Brian Ruesch Email & Phone Number

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Moncure, North Carolina

Manage 120 employees from June of 2015 to February 2017.Manage 4 direct supervisors.Oversee the production and safe work practices of the dryers, layup, presses and finishing end.Work with the HR Department to ensure that all shifts are properly staffed and that vacant positions are posted and filled using company guidelines.Work with maintenance staff to schedule preventative maintenance and ensure any issues are corrected in a timely manner.As General Operations Supervisor, manage 26 employees and manage 2 direct reports.Monitor process to insure production standards are followed and product specifications are met.Report accurate production data for each shift.

Moncure, North Carolina

 Managed 27 employees. Oversaw the production and safe work practices of the dryers, lay-up, and presses. Monitored process to insure production standards were followed and product specifications were met. Reported accurate production data for each shift.

 Managed 17 employees. Interviewed and screen candidates to fill positions. Trained employees in all phases of production in order to prepare to restart a mill that had been shut down several years ago. Lead production team through a successful restart. Developed safety procedures for the finishing department. Developed skills proficiency tests for the finishing department.

 Managed 18 employees.  Worked with a new team, most of whom do not have any lumber experience.  Managed team to safely increase productivity over time. Cross-trained employees at different positions in order to fill in vacancies due to employee absences. Worked with team to create a viable safety culture.

 Managed two crew leaders and 31 employees.  Worked with two inexperienced crew leaders to help them manage and motivate the employees to achieve the following objectives:1. Managed employees in order to maximize green veneer production. Achieved an 11% increase in productivity over a 3 month time-span. 2. Focused on team training needs to insure capable backup operators are available to cover vacations/absences. Three new hires trained as proficient operators and capable of operating second work station for short breaks.

Plymouth, Nc

 Managed 18 employees. Reduced standard deviation of moisture content by 44% (all time plant record low) by:1. Analyzing moisture content data from each kiln.2. Optimizing each dry kiln schedule.3. Matching lumber dimensions to kilns based on each kiln’s drying characteristics.  Collaborated with maintenance staff to improve efficiencies and reduce steam usage by 17%. Managed kiln team members’ schedules to achieve staffing needs while reducing over-time by 8%.

Valdosta, Ga

 Managed two supervisors and 55 employees. Managed production teams to safely and efficiently produce quality Microllam (LVL) and I-Joists. Worked with and coached supervisors to continually develop and maximize their performance for the company while recognizing the natural leaders in the workforce to help develop future leaders. Worked with supervisors to achieve a 22% reduction in off-grade product which resulted in a $25,000/month cost savings by:1. Tracking each operator’s performance.2. Providing feedback to operators on their performance compared to the operators on the shift as well as other team operators. 3. Recognizing the most improved operator each month.

Valdosta, Ga

 Researched and analyzed a new method of applying product identification stamps to I-Joists that resulted in eliminating 15 hours of downtime/month which created a cost savings of $100,000/month. Managed projects to increase safety, to maintain a high level of quality, and to improve productivity. Performed time studies on equipment and tasks to determine bottlenecks and discover improved methods of operation. Achieved a throughput increase of 25%.  Trained associates when new projects were put into operation. Updated procedures and practices in the Quality, Environmental, and Safety Management System. Actively participated in all safety programs. Performed Department Manager duties when Department Managers were away from plant.