Responsible for the Support Value Stream (includes chocolate making, logistics, GMP, sanitation & palletizing) totaling 95 associates with 17 direct reports, 6 of which are line managers.- Lead the Value Stream in day-to-day operations as well as strategic 1- and 3-year plan including business planning, continuous improvement targets and associate development.- Accountable for all area safety and quality compliance ensuring a safe, quality delivery of all products.- Serve on the site leadership team under the direction of the Site Director to set the strategic 3- & 5-year plan including capital investments, rate reviews, & continuous improvement targets.- Manage activities and production plan in the value stream to meet financial targets versus actuals.

As CI Engineer, I have a 24 hour multi-shift accountability for the process results of the Support / Chocolate Making Area.- Owns all daily management systems executions and leads the changeover, centerlines, clean, inspect and lubricate & anomaly handling.- Conducts detailed analysis on performance data and integrates into Factory Mars Operating System.- Drives loss elimination for area to include line loss analysis and development of the 90-day action plan to address losses and build associated capability. - Assists production leaders in managing the performance of their teams through coaching and skills development.- Lead & manage a team of 3 to 5 associates including their day to day performance & their long term development goals. - Champions all safety and quality standards & objectives for Support / Chocolate making.

Responsible for the success of new projects within the Plant. Lead the Commissioning, Validation and Start-up (CVS) activities for all Plant Capital projects.- Guardian of Operations - Ensure the Operational integration of new assets and automation; promote Factory Associate engagement and include input for all projects.- Partner with the Project Manager, Engineering, Research and Development (R&D) and Operations to implement robust solutions aligned to the Capital Improvement Plan.- Deliver capital projects (approximately 10 – 12 yearly) and manage the budgets (total $750k); develop CVS project plan, manage scope and budget, monitor resources and risk.-Provide timely project communications with Senior Management to ensure project pipeline visibility. - Manages the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Best Practices Instructions for all new projects; knowledge management owner.-Partner with the Training Team to ensure robust content of training materials; ensure the curriculum can be successfully delivered to Plant Associates. -Collaborates with all operational areas (Value Streams; Packaging, Raw Materials, Support) within the plant.

Led the commissioning and start-up activities for a New Plant Project ($500M / 2-year duration).- Managed the daily commissioning plans, validation and start-up procedures (thermal, hydrostatic, chemical) for operational activities.- Planned and prioritized activities with the Maintenance team to bolster quality control.- Partnered with the Engineering Team to ensure practical and technical features were harmonized.- Created and maintained the operational documentation to sustain Operational Excellence: training materials, process flows, SOPs, area validations, safety protocols and Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO) procedural guidelines.- Facilitated Knowledge Transfer sessions with the team members and operations on aseptic and hygienic design.- Aligned, motivated and challenged a cross-functional team to simultaneously deliver a critical $2M project within an aggressive timeline. Delivered on time and within budget.

Supported the processes and equipment which delivered enzyme media to recovery streams for final production.- Owned accountability to meet production goals and ensured minimal disruption to production through continued monitoring and proactive issue resolution.- Commissioning Lead for the 3-Ferm and Raw Material Tank Farm Expansion Project:- Prepared and executed Commissioning hydrostatic, thermal and chemical test plans; ensured quality with installations and operations. Managed scope, monitored resources and risk and delivered project on-time.- Provided timely project communications with Senior Management to ensure project pipeline visibility.- Managed all aspects of Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) construction; instrumentation and controls, in-line and off-line devices.- Handled highly caustic and hazardous substances; governed SOP and Hazardous Materials Guideline adherence.- Maintained and managed emergency response plans; ability to react accordingly to environmental impacts.- Ensured Associates were educated and trained on hazardous products within respective work areas and the precautionary measures and emergency response procedures.- Managed the Sterility Validation Team of five Associates responsible for sterility trials to ensure no product contamination.- Became the Subject Matter Expert for aseptic and hygienic design.

Managed the processes and equipment used to convert high fructose corn syrup to crystalline fructose.- Owned accountability to meet production goals and ensured minimal disruption through continued monitoring and proactive issue resolution.- Developed and maintained historical tracking of machinery performance, product purity and recipe specifications.- Achieved high efficiency outputs through adherence to SOP and work instructions; provided input and improvement recommendations.- Participated in food safety audits; ensured food safety protocols and FDA standards were managed and maintained. - Assumed temporary responsibility (6 months) for the role of Team Coordinator; functionally managed ten Associates.

Supported processes and equipment used in the Wet Mill / Starch area of the manufacturing facility.- Supervised machinery installation and supporting construction while the new Fort Dodge facility was built.- Developed and executed pre start-up Commissioning Plans.- Conducted field to screen check-outs; validated operation from user operator interface to component / mechanism.- Designed and executed the hydrostatic test plans; confirmed the integrity of the vessels for operational readiness. - Developed the Confined Space Entry Standard Operating Procedures. - Member of the Pre-Start-up Safety Review Team; validated adherence to safety standards and protocols prior to start-up of operations.