Still doing part-time consulting on various manufacturing issues, including Production Process Verification and production quality problem solving. I've expanded beyond my automotive base to areas like manufacturing welded tubing, battery cables, and components for agricultural equipment. Provides an opportunity to bring together my diverse skills in Six Sigma, materials, and root cause analysis.

Expanded my involvement as an instructor with the American Foundry Society to include more courses: Green Sand Molding 101, Casting Defect Analysis, and Casting Supplier Auditing. Also helped develop the Iron Metallurgy 201 course for those more heavily responsible for the actual production and quality control of cast iron products in the foundry. I have the pleasure of teaching that course with Ken Way, Technical Director of Miller & Company.Also staying active in the consulting business as opportunities arise and have branched out into areas of manufacturing quite different than automotive, including compression molding of seals and assembly of electrical cables. I find that there are many common aspects of manufacturing processes and control that are independent of the product.

I recently completed development of a 2-day training course, "Problem Solving and Process Improvement" for the Cast Metals Institute of the American Foundry Society. I had the pleasure to work with Ted Schorn (from Enkei NA) and Laurie Lehmann (education designer) over several months in the course development; I then taught the course with Ted in late April in Chicago. I believe it will be offered again later this year.I achieved my Master Black Belt certification from Villanova University in October 2012. From December 2010 to December 2013, I worked with Mueller Company in Chattanooga, TN as a Six Sigma Specialist on a contract basis. Mueller is an industry leader in making a wide range of gate valves for the water distribution industry, and they provide a finished product from this location. It includes an iron foundry (gray and ductile) and both lost foam and NoBake molding processes, as well as machining, painting, and assembly processes.I coordinated Six Sigma training there, including advising project teams, chairing the Six Sigma Steering Committee, and teaching Black Belt, Green Belt, and Champions courses. I've also had the opportunity to pick up a lot of useful knowledge on Lean Mfg while I've been here.Since mid 2012, I have also been working with Keihin North America, a Tier 1 supplier of aluminum and mangnesium castings to Honda, on various quality issues and managing process improvement projects. Great success so far!I still maintain contact with my friends and associates at Ford Casting Engineering and have worked with them on the transfer of the iron V8/V10 from Cleveland to Cifunsa. I'm sure my work with them will continue in the future."Retirement" can be a busy time.

- Support client quality and productivity objectives- Apply Six Sigma and other methodologies to manufacturing issues- Mentor suppliers in structured problem solving

- Process development to support new engine component needs- Application of Six Sigma principles to process development and improvement- Mentoring of Nemak product engineers in Six Sigma methodology

- Development of new manufacturing methods and materials for powertrain components- Manufacturing process quality and productivity improvement- Supervisor of department Six Sigma Black Belts- Instructor: Metallurgy for Design Engineers- Instructor: Six Sigma Green Belt Training- Adjunct professor at University of Michigan and University of Windsor- Research liaison with university programs in metalcasting development