Grit, courage, and perseverance have been the cornerstones of my journey in the automotive industry, fueling my rapid rise through the ranks at Ford and enabling me to thrive in the fast-paced, high-stakes world of Greenfield initiatives at rapidly growing start-ups like Lucid Motors. My 25+ years of experience have been marked by a steadfast commitment to building world-class teams, driving operational excellence, and achieving bold business objectives.As a servant leader, I’m passionate about inspiring and empowering others to grow into the best versions of themselves—both personally and professionally. Whether leading high-volume production at 72 JPH or overseeing global low-volume launches at 5 JPH, I’ve developed and executed strategic blueprints that deliver results. From defining processes and standards to fostering cross-functional alignment and building accountable, data-driven systems, I prioritize precision, discipline, and collaboration to meet, and exceed, organizational goals.My career highlights include:• Brownfield Expertise: Executed a $700M Body Shop reset at Ford in just 30 days, achieving safety, production, and quality goals with zero incidents.• Greenfield Success: Launched Lucid Motors’ first EV global program in Saudi Arabia, overseeing equipment installation, workforce training, and quality systems to achieve CY23 delivery objectives.• Transformational Leadership: Led eight new model launches spanning ICE, BEV, and EV platforms, combining technical expertise in automation, robotics, and lean manufacturing with a relentless focus on customer satisfaction.Beyond the technical realm, I champion initiatives that make a difference. From mentoring women in manufacturing and Hispanic heritage groups to supporting inner-city youth pursuing careers in engineering, I believe in lifting others as I climb.At the heart of my career is a simple belief: strong teams and a resilient mindset can overcome any challenge. Let’s connect and build something extraordinary together.
-
Chief Of Staff To The Vp Of QualityLucid Motors Feb 2024 - Aug 2024Newark, California, United States• Designed a Quality strategy to drive warranty cost reduction, improve recall management processes, and enhance Lucid’s brand image for customer satisfaction excellence in the EV market.• Developed a robust Quality Measurement System (QMS), linking Voice of Customer (VOC) insights to key performance indicators (KPIs), and streamlined communication and cross-functional alignment among manufacturing, supplier, and program quality teams globally.• Drove a leadership restructuring initiative, driving cultural improvements in accountability and KPI focus, improving efficiency and employee engagement across global quality and manufacturing operations.• Led benchmarking and continuous improvement initiatives, comparing Lucid's manufacturing processes with leading automakers like Porsche and Mercedes, contributing to advancements in the Product Development Process (PDP) and aligning with industry best practices for upcoming vehicle launches. -
Global Launch ManagerLucid Motors Jun 2021 - Feb 2024Newark, California, United States• Directed and managed Lucid’s global launch strategy, including overseeing the setup of a greenfield plant in Saudi Arabia, achieving a production ramp-up to meet 3 JPH targets, and successfully delivering 930 factory-gated vehicles for CY23.• Managed cross-functional teams and suppliers to ensure the timely delivery of all launch objectives, achieving program milestones related to timing, cost, and quality.• Oversaw the hiring, training, and development of a culturally diverse workforce for the Saudi Arabia plant, aligning team capabilities with Lucid’s global quality standards and operational goals.• Led significant cost-saving initiatives, driving strategic reductions in CapEx and OpEx while ensuring that the plant met Lucid’s long-term financial and operational objectives. -
Quality Area Manager | Final Area ManagerFord Motor Company Sep 2018 - Jun 2021Chicago, Illinois, United States• Managed quality operations for Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator models, overseeing teams responsible for final assembly quality, safety, and delivery metrics, ensuring seamless production flow.• Drove a 78% reduction in warranty claims for the Ford Explorer and an 87% reduction for the Lincoln Aviator, directly improving customer satisfaction and reducing operational costs.• Achieved a 97% build-to-gate performance for the Explorer and a 100% performance rate for the Aviator, contributing to a 31% improvement in delivery profitability.• Spearheaded the adoption of lean manufacturing principles, driving process improvements that enhanced team performance, streamlined operations, and ensured strict adherence to quality standards. -
Body Area Manager | Body Mechanical Engineering ManagerFord Motor Company Jul 2017 - May 2018Chicago, Illinois, United States• Managed operations for a 700-robot body shop, improving throughput by 26% and enhancing efficiency in job per hour (JPH) performance through the development of proactive maintenance protocols and data-driven operational strategies.• Led the introduction of advanced equipment recovery systems, significantly reducing downtime and maximizing production uptime reliability, directly contributing to improved productivity. -
Body New Model Launch ManagerFord Motor Company Aug 2016 - Sep 2017Chicago, Illinois, United States• Managed the $750M body shop redevelopment for the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator models, overseeing the redesign and installation of new tools, systems, and equipment within a 30-day window.• Led a cross-functional team in the installation, calibration, and commissioning of all equipment, ensuring 90% workstation readiness ahead of schedule and completing extensive team training and certifications.• Played a pivotal role in the execution of a complex, high-volume new model launch, coordinating across multiple departments to meet the program’s aggressive scope, timing, and cost objectives.• Drove significant improvements in quality and productivity by introducing innovative processes, automating manual operations, and implementing error-proofing systems that reduced defects by 30%.• Integrated new technologies into the production process, including robotic systems and advanced welding technologies, which contributed to increased production rates and improved quality metrics.• Collaborated with engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure seamless production ramp-up, meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) for delivery and customer satisfaction. -
Quality Vehicle Evaluation ManagerFord Motor Company Aug 2014 - Jul 2016Chicago, Illinois, United States• Owned the plant’s quality operating system, optimizing inspection processes and achieving labor performance targets while ensuring compliance with OSHA standards.• Led the processing of warranty claims and executed corrective actions, improving the plant’s warranty report.• Chaired quality review meetings and launched the Lincoln Vehicle Center’s 90-point inspection process, reducing warranty claims and setting benchmarks for other Lincoln plants.• Established an export inspection facility, doubling re-inspection capacity and improving warranty processes to exceed customer expectations. -
Off-Shift Plant ManagerFord Motor Company Aug 2012 - Jul 2014Chicago, Illinois, United States• Led engineering, maintenance, production, and quality teams to drive compliance, improve performance, and meet quarter-end objectives.• Expanded North America’s annual production capacity by 137K units, launching a second shift and establishing a 3-crew operation, resulting in significant labor efficiencies.• Launched a Tag Relief initiative that increased production capability by 24K units.
Thomas H. Education Details
-
Industrial Engineering
Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas H.
What is Thomas H.'s role at the current company?
Thomas H.'s current role is Visionary Automotive Executive | Expertise in Manufacturing Operations, Global Product Launches, and Quality Management | Servant Leader Driving Innovation, Operational Excellence & Cultural Change.
What schools did Thomas H. attend?
Thomas H. attended Central Michigan University.
Not the Thomas H. you were looking for?
-
Thomas Neel
Danville, Ca4comcast.net, ceoalloptic.com, alloptic.com, comcast.net1 +192524XXXXX
-
Thomas Abrams
Fort Worth, Tx5arena.net, arena.net, elliottave.com, arena.net, probablymonsters.com5 +142524XXXXX
-
Thomas Hervey
Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex2huffines.net, asag.net3 +181752XXXXX
Free Chrome Extension
Find emails, phones & company data instantly
Aero Online
Your AI prospecting assistant
Select data to include:
0 records × $0.02 per record
Download 750 million emails and 100 million phone numbers
Access emails and phone numbers of over 750 million business users. Instantly download verified profiles using 20+ filters, including location, job title, company, function, and industry.
Start your free trial