Bush Hog, Inc. is the leading North American manufacturer of rotary cutters, finishing mowers, landscape tools, and tractor-mounted implements used in the agricultural market. Located in Selma, Alabama for more than 70 years, Bush Hog’s products have earned an enviable reputation for their ruggedness and durability in the most challenging work environment.• In my current role, I provide executive leadership to product management, engineering, research & development, warranty, and quality, developing and managing products from concept to end of life.• Developed 5-year strategic plan, innovation strategy, product/technology road-maps, and built a full P&L to support the plan resulting in a $1.6 million margin improvement.• Implemented a successful business development strategy leading to an increase in revenue of $8 million in 6 months.• Restructured team, implemented stage-gate new product development process with standard work resulting in 19 new product introductions within first 18 months, reducing time to market from 24 months to 14 months, and generating $73.2 million in new sales.• Implemented new top level metric to measure the health of our innovation efforts resulting in a Vitality Metric of 21.4%.• Developed/implemented a quality management system with sustainability audits resulting in 50% reduction in recordable quality issues.• Established formal Voice of Customer process, 5-year product & technology roadmap & implemented multi-year horizon maps to ensure robust innovation growth plan.• Established electrification/connectivity strategy; introducing new series of connected electric zero turn mowers and optimizing rotary cutter product line for fully electric autonomous tractor.• Institutionalized a warranty process, reducing warranty cost by 60% as a percent of sales.• Established supplier quality manual & an incoming quality system driving down the cost of poor quality by 30%. Mobile: 334-410-1011Email: rick.noel@bushhog.com

Noel Professional Solutions Group is an executive branding firm that provides services to world class leaders who are interested in enhancing their careers. Clients choose us for our expertise, execution, and most importantly our dedication.As Principal Consultant I utilize my multiple years of lean operational, engineering, quality/continuous improvement and project management experience to provide management consulting services.

Charles Aris Inc. is an executive search firm located in Greensboro, North Carolina, founded in 1969 and recognized for best practices demonstrated by an Interview to Hire ratio of 2.77:1 along with a strong candidate retention derived from the highly detailed 14 step priority search process utilized to ensure our clients receive only highest qualified candidates. We work globally and have completed searches in 45 states and 13 countries placing mid to upper level management in key strategic roles.I developed and lead a Practice with focus on placing senior-level executives for our clients in the Automotive and Industrial Engineered Products arenas.

Provided leadership to our Global Product Development in the design, development and introduction of new products utilizing the methodologies of Lean Product Development through the Stage Gate process.• Implemented continuous process improvement for key business operating systems including: Global Supplier Quality, Stage-Gate Product Development Process, Engineering Change Management and Value Engineering /Value Analysis supporting the business turn around from negative EBITDA to positive in one year and product cost improvements of $750K of savings in 9 months.• Vice President, General Manager of contract business unit that serviced both Hospitality and Government segments resulting in 128% growth for 2015 and 226% growth for 2016.• Partnered with COO to improve operations cost, quality and delivery resulting a positive $20 million EBITDA improvement, 98% first pass yield improvement and lead-time reduction of 67%.

Led a Global Program Management Office in the design and development of new products for the oil and gas industry with a $93 million product portfolio of new products in launch.• Introduced new innovative product with CNG (high pressure -compressed natural gas) gas pump including payment hardware and software development that gained market acceptance instantly allowing individuals to fill their own vehicle safely eliminating need for certified attendants. • Utilized Danaher Business Systems methodologies/fundamentals/tools to drive continual improvement throughout the business and Toyota Development methodologies to improve speed to market with high quality products.• Partnered with marketing and engineering in the creation of product and technology road-maps to ensure our innovation funnel is properly loaded to achieve strategic growth goals.

• Elected to serve on the Growth and Innovation Council to drive top line sales growth. Innovation funnel had more than $100 million of new products identified and scored, followed by market pressure testing to ensure captured Voice of the Customer and the Customer need.• Lead business process Makigami (continuous improvement) event for the engineering change management process, improving value add by 73%, reduced hand-offs by 39% and improvement of the Value Add to Non Value Add ratio by 88%.• Key member of LEAD (Leading Excellence Across Disciplines) steering committee providing technical leadership and influencing Lean Office on Lean Initiatives and next steps for growth for corporation.• Nominated and participated in Engineering Management Development Program as a mentor for motivating, coaching, influencing and guiding incoming college graduates upon joining the company. Only top performers are allowed to participate.• Developed and implemented new lean product introduction stage gate process with standard work that allow us to successfully launch new products achieving cost, quality and delivery targets.

Set global direction for quality, engineering, design, program management, regulatory compliance, lean/continuous improvement and research & development. 7 Direct reports and 35 technical associates in 3 countries.• Member of senior executive management committee to set strategic direction - short, mid and long term goals to support the vision, mission and corporate strategy.• Increased vitality index metric (percent of sales from new products) from 1.4% to 34.9% in 3 years.• Provided leadership to a global technical team of 7 direct reports and 35 technical associates in Program Management, Quality, Regulatory, Engineering, Design (CAD), Lean/CI and R&D.• Successfully introduced new products for 2 new market segments capturing 25% of market upon entrance and organic growth of $60 million in one year.• Recognized for talent management and chosen to participate in the high potential / high performance program for the top 1% of NIBCO associates as both a manager and mentor.• Introduced a patented innovative new product and power tool set that over achieved the business plan by 300% by capturing Voice of Customer with ethnographic research and utilizing Industry knowledge / trends to drive the new product initiatives

Held 3 different Director level leadership positions at Magna during my 4 years.Director Product Implementation:• Managed 3 direct reports with an overall staff of 75 technical reports in new product development, electronics and product engineering for inside mirror business unit.• Directed advanced development, product and electronics engineering teams through 21 product launches and 12 development projects. Achieved all programs goals of cost/quality/delivery and operating 8% under $3 million operational budget.• Achieved $20 million savings through value analysis on programs in the launch process. Directed development of a telematic infrastructure to support OEM demands. $7 million in revenue for first year and first to market with solution.Director Engineering Systems:• Established value management system to foster lean engineering, a lean supply chain, and lean manufacturing. Recognized $5.2 million of savings on first 7 programs.• Led 12 member executive team in the redesign of the costing/quoting system. Project completed in 9 months with 87% improvement in resource hours needed to process quotes and recognized savings of over $10 millionDirector EC Technology:• Directed the development of new product technology, utilized worldwide, with savings of $8 million.• Successfully developed and introduced interior electrochromatic products resulting in the addition of 6 new customers, and growing the volume from zero to 1.4 million units in one year.

Held multiple leadership roles during my employment at Johnson Controls.Director Program Management:• Played key role in $1 billion new market sector business unit development and start up.• Managed the development and launch of new products to the OEM accessories divisions including a patented cargo management system.Platform Director, Toyota Business Worldwide• Directed $60 million global business unit with P&L responsibilities and a $35 million development budget capturing highest customer and company awards.• Championed the introduction of a Japan office to support new business development.

Operations Manager:• Key player in $30 million Greenfield plant start-up, recognized as most profitable plant in the corporation. • Improved first run yields from 80% to 98% through the use of lean manufacturing techniques.Program Manager:• Managed $20 million in new business introduce into the manufacturing plant.