JOHN KAPPELMAN
Iola
Summary
Operations professional with strong leadership skills and experience in team collaboration. Demonstrated expertise in Continuous Improvement and Manufacturing Excellence. Experienced professional with a proven record of leading successful projects from conception to completion. Skilled in coordinating design teams, managing budgets, and ensuring compliance with regulations and standards. Proficient in fostering collaboration among stakeholders to achieve project objectives. .
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Senior Engineering Manager, Manufacturing Excellence – SYENSQO
IET Engineering, Inc.
10.2020 - 12.2025
- Role as project manager for all Engineering and Excellence projects.
- Performance Management and Operational Excellence
- Facilitated Tactical Implementation Plan
- Increased Mixing and Oven productivity by 23.3%.
- Achieved highest monthly mixing output since 2014.
- Led team to successfully eliminate number one customer complaint.
- Led engineering teams to develop innovative solutions for complex projects.
Plant Director
Russell Stover Chocolates/Lindt USA
05.2018 - 10.2020
- Responsible for daily operations and direction to the operations team; 635 employees
- Ensured compliance with all federal, state, local, and corporate policies, laws, and regulations
- Responsible for P&L, budget, ROI, asset investment
- Leading implementation of Lindt Process Improvement system
- Increased plant wide operations efficiency by 8 percentage points
Regional Operations Project Manager
Bimbo Bakeries USA
09.2012 - 05.2018
- Responsible for Supply Chain performance of 8 facilities
- Responsible for supply chain sourcing and successful launches of new products.
- Managed supply chain through peak seasonal demand, demand above production plant.
- Design and implementation of strategies to meet customer demand at lowest landed cost.
- New plant start-up team – operations support, product sourcing, systems setup, receiving and inventory programs for new state of the art facility in Rockwall, TX
Plant Manager
Shearer’s Foods
08.2011 - 06.2012
- Responsible for all plant operations; 525 plant employees
- Led plant reorganization for higher volume, efficiency, and profitability
- Turnaround and stabilization of Plant EBITDA; $.9MM monthly positive turnaround in 6 months
- Responsible for start-up of 6 kettle chip lines and 150k sq. ft. distribution center
Plant Manager
Schwebel’s Baking Company
Solon
03.2010 - 08.2011
- Responsible for plant operations; 220 plant employees.
- National Quality Awards – Long Company and Roman Meal
- Leader of plant performance nine-month turnaround reducing material waste by 42%
- And Labor Cost Reductions of Production 15%, Sanitation 14.6%, Maintenance 22.8%.
Plant Manager
Bimbo Bakeries USA
10.2001 - 03.2010
- Responsible for plant operations and supply chain; 180 plant employees
- Leading process improvement techniques Integrated Process Management, TPM and Lean.
- Awarded Grupo Bimbo Operational Excellence distinction, 2007, for outstanding plant performance in safety, quality, cost, and productivity; generated annual savings of $2.5MM
- Developed organizational capabilities in lean management
- Supported plant managers in developing process improvement capabilities
- Achieved highest standards on audits including AIB, QBA, FDA, BRC and Grupo Bimbo
- Responsible for leading first US Kaizen implementation
Plant Superintendent
Nancy’s Pies, Inc
01.1996 - 10.2001
- Managed operations through growth from $3 million to $25 million yearly sales
- Relocated plant to new 75,000 sq. ft. facility
- Directed the addition of new production lines
- Responsible for daily operations of 11 bakery production lines
- Responsible for product development and commercialization of new products
- Responsible for manufacturing component of Management Information System
- Provide business leadership and commitment to plant goals on a day-to-day basis
Education
Master of Business Administration - Management
University of Iowa
Industrial Engineering -
Kansas State University
Baking Science and Technology -
American Institute of Baking
Skills
- Oracle MRP
- SAP
- AutoCAD
- Minitab Statistical
- Excel
- Word
- PowerPoint
- Lucid Chart
- Project management
- Operational excellence
- Supply chain optimization
- Manufacturing efficiency
- Change management
- Regulatory compliance
- Coaching and mentoring
- Project coordination
Certification
Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt (CSSMMB) International Six Sigma Institue
Timeline
Senior Engineering Manager, Manufacturing Excellence – SYENSQO
IET Engineering, Inc.
10.2020 - 12.2025
Plant Director
Russell Stover Chocolates/Lindt USA
05.2018 - 10.2020
Regional Operations Project Manager
Bimbo Bakeries USA
09.2012 - 05.2018
Plant Manager
Shearer’s Foods
08.2011 - 06.2012
Plant Manager
Schwebel’s Baking Company
03.2010 - 08.2011
Plant Manager
Bimbo Bakeries USA
10.2001 - 03.2010
Plant Superintendent
Nancy’s Pies, Inc
01.1996 - 10.2001
Master of Business Administration - Management
University of Iowa
Industrial Engineering -
Kansas State University
Baking Science and Technology -
American Institute of Baking