• Led and managed cross-functional teams across four operational departments consisting of a 15-person workforce in production, fulfillment, warehouse, and purchasing. • Provided guidance by conducting cost analyses on capital expenditures, ensuring optimal resource allocation. • Cultivated and mentored a diverse group of operational leaders, fostering their growth in time and team management, personal development, and specialized training. • Engineered custom tables for precise vessel placement, aiding in cleaner and more efficient production, increasing pouring capacity by 28%, and optimizing workspace utilization by 50%. • Developed a custom collaborative time tracking and KPI application using Google Sheets, resulting in a reduction of administrative time and expenses, saving the company ~$20 per user per month.

• Demonstrated end-to-end expertise by procuring raw material inventory, optimizing supply chain operations, strategically managing budgets, and efficiently coordinating team schedules. • Engineered tools for safe removal of wax boxes from double-stacked pallets, eliminating need for a forklift operator. • Achieved a 35% reduction in candle wicking time and enhanced accuracy and quality by over 20% by designing, prototyping, and creating specialized tooling for simultaneous insertion of multiple candle wicks. • Drove a 3,400% increase in weekly production, elevating output from 200 to 7,000+ units a week, by using 5S and lean six sigma methods, establishing takt times, standardizing training, reducing steps, and streamlining processes.• Created a hybrid machine with a 3D printer and hand-operated pouring machine to automate candle pouring, yielding successful small-scale results.

• Achieved a 70% reduction in facility landfill waste by designing and implementing a composting service, successfully diverting key items: burlap sacks, coffee chaff, bakery food waste, and spilled beans from disposal. • Replaced single-use cardboard boxes with standard plastic totes, enhancing load stability and delivery process, significantly reducing waste and optimizing packaging strategies for local deliveries. • Streamlined the sealing process for large and unwieldy coffee bags, resulting in a time reduction of over 50%, improving ergonomics and efficiency.