Shaun Fowler, years and years of safety, quality and productivity experience

Shaun Fowler Summary of Experience Culture of safety, quality and productivity: As Vice President of Operations I was responsible for the day-to-day management of two business segments within one 100,000 square foot facility. Each segment consisted of a natural work team consisting of a segment manufacturing manager, supply chain manager, process engineer and one or more sales associates and floor associates (machine operators, shipping and receiving associates, lab associates, working team leads). This was a three shift operation and operated five, six or seven days depending on the product mix and current backlog. I reported directly to the Plant President. There were approximately 75 employees and growing. The following points are all methodologies that I have employed throughout my career in manufacturing, facilities, engineering and operations management. Safety: “near miss” reporting (documented corrective/preventive action), visual safety systems, new employee orientation, transparent cultural efforts (All Associates Meetings, Cell Board Meetings, etc.) to produce the longest “No Lost Time” record within the entire division which included 14 individual companies nationwide and efforts to eliminate recordable injuries. I was keeper of the OSHA 300 form and was the liaison to the corporate safety call once/month. Quality: Operator Led Process Control. Placing the responsibility and communication of real time quality metrics within the reach and control of the associates on the floor, promoting ownership and continual improvement in the hands of the people directly responsible, including visual systems and meetings mentioned above. I was responsible for the production of military specification product and the lab that tested the material to the associated military specifications. I was the owner of the upgrade to AS9100B, upgrade to revision C and responsible for all things Quality Management System (QMS). I facilitated Management Review and maintained the Internal Quality Audit system/schedule. I have conducted numerous customer visits both quality related and customer service related. I have conducted numerous supplier audits and taken part in raw material supply strategies. I have developed effective Corrective/Preventive action systems with emphasis in root cause analysis (5Y, cause and effect, 8D, automotive methodologies, etc.) Productivity: Again, OLPC. Productivity effectiveness based on lean planning and operator led scheduling to include effective lead person training, expectations and accountability, decision trees and blocking/tackling when needed. Supply Chain effectiveness through Kanban and supplier partnership/accountability. Cost and P & L: Through natural work team efforts we created supply chain effectiveness through partnerships with suppliers, leveraged raw material cost with sister companies, Kanban and supplier audits. I worked with Supply Chain to ensure proper inventory control of raw material that was slow moving and required controlled issuance. Through Pareto focus we were able to continuously improve scrap and variable costs, on time delivery and cost reductions in multiple income statement line items (fixed costs). Product cost was based on cost of material and maintaining a profit margin creating improved profitability and competitive quoting through reducing costs in manufacturing to include reductions in scrap, effective use of labor, set-up reduction, effective scheduling, OLPC and control of all other fixed costs. Through 80/20 focus, during my tenure, we improved profitability from 2% to nearly 15% ROS, considered world class in the wire and cable industry. We improved revenue from approximately 18M to 30M in two years through customer focused metrics, customer service, industry leading quoting lead times and manufacturing lead times. Constant focus on constraints, pacemaker processes and bottlenecks along with physical cellularization (in-lining) was a core competency in all of my efforts to increase throughput and open the sales “buckets” to increase bookings, fill the backlog and improve on-time delivery. I emphasized a capacity driven culture rather than a sales driven effort. I was responsible for overhead % reduction efforts. I employed the effective use of fractional labor. Good equipment layouts make this effective. Capital and budgeting: Based on growth and innovation initiatives, each year I developed a capital spending plan to be incorporated into the next year budgeting process. This consisted of ensuring that proper engineering of equipment and continual improvement of manufacturing process led to the proper planning of equipment to ensure growth and competitive advantage. I was responsible for the operations budget which included labor cost and headcount (what does the labor look like with regards to revenue forecast), facilities and maintenance costs, engineering spend, quality spend, QPL spend, tooling, etc. Expectations and accountability: Whether a direct report is incentivized or not, performance goals based on safety, quality and productivity are created by me annually and