievements in industrial automation, office furniture, appliance and automotive industries.
Extensive experience in business turnaround, lean implementation and transformation.

Senior executive with successful year-after-year achievements including revenue, profit, and business growth objectives within start-up, turnaround and rapid change environments. Extensive experience with highly-engineered systems which require deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets and industries; highly successful at building relationships with upper-level decision makers, seizing control of critical problem areas, and delivering on customer commitments. Customer-focused and performance-driven. Led and motivated teams comprised of over 450 employees and managed P&L for business divisions exceeding $100 million in revenue.

• Toyota Production System
• Turnaround / Transformation
• Organizational Development
• Lean Plant Layout Operations Management
• Leadership Development
• New Business Development
• Balanced Scorecard

• Turned around an underperforming multi-division Tier 1 automotive supplier, streamlined 3 business units around a Lean business operational strategy, restoring profitability, producing higher-than-market revenue gains, winning market share in strategic and emerging international regions, and delivering double digit EBITDA growth.
• Reversed losses into profits, serving as catalyst for growth and expansion of a struggling $60 million division, quickly restoring forward momentum and building capacity to maintain breakaway revenue growth to just over $100 million and profits at a steady 15% plus return-on-sales in 12 months.
• Led a company-wide Lean implementation effort at a high-tech automation equipment builder that outpaced competitors, maximized share of strategic markets, and elevated earnings. Drove return on sales to a record height of 12%, championed sales globalization effort enabling expansion into growing industrial regions in China, India and Korea, and restructured manufacturing operations using Lean techniques for maximum cost savings and efficiency.
• Transformed the poorest performing unionized business unit of Fortune 500 company into a top-performer turning significant losses into stable 20% plus net margin in a period of just 3 years. Regained control of the top end of the market and introduced new cost effective sales solutions to that enabled expansion into additional high potential markets.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Confidential, Metamora, MI Nov 2007 - Present

Management Consultant

Heavy Truck Equipment Manufacturer, Muskegon, MI (Contract), Dec 2008 – Present
Contracted to lead the management team of this organization through a turnaround and company-wide Lean transformation. Key processes include metal fabrication, robotic welding and assembly, warehousing and distribution.

Hoshin Planning

• Developed transformation plan benchmarking best practices for critical processes and along with a balanced scorecard system with detailed goals and objectives.
• Implemented a Balanced Scorecard metric system to manage business.

Lean Facilities Planning

• Developed future-state plant layout with phased implementation plan incorporating; Production Cells, Value Stream Mapping, Kanban, Andon Systems, 5S Systems, SMED, Production Control Boards, etc.
• Reengineered new business development process to manage and acquire large target accounts.

Lean Accounting

• Developed lean accounting system aligning P&L reporting by value stream and the elimination of work orders and labor reporting.
• Transformed Roll-Up Door Division which is a stand-alone factory implementing a complete Toyota Production System resulting in a 65% improvement in productivity.

Business Turnaround

• Returned the company to profitability within the first 3 months through aggressive restructuring and cost cutting measures.

Confidential, Washington, MI (Contract), Nov 2007 – Feb 2009 
Assumed interim leadership of this high-technology manufacturer of chemical process automation controls with the objective of guiding the company through a Lean transformation. Key processes included metal fabrication, electrical assembly and controls integration.

Organizational Restructuring

• Led the Lean transformation completely restructuring, reengineering and repositioning the company for growth implementing a team-based organizational structure with cellular manufacturing aligned with key product families.

Bottom Line Improvement

• Reversed several consecutive years of revenue decline and losses into profit in first 6 months.

Confidential, Rugby, ND Jun 2007 – Nov 2007

Director of Operations / Continuous Improvement

Led the northern operations and the corporate Lean initiative of this manufacturer of heavy truck bodies and accessories. Key responsibilities also included acting General Manager over the operating site located in Rugby, North Dakota.

• Developed one year Lean business transformation plan to convert from batch manufacturing to flow through the implementation of kanban systems.
• Restructured into self-directed work teams with goals, objectives and action plans aligned with company goals.

Lean Implementation

• Implemented company’s first high-volume truck body assembly line using Lean techniques to achieve continuous flow reducing lead-times from 6 wks to 2 hrs.

