Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Key Qualifications
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JAMES ELBERT

Waverly,IA

Summary

Seeking a role within Conagra as the Manager Continuous Improvement (CI) – Focused Improvement. Passionate and highly experienced Continuous Improvement Leader with over 18 years of experience. Seven years as OpEx Site lead, 2 years as corporate CI project lead, and over 15 years of leading teams. Able to train and motivate leaders at all levels to execute CI systems, tools, strategies, projects, and build relationships to drive results and build culture.

Extensive engineering and manufacturing background that include Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma BB, Kaizen, Time Studies, VSM, Capital project management, change management skills, cost saving project identification and strategy deployment, training all aspects of Operational Excellence, specializing in Lean six sigma, production efficiency, SPC, yield, and cost reduction projects. 20+ years of managing people with increasing responsibilities. Strong organizational skills and able to lead multiple projects at one time. The ability to communicate effectively with all levels within an organization to meet or exceed set goals.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

IE Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager over FI

Conagra Foods
01.2024 - Current
  • As IE CI Manager over FI, responsible for updating and building new material for Focus Improvement pillar, train and coach colleagues on FI tools including IPA, UPS, RCO, Kaizen, and Lean Six Sigma.
  • Lead high priority FI projects across multiple sites, performed multiple site exploratory and data analysis to identify high value projects.
  • Lead FI projects with a team at various sites across Conagra.
  • BB Yield improvement across 2 areas led to over $500,000 savings, Rapid Change Over event that reduced changeover times by 40% and improved 1st hour efficiency by 30%.
  • Lead the creation of a two-day Train-the-Trainer event for Unified Problem Solving (UPS) and supported the creation of UPS standard training and system material for Conagra Production System (CPS).
  • Built Identify Prioritize Assign (IPA) process to standardize sites project identification for strategy planning (Hoshin Kanri method).
  • Built Lean Six-Sigma YB and GB program with training, workbook with templates of tools, and workbook with a standardized coaching guide for certification. (pilot phase currently)

Director of Operational Excellence and Technology

Zoetis Pharmaceutical
01.2022 - 01.2024
  • As the Director of OpEx of a site of over 500 colleagues leading a team of four OpEx specialists that sets, trains, and coaches’ colleagues to drive the Zoetis Lean Framework and build a culture of CI at all levels of the organization.
  • The team oversees the development of the site strategy, assists in data analysis to identify and coach project leads in completion cost improvement projects to meet annual goals and strategic objectives.
  • Work with Site Leadership team to develop site 1-3-5-year strategic plan.
  • Develop and execute site OpEx strategy to build the colleagues and culture across the site.
  • Implement OpEx systems such as Tier accountability boards, Strategy Deployment, problem solving skills, leader standard work, and more.
  • Identify, coach, lead and support cost and cost improvements to drive more than five million dollars in savings year on year.
  • Develop Data analytic tools to support the site in decision making and project identifications (Power Bi, Vorne, Smart Sheets, and more).
  • Improve OpEx understanding by building teams page for all OpEx training, celebrating completed projects, OpEx news, tools, templates and link to OpEx site-built Power Bi tools.
  • Developed and train OpEx courses such as Data Analysis (Excel Pivots, Minitab), 5S & Lean, Yellow Belt, and Zoetis Human Performance.
  • Coach yellow belt, 5S, and green belts projects for site.

Manager of Continuous Improvement

Conagra Brands
01.2021 - 01.2022
  • As a manager of Continuous Improvement (CPS-ConAgra Production Systems) for the site of 300 people and two business units, worked to progress the 10 pillars within CPS to deliver results in all aspects of the business.
  • Work with corporate, pillar leaders, and plant manager to develop key actions to develop a high-performance organization and engaged CPS culture.
  • Developed personal skills in all 10 CPS pillars to assist in supporting and developing the teams to improve pillar scores.
  • Developed with the FI Pillar lead, a qualification program for UPS root cause problem solving reducing the percent of repeat issues by more than 20%.
  • Worked with the Seeds team to drive AMD step progressions and equipment improvements on the Baggers, reducing the downtime on the equipment by more than 50% and increasing the line efficiency for the area by more than 6% as a team.
  • Work with team members to drive improvements to the equipment and to Key Performance Indicators (KPI), coaching a Leader on SPC utilization on the baggers, and more.

Biological Manufacturing Manager

Zoetis Pharmaceutical
01.2018 - 01.2020
  • As manager over the support departments, supplied equipment and media to all areas in manufacturing.
  • Work with a team of 50 people and 3 team leaders to improve the area through increased throughput, improved quality, while maintaining a safety positive work environment.
  • Utilized operational excellence experience to develop area metrics, set area strategies, and assist the team through coaching and execution of key initiatives.
  • Support OpEx in manufacturing by coaching 12+ YB projects, 6 GB projects (5 completed), and many CI actions across manufacturing and quality.
  • Developed and trained with Team Leaders a culture building plan to improve colleague communication, empowerment, and team building tools within Support areas.
  • Developed budget, labor, and performance tools to assist manufacturing in identifying trends and opportunities.
  • Led Tubing stock inventory improvement, Kaizen Blend MD, Triple wrap challenge, product cost savings, diaphragm alternate supplier, and many manufacturing initiatives to support the site in meeting budget.

