Experience

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  Mindlance

  • United States

  • Material Coordinator

    • May 2022 - Aug 2022
    • United States

    Special project at John Deere Horicon, Wisconsin (JD Pune, India & JD Horicon).

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  KellyOCG

  • Horicon, Wisconsin (at John Deere)

  • 2019 RoHS Coordinator at John Deere Horicon Works

    • Apr 2016 - Sep 2019
    • Horicon, Wisconsin (at John Deere)

    Assignments: Project Manager, OFP Buyer, Supply Management Specialist III, Logistics Coordinator-Purchased, Manufacturing Engineer, 2019 RoHS Coordinator {European Regulation of Hazardous Substances}. I worked with suppliers worldwide to ensure that the products JD purchased from them complied with this standard.

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  Costco Wholesale

  • Menominee Falls, WI

  • Membership Services

    • Aug 2015 - May 2016
    • Menominee Falls, WI

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  Bradley Corporation

  • Menominee Falls, WI

  • Product Compliance Engineer

    • Jan 2014 - Sep 2014
    • Menominee Falls, WI

    Provided tactical product compliance support for Bradley's subsidiary Keltech, located in Delton MI.• Created tactical compliance verification system for their Keltech tankless electric water heaters.• Worked extensively with a third party testing company to certify the 2014 CNA and SNA units.

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  KellyOCG

  • Horicon, WI. (at John Deere)

  • Consultant at John Deere

    • Jun 2013 - Dec 2013
    • Horicon, WI. (at John Deere)

    Compliance, Standards & Certification. Various special projects as needed.

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  Volt Technical Resources

  • Horicon, WI. (at John Deere)

  • Consultant at John Deere

    • Apr 2010 - Jun 2013
    • Horicon, WI. (at John Deere)

    Engineering Standards & Certification. Various special projects as needed.

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  John Deere

  • United States
  • Machinery Manufacturing
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Engineering Technician IV

    • 1997 - Sep 2009

    In 2009 Deere offered a special early retirement program. Because of my background and skills, I was invited to return as a consultant after a mandatory 6 month time period elapsed. Supported multi-factory compliance documentation and testing to meet domestic and international regulations and standards. This insured compliance with Consumer Product Safety Commission, European Economic Community, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and SGS US Testing’s requirements.• Developed a unique, highly detailed compliance process that documented and demonstrated product conformity to applicable world-wide standards. This verification process provided a high degree of consistency and uniformity in our standard’s-related design and evaluation processes.• Compiled test and evaluation information into specific formats required by various governmental regulatory agencies and 3rd. party audit firms.• Worked with outside suppliers to source and design specialized lab test fixtures and equipment required by industry and governmental standards and regulations. Sourced specialized coconut matting from England, corrugated from International Paper, and test probes per French Government specifications.• Managed OPEI required 3rd. party certification documentation, product evaluations and periodic audits.• Provided work direction to lab mechanics and contingent staff. • Scheduled and monitored required tests to verify compliance to standards.• Organized and maintained compliance records so that they could be easily retrieved upon request to support litigation, and inquiries from domestic and international governmental agencies.

  • Senior Engineering Analyst / Supervisor

    • 1994 - 1997

    Responsible for strategic and tactical manufacturing engineering support for the Horicon paint process. Worked extensively with outside suppliers to reduce costs and improve paint processes.• Worked extensively with a supplier to develop a unique, adjustable paint hook and hanger cart system that was completely new to the powder painting industry. It reduced non production cleaning costs, per unit produced, over 80% with an 18 month payback. The project had an 11% return per month. The cart’s main component was specialized square tubing from Unistrut. With the supplier’s approval, negotiated with Unistrut on the supplier’s behalf to secure more favorable pricing. Consequently, the supplier was able to pass along the savings to Deere. • Reactivated a previous supplier, and worked with them in developing a comprehensive detachable paint hanger system that positioned parts better for automated painting, and reduced production part cleaning costs by 58%. One style of hanger provided a 13 week payback.• Networked with other Deere factories on paint stripping/masking, information sharing, etc.• Investigated and provided highly detailed analysis of production and non-production part cleaning expenses to control costs. Determined that 16 production part numbers accounted for 89% of our production part cleaning expense and took corrective action so that they painted correctly the first time.• Worked with a new Milwaukee supplier and conducted experiments to find improved masking materials and techniques that dramatically lowered masking labor and procurement costs.• Supervised four wage employees in the paint process. Replaced assembly line supervisors as needed.