Confidential, Muscatine, IA 2006 – 2007

Manager, Rapid Continuous Improvement – Confidential, Jan 2007 – Jun 2007
Advanced to headquarters of this global office furniture manufacturer to lead the lean transformation effort for the HON Wood/Laminate Office Furniture Division. Total direct reports included a team of 11 Industrial Engineers and Technicians.

Operations Planning

• Led Team to develop global Lean strategy to convert production plants from a traditional functional departmental manufacturing system to a JIT continuous material flow system.

Director of Operations - Confidential, Jan 2006 – Jan 2007
Led the Lean transformation of the Colville, WA operations, a $100M+, manufacturer of home heating appliances. P&L responsibility for 2 manufacturing sites. Processes include all facets of metal fabrication including; CNC machining, laser cutting, turret punch pressing, brake pressing, stamping, welding, porcelain/powder coating and heavy assembly.

Toyota Production System

• Coached by Manufacturing Management from Toyota Motor Corporation and consultants from Shingujitsu to develop and implement 3-year/3 phase lean business transformation plan utilizing the tools and methodology of the Toyota Production System.
• Implemented first phase of the manufacturing vision through a series of rigorous Kaizen Events resulting in an increase in total throughput from $62M to $101M.

Operations Improvement

• Consolidated three high-volume products representing 80% of the total volume and installed one new mix-model automated paced assembly line reducing assembly cycle time from 17 min./unit to 4 min./unit for an annual labor savings of over $330,000.
• In-sourced all laser cutting result in $1.7M annual savings.

Cost Savings

• Installed new powder coating system in-sourcing all powder coating and eliminating in-line wet-painting capturing a $283,000 annual savings.
• Opened new off-site CNC machining facility to in-source all cast iron manufacturing resulting in a $300,000 annual savings.

Warehousing and Logistics

• Opened off-site 3PL sequencing warehouse operation with VMI for staging and kitting of incoming materials for a gain in annual inventory turns from 8 to 100.

Confidential, St. Clair Shores, MI 2001 – 2004

General Manager

Led turnaround and Lean transformation of this $25M, multi-divisional tier two supplier of automotive wiper systems, electrical connectors and tooling. Senior operating executive with full P&L responsibility. Processes included high volume, high mix, metal stamping, and electrical assembly.

• Reversed first year loss of 20% into a profit first year. Steadily increased margins to a consistent EBITDA of 13% by third year.
• Reorganized into business units and spun-off unprofitable tool & die business and sold electrical connector business unit to a Fortune 500 company delivering a 53x cash return to shareholders.

Operations Consolidation

• Consolidated four manufacturing sites into one newly renovated facility capturing a 65% reduction in operating expenses.
• Rationalized remaining product-line eliminating unprofitable products, reorganized and restructured business around high-margin high-growth core business.

Operations/Quality Improvement

• Implemented Lean business system accelerating inventory turns from 6 to 58 reducing customer quality PPM from 22,554 to 33

Confidential, Fair Haven, MI 2000 - 2001

General Manager

Led the lean transformation of this $15M, tier one manufacturer of automotive assemblies, prototype services and tooling. Full P&L responsibility for 2 manufacturing facilities reporting directly to the ownership. Processes included metal stamping, machining and assembly, laser cutting and EDM services.

Bottom Line Improvement

• Accelerated EBITDA from a 12% to 27% first year through an aggressive lean initiative to improve material flow and eliminate chronic product quality defects.
• Restructured organization into self-directed teams with goals and objectives aligned with company goals using balanced scorecard approach.

Plant Layout

• Reorganized total factory layout of equipment and machinery into a cellular manufacturing design realizing significant gains in company performance.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Confidential University 
Area of Concentration: Bachelor of Arts Pre-Law Program

Confidential University 
Area of Concentration: Bachelor of Arts Pre-Law Program

Confidential College 
Area of Concentration: Mechanical Engineering Program

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Strategic Sales & Marketing, Confidential University 
Lean Manufacturing, Confidential College
Lean Manufacturing, Confidential College 
HNI Certified Lean Auditor, Confidential