Beard, Brent Email & Phone Number

Plano, Texas

Plano, Texas

Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Managed the electrical/electronic system and cab development for Mining Division rotary blast-hole drills. Accountable for four product lines with two on-site & 10 off-site international resources▫ Identified & presented $60K in electrical system cost reduction opportunities to the management team. ▫ Developed the level sensor design solution to address the reoccurring factory and field failures that achieved an 80% cost reduction.▫ Completed the analysis & corrective actions to address the pressure sensor multiple failure modes with a neutral cost impact.▫ Communicated & negotiated with suppliers on the new design, cost & customer issue resolution.▫ Led autonomous integration for factory testing and developed field installation kits for retrofit.▫ Led and coordinated the inaugural Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) certification testing for the drills.▫ Trained and coached team members in Caterpillar’s electrical system design standards & specifications.

Lagrange, Ga

Managed the electrical/electronic system development for the Forest Products Division across six machine platforms. ▫ Led the electrical system development teams, managed the budget, schedules and deliverables, while insuring all Caterpillar quality processes are followed.▫ Integrated the telematics (Vision-Link) system into the electrical/electronic system architecture.▫ Collaborated with the product groups customers to determine system requirements and generated plans to develop the electronic and electrical systems to meet the customer's needs. ▫ Insured the proper validation of the machine systems during the prototype, pilot, and production build phases.▫ Delivered software and electronic hardware on time for the pilot builds.

Garland, Tx

Managed quality activities for the Caterpillar Vocational On-Highway Truck product line built in the Navistar Garland assembly plant. Created and instituted quality strategies to minimize defect rates as well as ensured designs are measurable and feasible.▫ Facilitated a 30-person cross-functional team comprised of Navistar and Caterpillar staff to resolve factory and field issues.▫ Reduced defects per unit (DPU) by 42% through training & establishing best practices.▫ Decreased pre-delivery inspection processing time by 75%.▫ Established a “zero defect” culture by driving teams to view every defect as a significant issue to address.▫ Identified and resolved finish paint quality issues.▫ Provided final sign-off approval for all Caterpillar trucks.▫ Maintained quality and reliability database to track top field and warranty claims.▫ Led dealer and customer plant tours.

Griffin, Ga

Led the development of marine-certified C18 engine system & C32 genset power generation in an automotive style environment located in Greenville, SC. Led cross-functional teams in issue resolution as a manufacturing liaison located in Griffin, GA. ▫ Reported stakeholder project status reviews to highlight design progression, cost & milestone goals. ▫ Responsible for controls engineering and electrical support for end of line & hot test.▫ Utilized statistical analysis & APQP for design and continuous improvement projects. ▫ Uncovered electrical/electronic integration opportunities to consolidate systems, reduced finished product cost, enhanced manufacturing assembly efficiency, increase quality, and decrease field product downtime.▫ Achieved a 50% processing time reduction by eliminating the electronic control module removal reduce engine paint ▫ Conducted and coordinated training for 1,500+ management, engineering & assembly team members.▫ Wrote new assembly procedures and troubleshooting manuals for assembly.▫ Functioned as lead serviceability auditor for the C27 and C32 tier 4 engine development programs. ▫ Identified and documented solutions for facility and field-level safety issues. ▫ Recruited and interviewed multiple candidates to fill engineering roles.

Cary, Nc

Led the electrical system new product introduction, including the design, functionality, cost, supplier selection & quality, for the small track-type tractors manufactured in Sagami, Japan. ▫ Led & coached the team including CAD two design engineers & three drafters in small track-type tractor electrical system development.▫ Captured $2.6M in new product supplier development annual savings.▫ Delivered $15K in annual savings by driving component cost reduction.▫ Achieved dealer repair frequency electrical target of 3.5% reduction per quarter. ▫ Exceeded electrical system cost 10% reduction target. ▫ Captured $500K in annual savings on the wire harness resourcing project.▫ Managed development of a new instrument cluster for the small track-type tractors.

Fort Wayne, Indiana Area

Performed a system analysis to determine the compatibility of F550/650 Ford cab with International chassis electrical systems. Prepared presentations for cross-functional design reviews.

Fort Wayne, Indiana Area

Led team through forward chassis electrical system projects for next-generation vehicles. Assigned tasks, monitored progress, and selected quality tools to ensure on-time completion. Identified and addressed issues as well as defined assumptions, boundary conditions, and design requirements. Managed overall design integrity, including functionality, cost, supplier quality, and design, to achieve assembly goals.

Bachelor'S Degree, Electrical Engineering, 3.47

Activities and Societies: NSBE

Bachelor Of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.)