Production Manager

1. KENT A. WHITE
2552 Wappo Ct. West Lafayette, IN 47906 (765) 430-2214 kentwhite24@gmail.com
Multi-talented manufacturing leader with over 20 year’s success in driving bottom line financial results
through continuous improvement. Over 12 years of experience supervising both salary and hourly
personnel in production, quality, maintenance, and shipping. Instrumental in setting direction
and organizational targets and policies to drive a cultural shift and cultivate a lean, excellence-
driven environment, achieving significant improvement in machine efficiency and labor
productivity. Experience in the design and manufacture of spring components to service both
the bedding and automotive industries. Experience in the manufacture of high precision, non-
rotating engine components and complex precision fabrications for military and commercial
applications.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MONTICELLO SPRING CORPORATION, Monticello, Indiana (2015-present)
Production Manager
• Drive adherence to production schedules through accountability and bottom-line initiatives.
• Continuously evaluate controllable metrics on labor cost, scrap, and profit margin.
• Identify and champion Lean Kaizen events focused on removing non-value added waste.
• Realized significant increase in on-time delivery performance from 93% (2015) to 97% in (2016).
• Member of six team staff responsible for all key decisions such as capital expenditures, labor
requirements, and major opportunities for improvement.
• Responsible for supervising 50+ salary and hourly personnel relative to wages, discipline,
training, and daily production responsibilities in order to cultivate a culture of continuous
improvement.
L&P SPRINGS MANUFACTURING, LLC, Rensselaer, Indiana (2003-2015)
Plant Superintendent (2013-2015)
• P&L responsibilities for revenues of $40M+.
• Analyze key business metrics and develop countermeasures for improvement and out-of-
control conditions by working closely with plant controller.
• Supervise 150+ salary and hourly personnel to meet costs and operating equipment efficiency
targets.
• Champion of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, driving organizational culture
change, while improving operational performance.
• Provide leadership responsibilities for all key business functions encompassing production,
quality, safety and human resources.
• Instrumental in the successful plant achievement of 9% reduction in encased coil conversion cost due to
increased machine performance.
• Project manager on the start-up and production implementation of new foundation department
which included the hiring and supervising of personnel, equipment needs.
Continuous Improvement Coordinator (2003-2013)
• Led teams to accomplish 15% increase in machine efficiency, 40% reduction in OSHA
recordables, and 55% reduction in finished goods inventory.
• Led joint Six Sigma Black Belt project with key supplier to improve performance on innerspring
wire, which resulted in 60% scrap reduction.
• Established budgets and plant goals; filled in when manufacturing director was absent.

2. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (CONTINUED)
• Led more than 100 continuous improvement teams to achieve safety, quality, and plant metric
goals.
• Received President's Award from Board of Directors for exemplary performance in start-up of new
foam manufacturing facility.
• Implemented plant-wide maintenance management program on all equipment resulting in 25%
reduction in downtime and 10% reduction in repair costs.
TRI-INDUSTRIES, Terre Haute, Indiana (1996-2003)
Manufacturing Quality Engineer (1996-2000, 2001-2003)
• Managed aviation quality and cost reduction projects for this leading manufacturer of
aerospace and defense-related products and equipment.
• Developed new projects, processes, and tooling; ensured that operation sheets and sketches
met engineering quality and customer purchase order demands.
• Managed initial components through complete manufacturing process, including first article
inspection and presentation to customer.
• Project manager on new business opportunity which included the development of new
processes, purchasing of equipment, and the hiring and supervising of hourly employees.
• Evaluated existing hardware and sought new ways to improve processes, throughput, and
quality.
• Requested feedback and incorporated creative design changes.
• Participated in continuous improvement teams.
• Conducted presentations during corrective action board meetings.
Six Sigma Black Belt (2000)
• Led machine-time reduction project resulting in eight-hour work-time reduction on each
component and $8,000 annual savings.
• Championed green belt machine-time reduction project to change process from lathe trim to
laser time, saving $24,000 annually.
• Facilitated set-up reduction project on machining center with multiple parts, resulting in
$18,000 annual savings.
Lean Initiatives Facilitator (2000-2001)
• Led more than 20 Kaizen events, which resulted in better quality, lower costs, and on-time
product delivery.
• Established one-piece flow with daily operator responsibilities and output resulting in increased
output and productivity.
• Established “first-in-first out” lanes for machining centers with multiple parts, assuring the right
parts were being machined at the right time.
EDUCATION
INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, Marion, Indiana
Master of Science in Management, 2011
GPA: 4.0/4.0
INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Terre Haute, Indiana
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Technology, 1995
Certifications: Six Sigma Black Belt