Experience

Küster North America

• United States
• Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President Of Engineering

  • Feb 2022 - Present

  • Spearhead and facilitate the creation of processes and templates to prepare for Automotive SPICE Level 2 capability requirements (VDA scope + local OEM requirements for MAN.3 and MAN.5)• Identified and evaluated facilities to relocate the tech center office, including generation of floor plans and equipment locations, coordinating teardown and storage activities, and completing relocation activities with the construction manager at the new site.• Support the site General Manager with monthly presentations to global executives on budget, customer interaction and project status.• Attend and approve APQP reviews, design reviews, DFMEA reviews, drawing reviews and all related documentation.• Review and approve new suppliers based on multi-functional data created by supplier quality, purchasing and engineering.• Generate and lead customer presentations for technical topics and content, such as RFQ and non-RFQ technical design reviews, concept reviews and new customer visits.• Lead and facilitate technical global meetings where Küster global involvement is required for North American customers.• Coordinate the technical team to generate the CAD design, perform engineering evaluation against the requirements, and provide initial feasibility for RFQ response.• Co-create cost calculations and ED&D data for RFQ response with the commercial team. Show less

• Director Of Engineering

  • Oct 2018 - Feb 2022

  • Led the development of 12 advanced electronic shifter concepts and 3 manual park release cable concepts, creating functional demonstration units with 16 US patents awarded and 4 US patents pending.• Built relationships with Stellantis engineering (formerly FCA), leading to completion of a test project to evaluate our engineering prowess, an SEA audit at our manufacturing facility resulting a score of 84, achieving our supplier code, and initiating RFQ activity on new programs.• Identified next generation/next advanced development activity based on commercial team market data, benchmark analysis and voice-of-customer feedback.• Establish budgets and monitor budget vs. actual expenses for all technical departments, maintaining in-budget performance every year.• Manage the technical team, consisting of mechanical engineering, hardware engineering, software engineering, systems engineering and design. Show less

• Engineering and Development Manager

  • Mar 2016 - Oct 2018

  • Spearheaded creation and implementation of the IATF 16949:2016 QMS for North American divisions, and helped to attain certification of Kuester Systems Mexico with Kuster North America as a remote support site.• Created and integrated various core processes including change management, deviations, APQP, training and competency, management review, lessons learned, and DFMEA. • Identified and implemented various supporting infrastructures, including Teamcenter, PLEX, Polarion, network directory structures, and advanced lab equipment.• Designed and launched the two piece shift cable for the Ford V362 TREX program, working locally with the Ford design authority and the Küster manufacturing facility in Shanghai (ECS). Show less



Takata

• United States
• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Engineering Manager

  • Oct 2011 - Feb 2016

   Responsible for new product development for inflator engineering with a reporting structure comprised of five senior engineers and two product specialists Lead group responsible for developing new product designs for next generation business Lead a global research team comprising Systems Engineering, Global Module Engineering, and Global Inflator and Propellant Engineering to develop and evaluate next generation inflators to meet worldwide requirements with cost effective designs Provide technical guidance and professional mentoring to the engineering staff Develop internal device test specifications and requirements to ensure product robustness Review and approve drawings, reports and other engineering documents Attend design review meetings to support engineering, provide technical feedback, and recommend next steps Review and update the design review procedure and checklist for continuous improvement. Assist legal team with product technical support Conduct inflator 101 training for new hires as well as for other divisions within Takata Generate presentation material and present information to upper management on a quarterly basis to provide development status updates Generate, review, and update TS16949 document to ensure compliance to the quality management system Review and report budget status for product engineering projects Worked with Human Resources to generate a new hire orientation training process Show less

• Development Engineer

  • Apr 2007 - Oct 2011

  • Responsible for assigned research and development activities to meet a variety of assigned project targets including:o Development of new cooling technologies to reduce gas temperatures o Concept for reducing heat transfer between internal and external inflator componentso Design for reducing cost and improving safety related to loading and manufacturingo Several additional concepts, with R&D efforts resulting in 12 US Patents awarded• Developed complex Microsoft Excel macro using VBA to improve efficiency and productivity related to data compilation, plotting and analysis of test results• Built and tested prototypes of conceived R&D concepts• Utilized SolidWorks to generate 3D models and 2D drawings of concepts• Wrote technical reports to summarize findings from analysis and data generation Show less

• Various (Product Engineer => Engineering Supervisor => Engineering Manager)

  • Oct 2003 - Apr 2007

  Started at Takata in 2003 as a product engineer for inflator development.Promoted to Engineering Supervisor in 2004, responsible for inflator engineering for the Asian customer products, with 6 direct reports.Promoted to Engineering Manager in 2006, responsible for developing 6 next generation inflators for Takata, with 18 direct reports.Transferred to R&D in 2007 as a Development Engineer, and began steps towards achieving my MBA.



STM Power Inc.

• Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

• Design Engineer

  • Mar 2003 - Oct 2003

  • Designed various engine components for a Stirling-cycle engine for a research and development company • Performed FEAs utilizing FEMAP and ABAQUS on various engine components • Created technical reports describing analysis procedures, results, and conclusions • Created PowerPoint presentations for analysis summaries • Utilize SolidWorks to generate 3D models and 2D drawings of concepts • Attended supplier meetings to review open-issues and determine courses of action • Designed components for various manufacturing processes • -Powdered metal • -Brazing operations • -Castings • Determined and modified designs for cost reduction • Designed for o-ring seals in various media, temperature and pressures Show less



Eltekon Engineered Solutions

• Grand Blanc, Michigan, United States

• Design Engineer

  • Jul 2002 - Mar 2003

  • Developed automated internet based engineering methods for FMEAs and CAD for a start-up company • Developed fit, form, and function equations for various assemblies • Utilized FMEA knowledge to help create DimFMEA • Utilized SolidWorks to create 3D models and 2D drawings • Created software for performing design and CAD automation based on equations • Wrote software and training manuals • Developed automated internet based engineering methods for FMEAs and CAD for a start-up company • Developed fit, form, and function equations for various assemblies • Utilized FMEA knowledge to help create DimFMEA • Utilized SolidWorks to create 3D models and 2D drawings • Created software for performing design and CAD automation based on equations • Wrote software and training manuals



Teleflex Automotive Group (now Kongsberg Automotive)

• Product Design Engineer

  • Jan 2002 - Jul 2002

  • Supported application engineers with technical data, calculations and material to support design changes and customer requests• Performed tolerance stack-ups for evaluation of fit, form and function• Created DFMEAs for components, subassemblies and assemblies• Designed and analyzed various injection molded parts to meet requirements includingo Nissan Xterra hood release handle and bracketo Nissan Xterra emergency brake release handle and bracketo Positive feedback grommet for the Ford Navigator ATX shift cableo Slide and snap cable attachment (one US patent granted: 6,634,252• Modified part designs for improvements, corrections and cost reductions• Performed various analyses on control cables• Modeled components and assemblies using SolidWorks and SDRC Ideas• Assembled and led DFMEA building teams Show less

• Associate Product Design Engineer

  • Aug 1999 - Jan 2002

• Engineer Intern

  • May 1999 - Aug 1999