David Durham Email & Phone Number

Northville, Mi, Us

Aurora, Ontario, Ca

It was great to be a part of Norplas Industries as their resident Color and Appearance Specialist. It was my job to monitor their final product, confirming that it meets the requirements on color and appearance put forth by their clients. We produced and supplied color fascias and plastic parts to most of the big vehicle manufacturers. Other tasks included monitoring incoming paint batches and presenting parts to the automotive design studios for approval. I was a frequent visitor to their client’s assembly plants attending meetings regarding color match, including regularly scheduled color harmony events. Consequently, I made multiple trips a week to plants located in MI, IL, OH, Mexico and Canada attending color events and auditing color. I knew my way around about a dozen assembly plants working to build trust as their point of contact for color. I've had the pleasure of assisting clients, at their request, to create training materials, being called in occasionally to train personnel new to color at their location. I worked from a color status database and interface of my own design to track and manage the colors their plant works with. It gave a snapshot report to see how their color measures up visually, how the batches coming in meet expectations, customer feedback, on deck inspections, and field observations. I've worked on new product launches for the major car companies going back to the 2012 model year. The MAGNA corporate culture fostered at our plant was a breath of professional fresh air. The work was challenging, fascinating, and rewarding. I feel fortunate having worked for a company that values my contributions. I retired in January of 2025, but I might freelance; attending harmonies and part submissions on behalf of companies without the resources to cover them all. For the most part, This wonderful position at Magna capped off my official career of 40 years in Automotive Color.

For my retirement, I have chosen to be a Playwright. More than my career, this will be my passion and pastime well into my golden years. I have already written several one-act and full length pieces, some of which have won statewide and national writing competitions. Ramping up this new endeavor will allow me a smooth transition from my industrial career to my passion, stage. Of course no passion is greater to me than acting on stage or in film. I shall continue to accept opportunities as they present themselves. Over my life I've acted in over 150 projects (plays, musicals, independent films, radio shows, and experimental performances). I will leave it to the dozens of talented directors and theatre folk to keep me in mind when casting a part I might shine in. The strategy has worked GREAT so far! To keep up to date on my acting and writing activities, I hope you visit my website, www.stagescreenandme.com, periodically to see what is coming up.

Bentonville, Arkansas, Us

Because of the automotive industry crash, I was laid off from my primary career for awhile. I took on a part-time customer service position that evolved steadily even while I was looking for work back in my profession. One thing led to another and I found myself involved with registering and giving orientations to over 400 associate workers for a new store opening up in the area. I continued on as Training Coordinator for the new store, until I was able to once again obtain a position in my area of expertise as a Color Specialist for Automotive Paints. I gained a very good understanding of Human Resources in this position, and I was very comfortable in the role.

• Created and maintained workflow processes for a unique new outsource company specializing in color information and development for automotive refinish paint companies.• Executed daily operations with regard to registering incoming standards, tracking and filing color development lab output, and report requests from management and clients.• Designed the computer database tools that store all client color data, internal color records, and color reference materials.• Proposed a concept for a bumper chip collection, then did the research work to choose the 400+ colors that universally represented the thousands of bumper, wheel, underhood, and interior colors used on all car makes sold in the U.S. This project resulted in a major contract from a client to develop colors to match those chips in their refinish paint products. • Consulted with clients on color accuracy and quality controls for their products. • Worked with OEM Auto Makers to identify and manage paint standards for our clients. • Audited OEM standards and client sprayouts for color accuracy by comparing them to actual vehicles in the market.

Wilmington, De, Us

Created the color evaluation systems and structures that supported the two European Brands owned by Herberts - Standox and Spies Hecker.• Given the project of increasing capacity and customer satisfaction with Standox's Technical/Color Support phone center. Reviewed what was in place and worked with a software developer to create a computer program for the phone staff that intuitively provided answers quickly while capturing the conversations and questions being asked. The software won international awards from Standox and was also given a patent by the U.S. Patent Office. Our help line led the industry satisfaction surveys from that point on, and we were able to deliver monthly reports to the company that showed what information was being requested. This helped Management direct their support resources more effectively.• Other accomplishments include developing an incentive program for the collection of color information from the field. The program resulted in a 40% increase in information that translated to a 30% increase in formula corrections for painters. Also designed the physical layout of the Customer Service department, conducted national body shop surveys, and managed three other call center operators while fielding between 60-100 daily help calls myself. • Worked with DuPont management after their acquisition of Standox based in Michigan, and Spies Hecker, based in New York, to centralize color support operations for the two brands, successfully integrating the resources while maintaining the two distinct brand images in the market.• Represented U.S. at international meetings concerning color in Germany.• Developed a classroom presentation for training painters and personnel explaining the challenges of matching color and how to use the tools we offered to help them. Gave the course frequently at the National Headquarters Training Center.

Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Nl

Hired as a Warehouse Assistant at their Detroit facility. Named Warehouse Manager within 3 months. Designed new warehouse layout for expansion that took place the next year. Was receiving warehouse for all Sikkens automotive refinishes and wood finishes. Managed two assistants, and directed national distribution of wood finishes, as well as local distribution to Detroit area body shops of Sikkens automotive refinish paint.• Was brought to Akzo Headquarters in Atlanta to work with the Color Department after gaining attention correcting formulas for Detroit customers and scoring very high on the color perception tests.• Developed system for monitoring and tracking the color drift inherent in automotive factory paint, and installed computer tools to track this automatically.• Designed layout of Color Evaluations area based on work process. Managed two assistants in color surveys and information gathering. Was trained, and continued to attend yearly meetings in Sassenheim, Netherlands concerning color.• Featured speaker and trainer during the roll out of the Color Map documentation in 1990, with presentations all over the U.S.• Designed a process to manage Fleet colors that was handed off to another department because of the volume of colors. Process was still in place when I left, handling well over 10,000 colors.

Business Admin, Basic Dutch And German

Business Admin

Associates, Business Administration