  • Product Service Coordinator

    • 1990 - 1994

    Served as field support specialist of premium lawn & garden tractors. Worked with Deere dealers and retail customers. Analyzed information from all sources (field reports, warranty claims, etc.) to control costs.• Participated in New Product Introduction Show in Toronto, Canada. Taught 54 product information classes to large groups of Deere dealers over a 24 day period.• Visited Deere dealerships in the United States and Canada. Met with Territory Managers, Dealers and retail customers to investigate service issues, gather facts, provide support and resolve problems.• Reviewed over 4000 field reports from dealerships looking for emerging quality and service issues.• Created over 200 highly detailed on-line solutions to support Deere dealers world-wide.• Designed an on-product service information decal that was adopted Division-wide and is still in use.• Became first Field Service person to become a member of an assembly line quality improvement team.

  • Buyer

    • 1988 - 1990

    Responsible for $5 million annual procurement of approximately 100 million fasteners for the Horicon WI. and Greeneville TN. manufacturing facilities.• Chaired corporate wide lead sourcing program for externally threaded fasteners for 14 North American Deere factories. Analyzed and developed a unique win-win sourcing strategy that dramatically reduced supplier set-up costs, saving $10 million dollars annually.• Conducted a supplier consolidation program reducing fastener supplier base from 52 to 8, producing an overall cost savings and without disruption to the assembly operations.• Worked closely with a cold-forming supplier to convert about 100 screw machine parts to cold forming. This conversion produced a much stronger part and decreased part cost by an average of 2/3.

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  Moraine Park Technical College

  • Fond du Lac, WI.

  • Instructor (Part Time)

    • Jan 1992 - May 1992
    • Fond du Lac, WI.

    Taught working adults the fundamentals of purchasing systems and techniques for one semester.

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  Westwood Condo Association

  • Ankeny, Iowa

  • Managing Agent

    • Oct 1984 - Sep 1986
    • Ankeny, Iowa

    Managed a 60 unit condo association (where I also lived) under the direction of the condo's board of directors. Received and tracked maintenance requests from condo residents and hired contractors to make needed repairs and on-going maintenance. Published the condo association's first newsletter to keep residents informed of what was going on within the complex.

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  Eagle Discount Supermarkets Store #144 & #320 (Div. of Lucky Stores, Inc.)

  • Dubuque, Iowa Area

  • 4th. Man - Store Management

    • Oct 1974 - Mar 1979
    • Dubuque, Iowa Area

    Worked the first and second shift hours that the Manager, Assistant Manager or 3rd. Man didn't work (nights, weekends and holidays).Depending upon the shift, I was responsible for opening the store, closing the store and working with dozens of employees (80-120) and hundreds of customers. I was responsible for store safety and security. There were no OSHA reportable incidents during my shift.In this position, I also helped to support the activities of the various department heads (Bakery, Produce, Meat, and Head Cashier), and supervised their employees in their absence. I also verified deliveries from various suppliers.I was a bonded employees and had the keys to the store and combination to the safes. I handled millions of dollars of cash, without incident, over the years.I worked full time (40-50+ hours per week) and attended college full time.

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  Randalls Food Market

  • Dubuque, Iowa Area

  • Stockman / Front End Clerk

    • Aug 1972 - Oct 1974
    • Dubuque, Iowa Area

    Started working in the store's Front End and later promoted to stocking shelves.