Boguslaw Mikolajek
East Hartford
Summary
Operations leader with extensive experience at Gelato Giuliana, specializing in safety compliance and quality assurance. Achieved a 30% increase in efficiency through process optimization and team empowerment. Committed to fostering continuous improvement and enhancing employee engagement via effective communication and training initiatives.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
VP of Operations
Gelato Giuliana
New Haven
05.2025 - Current
- Established safety policies and procedures to enhance workplace compliance.
- Prepared comprehensive safety training materials for employee education.
- Trained employees on safety protocols and best practices.
- Maintained First Aid log and incident report forms for accurate record-keeping.
- Implemented sanitation procedures and inspections, leading teams to ensure adherence.
- Created master sanitation log and schedule for systematic tracking.
- Conducted GEMBA walks to identify process improvements and engage with staff.
- Developed production manager through mentorship, achieving 100% retention rate.
Production Manager
Conagra Brands
Milton
10.2023 - 02.2025
- Drove safety and quality through sanitation on 3rd shift.
- Led updates to LOTO procedures and SSOPs for improved compliance.
- Reviewed labor needs daily with union steward to optimize workforce.
- Managed sanitation team during absence of sanitation manager.
- Facilitated communication and meetings among production, safety, quality, sanitation, and maintenance teams.
- Coached and developed supervisors to enhance leadership skills.
- Oversaw continuous improvement initiatives, boosting quality, flow, and output.
- Implemented safety protocols, significantly reducing workplace accidents.
Production Manager
Leclerc Foods
Montgomery
12.2021 - 09.2023
- Created structured training program for production employees as well as developed and upgraded SOPs and SSOPs.
- Provided training to team leaders (while changing culture)
- Conducted regular performance reviews, identifying areas for improvement and implementing targeted developmental plans.
- Championed safety initiatives within the workplace, leading to a significant decrease in accidents and injuries among staff members.
- Fostered culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovation and problem-solving among team members.
- Resolved issues quickly to maintain productivity goals.
- Managed multiple projects concurrently, ensuring timely completion and meeting budget constraints.
- Increased overall productivity by identifying bottlenecks in the production process and proposing effective solutions.
- Oversaw quality control efforts, maintaining strict adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements while achieving high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging open communication between team members and regularly soliciting feedback on operational procedures.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery of high-quality products according to customer requirements.
- Reviewed work for quality and compliance with company standards and design specifications.
- Reduced waste and material costs by optimizing resource allocation and inventory management.
- Conducted root cause analysis on production issues, devising corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
- Monitored team budgets to keep projects on task and avoid waste.
- Partnered with leadership on recruiting, hiring and coaching production personnel.
- Developed a comprehensive training program for new hires, resulting in higher employee retention rates and faster integration into the team.
- Managed team of 90 production associates, overseeing productive production processes and meeting all deadlines.
- Maintained compliance with health and safety regulations, conducting regular audits and risk assessments.
Processing Supervisor
Leprino Foods
Roswell
03.2019 - 11.2021
- Promoted safe working practices to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures.
- Implemented cost-reduction initiative by adding taper bypass line, improving efficiency by 30%.
- Created solutions for eagle dispenser malfunctions within production to meet quality standards.
- Exceeding production targets consistently through monitoring of KPIs and swift corrective actions.
- Boosted employee morale through regular feedback, recognition, and team-building activities.
- Managed staff hiring, training, and supervision to enhance workforce capabilities.
- Monitored daily and weekly KPIs to maintain on-track status for operations.
- Enhanced processes by identifying bottlenecks and collaborating with supervisors for resolution.
Production Supervisor
Bimbo Bakeries
Decatur
07.2018 - 03.2019
- Oversaw team of 40 production associates, ensuring adherence to deadlines and quality standards.
- Managed employee training initiatives for proficiency in procedures and safety regulations.
- Evaluated production processes, identifying improvement opportunities and implementing solutions.
- Conducted regular performance reviews, providing constructive feedback for development.
- Maintained compliance with health and safety regulations through audits and risk assessments.
- Managed inventory levels to ensure raw material availability and reduce discrepancies.
- Monitored key performance indicators daily and weekly to ensure production goals were met.
- Cultivated culture of excellence and accountability by leading by example.
Manufacturing Supervisor/Department Manager fill-in
Crown Cork & Seal
Oshkosh
06.2017 - 07.2018
- Enhanced safety and efficiency for mechanics, maintainers, and QC personnel.
Supervised up to 90 employees within a Union Plant environment, ensuring compliance with safety protocols.
Implemented training programs focused on safety practices and operational efficiency.
Monitored workflow processes to identify areas for improvement and reduce risks. - Negotiated to lower operating costs by over $100,000 through strategic hiring.
Filled role of Department Manager to address operational demands and manage resources.
Convinced regional manager to approve additional hires, reducing employee turnover.
Implemented cross-training programs to enhance team flexibility and reduce overtime. - Executed root cause analysis on production issues, implementing solutions to prevent recurrence.
- Scheduled and assigned personnel daily tasks to complete production plans efficiently.
- Maintained optimal inventory levels to ensure uninterrupted operations.
- Monitored employee performance while communicating job expectations clearly.
- Reported machinery and equipment issues to maintenance personnel for prompt resolution.
- Maintained open communication between management and staff, fostering trust and transparency.
