Jay D. Barnett
Saltillo,TN
Summary
Senior operational excellence practitioner with a proven record at Amrize, achieving an OEE of 86.2% and reducing changeover scrap by 47.5%. Expertise in Lean Six Sigma and cross-functional collaboration drives significant cost savings and operational improvements. Skilled in strategic process redesign and effective team leadership, delivering measurable results in efficiency and productivity.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Operational Excellence Practitioner
AMRIZE
Nashville, TN
10.2022 - Current
- Represented AMRIZE as senior Opex leader across Wellford, SC and Muscle Shoals, AL TPO production facilities, driving operational excellence initiatives.
- Led a cross-functional team in FY2025 to evaluate and redesign the end-to-end TPO process, including raw material change management, layered quality audits, changeover, start-up standard work, and an OEE capability matrix—driving the site to top company performance in both OEE and profitability (current-state OEE: 86.2%).
- Completed a comprehensive evaluation and update of the Process Control Plan in the compounding facility; reduced changeover scrap by 47.5% on a critical internally produced raw material, delivering $132,000 in controllable cost savings per quarter (ongoing).
- Facilitated 8D events to resolve customer complaints using DMAIC process, defining scope and managing inputs with a diverse team from technical experts to C-suite stakeholders.
Corporate Continuous Improvement Manager
American Bath Group
Savannah, TN
10.2022 - 10.2024
- Directed escalation of downtime issues at multiple facilities, achieving a reduction in downtime from 17% to less than 3% at Martinsburg WV facility, enabling an increase of over $1.5 million in sales volume by meeting Takt goals.
- Generated over $1.3 million in individual cost savings at two plants during my tenure. Participated in collaborative Kaizen initiatives that resulted in an extra $21 million in savings across the company.
- Led continuous improvement initiatives at two locations and spearheaded corporate downtime reduction across 26 locations.
- Designed and installed production finishing department in our Elizabethtown Pa. facility resulting in a reduction in MHPU from 1.4 to .37 (savings of over $ 33,000 per month in direct labor alone).
Value Stream Manager ( Contract)
Sunland Logistic Solutions
Milan, TN
04.2022 - 10.2022
- Led initiatives throughout DMAIC process, driving systematic improvements and operational excellence.
- Established Process Standard Benchmark across all branches of the Value Stream.
- Created Value Stream Map for top 100 3PL, identifying current state and opportunities for improvement.
- Analyzed workflow data to enhance productivity and reduce waste.
- Facilitated cross-functional team meetings to align operational goals.
Sr. Continuous Improvement Project Manager
Milwaukee Tool
Olive Branch, MS
07.2021 - 04.2022
- Through a series of Kaizen initiatives, I led a team of engineers to solutions that garnered a 100% inventory score in the 2021 third party audit.
- Reestablished cycle count check process. Introducing inventory team to confidence level principles in data sets.
- Mentored and trained 21 junior engineers on best practices and project methodologies to enhance team capabilities.
- Assisted in initiatives and mentored junior engineers during Kaizen events across multiple processes.
Safety and Continuous Improvement Manager
Cornerstone Building Brands
Lexington, TN
03.2019 - 07.2021
- Led a plantwide initiative that resulted in the Lexington facility winning the 2019 corporate safety award for the safest and best plant in the company, winning out over 17 other manufacturing facilities in the buildings group.
- Managed safety and continuous improvement for a three-shift, 126-employee steel fabrication shop in commercial construction.
- Established simple Kaizen programs that empowered frontline workers, resulting in 115 submissions and 97 process improvements in safety and manufacturing.
- Led DMAIC initiatives across three value streams: prefab, fabrication, and shipping.
- Reset production flow to include Kanban process for centralized distribution of consumables, reducing NVA movement, Scrap, and overall cost by 25% year over year.
Corporate Maintenance and Engineering Manager
Gateway Packaging
Whitehouse, TN
01.2016 - 03.2019
- Managed multiple capital expenditure projects, ensuring alignment with a 6.5-million-dollar operations budget.
- Capital Expenditure Project for multiple facilities completed on time through installation and release to production with less than 3% non-scheduled downtime on average across several independent start-ups.
- Established preventative maintenance schedules utilizing multi-event triggers (time-based; cycle count based) for all assets to enhance reliability.
- Developed TPM program and recorded company assets and spare parts into CMMS for streamlined maintenance management.
- Established rolling inventory and control measures for critical spares and consumables.
- Led three shifts of operations, overseeing production run and OEE on 21 assets, while managing facilities and grounds maintenance.
Instructor of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Jackson, TN
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Established approved curriculum for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, integrating Manufacturers Skills Standards Council’s LMS Certified Production Technician national certification to align program with industry standards.
- Developed and instructed flagship A.M.T. program for Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology in dual enrollment, enhancing student access to advanced manufacturing education.
- Recognized as subject matter expert for Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology in Certified Production Technician course offerings, providing guidance and expertise in program development.
- The first term passing rate of the CPT certification for my students was 95 %, well beyond the MSSC average of 30% - 35 %.
- In the areas of Process and Production, Safety, Quality Practices and Measurement, Maintenance Awareness and Green Manufacturing Principles.
Education
B.S - Business and Organizational Leadership
Union University
Jackson, TNA.S. - Multi-Craft Industrial Maintenance
Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Crump, TNSkills
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- Project Management Professional
- Continuous Improvement
- DMAIC process
- Value stream mapping
- Overall equipment effectiveness
- Operational readiness
- Good manufacturing practices
- Safety compliance
- SQDCI analysis
- Gemba methodology
- Excel proficiency
- Data interpretation
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Hoshin Kanri methodology
- Strategic alignment
- Root cause analysis
Certification
- Manufacturer Skills Standards Council Master Level Instructor
- Lean 6 Sigma Black Belt
- CRE
- PMP
Measurable Success
- Over 17 million in Hard cost savings spanning a 20 year career
- 47.5 % reduction in change over scrap in FY 2025 (AMRIZE)
- Multiple CAPEX projects across three sites with a less than 3% variance in expected output after line validation.
- 86.2% OEE after Kaizen initiative and PCP reset in 2025
Timeline
Senior Operational Excellence Practitioner
AMRIZE
10.2022 - Current
Corporate Continuous Improvement Manager
American Bath Group
10.2022 - 10.2024
Value Stream Manager ( Contract)
Sunland Logistic Solutions
04.2022 - 10.2022
Sr. Continuous Improvement Project Manager
Milwaukee Tool
07.2021 - 04.2022
Safety and Continuous Improvement Manager
Cornerstone Building Brands
03.2019 - 07.2021
Corporate Maintenance and Engineering Manager
Gateway Packaging
01.2016 - 03.2019
Instructor of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Tennessee College of Applied Technology
01.2013 - 01.2016
B.S - Business and Organizational Leadership
Union University
A.S. - Multi-Craft Industrial Maintenance
Tennessee College of Applied Technology