Operations Manager (107302) MBA, BS Industrial Engineering, Green Belt / Automotive, Heavy Truck, Equipment, Electrical / Foundry, Casting, Injection Molding, Machining, Stamping, Welding, Forging, Coating, Assembly / 60mi radius of Champaign, IL

Operations/ Quality Leader that is skilled in all facets of improving manufacturing operations. He is an engineer with an MBA and has an exceptional track record of turning around failing plant operations using LEAN manufacturing improvements. He has a consistent history of improving the financial performance of a diverse group of automotive/truck manufacturing companies (including eight years in die casting and foundry operations) through improved operational effectiveness, His leadership experience in turnarounds make him an excellent candidate for any manufacturing company looking to improve profits, processes and quality!

His current company is experiencing financial difficulties due to a loss of government funding. He is actively seeking a new Operations leadership role where he can fix broken processes and raise profits. Bill has a strong background in lean methodologies, quality systems, and operational excellence across multiple industries. His ability to lead cross-functional teams, reduce costs, and achieve measurable outcomes makes him an attractive candidate. His expertise in lean manufacturing and quality systems, combined with a track record of delivering measurable results, positions him as a game-changing candidate for leadership roles in manufacturing. He is looking for opportunities within a 60 mile radius of Champaign IL. His impressive background includes:

• Manufacturing Operations Leadership: Expertise in diverse manufacturing processes, including injection molding, foundry, CNC machining, stamping, welding, heat treatment, and coating.
• Quality & Compliance Expertise: Extensive knowledge in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, IATF 16949, AS9100, MIL-SPEC, cGMP regulations, and supplier quality management.
• Lean & Continuous Improvement: Proven track record of leading Kaizen events, Six Sigma teams, implementing 5S/6S, Poka-Yoke, and SPC techniques.
• Strategic Process Improvement: Skilled in reducing scrap, de-bottlenecking processes, and optimizing production flow.
• Change Management & Leadership: Experience in leading cultural transformations, enhancing employee engagement, and improving operational efficiency.
• Led ISO 13485:2016 certification process, overcoming 48 findings to achieve compliance with zero non-conformances.
• Reduced warranty claims from 15 annually to zero.
• Increased on-time delivery rate from 10% to 98%.
• Tripled productivity through lean initiatives like one-piece flow.
• Improved productivity by 40% in three months.
• Increased on-time delivery from 67% to 92%.
• Reduced first-pass rejects from 16% to 2%, ensuring high-quality output during early pandemic challenges.
• Achieved Caterpillar Platinum Supplier status through rigorous quality improvements.
• Reduced PPM defect rate from over 3,000 to under 10.
• Maintained 98–100% on-time delivery.
• Boosted productivity by 22% over three years through lean manufacturing strategies.

Turnaround # 1 Critical metric improvements:
• Increased sales revenue from $6 million to $23 million per year
• Increased gross margin from 8% to 25%
• Increased EBITDA from negative to 10 to 12% average
• Reduced production lead time from 8 weeks to 4 weeks
• Reduced quote time from 2 weeks to 1 hour
• Reduced quality costs from 3% of sales revenue to 0.5%
• Reduced supplier base by 50%

Turnaround #2 Critical metric improvements:
• Increased sales revenue from $17 million to $29 million per year
• Increased gross margin from 14% to 25%
• Increased EBITDA from 5% to 13% average
• Increased sales per employee per year from $141K to $192K
• Reduced production lead time from 12 weeks to 3 weeks
• Reduced quote time from 3 weeks to 1 hour
• Reduced quality costs from 7% of sales revenue to 1%
• Led the above improvements that were accomplished through the adoption of lean manufacturing techniques with minimal capital expenditures.

Turnaround #3 Critical metric improvements:
• Increased sales revenue from $28 million to $40 million per year
• Increased gross margin from 12% to 33%
• Increased EBITDA from negative to 16% average
• Increased productivity by 225%
• Reduced internal scrap by 80%
• Reduced internal rework by 50%
• Reduced start-to-finish (cycle) time by 40%
• Reduced delivery delinquencies by 54%

• Improved EBITDA from 2% in 1988 to 11% in 1990
• Implemented non-stock production methods, reducing internal lead times from 40 days to 8 days and work-in-process by 50%
• Increased sales per employee per year from $80K to $130K
• Through improved process control methods reduced scrap percentage by 63% from 1987 to 1990
• Implemented and maintained quality and SPC systems that allowed the Addison facility to become a certified supplier to the Big Three automotive companies
• Implemented process control methods and streamlined the inspection department to reduce the cost of quality by 78%

• Injection Molding Operations
• Foundry Operations
• CNC Machining Operations
• Extrusion Operations
• CBN Grinding Operations
• EDM Electrical Discharge Machining
• Heat Treat Operations
• Forging Operations
• Stamping Operations
• Welding Operations
• Blasting Operations
• Casting Operations
• Coating / Painting Mfg. Operations
• Electronics Mfg. Operations
• Assembly Operations
• Fabrications Operations
• Packaging Assembly
• QMS – Quality Management System
• ASTM Standards
• AS9100
• ISO 9000, ISO9001, ISO14001
• IATF16949/TS16949
• MIL-SPEC
• cGMP Regulations
• Ford Q1
• Chrys
• GM QSB+
• cGMP
• Managing the Quality Lab
• Managing Quality Teams
• Leading Kaizen Events
• Leading Six Sigma Teams
• Change Management
• Performing Kanbans
• Calibrating Equipment
• Optical Comparator
• Hardness Testing
• Torque Tester
• Load Testing
• Metallurgy
• Cut/Etch Weld Testing
• Mechanical Testing
• X-ray
• Hardness Testing
• Corrosion Testing
• Metallography
• Troubleshooting QC Lab Equipment
• Liquid Penetrant Testing
• Technical Writing
• Gage R&R
• GD&T
• ISO Auditing
• Troubleshooting Root Cause
• Implementing Corrective Actions
• Reducing Scrap
• Optimizing Manufacturing Processes
• De-bottlenecking Processes
• PPM Reduction
• Reducing Manufacturing Cycle Time
• Vendor Offsite Supplier Quality
• Supplier Validation / Qualification
• Quality Training Experience
• Production Quality experience
• Directing Quality Techs
• Tracking Concessions / Deviations
• New production line startup
• Recommending Specification Revisions
• Reducing WIP Inventory
• Performing TS Audits
• First Article Inspection FAI
• Tooling Quality
• Using Quality Database Systems
• Process Control Quality Experience
• Internal / External Quality Audits
• Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Setting Up Quality Systems From Scratch
• ISIR Submissions
• Statistical Investigations
• Investigating Customer Complaints
• Documenting Initial Submissions
• Conducting Trial Fit / Function
• Using Control Plans
• VAVE Projects
• Pareto Charts
• Poka Yoke Assessments
• Analyzing Production Limitations
• DFMEA / PFMEA
• Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• DOE Design of Experiments
• 5S / 6S / 8D
• Designing Process Improvement Trials
• Packaging Validation
• Generating Process Control Charts
• Process Testing / Validation
• Using Product Reject / Defect Investigations
• Delivering Cost Reductions
• PPAP
• APQP

EDUCATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Master of Business Administration – Operations Management / Keller Graduate School of Management (Oak Brook) – Graduated with distinction
• Bachelor of Science Degree – Industrial Engineering / University of Illinois (Champaign/Urbana)

CONTINUING COURSEWORK AND TRAINING
• Certificate from Motorola in Lean Manufacturing Techniques
• Certificate from General Electric in Six Sigma Methodology
• Certificate from DePaul University in ISO-9000 Implementation/Auditing Course