Ralph Ahlgren Email & Phone Number

San Jose, CA, US

Developing the next new generation of innovative solar energy products, developing new Combined Heat and Power Solar module products for home, commercial applications.

San Francisco, California, US

World Wide Telepresence Deployment Consultant

Senior Consultant specializing in optimizing all aspects of manufacturing operations. Lean six-sigma methods are utilized to reduce product cycle times, improve yields, and improve overall financial performance.

• Led operations, manufacturing and procurement teams in delivery of record $40M in shipments of automated biotechnology instruments and integrated robotic platforms for biological research.
• Established operational growth strategy to double facility capacity. Directed commercial real estate efforts to select, lease and fit up property. Managed physical facilities to assure uninterrupted growth. Initiated.
• Created outsourcing strategy with key off-shore supplier to address capacity bottlenecks and enable continued growth.

• Analyzed and mapped Cisco test and repair business processes, documented performance gaps and developed business case to rapidly correct quality and reliability issues.
• Developed and implemented a novel test methodology to resolve quality issues and saving more than $4.5M per year. Procured, installed and deployed complete process, software, and equipment solution in 6 months.
• Key contributor in serialized part number tracking process development. Instrumental in developing method to analyze data and identify defect trends.

US

• Senior production manager responsible for $60M in annual revenue in the delivery (manufacturing and test) of custom medical X-Ray detectors and military CCD cameras.
• Expanded process capacity 50 percent through, process yield improvements, critical bottleneck tool management and capital expansion while driving gross margins improvement from 19 % to 54%.
• Significantly upgraded management talent and organizational structure; established process and quality accountability. Recipient of Lockheed-Martin Silver Supplier Award for outstanding quality.

Tel-Aviv, IL

• Senior Engineering and Operations officer of WaveSplitter design and manufacturing team developing and manufacturing advanced DWDM components used in fiber-optic telecom systems.
• Led team of 40 engineers and scientists in the development of advanced PLC (planar light circuits) and micro-optical (MEMS) components.
• Key contributing member of management team; managed three directors and CTO.s.

• Senior Engineering officer leading the C-Speed development work to commercialize fully scalable MEMS based all optical switches for fiber optics telecommunications systems.
• Led a team of 35 engineers and scientists and 3 directors to achieve critical milestones in development cycle on-time and budget for advanced fully scalable switch core.
• Successfully productized scalable switch core and system; demonstrated and showcased Alpha-product; executed beta test with key telecom customers..
• Developed complete supply base to support manufacturing ramp.

US

• Developed critical manufacturing process technology for advanced Flat Panel Display products employing a novel cold cathode emitter based technology. Led a team of 60 engineers, scientists and technicians to.
• Established proper process controls to assure repeatability of processes, improving process yields 40 percent higher than original baseline; qualified new substrate format, improving productivity 200 percent.
• Provided technical leadership on factory design, equipment specifications, and negotiated key equipment contracts with leading Japanese and German equipment suppliers.

Managed the Read-Rite Fremont Magnetic Recording Head Production Facility of 600 people. Responsible for planning and executing the entire manufacturing cycle of Inductive and Magneto-Resistive (including New Product Introduction) GMR and SV technologies in a dynamic and fast moving environment. Directed the activities of manufacturing, operations.

Armonk, New York, NY, US

As Superintendent of Manufacturing, I directed the operations of a 400 employee Magnetic Recording Head manufacturing facility running 24-7. Key participation in the introduction of thin-film technology including Magneto-Resistive (MR) and other head technology. During IBM career, held numerous management and key leadership positions in manufacturing.

Master Of Science, Chemical Engineering

Bs/Ms, Chemical Engineering