Jason J. Braun
Franksville,WI
Summary
Results-driven leader with 22+ years of experience leading teams, driving innovation, and delivering technical and business solutions. Seeking a senior leadership role at Charter Manufacturing, where I can utilize my diverse professional experience and educational background to achieve organizational goals.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Strategy and Optimization Manager – Commercial Vehicle Business Unit
Modine Manufacturing Company
Racine, WI
01.2024 - Current
- Responsible for 8020 deployment and strategy development in a $150M business unit
- Business was classified as a turnaround with negative gross margins when joining the group
- Conducted a deep dive analysis into business unit P&L with an 8020 lens
- Implemented VAVE/NPD and other material cost save and operational efficiency improvement projects saving $8M annually
- Applying these cost savings, along with pricing corrections, the business reached 15% gross margins within 15 months
- Developed a new program pursuit strategy targeting market sectors where differentiated technology could be applied to achieve 25% gross margin while hitting market pricing expectations
- $35M of new programs awards secured at this target level of profitability
Global Manager Manufacturing Process Development and Advanced Manufacturing
Modine Manufacturing Company
Racine, WI
03.2017 - 01.2024
- Responsible for 18 facilities globally
- Led a team of 30 manufacturing engineers, controls engineers and machine designers
- Implemented Modine’s first collaborative robots (COBOTS) globally reducing labor costs with lower investments compared to industrial robot systems – welding applications achieved 69% automation hours saving $1.2M annually
- Rolled out electronic cloud based Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) and down time reporting system globally to deliver KPI data in real time providing a means to quickly identify opportunities for improvement
- Developed an iron brazing alternative to copper for steel oil coolers to achieve 10% lower product cost while addressing customer issues associated with copper contamination
- Developed a next generation process for aluminum heat exchanger manufacturing reducing costs by 15%
Global Manager Product and Application Engineering – Engine Products Group
Modine Manufacturing Company
Racine, WI
05.2004 - 03.2017
- Joined the group as an individual contributor and moved up through levels of increasing responsibility
- Team consisted of three engineering supervisors, nine engineers and three designers
- Production programs worth $190M in annual sales
- Responsible for management of product and application engineering functions for automotive, on-highway commercial vehicle, and off-highway/industrial engine heat exchanger programs using APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) principles
- Product line owner for multiple product lines within the group responsible for maintaining and developing design specifications, engineering specifications and future product development roadmaps
- Developed new and next generation products for liquid cooled exhaust gas recirculation, oil cooler and charge air cooler applications aimed largely at diesel engine emission regulations and gasoline engine fuel economy standards
- Customers included General Motors, Stellantis, Ford, Nissan, Daimler, John Deere, Caterpillar, MTU, Cummins, MAN, Navistar (International Motors) as well as other automotive tier 1 suppliers
Vehicle Group Test Engineer
Modine Manufacturing Company
Racine, WI
06.2003 - 05.2004
- Responsible for providing engineering support for climatic vehicular wind tunnels, soak room and engine test cell in global headquarters technical center
- Established laboratories for work orders written by application & product development engineers
- Conducted field data acquisition at customer sites and over the road
Machine Operations Youth Apprentice
Tecumseh Products Company
New Holstein, WI
05.1997 - 05.2002
- Served as a machine operations youth apprentice in the tool and die shop
- Used drills, milling machines, lathes, and surface and cylindrical grinders to make various jigs and fixtures
Engineering Department Intern
Tecumseh Products Company
New Holstein, WI
05.1997 - 05.2002
- Designed & manufactured prototype equipment for customers
- Performed repair work and evaluation teardowns on small 2 and 4-cycle gasoline engines
- Made on site repairs of small lawn and garden field test equipment.
- Calibrated and set-up various carburetors for test engines
- Set-up and ran dynamometer evaluations
Education
Master of Science - Engineering Management
Milwaukee School of Engineering
12.2011
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Milwaukee School of Engineering
05.2003
Skills
My broad range of work experience in tool and die, test engineering, application/product engineering, advanced manufacturing, and business strategy provides me with a wide-ranging perspective that sets me apart from many others I possess a solid mechanical aptitude and innately strong work ethic, which I consistently apply in all endeavors
References
Available upon request
Timeline
Business Strategy and Optimization Manager – Commercial Vehicle Business Unit
Modine Manufacturing Company
01.2024 - Current
Global Manager Manufacturing Process Development and Advanced Manufacturing
Modine Manufacturing Company
03.2017 - 01.2024
Global Manager Product and Application Engineering – Engine Products Group
Modine Manufacturing Company
05.2004 - 03.2017
Vehicle Group Test Engineer
Modine Manufacturing Company
06.2003 - 05.2004
Machine Operations Youth Apprentice
Tecumseh Products Company
05.1997 - 05.2002
Engineering Department Intern
Tecumseh Products Company
05.1997 - 05.2002
Master of Science - Engineering Management
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Milwaukee School of Engineering
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