Lean Manufacturing Leadership -

7+ years experience with Toyota Production System. Led first Kaizen in Camera Business Unit - delivered a 98% improvement in line change-over time. Particpated in or led, or sponsored more than 50 other Kaizens in two different companies.

As worldwide leader of Lean Manufacturing for a $450M Kodak business unit, coordinated lean implementation teams across four sites (US, Mexico, China, Hungary); developed processes for institutionalizing change and globalizing the best practices. Developed a scorecard using radar plots to identify and track progress toward increasing Lean capabilities for the different factories.

Quality Organization Leadership -  

More than 15 years of experience leading QA organizations; these include positions as Supervising QA Engineer, QA Project Leader in Brazil, Plant Manager with the QA leader as a direct report, Camera Platform Manager, Quality and Engineering Manager in US, and later in Mexico, and Worldwide Quality and Lean Manufacturing Director. In these roles I led the efforts to reduce escaping defects by more than 50% in 6 months or less on three occassions, three different sites, and countries. My team developed the first ISO-9001 implementation in the camera business and passed their registration audit with absolutely no non-conformances (the first the external audit team had ever granted). Under my guidance, we also developed special process improvement tools and methodologies later viewed as Best-in-Class by Kodak management.

200 hours of six-sigma blackbelt training in Kodak's Six Sigma University. Completed blackbelt project to develop and build a "microfactory" for Kodak (a very small, efficient, focused factory) whose purpose was to provide cycles of learning for the development community through this cost-efficient co-located factory.

General Management - 

At YKK, responsible for all manufacturing, and managed a $150M product bill. Have participated on the GM’s leadership team for several years. Developed and managed the Single Use Camera business unit’s scorecard and the team’s efforts to achieve its annual commitments. Have an MBA in General Management from a top-20 school. Led 650 of the 750 employees in the Macon National Manufacturing Center.

Plant management -

(1) Promoted from QA Manager to Unit Manager / Plant Manager responsible for engineering and factory personnel in the largest volume consumer equipment program to-date; (2) Focused Factory Manager, consumer products and OEM packing - 300 employees; (3) in Monterrey, Mexico, as the only on-site American, started and led the factory of 350 employees to successful execution of a new product, driving productivity high enough to enable the shutdown of a sister factory; (4) returned to Monterrey as a Product / Plant Manager, running one of the factory buildings and launching a new, high-end product. (5) as Platform Business Manager, coordinated the factory output of the US plant as well as the operation in France. Later, at YKK, managed multiple manufacturing plants in two industrial parks, with a staff of eight direct and 650 indirect reports. P&L responsibility for $150M product bill in this important high-mix, low cost zipper manufacturing facility.

Participated in the start-up of a Greenfield operation in Brazil as a QA leader; responsibility included building the local team, installing/transferring processes, and training the local management and employees in the best-in-class QA practices from NY. Later, as the Plant Manager of a new factory in Mexico, built the organization, installed processes, and drove manufacturing as the only on-site American.

As the lead change agent at YKK, developed the new Vision, strategies, and tactics to become world-class in 4 to 5 years. This required soliciting support from management and employees in the common vision. This was enabled by the articulation of a “burning platform” that touched all the employees and inspired them to greater levels of focus and commitment.

6 years experience living and working outside the US: 3 assignments in Mexico (5 years), and 1 in Brazil (1 year). Some of my best experiences, and fondest memories come from these foreign assignments.

Direct responsibility for 8 buildings across two sites. Influence over global sites from a staff position as the Worldwide Director of Quality and Lean Manufacturing for Kodak.

Have built organizations from a clean sheet (new plant in Mexico, Latin American Tech Center, Rochester micro-factory). Integrated the engineering and quality resources and the Tech Center together for improved life cycle product management. Particpated in two teams that won the Kodak R&D Silver Award for team excellence; the Rochester factory was the runner-up for the National Association of Manufacturer's Workforce Excellence Award.

Have developed a reputation as a coach and mentor to many that have gone on to positions of greater responsibility. Tied for the highest score in the organization on a DDI (Development Dimensions International) assessment of leadership skills; rated as "mentor" by DDI. See also the Recommendations tab for comments from peers, supervisors, and subordinates that discuss this as a key strength.

Career development -

Have developed career planning tools and acted as a career coach to several people inside and outside my organization. See also "Coaching and mentoring" above.

Skilled at writing and performing comprehensive performance assessments; participated in the design of Performance Evaulations, and improved the entire process for managing and appraising performance at YKK. Have also developed organizational scorecards, and report cards for Lean and Quality progress for global businesses.

Vast experience leading teams both nationally and internationally. See the other comments on this page.

Led the recall and rework of a critical field failure for Eastman Kodak worldwide, replacing all units in the field with no customer impact.

Have gained a significant appreciation for the value of diverse thought and the benefits of practicing inclusion from my numerous worldwide positions and years spent living outside the country.

Numerous roles with project management responsibility - from start-up of two Mexican factories, to the development and start-up of new suppliers, to new product start-ups in manufacturing, to outsourcing manufacturing processes.

At YKK, was responsible for procurement, planning, logistics, warehousing, and distribution in addition to the manufacturing function.