Ken Mcdonald Email & Phone Number

Irvington, New York, US

Lemont, Illinois, US

• Manage the daily operations of 5 manufacturing sites in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Massachusetts, and New York, overseeing 9 direct reports, striving to quickly and efficiently maximize business opportunities to.
• Champion a culture of unified decision-making, conducting team and 1-on-1 meetings to align goals and strategies, determine the best course of action, and establish strategic plans, forging strong relationships and.
• Lead safety and food safety efforts ensuring compliance with all OSHA workplace safety regulations and all FDA food safety requirements, including achieving SQF Level 3 certification throughout all 5 sites
• Integral in maximizing throughput, installing new equipment to manage product demand, resulting in reduced headcount, increased capacity, and significant cost savings
• Navigated the company through the COVID-19 Pandemic, expertly keeping up with the increased volume and capacity to grow profit and influence customer retention

• Oversaw the operations of 6 manufacturing sites throughout the Midwest, leading 6 plant managers and 3 project managers in the management of 825 employees with a 12M pound manufacturing capacity and a $130M factory.
• Drove the development and implementation of SOPs for inventory management across all sites, creating a standard of expectations for all employees to drive efficiency and productivity and reduce errors
• Spearheaded the integration of 2 newly acquired sites while focusing on food safety improvements and advancing the company in a forward-moving trajectory in a highly competitive industry while rapidly accelerating.
• Collaborated with plant managers and functional leaders to facilitate the alignment of the plant team’s duties with the company’s mission and goals and to develop strategic plans to optimize efficiency and produce.
• Instrumental in the development of a 5-year capacity projection and capital investment requirements, providing long-term financial planning to ensure successful future business operations.

• Utilized Lean tools to present daily performance metrics and strategic plans to all employees, establishing a culture of transparency and addressing all concerns, generating a confident, empowered team driving results
• Continuously developed innovative actions to improve plant performance, including standard plant management processes, a capital plan, and a plant strategic plan, leading to consistent plant performance and increased.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

• Negotiated a local union contract and a master contract with the BCTGM in 2015, safeguarding the rights of the 600 employees
• Spearheaded the integration of the operations team, establishing KPIs to institute clear expectations for employees and holding them accountable for results, producing an efficient team delivering sustainable plant.
• Advanced a continuous improvement culture, focusing on data-driven decision-making to drive operational efficiency and enhance employee productivity and morale
• Transformed the plant’s operating model to utilize cross functional teams to improve operational efficiency, and achieving an annual cost savings target of 4%

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

• Leveraged innovative “dark weeks,” operating at 100% for 3 weeks followed by a week of 0 operations, while continuing to produce the same volume, resulting in $7.8M additional cost savings above the cost savings target.
• Led a high-performing operations team, developing and implementing new run strategies to minimize costs and accelerate revenue
• Championed the reduction of OH spend by reducing production requirements year after year, generating significant cost savings
• Negotiated a labor contract with BCTGM in April of 2012, increasing employee flexibility, controlling cost, and improving productivity

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

• Developed a passion for creating a positive work culture. Implemented high performing teams to empower and challenge employees to take ownership in decision-making and goal setting, producing superior results.
• Spearheaded the design, budgeting, hiring, and installation of a 2nd production line, generating organizational growth and revenue
• Integral in the development of plant-wide SOPs, enhancing efficiency and productivity to produce consistent outcomes

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Started as the Operations/Tech Manager at a green field production facility during the first month of production.- Primary focus was establishing reliable production with the new work force.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Interim Engineering Manager responsible for managing capital plan projects.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- 6 month development assignment

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- 6 month developmental assignment

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Due to a transition to a new Maintenance Manager at this time a large portion of my role was dedicated to onboarding and covering the manager duties.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Planning maintenance work for the South Processing area of the facility.- Responsible for all planned work as well supporting emergency breakdowns as required.- Responsible for developing and adhering to spare parts and labor budgets.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Shift maintenance supervisor with coverage over the entire plant.- Learned all of the equipment from raw material unloading to the warehouse docks.- Developed a passion for delivering results and a desire to further my career in Operations.

Battle Creek, Michigan, US

- Responsible for supporting the Packaging and Warehouse teams on a day to day basis as well as capital projects.