Opal Johnson Email & Phone Number

Canton, Ohio Area

The Laboratory Director's responsibility include the overall management of the analytical laboratory, two service centers, and program management staff of the facility including approximately 120 chemists, scientists, project managers, and other personnel. The functional groups of the facility include Sample Control, Sample Preparation, Organic Chemistry, Metals, General Inorganic Chemistry, Project Management, Customer Service Management, QA/QC, Information Technology, Health & Safety, Facility Compliance, and Report Generation. Other responsibilities include adherence to budgets, staff development and control, quality assurance and quality control, scheduling, client support/liaison, as well as profit and loss responsibility for the North Canton facility. Ms. Johnson has been with the North Canton facility since 1986.

The Operations Manager is responsible for maintaining positive operating margin to the company at the business unit level and for meeting and exceeding the annual budget. Supervises all laboratory personnel and provides professional development and direction to group leaders, team leaders and project managers. Evaluates laboratory processes to determine path of continuous improvement. Responsible for ensuring compliance and integration of facility operation with corporate and regulatory policies and procedures while managing supply, instrument, and personnel resources

Approves the Facility-Specific Appendix to the QMP. Approves operation-specific SOPs and is responsible for assessing and maintaining the QMP implementation within the facility operations. Recommends resolutions for ongoing or recurrent nonconformances within the laboratory. Supervises and provides guidance and training to the laboratory QA staff. Responsible for issuing “stop work orders” in analytical areas when significant quality requirements are not met. Assists in maintaining regulatory analytical compliance. Serves as the in-house client representative on all project inquiries involving data quality issues. Monitors data quality measures via statistical methods to verify that the laboratory routinely meets stated quality goals. Performs QA assessments. Issues QA directives, policy or local QA SOPs to meet the corporate requirements or to clarify such requirements for their facility. Tracks and closes external and internal findings of QA audits. Performs systems, data, special, and external audits with both clients and regulatory officials. Reviews and approves corrective action plans for nonconformances, trends nonconformances to detect systematic problems, and initiates additional corrective actions as needed. Assists in the preparation of and approves Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs).

Responsible for daily project management of major accounts which include login/log release coordination with lab, coordination with clients, and report and invoice generation and review. Principal point of contact with client to provide technical support in the areas of data challenges, regulatory requirements, general lab practices, data quality objectives, and QAPP review. Interacts with sales force to ensure overall client satisfaction and account development. Provides sales support to clients by negotiating prices, writing proposals and visiting clients. Provides marketing sales support by forecasting future work, negotiating contracts, and attending conferences and exhibitions

Manages and administers the Environmental Health & Safety program. Coordinates the investigation of accidents and incidents. Compiles laboratory/divisional statistics on accidents and injuries. Tracks the progress of corrective actions and report findings. Coordinates with Human Resource to ensure appropriate Workman’s Compensation reporting requirements are met. Reviews the OSHA 200 log of reportable injuries and illnesses. Coordinates emergency response activities for the laboratory. Monitors chemical inventory. Maintains Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Ensures compliance with safety policies. Develops and coordinates hazardous waste minimization program. Develops and implements spill prevention program. Serve as Safety Training Coordinator. Conducts new employee health and safety orientation.

Performed organic analyses according to QA policies and EPA methods. Responsible for instrument troubleshooting, revision of methods and some method development. Responsible for guidance of less experienced personnel. Test methods included the preparation and analysis of PCBs, Pesticides, Herbicides, CLP certified analyst – GCS, OhioEPA certified analyst – GCS, GC Volatiles – BTEX, TOX, and TOC