Kirk L. McRae
Bethel
Summary
Diligent Plant Quality Manager with solid background in quality management and history of implementing effective process improvements. Successfully led teams to enhance product quality and ensure compliance with industry standards. Demonstrated expertise in problem-solving and continuous improvement methodologies.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Plant Quality Manager
ADT (Johnson Controls)
05.2023 - Current
- Work with Engineering and Operations on advanced quality planning for future programs and ensures that all special characteristics identified during product development are monitored using statistical techniques throughout the manufacturing process. Manages Quality Engineers and Quality Support Staff. Manage Quality Reporting system. Develop reporting systems throughout the plant. Measures, monitors and reports out (with dashboard) on total customer quality – including standard warranty, concessions and scrap (Total COPQ). Leads root-cause failure investigation and analysis to satisfy customer quality concerns, assure proper identification of corrective actions and/or determine need for issuing a “known documented defect” (KDD). Drives timely completion of corrective actions for the plant quality, sales and engineering functions. Serves as the Management Representative for Quality. Manages the internal audit schedule for ISO9001:2015. Administers all Quality activities as defined in the ISO9001:2015 standard. Ensure the plant successfully implemented applicable World Class Quality Systems and are certified / compliant with ISO9001:2015 standard. Collaborate with Material Manager for cost saving initiatives and track supplier quality issues for visibility and resolution/recovery. Ensures that facility maintains a calibration system on all variable and attribute gauges. Interface with launch teams and support initiatives. Participates in program/PDP development efforts to define design for quality outcomes. Complete individual development plans for each member within the Quality Department. Established the criteria guidelines for determining incoming inspection frequencies and ensuring that it is conducted. Provides on-site customer support. Ensures that a final product audit is conducted to the necessary instructions, frequency and auditors. Development of Manufacturing Quality Engineer resource budgets and staffing needs, participate in the interview process and add resources as needed. Ensure all customer comments are reviewed, addressed and closed in a timely manner. The second point of contact under the Plant Manager for all customer emergencies and correspondence. Keeps management team abreast of significant product and/or customer quality issues; identifies and drives actions to improve the situation. Conducts monthly warranty/quality reviews with business leadership. Identifies plant quality objectives and associated systems. Interprets total quality philosophy to key personnel in organization. Understands and applies (as needed) statistical process control (SPC) methods for analyzing data to evaluate the current process and process changes. Maintains a working knowledge of government and industry codes and standards. Possesses effective root cause and corrective action skills and tools. Works with Supplier Quality and Engineering to enforce best practices with 3rd party suppliers, including completion of supplier PPAP warrant. Participates in quality reviews with JCI local engineers as needed, where customer issues involving product quality require expert opinion.
Plant Quality Manager
Enviva Bio Mass
03.2018 - 05.2023
- Lead plant interactions with responsibility to multiple sites across the region, including management of customer issues and associated corrective actions, best practices, cost saving initiatives and problem-solving teams and process improvement. Lead cross functional Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma projects to support systems and process improvement as a technical resource by providing analytical skills, problem solving, and strategies for problem prevention. Conduct quality risk assessments FMEA, for process changes during quality system management review and oversight controls in relation to the level of product quality and customer risks. Standards and best practices development and deployment. Certification programs, Quality assurance and quality control plans 5S, LEAN and Six Sigma practices. Develop and deploy tools and methods to ensure quality throughout the plant and processes. Work with area managers to develop skills and continuous improvement activities. Provide training for teammates and ensure that the responsibilities are defined and understood and oversee the lean projects. Act as the subject matter expert in all core modules and enhanced functionality to include process steps relating to “next step in the process”. Monitor, analyze, and report on plants impact on regional quality key performance indicators (KPIs) to the regional and executive management team members; review and drive improvement of quality KPIs. Conduct weekly and monthly presentations to senior leaders and leadership appraising overall site readiness levels and capabilities. Bridge the gap between technical and operational teams, executing a range of CI solutions that move current operations plans forward. Built an effective quality team and have applied their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve best in class Quality Lab and reduction of variation within testing. Have driven engagement and provided a climate where staff is motivated to do their best.
