AUSTIN HOWARD
Reedsburg,STATE_US
Summary
Results-driven Production Supervisor with a focus on workflow optimization, quality assurance, and health and safety compliance. Achievements include reducing defects and enhancing team performance through effective training and mentoring.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Production Supervisor
Grede Holdings LLC
Reedsburg, WI
01.2023 - 03.2026
- Evaluated and assessed personnel to identify potential candidates for promotion, supporting team development and retention
- Created detailed reports outlining progress on various projects, enabling data-driven decision-making
- Collaborated with management team to develop strategies for improving efficiency in the production area, resulting in streamlined workflows
- Recommended and implemented measures to improve production methods and quality of products, reducing defects and increasing output
- Planned production operations while establishing priorities and sequences for manufacturing processes, ensuring timely completion of orders
- Coordinated production requirements with material handling and staffing functions to optimize resource allocation
- Provided feedback and guidance to personnel regarding their job performance and development plans, enhancing employee performance
- Monitored manufacturing variances to achieve quality improvement while resolving product process and equipment problems, minimizing downtime
- Issued clear warnings to violators, outlining infractions, penalties and remediation steps to maintain compliance and safety
- Maintained records of all incidents, including accident reports, near misses, and unsafe conditions or acts, supporting safety initiatives
- Supervised safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring regulatory compliance
- Investigated and followed up on incidents to handle workers' comp claims, reducing claim resolution time
Production Supervisor
Flambeau Inc
Baraboo, WI
10.2020 - 01.2023
- Evaluated and assessed personnel to identify potential candidates for promotion, supporting team development and retention
- Created detailed reports outlining progress on various projects, enabling data-driven decision-making
- Collaborated with management team to develop strategies for improving efficiency in the production area, resulting in streamlined workflows
- Recommended and implemented measures to improve production methods and quality of products, reducing defects and increasing output
- Planned production operations while establishing priorities and sequences for manufacturing processes, ensuring timely completion of orders
- Coordinated production requirements with material handling and staffing functions to optimize resource allocation
- Provided feedback and guidance to personnel regarding their job performance and development plans, enhancing employee performance
- Monitored manufacturing variances to achieve quality improvement while resolving product process and equipment problems, minimizing downtime
- Issued clear warnings to violators, outlining infractions, penalties and remediation steps to maintain compliance and safety
- Maintained records of all incidents, including accident reports, near misses, and unsafe conditions or acts, supporting safety initiatives
- Supervised safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring regulatory compliance
- Investigated and followed up on incidents to handle workers' comp claims, reducing claim resolution time
Project Manager/Production Scheduler
TRH Concrete
Lake Holcombe, WI
04.2019 - 10.2020
- Provided guidance to team members regarding tasks assigned to them, improving project execution
- Managed multiple projects with competing deadlines simultaneously, ensuring on-time delivery
- Determined project staffing needs and led resource management, optimizing team productivity
- Created project status presentations for delivery to customers or project personnel, enhancing communication and transparency
Process Tech/Sample Tech
Schmitt Prototypes
Menomonie, WI
09.2017 - 04.2019
- Documented all activities related to setup, operation and troubleshooting of injection molding machines, ensuring process accuracy
- Troubleshot and repaired equipment, replacing worn pipes, belts and chains to maximize up time and save money on repair costs
- Replaced damaged molds, chains, or other equipment using hand tools and jib cranes, minimizing production delays
- Observed meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures and press-cycle times, maintaining quality standards
- Assisted in the development of new processes or techniques to improve efficiency and reduce costs
- Collected samples from each lot produced for testing purposes per established protocols, supporting quality assurance
Process Engineer
Plasicorp
Chippewa Falls, WI
01.2014 - 09.2017
- Designed methods for improving energy consumption during manufacturing operations, reducing operational costs
- Documented all activities related to setup, operation and troubleshooting of injection molding machines, ensuring process accuracy
- Troubleshot and repaired equipment, replacing worn pipes, belts and chains to maximize up time and save money on repair costs
- Replaced damaged molds, chains, or other equipment using hand tools and jib cranes, minimizing production delays
- Entered data into manufacturing batch records, supporting traceability and compliance
- Manufactured solutions, media and agar plates to meet production needs, ensuring consistent supply
- Inspected finished products before packaging them for shipment according to customer requirements, maintaining quality standards
- Ordered supplies needed for daily operations such as resins and lubricants, preventing production interruptions
- Maintained molds, dies and tools used in the production process, extending equipment lifespan
- Safely operated ultrasonic welding equipment, weight scales and forklifts, adhering to safety protocols
- Performed preventative maintenance on all injection molding machines and auxiliary equipment, reducing unplanned downtime
- Prepared slitting documents, core-tags, box labels, quality and training documents, supporting operational efficiency
Education
No Degree -
University of Dubuque
Dubuque, IA2003
High School Diploma -
Lake Holcombe Schools
Holcombe, WI2001
Skills
- Quality control
- Continuous improvement
- Production management
- Training and mentoring
- Production targets
- Health and safety compliance
- Staff management
- Schedule management
- Worker training
- Assembly and production
- Production planning
- Process improvement
- Equipment monitoring
- Materials handling
- Production and processing
- Equipment operation
- Quality assurance
- Standard operating procedures
- Workflow optimization
- Manufacturing
- Quality assurance expertise
- Operations management
- Staff development
- Logistics
- Project management
- Schedule oversight
Timeline
Production Supervisor
Grede Holdings LLC
01.2023 - 03.2026
Production Supervisor
Flambeau Inc
10.2020 - 01.2023
Project Manager/Production Scheduler
TRH Concrete
04.2019 - 10.2020
Process Tech/Sample Tech
Schmitt Prototypes
09.2017 - 04.2019
Process Engineer
Plasicorp
01.2014 - 09.2017
No Degree -
University of Dubuque
High School Diploma -
Lake Holcombe Schools