John Vanover
Fort Wayne,IN
Summary
Results-oriented Quality Engineer specializing in ISO 13485 compliance and supplier quality management. Focused on process validation and cross-functional collaboration to enhance product quality and operational efficiency. Cultivates strong supplier relationships to elevate performance standards.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Quality Engineer
Sites Medical
Columbia City, IN
07.2023 - 03.2026
- Collaborated with spine implant team, suppliers, and customers to develop and launch new spinal implant product lines.
- Partnered with suppliers to enhance quality and performance standards.
- This included validation and process improvements.
- Refined operational procedures to enhance workflow and productivity.
- Cultivated relationships with new suppliers to expand supply chain options.
Senior Supplier Quality Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
Warsaw, IN
06.2007 - 06.2023
- Collaborated with vendors to ensure quality product delivery and provided guidance on Medtronic systems.
- Communicated with suppliers regarding issues, corrective actions (sCAPA), quality agreements, and process changes.
- Completed ISO 13485:2016 Lead Auditor training to conduct supplier audits.
Senior Quality Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
Warsaw, IN
11.2006 - 05.2007
- Collaborated with Manufacturing Engineering and Product Development to resolve quality issues in both outsourced and in-house manufactured products.
- Engaged with cross-functional teams to proactively address and resolve quality issues.
- Determined inspection methods, disposed of non-conforming materials, created inspection criteria, and reviewed First Article layout reports to ensure compliance with quality standards.
- Reviewed manufacturing processes, technical documents and test results for accuracy and completeness.
Manager of Medical Products
LH Industries
Fort Wayne, IN
05.2006 - 12.2006
- Identified equipment, tooling, and personnel for new medical division, enhancing operational readiness.
- Managed medical work processing and developed documentation standards to streamline workflows.
- Created systems and managed operations for new medical division, establishing foundational processes.
Senior Process Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
Warsaw, IN
11.2001 - 04.2006
- Performed pre-production analysis of new product designs and implemented process improvements to decrease time to market.
- Coordinated Product Planning, Purchasing, and Accounting to ensure seamless execution of new product launches.
- Interface with Quality Control personnel on issues relating to new product introductions, provide vital communication liaison for technical issues between Product Development, in-house manufacturing, and outside suppliers.
- Participated in New Products Introduction Team to streamline product launch processes.
- Create Routings and Bills of Material for new products.
- Review and Approve Engineering Change Orders.
New Product Development/Design Engineer
Athena-Champion Technology
Fort Wayne, IN
08.2000 - 08.2001
- Primary responsibility for conceptualization and design of dental hand-pieces to complement existing Young Dental product line.
- Design and coordinate manufacture of prototypes.
- Implemented process improvements that streamlined manufacturing processes, enhancing yield and reducing lead-times.
- Spearheaded quality initiative to standardize methods for analyzing part tolerances and enhance manufacturing and quality procedures.
- Created and modified detailed engineering drawings using AutoCAD to support design projects.
- Coordinated communication between Fort Wayne and St. Louis facilities as the manufacturing liaison.
- Facilitated communication with outside suppliers to clarify product specifications and expectations.
- Assisted in troubleshooting and maintaining CNC equipment and related programs to ensure operational efficiency.
- Performed internal audits following ISO guidelines to assess adherence to quality control processes.
Engineering Instructor
Lima Technical College
Lima, OH
08.1999 - 08.2000
- Designed and implemented curriculum for Engineering Technology program at two-year technical college, enhancing educational offerings.
- Developed and implemented new Engineering design curriculum for Mechanical Engineering Design program, enriching student learning experience.
- Collaborated with College advisory committees to enhance enrollment, refine curriculum, and secure re-certification for Mechanical Engineering Design program by ADDA.
- Areas of instruction included: AutoCAD, Descriptive Geometry, Chemistry, and associated labs.
- Authored article 'Mechanical Engineering Design for Tomorrow', for the Lima Technical College Recruiting Newsletter, Spring of 1999.
Process Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
Warsaw, IN
09.1996 - 08.1999
- Facilitated process improvements, reducing time to market for new products.
- Contributed to product introduction team by performing pre-production analysis on designs.
- Developed and implemented strategies to enhance quality in surgical device manufacturing.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify and address production bottlenecks.
- Reviewed and approved engineering change orders to ensure project integrity.
- Created routing documents and bills of materials for accurate product documentation.
- Served as liaison for technical issues between product development and suppliers.
- Analyzed data to identify trends and optimize manufacturing workflows.
Process Engineer
Guardian Industries
Ligonier, IN
09.1993 - 09.1996
- Developed operating procedures that improved manufacturing process efficiency.
- Managed maintenance and troubleshooting for automotive glass-cutting operation, ensuring optimal equipment functionality.
- Participated in installation of new equipment, contributing to enhanced operational capacity.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering Technology
Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganSkills
- ISO 13485 compliance
- Quality assurance
- Supplier quality management
- Supplier audits
- Process validation
- Design control
- Inspection methods
- Technical documentation
- Root-cause analysis
- GD&T
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Cross-functional collaboration
Certification
36-hour QMS Lead Auditor Course (ISO 9001:2015) inclusive of ISO 13485:2016, Exemplar Global, 2018
Timeline
Quality Engineer
Sites Medical
07.2023 - 03.2026
Senior Supplier Quality Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
06.2007 - 06.2023
Senior Quality Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
11.2006 - 05.2007
Manager of Medical Products
LH Industries
05.2006 - 12.2006
Senior Process Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
11.2001 - 04.2006
New Product Development/Design Engineer
Athena-Champion Technology
08.2000 - 08.2001
Engineering Instructor
Lima Technical College
08.1999 - 08.2000
Process Engineer
Medtronic Sofamor Danek
09.1996 - 08.1999
Process Engineer
Guardian Industries
09.1993 - 09.1996
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering Technology
Lake Superior State University