distributed at the beginning of each year. Periodic updates are carried out to ensure continual performance improvements on those items that are considered very important to the business based on Pareto, 80/20, safety, quality, productivity and financial goals.Associates, specifically my management team are expected to generate their own performance write-ups along with my review of their performance to measure how my expectations measure and align against their thoughts. Based on these simple efforts to evaluate and measure the team member’s performance, accountability actions can be created and implemented through incentive reduction, re-calibration, and re-alignment of responsibilities, documented warnings and possible dismissal. Hiring and training:Any requirements for hiring and interviewing specifically with regards to the management team are my responsibility. I have extensive experience with staffing services, on-line recruiting and effective interviewing processes. I have developed compliant training matrixes and created many job descriptions. Any new hires always receive orientation training specifically from me so there is a standard system to convey the importance of safety and quality. I delegate the productivity orientation to my manufacturing managers to express expectations of standard work, work hours, breaks, lunch, no-smoking policy, etc. Continual Improvement and standard work:I have a strong background in those things that allow for the continual improvement of processes that effect safety, quality, productivity, revenue growth and world class customer focus. These include, but are not limited to, ensuring standard work is in place to ensure all main processes are consistent and promote the highest quality and improvements in productivity. These efforts include effective communication from production to engineers through equipment set-up sheets, weekly quality/productivity meetings, weekly Sales and Operations meetings, utilization of Dashboards, Critical to Quality instructions, scrap and output charting (as real time as possible), facilitator of Kaizens and Lean steering, Lean and 80/20 training, Cell Board meetings, All Associates meetings, non-conformance material review (quick disposition on non-conforming material), linear production methods, kanbans, visual systems for raw material replenishment, mini-focused factories (in-lines and cellularization), dedicated equipment based on Pareto analysis of product types to increase quality and productivity, chaired and effective safety committee, etc. Transparency: Utilization of communication systems and presentations to all associates concerning status of business, safety, growth and new/ongoing projects. I have fostered the development of a safety incentive program, bonus program and longevity awards. Other: Experience with development and compliance with multiple programs to include EHS compliance, ITAR, DFARS, REACH, WEEE, ELV, ROHS, ROHS Recast, DPAS government rated orders (DO and DX ratings), development of a Raytheon compliant FOD-FOE program, unending commitment and cooperation with finance group concerning budgeting, purchasing and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, TPM, PM, MRO, supplies ordering, NH Hazardous Waste Coordinator Certification, Lean Sigma Green belt and Black Belt trained, Lean Sigma Champion, engineering manager, process engineer and project manager. I am proficient in Minitab, Microsoft Office Suite programs, Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, CMMS, AutoCAD, QAD, WinMan and various ERP/MRP programs. I was the plant Sargent at Arms so to speak. Intangibles: Passion, commitment, voice of reason and voice of calm, mentor, a seemingly unending list of resources both NH and NE based including riggers, MRO, facilities contractors, mechanical contractors, equipment suppliers, machinery suppliers, electricians, etc. I have continuously shown commitment to the health and wellbeing of all associates through shifting cultural paradigms, facility fire system compliance and great relationships with city safety departments as well as contracting exceptional facility plowing/salting contractors.I know what is proprietary and protect the sensitive information critical to ensuring competitive advantage. Every employee knows my commitment and can speak with me. They are clear on my expectations and I have an open door policy. I have a strong will to take care of personnel issues fairly and effectively and maintain a strong level of documentation and paper trails with regards to the performance of all employees, good associates or those who have “opportunities” to improve. I manage both ethically and morally. I can be compassionate yet make data based/informed decisions based on the protection of the owners and shareholders and what is in the very best interest of the facility, the associates and the parent. I have fostered succession planning and taken steps to ensure the company endures beyond my tenure. I do not believe in “individual contribution” and that every effort takes buy-in by the stakeholders and Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM).

Administrative Services Manager