Kristine Clore
Jersey City,NJ
Summary
Dynamic Quality and Operational Excellence leader with 10+ years of experience in consumer packaged goods, specialty chemicals, and regulated manufacturing environments. Proven expertise in quality systems development, GMP/cGMP compliance, supplier audits, and cross-functional product launch support. Adept at building and leading high-performing quality, engineering, and operations teams to ensure product integrity from development through mass production. Skilled in data-driven decision making, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement methodologies to deliver safe, reliable, and customer-trusted products at scale.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manufacturing Excellence Sr. Manager
Mark Anthony Brewing
Hillside, NJ
04.2025 - Current
- Lead quality and operational excellence programs across the plant, aligning with safety, compliance, and performance targets.
- Partner with production and quality assurance teams to establish process standards, defect definitions, and inspection systems that safeguard product integrity.
- Direct and coach teams in Lean Six Sigma and TPM practices, embedding a culture of continuous improvement and compliance discipline.
- Drive root cause analysis and corrective action programs to eliminate recurring quality issues and improve OEE.
Quality and Operations Excellence Manager
Ashland
Parlin, NJ
01.2023 - 04.2025
- Sustained and advanced the Ashland Production System across multiple sites, aligning engineering, quality, and manufacturing standards.
- Conducted gap analyses of quality and manufacturing processes, built deployment roadmaps, and implemented best-in-class compliance systems.
- Directed CAPA programs, QMS upgrades, and ISO 9001/cGMP compliance initiatives, ensuring adherence to FDA and international standards.
- Co-led supplier evaluations and facility audits to validate quality and CSR programs.
- Delivered multi-million-dollar cost savings through quality-driven continuous improvement initiatives.
Technical Process Improvement Manager
Ashland
Parlin, NJ
06.2021 - 12.2022
- Launched APS across multiple sites, embedding quality and reliability processes into daily operations.
- Partnered with R&D, technical sales, engineering, and operations teams to define product quality specifications, inspection standards, and tolerances during commercialization.
- Oversaw capital projects and quality system improvements to support manufacturing scale-up and compliance requirements.
- Implemented real-time monitoring tools for predictive quality and performance tracking.
Project Engineering Manager
De Dietrich
Mountainside, NJ
09.2019 - 05.2021
- Managed engineering and maintenance projects from concept to execution, overseeing scope, schedules, budgets, and vendor contracts.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams, contractors, and suppliers to ensure technical solutions met client requirements and project milestones.
- Monitored project financials, controlled indirect purchasing, and resolved procurement challenges using SAP to manage requisitions and invoices.
- Developed and communicated detailed project plans, progress updates, and risk mitigation strategies to stakeholders.
- Instituted KPI dashboards and tracking systems to measure project performance, identify risks, and ensure accountability.
- Ensured customer satisfaction by aligning deliverables to client specifications, maintaining open communication, and proactively addressing concerns.
Operations Manager
Bowery Farming
Kearny, NJ
03.2018 - 08.2019
- Transitioned operations from R&D to full-scale manufacturing, designing workforce models, establishing shifts, and transitioning staff from temporary labor to full-time employees.
- Built standard operating procedures (SOPs), training programs, and operating standards, ensuring compliance, consistency, and scalability of production.
- Tested and implemented new tools, technologies, and packaging systems to optimize throughput and reliability.
- Launched Operational Excellence initiatives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, embedding Lean practices and continuous improvement culture from the ground up.
- Introduced and established OpEx and quality improvement tools to ensure reliability, compliance, and scalability during rapid growth.
Earlier Roles
Lion Elastomers | Lanxess | Colgate-Palmolive
- Led quality-focused process engineering and improvement projects, including greenfield plant commissioning, production system optimization, and the development of quality management strategies to ensure sustained performance and regulatory compliance.
- Drove root cause investigations and implemented Corrective and Preventive Actions to eliminate recurring quality issues, embedding results into updated preventive maintenance routines, inspection frequencies, and process control standards.
- Optimized production systems and equipment configurations to strengthen process stability, product consistency, and yield, while reducing quality defects, waste, and unplanned downtime.
- Executed validation trials, changeover protocols, and parameter optimization to enhance operational efficiency while safeguarding product integrity and quality specifications.
- Developed and implemented SOPs, quality inspection standards, and process trending methods to improve operator performance, support predictive maintenance, and enable proactive quality control.
Education
B.S. - Chemical Engineering
Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ05-2012
Skills
- Quality Systems Development & Auditing (FDA, ISO, EFfCI GMP/GMP/cGMP)
- Supplier Quality Management & CSR Audits
- Product Launch & Scale-Up Support
- CAPA Management & Root Cause Analysis
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Process Improvement
- KPI Development & Data-Driven Performance Tracking
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Risk Management & Business Continuity
- Regulatory Documentation & Compliance Readiness
- Customer Experience & Product Integrity
Affiliations
- Established and deployed enterprise-wide quality systems aligned regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance while supporting rapid product launches and international market expansion.
- Built and led cross-functional quality and technical teams, mentoring professionals in quality assurance, quality engineering, and manufacturing engineering to elevate organizational capability and embed a culture of product integrity.
- Commissioned a greenfield manufacturing plant, delivering operational readiness, regulatory compliance systems, and product quality standards on time and within budget.
- Managed global supplier quality and CSR audit programs, strengthening vendor partnerships, reducing supply chain risk, and ensuring adherence to corporate quality standards.
- Implemented comprehensive CAPA and root cause analysis frameworks, resolving recurring quality issues and reducing product defects while embedding lessons learned into preventive controls.
- Designed and launched a regional Center of Excellence for product quality and technical excellence, creating standardized playbooks, training programs, and governance models that improved consistency and performance across multiple facilities.
- Drove measurable improvements in product performance and customer satisfaction, reducing nonconformance rates and improving first-pass yield through data-driven process optimization.
- Championed continuous improvement and Lean Six Sigma initiatives, integrating quality and operational excellence practices that delivered multi-million-dollar cost savings while enhancing reliability and compliance.
Certification
- Six Sigma Black Belt, NJCU Adult & Continuing Education, 2024
- SOAR Leadership Development Program, 2023
- Emerson Delta V, 2021
- Project Management, 2019
- Apollo Root Cause Analysis, 2016
- Management & Leadership, LSU, 2015
- Honeywell Automation College, Phoenix, AZ 2015
Timeline
Manufacturing Excellence Sr. Manager
Mark Anthony Brewing
04.2025 - Current
Quality and Operations Excellence Manager
Ashland
01.2023 - 04.2025
Technical Process Improvement Manager
Ashland
06.2021 - 12.2022
Project Engineering Manager
De Dietrich
09.2019 - 05.2021
Operations Manager
Bowery Farming
03.2018 - 08.2019
Earlier Roles
Lion Elastomers | Lanxess | Colgate-Palmolive
B.S. - Chemical Engineering
Rutgers University