Plant Quality Manager
Bway Corp
11.2016 - 03.2018
- Interface with customers directly both on site and customers’ facilities resolving concerns, complaints and support of requirements communication. Focus team efforts on reducing customer complaints per corporate initiatives. Serve as the customer representative for products and production from the launch phase to production release; Risk Management, FMEA leader during pre-production activities. Maintain Quality documentation, including but not limited to Control Plans, FMEAs, PPAP, Validations, IP, OP and QP. Ensure investigation of root cause analysis, corrective action implementation and response to Customer Complaints occur in a timely manner, using Fishbone, 5-Why and 5P tools. Develop Quality metrics and reports manufacturing yields, supplier performance, customer complaints, CAPAs, nonconforming material, and other quality costs for corporate level communications. Initiate and guide Continuous Improvement using 6S Black Belt practices, leading improvement teams. Manage auditors, customers’ certification and internal audit processes. Spearhead MRB activities and support QOS. Perform all necessary supervisory functions to effectively and efficiently manage personnel assigned for all 3 shifts, mentor quality personnel for support of company needs and employment advancements.
Quality Control Manager
Fosta-Tek Optics
05.2015 - 11.2016
- Oversees the implementation and maintenance of the Quality Management System. Leader of Customer and Supplier plant quality activities and concerns maintains quality assurance standards and procedures to meet ISO requirements. Participate in the Product Development Process (PDP) to ensure Customer requirements are met. Maintain Quality documentation, including but not limited to Control Plans, FMEAs, PPAP, etc. Reviews process parameter data and maintain summary reports, prioritizing and leading corrective action activities. Interface with top management and other representatives in the planning, scheduling, coordinating and directing the quality assurance program to bring about predetermined quality goals. Ensure investigation of, root cause determination, corrective action implementation and response to Customer Complaints occurs in a timely manner. Manage auditors, customer, certification and internal audit processes. Serves as the customer representative for products and production from the launch phase to production release. Reviews quality assurance instructions, assembly specifications and production schedules to determine method of conducting inspections and test, sequence of operations and work assignments. Performs all necessary supervisory functions to effectively and efficiently manage personnel assigned for all 3 shifts.
Quality Engineer/ISO Mngnt Rep
Mack Prototype
03.2009 - 05.2015
- Formulate and maintain quality assurance objectives and interpret quality assurance philosophy to key personnel. Work with suppliers and customers to resolve issues occurring during operations. Develop process improvement plans using a variety of Quality tools including Six Sigma, SPC, engineering studies, Gauge R&R, etc. Develop Quality metrics and reports manufacturing yields, supplier performance, customer complaints, CAPAs, nonconforming material, and other quality costs. Develop and interpret Cpk data for process evaluation and improvement and Quality road mapping for production improvement. Risk Management, FMEA leader during pre-production activities. Manage audit team member for internal auditing and support external customer and certification audits. Support Design engineering for process development to ensure the customers’ quality requirements are met. Process mapping for identification of cost reduction, cycle time reduction and minimize waste.
Quality Engineer
Middleton Aerospace Co
09.2008 - 02.2009
- Manufacturing, Design, Quality and customer support functions. Develop First Article Documentation packages to support new product launch to customer’s acceptance, GE, Honeywell, DOD. Work with suppliers to resolve issues occurring during OV operations. Support manufacturing 5S program to reduce costs and manufacturing times. Use of 8D/FACA to resolve quality issues in manufacturing and customer areas. Quality road mapping for production improvement throughout the company. Support Design engineering for process development to ensure the customers’ quality requirements are met. Support QFI - Quality First Initiatives throughout all departments. Support internal and external audits for QMS, NADCAP and customers. Process mapping to identify cost reduction and cycle time reduction. Continuous Improvement activities included development of protective items and robust packaging that led to an overall saving of more than $100,000 for fiscal 2009. ISO 9001 systems auditing to ensure the QMS is robust and to revise as needed to ensure accreditation.