Industrial Performance Engineer

Nestle Foods
01.2015 - 01.2017
  • Owner of plant data analysis tool (SAM) and work with Production to improve the system accuracy and usefulness.
  • Work with finance on annual budget.
  • Member/Lead of Nestle Center of Excellence Teams, such as FI, IPA, LDv, PST, Measures, and DMAIC.
  • Perform, Coach, and Train problem solving initiatives such as time studies, DMAIC, SMED, and GoSeeThinkDo (YB).
  • SMED project on critical line changeover reduction over 34%.
  • Continue to see further reduction since initial project.
  • Coached SMED and Mentored others on their projects.
  • DMAIC throughput project showing 17% increase in the area.
  • Working with production having added hierarchy within SAM.
  • Performed Several Time studies for various production needs.
  • One which led to labor cost saving over $200,000.

LPS Manager & Corporate CI Project Manager

Land O’Lakes
01.2010 - 01.2015
  • Corporate Continuous Improvement (CI) Project Manager: Led and assisted in 10 projects across Dairy, Feed, and Winfield.
  • Lead and supported several material yield assessments, PIT training to various facilities and assisted plants on improvement initiatives.
  • Spencer LPS: Lead site steering group to grow CI initiatives for the plant.
  • Facilitated weekly performance improvement team meetings, site steering team and ran high priority projects and led and coached smaller CI projects for the facility.
  • Spencer AE: Work with Maintenance to improve process flow and key initiatives to improve KPIs.
  • Developed a predictive bearing program and updated PMs through various projects.
  • Facilitate weekly AE meetings to move CI processes forward within maintenance.
  • 2014 CI annualized project savings over $3,000,000 (over $2.3million 2013).
  • Initiated SOP and training development improvements.
  • Lead projects that utilized lean, six sigma, and line balancing methods to reduce area headcount by 30% and resulted in an increased cheese output.
  • Implemented & Trained Corporate Performance Improvement Team (PIT) for the site and later across 4 other sites (in corporate role).
  • Over 140 improvement actions driven in the first year.
  • Developed a Strategic 3-year CI Plan with Plant Manager.
  • Multiple Capital projects from $10,000 to $500,000.
  • Developed/Executed a Front-Line Leaders LSS YB project program.
  • Led to 7 CI Projects completed by Supervisors and their team in the first year.

C.I. Engineer/Operations Coach

Kraft
01.2007 - 01.2010
  • Managed 55+ people on 10 different lines with 2 major areas over all aspects of plant operations.
  • Worked with Team Members to reduce top downtimes and increase production, while continuing to make Quality and Safety a top priority.
  • Increased shift performance from worse to 2nd best in the facility.
  • Work with Team Members to continually improve processes.
  • Kraft Six Sigma Black Belt Lead (while in Coaching role).
  • Two projects led to over $400,000 annual savings.
  • As C.I. Engineer performed production initiatives; through interaction with Team Members and Staff to assist the plant in meeting their fiscal goals.
  • Led and certified in Six Sigma Green Belt project that showed annual saving over $200M.
  • Kraft Six Sigma Green Belt & Black Belt Certified.
  • Developed various databases to collect and monitor information.
  • Assisted on the testing of various packaging improvement ideas and received in depth vendor training.
  • First Year achieved 6x personal salary in CI savings and on track for 12x salary in year 2 prior to moving into a production role.

Education

BSE - Industrial Engineer Major

Arizona State University
01.2006

Transferred - Industrial Engineer Major

Iowa State University

AA - Pre-engineering Major

North Iowa Community College

Six Sigma Green Belt Certified - undefined

Kraft Foods

Six Sigma Black Belt Certified - undefined

GPS consulting (Kraft Foods)

Skills

  • Six Sigma BB/GB Certified
  • Lean
  • TPM
  • WCM
  • Training & Development
  • Team Building
  • Teams
  • Power Bi
  • HACCP Certified
  • Statistical Process Control
  • Problem Solving
  • Quality Minded
  • Communication: Verbal/Written
  • Leadership
  • Sanitation/Sanitary Design
  • ISO/QS9001/USDA/VMD
  • Food & Biologics
  • Data mining/analysis for CIP
  • Leadership training classes
  • Microsoft Office
  • SharePoint
  • Minitab
  • Extensive Mfg experience
  • MS Office
  • AutoCAD Lt
  • SAP Applications
  • CMMS Analysis
  • Multiple programming languages (C, JS, IP, VB, and more)
  • MIS Management

Timeline

IE Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager over FI

Conagra Foods
01.2024 - Current

Director of Operational Excellence and Technology

Zoetis Pharmaceutical
01.2022 - 01.2024

Manager of Continuous Improvement

Conagra Brands
01.2021 - 01.2022

Biological Manufacturing Manager

Zoetis Pharmaceutical
01.2018 - 01.2020

Industrial Performance Engineer

Nestle Foods
01.2015 - 01.2017

LPS Manager & Corporate CI Project Manager

Land O’Lakes
01.2010 - 01.2015

C.I. Engineer/Operations Coach

Kraft
01.2007 - 01.2010

Transferred - Industrial Engineer Major

Iowa State University

AA - Pre-engineering Major

North Iowa Community College

Six Sigma Green Belt Certified - undefined

Kraft Foods

Six Sigma Black Belt Certified - undefined

GPS consulting (Kraft Foods)

BSE - Industrial Engineer Major

Arizona State University

Key Qualifications

  • Six Sigma BB/GB Certified
  • Lean/TPM/WCM
  • Training & Development
  • Team Building
  • Teams/Power Bi
  • HACCP Certified
  • Statistical Process Control
  • Problem Solving
  • Quality Minded
  • Communication: Verbal/Written
  • Leadership
  • Sanitation/Sanitary Design
  • ISO/QS9001/USDA/VMD+
  • Food & Biologics
  • Data mining/analysis for CIP

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JAMES ELBERT