Believe in yourself - you have what it takes. Leave a lasting legacy. What's YOUR Superpower?
When I think about how to best describe my professional abilities, the word enlightened immediately springs to mind. It's all about the customer, whether you are in a manufacturing, engineering, quality or marketing role. I bring to the table enlightened process control, through bold/innovative, as well as traditional/time-honored, methods. Concentrating on what's important, moving past what's not. I am also an enlightened leader, empowering and inspiring my team and the entire cross-functional organization to reach beyond what they ever imagined was possible....then celebrating success!
Timeline
First Consulting Gig, Ambe Engineering LLC.
Filling a critical leadership position in a large scale manufacturing facility
First Patent
"Slotted Damping Section for Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel"
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Living Abroad, Part 2 (Mexico), Saltillo, Coahuila
Living and working in a new culture.
Learning a new language that I still use every single day.
A family starts and grows.
Best food ever! And best friends to enjoy it with.
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Living Abroad, Part 1 (England), Masters research at the Cranfield institute of Technology
A whole new appreciation of the power of diversity. How people from different parts of the world approach the same problem from different angles.
Life-long memories and friendships.
Professional Engineering Certification - P.Eng.
Obtaining this certification was a real game-changer for me. I got a full appreciation of the ethical and legal obligations of the profession of engineering. I carry these principles with me every day.
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Bachelor of Engineering - BEng., Royal Military College of Canada - RMC
Specializing in Mechanical Engineering
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Master of Engineering - MEng., Royal Military College of Canada - RMC
Specializing in Mechanical Engineering / Fluid Dynamics
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Military Service, Canadian Armed Forces
13 years of service, honorable discharge at the rank of Captain. Assignments included:
Space Systems Research Engineer (Canadian Armed Forces), Ottawa, ON University Assistant Professor (Royal Military College of Canada), Kingston, ON Aerospace Engineering Officer (Canadian Armed Forces), Cold Lake, AB
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Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, FIAT Chrysler Automobiles - FCA
SUPPLIER QUALITY MANAGER, PURCHASING & SUPPLIER QUALITY, Auburn Hills, MI Manager of Components for Various Platforms - Chassis and Body/Exterior.
• Led, managed, trained Supplier Quality Teams
• Sourcing, quality management, regulations, continuous improvement and problem solving
• Drove significant improvements to supplier-responsible warranty, resulting in rise from 4th to 2rd quartile IQS
• Kept program launches on time via liaison with Suppliers, Purchasing, Engineering and Manufacturing
• Ensured all suppliers complied to QS9000, TS16949, CQI-14, ISO14001 and all other standards
QUALITY SYNTHESIS SUPERVISOR, VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT, Auburn Hills, MI World Class Vehicle Initiative DFSS Project Leader.
• Improved Initial Quality scores by disciplined Management & resolution of quality issues for Pilot Vehicles
• Directed and coached Junior Engineers for quality issue resolution
• Coordinated Customer Satisfaction Audit Launch, leading to fewer customer concerns on new models
• Developed and supervised Pilot Quality Measurement Plan to hold teams accountable for actions
SUPERVISOR, AERODYNAMIC WIND TUNNELS, SCIENTIFIC LABS, Auburn Hills, MI Supervisor of Aerodynamics Model Test Facility.
• Supervised and managed Technicians and Engineers
• Optimized Facility Time and State of the Art; received patent based on innovations made to wind tunnel
• Created SOPs for wind tunnel operations and drove compliance
• Analyzed aerodynamics of new concept and program vehicles to help meet CAFE compliance requirements
obtaining and maintaining waw certification for my company, installing monarch waystation on campus
SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITY LAB
FUNDRAISING
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND - WWF
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CONSERVATION INITIATIVES AND FUNDRAISING
Interests
OUTDOORS / HIKING
THE SIGHTS, THE SMELLS, THE SOUNDS
BEER
so many options to explore
SOCCER
Go gunners! go TFC! go Impact!
FISHING
Strictly catch & release, fly fishing
Results
zero
additional defects due to covid crisis
WC
WORLD CLass dppm across industries
>1.0
benefit to cost ratios for continuous iprovement
Skills
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
10
ENGINEERING
10
MENTORSHIP
10
INSTRUCTION
10
COACHING
10
PROCESS CONTROL
10
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
10
LEADERSHIP
10
Questions & Answers
What are your long-term goals?
To continue my journey of interesting and engaging work, adding value to an organization.
To share my knowledge and experience to make an organization and its human resources better.
To leave a legacy steeped in quality, continuous improvement and customer delight.
What are you working on right now?
I'm continuing to assist my previous employer with some product field testing, as well as maintaining mentoring relationships with some high-potential engineers. I have also taken on some consulting work to stay sharp and help share quality experience & leadership.
What tools do you use?
Of all the quality tools, most important is the FMEA - Failure Modes Effects and Analysis. Both for design and process. This is the single, most effective way to ensure product quality. FMEAs are hard to do well!
When it comes to Continuous Improvement, my go-to tool is s structured Kaizen model that starts with Gemba and ends up with a positive benefit-to-cost ratio.
Describe your greatest accomplishment.
Personally - raising two healthy, well-rounded boys.
Academically - completing and successfully defending my Master's thesis.
Military - "borrowing" a wing for an F18 fighter jet from the Blue Angels so we could make a critical repair to meet a flight window (it's a great story - ask me about it!).
Professionally - consistently leading successful teams in multiple environments.
Who are your main influences?
Friends and family for sure, when it comes to the important things in life.
Musically, I'm a big fan of Gordon Lightfoot and Bruce Cockburn. Their influence is audible in my songs.
I was recently asked who I would most like to have lunch with: my answer was Nelson Mandela, To me, he was the ultimate symbol of dignity, patience and peace.
Why did you choose your profession?
I love building stuff and seeing stuff get built! In my youth, I built models, working on each painstakingly small detail until they approached perfection. Perhaps this gave me a little OCD? In any case, the quality profession fits in very nicely to these concepts: hands-on; manufacturing stuff; attention to detail. You could say that my profession chose me.
Hello from my extended-stay hotel room, where I am just about to start the next leg of my first foray into the world of consulting. I'm trying hard to not use military jargon (what's a synonym for foray?!) but it's turning out to be quite irresistible. Indeed, I had always looked on consultants as the "mercenaries of the professional world", dropping into to crisis situations, fighting through it, and pulling out once peace is restored. Now that I have had a taste, there is one very...
UP North, Fall 2020
Home!
Downright Prehistoric!