Manufacturing/Quality Engineer
Fraen Corporation
09.2006 - 09.2008
- Manufacturing support function to ensure automotive customers quality requirements were met or exceeded, which included active participation, contribution and execution of duties and responsibilities related to APQP - Advanced Product Quality Planning. Develop FMEA plans, FAI for customer evaluation. Develop PPAP- Production Part Approval Process documentation and processes to identify and monitor customer requirements during manufacturing. Support development and launch of new products with Design engineering using FMEA review, and Lessons Learn information. Use SPC and Cpk data for First Article and production review to ensure customers’ product in manufactured properly. Support quality department documentation when ECN’s were created, change of inspection criteria, inspection plans, ensuring all obsolete documentation was removed from production. Initiate CI - Continuous Improvement activities and constant communication to production. Support MRB activities and support QOS. Initiate 8D/CAR as needed to resolve delivered quality faults, developed Road mapping for customer related issues to gain a total PPM of less than 20 and maintain such rating. Training and communication of quality issues, quality product, performance of SPC, product and process auditing and assist and implement process and product improvements.
Manufacturing/Quality Engineering Technician
Roll Systems, Inc
09.2004 - 02.2006
- Coordinate and lead ECO review meeting interfacing with multiple departments. Verify material impacts due to ECO implementation and communicate changes to concerned parties. Review new and revised documentation through the use of ACAD. Document and monitor Pro-Process for the manufacturing departments. Develop and monitor Quality procedures and trend analysis tools, used for internal auditing and supplier evaluations.
Supplier Quality Technician
PRI AUTOMATION
03.1995 - 09.2003
- Oversee daily department activities. Support and represent Supplier Quality Engineering during customer interfacing. Lead cross-functional teams in the development of in-process inspection requirements. Provide input relating to which critical aspects should be reviewed during the fabrication process. Support the production area in fabrication issues and interact with Design Engineering and vendors to resolve issues. Develop presentations and training materials with MS Excel, Word and Power Point to distribute information throughout Brooks. Conduct personnel interviews for possible employment. Shinsung Outsource Team member with National and International travel experience.
Education
Associate’s Degree - Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Penn Foster College
Scranton, PA09.2023
Skills
- Internal auditing
- Quality management systems
- Corrective actions
- Quality processes
- Continuous improvement
- Quality metrics
- Statistical analysis skills
- Supplier relationship management
- Analytical mindset
- Process capability analysis
- Statistical process control
- Compliance monitoring
- Operational improvements
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Process improvement
Accomplishments
- Achieved 98% FPY by completing implementation of SIPOC theory through out manufacturing with accuracy and efficiency.
- Documented and resolved habitual errors which led to an increase in productivity from 65% to 95% production attainment.
- Collaborated with team of 10 individuals, both internal and external in the development of E-coat system change over.
- Achieved stable by introducing SPC system for testing results for proactive task to reduce variation with paint system.
- Achieved 1200 MT daily production rate through effectively helping with seasonal data analysis of process and wood variables.
- Collaborated with team members at regional plants developing Best Practices and standardization.
Certification
- Root Cause Corrective Action - Cause Map Facilitator, Think Reliability – 2019
- Six Sigma Black Belt – SSGI 2022 Cert ID#49820619
Timeline
Plant Quality Manager
ADT (Johnson Controls)
05.2023 - Current
Plant Quality Manager
Enviva Bio Mass
03.2018 - 05.2023
Plant Quality Manager
Bway Corp
11.2016 - 03.2018
Quality Control Manager
Fosta-Tek Optics
05.2015 - 11.2016
Quality Engineer/ISO Mngnt Rep
Mack Prototype
03.2009 - 05.2015
Quality Engineer
Middleton Aerospace Co
09.2008 - 02.2009
Manufacturing/Quality Engineer
Fraen Corporation
09.2006 - 09.2008
Manufacturing/Quality Engineering Technician
Roll Systems, Inc
09.2004 - 02.2006
Supplier Quality Technician
PRI AUTOMATION
03.1995 - 09.2003
Associate’s Degree - Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Penn Foster College