- Evaluated new technologies for potential adoption to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
- Monitored production schedules to ensure timely product delivery, consistently meeting customer expectations.
- Recorded attendance and hours worked for all area employees accurately.
- Led continuous improvement initiatives by gathering employee feedback for manufacturing and training enhancements.
- Performed thorough accident investigations to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
- Simplified complex procedures into clear instructions, improving worker understanding and productivity.
Plant Supervisor/Safety Coordinator
Seneca Foods
Baraboo
10.2005 - 06.2017
- Uphold GMP requirements per US FDA regulations, ensuring product quality standards are met.
- Supervised up to 130 employees in a unionized environment, driving performance and efficiency.
- Coached employees on company standards to enhance operational efficiency and compliance.
- Led safety meetings, fostering adherence to policies for improved workplace safety.
- Conducted regular inspections, enforcing strict compliance with safety regulations and providing ongoing staff training.
- Increased production output by identifying bottlenecks and optimizing workflow adjustments.
- Developed Lockout/Tagout protocols per OSHA guidelines for machinery safety compliance.
- Implemented effective safety training programs, leading to reduced accident rates and improved employee morale.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Colorado Technical University
Colorado Springs, Colorado11.2009
Associate Degree - Banking
Financial Studies
Bielsko-Biala, Poland01.1998
High School Diploma -
Technical High School
Bielsko-Biala, Poland09.1997
Skills
- Health, safety, and environmental compliance
- Safety oversight
- Quality assurance
- Regulatory compliance (GMP)
- Operations planning
- Process optimization
- Effective management
- Employee coordination
- Monitoring performance metrics
- Scheduling optimization
- Continuous optimization
- Continuous improvement methodology
- Team empowerment
- Training facilitation
- MS Office applications
- SAP systems
- Kronos time tracking
- Value stream analysis
- Expense minimization
- KPI analysis
- Resource allocation
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Hiring and onboarding
- Budgeting and cost control
- Delegating work
- Problem-solving abilities
- Customer relations
- Sales management
- Staff development
- Assignment delegation
- Customer retention
- Documentation and reporting
- Data-driven decision making
- Material processing
- Organizational improvement
- Cross-functional communication
- Budget oversight
- Logistics operations management
- Logistics support services
- Human resources management
- Influencing and negotiating
- Talent development
- Warehousing functions
- Team building and motivation
- Organizational development
- Operations management
- Conflict resolution
- Relationship building
- Problem solving
- Effective communication
- Team leadership
- Performance evaluation
Certification
- Better Process Control School, University of California, Microbiology, Acidified Foods, Thermal Processing, Sanitation, Container Handling, Records, Process Room Instrumentation, Still Steam Retorts, Overpressure, Hydrostatic Retorts, Continuous Rotary, Batch Agitating, Aseptic Processing, Metal Closures, Glass Containers, Semi-rigid Containers
- OSHA 10-hour General Industry Safety and Health, #24-702003036
- First Aid/CPR/AED
- Lean Manufacturing (SAVES)
- Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance – Preventative Controls for Human Food, #497a1f83
Community Service
- Demonstrated ability to work in workplace with or without union and create positive work environment to increase morale, productivity and lower turnover.
- As the Corporal in Polish Military Forces I was leading several privates in my platoon.
- Led 95% group projects at the Colorado Technical University.
- Took a part in the Early Respond Team (ERT) with the following courses: Hands on Fire Extinguisher Use Training; TEAM ERT TRAINING SERIES – CPR, BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS and OPIM, BASIC FIRST AID.
- Lead Sysco's Safety program in the Cooler Department as Safety Ambassador.
- Team work is a dream work. Never had any issues to come in on a different day, day off or switch my shift/days throughout my career.
Major Accomplishments
- Working with or without union. Ability to quickly develop good relationship with the entire crew and the union.
- Lead 5-why's project. Brainstorm, develop solution and made adjustment to the equipment where 3 corporate engineers were unable to resolve the issue.
- Implement several safety changes and lower overall IFR from 20.71 in 2013 to 7.89 in 2014. These changes included developing LOTO program; 'hands on' safety trainings; re-evaluation of all PPE; meeting several doctors from local clinics to discuss and present newly implemented (by me) health care RTW program. That program was later used by other Seneca plants.
- Lean manufacturing: Create mechanical lift for changing line to increase safety and decrease downtime associated with changeover. (decreased downtime by 80% associated with C/O – over $150,000 in saving)
- Redesign conveyor system. Initiate and lead meetings with manufacturer and the team to develop a solution for a quality concern. (quality concern was fixed, decreased downtime, increased efficiency – over $350,000 in savings)
Languages
Polish
Full Professional
Korean
Elementary
Timeline
VP of Operations
Gelato Giuliana
05.2025 - Current
Production Manager
Conagra Brands
10.2023 - 02.2025
Production Manager
Leclerc Foods
12.2021 - 09.2023
Processing Supervisor
Leprino Foods
03.2019 - 11.2021
Production Supervisor
Bimbo Bakeries
07.2018 - 03.2019
Manufacturing Supervisor/Department Manager fill-in
Crown Cork & Seal
06.2017 - 07.2018
Plant Supervisor/Safety Coordinator
Seneca Foods
10.2005 - 06.2017
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Colorado Technical University
Associate Degree - Banking
Financial Studies
High School Diploma -
Technical High School