Tom Blank Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

Waukegan, Il, Us

Achieve and maintain an effective plant operation as defined by quality, schedule, and cost objectives. Lead continuous improvement in these areas by ensuring manufacturing techniques, workflow and process improvements are evaluated regularly.Maintain good working relationships with the Union by developing good employee relations and consistent administration of labor-management agreement and Company policies. Manage and participate in Company/Union negotiations and personnel functions.Maintain facilities and equipment in good working order to ensure safe and efficient operations by conducting periodic inspections and ensuring governmental and insurance safety instructions are passed.Develop, monitor, and control departmental operating budgets.Develop and maintain a trained and motivated staff to ensure continuity of effective operations by providing training and other developmental opportunities.Establish plant goals and objectives.ACCOMPLISHMENTSExceeded expectations each year in position.

Waukegan, Il, Us

Provide back-up support for plant salary personnel. Use these opportunities to recognize needs, and to develop and implement process changes throughout the plant.Engage outside contractors for facility, grounds and equipment maintenance. Schedule, coordinate, monitor and approve the work performed by suppliers. Investigate, justify, obtain approval, procure, and install capital equipment for Mishawaka.Provide technical engineering assistance to all Mishawaka departments. This includes investigation, research, recommendation/justification, securing approval, and implementation to resolve assembly problems, plant layout, material handling projects, facility/systems improvements, and manufacturing process improvements.Direct and administer an active safety program. Continually review plant facilities for safety and OSHA requirements.Review, design, recommend, implement, procure, and manage cost effective packaging of outbound material shipments from the plant.Review, develop, obtain approval, and maintain budgets for all Mishawaka departments.Work with Plant Manager to resolve all plant issues. This includes union, Mishawaka salary employees, corporate, government, community, and general business issues.ACCOMPLISHMENTSSuccessfully plant budget on target or below plan for four consecutive years.Provided support to a successful ERP deployment.Lead team to install data collection solution for real-time data in ERP.Increased inventory accuracy from 75% to 97% within one year with new cycle counting procedures.Participated in successful union labor negotiations with UAW local 5.COMPANY PROCESSESLight Assembly Job ShopDistribution Warehouse

Downers Grove, Illinois, Us

Develop process parameters, PFMEA, control plans, standard work instructions, and prototype samples for new product development.Manage future capacity plans to optimize resources for growth.Communicate with program management and manufacturing to coordinate samples, complete timelines, and startup new processes and products.Troubleshoot and solve technical shop problems in injection molding, fabric molding, and lamination molding involving methods, processes, equipment, tools, and fixtures.Utilize AutoCAD system to establish and upgrade machine, workstation and facility layout drawings.Initiated and audited TPS system initiatives.Conduct environmental audits and schedules hazardous waste pickups to ensure compliance with TS standards. ACCOMPLISHMENTSProgrammed robot water jet cell to cut out early prototype sample products for tier one supplier.Contributed in the start up of five new products and currently managing thirteen others.2006 and 2007 cost savings in excess of $100,000 each year. COMPANY PROCESSESInjection Foam MoldingHot molding fiberglass and other fibers

Burr Ridge, Il, Us

Under limited supervision, investigate, justify, propose and manage medium to large capital projects for a major manufacturer of commercial and residential boilers.Investigate, plan and implement improvements in methods, production processes, equipment, tools and fixtures.Utilize AutoCAD system to establish and upgrade machine, workstation and facility layout drawings.Troubleshoot and solve technical shop problems involving methods, processes, equipment, tools and fixtures.Specify and assure conformance to process instructions and equipment operating instructions.Create and update operating and capital budgets and schedules for foundry and machine shop operations.Make contributions to boiler designs before and after release to manufacturing to optimize cost and improve manufacturability including manufacturing trial runs and production runs. ACCOMPLISHMENTSInvestigated, designed, specified, procured and installed equipment for assembly process, sheet metal fabrication, warehousing, shipping and receiving needs in a new manufacturing facility. Successfully managed a capital budget of $2.4 million consisting of process equipment, warehousing equipment and building up-fits.Mastered and implemented Lean Manufacturing concepts using Demand Flow Technology from JCIT.Instituted Kanban methodologies for processes from raw materials to shipping.Researched, justified and proposed a $7 million project with a 14-month ROI to replace and automate machine shop using new Makino horizontal machining centers and Fanuc robotics.Automated reporting processes for a foundry and machine shop using custom Microsoft Access database.Studied, designed and procured new assembly process for wall hanging boiler; including tooling, production line and testing equipment.Worked closely with Management at the Benton Harbor sheet metal facility to update processes and procedures and transition the plant operations and equipment to a new facility in North Carolina.

Burr Ridge, Il, Us

Analyzed reports and data collected to determine and recommend changes in methods, tooling, and/or equipment to more fully utilize manpower and time to increase productivity, quality or product value.Provided supporting data regarding standards and rates for grievances, arbitration hearings, etc., and assisted in the presentation of such data as required, working directly with bargaining unit personnel.Worked closely with Plant Supervision and Management at all levels to determine feasibility of proposed projects and provided data or information for accurate decisions.Supplied technical guidance to Production Supervision concerning methods, time studies, production standards and payroll practices to maximize efficiency.Provided departments with necessary information and statistical data concerning cost standards, variance analysis, budgetary controls, cost reduction analyses and product cost estimates for new or changed products.Determined machine and manpower requirements for production and made recommendations to Management, particularly for annual business plans and forecastsCOMPANY PROCESSES Sand molding in a cast iron foundry CNC metal machining Metal stamping with powder paint coating Assembly

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business/Commerce, General

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Organizational Leadership

Associate Of Science (As), Industrial Engineering Technology