Kristine Johnson
Highland,IL
Summary
Seasoned Director of Quality known for high productivity and efficient task completion. Skilled in process optimization, regulatory compliance, and quality management systems. Excels at leadership, problem-solving, and communication, ensuring project success through effective team collaboration and strategic planning.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Quality and Sustainability
Branding Iron Holdings
Sauget, IL
10.2023 - Current
- Experienced Quality Assurance & Food Safety professional with over 25 years of plant quality assurance and sanitation experience in a food manufacturing environment.
- I am an SQF Practitioner and both HACCP and Preventive Controls certified.
- Direct experience in both USDA and FDA products.
- I have oversight of plant Quality Systems for three facilities under Branding Iron Holdings and have direct responsibility for leading company sustainability projects.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to design corrective action plans based on audit results.
- Communicated regularly with customers regarding updates on progress made towards resolving any outstanding issues they may have experienced.
- Audited supplier performance against predetermined criteria for quality control purposes.
- Analyzed data from customer feedback surveys to identify trends in complaints or issues.
- Participated in cross-functional meetings involving all departments involved in the production process.
- Reviewed product specifications prior to release into market, ensuring accuracy of information provided by vendors.
- Established metrics to monitor and evaluate quality assurance initiatives across departments.
- Maintained accurate records of all activities related to the development, testing, evaluation, approval, launch, and maintenance of products and services.
- Assessed current practices against industry benchmarks and best practices for continuous improvement opportunities.
- Monitored industry trends and regulations regarding product and service safety and reliability standards.
- Evaluated new technologies that could improve existing processes within the organization.
Quality Assurance Manager
Branding Iron Holdings - Holten Meat
Sauget
02.2019 - 09.2023
- Management of the Quality Assurance and Sanitation departments for the Sauget facility
- Champion continuous improvement efforts and defect reduction initiatives to establish and maintain effective Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program (HACCP)
- Develop, validate and maintain Food Safety and Food Quality systems consistent with the SQF certification requirements
- Educate and train employees as to their impact in the quality management system and maintain a food safety culture
- Serve as the primary quality control resource for problem identification, resolution, loss reporting and continuous improvement
- Establish and implement metrics (process capability, control charts, measurement quality) for monitoring system effectiveness and to enable managers to make sound product quality decisions
- Analyze customers' product specifications to establish efficient, cost-effective requirements for ease of manufacture and reproducibility
- Monitor supplier performance and establish criteria and rating system for critical vendors
- Participate in internal and external quality audits.
- Created reports detailing results from inspections, tests, investigations that were used by senior management for decision-making purposes.
- Performed root cause analysis on non-conforming materials or products in order to determine appropriate corrective actions.
- Coordinated with other departments such as engineering, manufacturing, sales. in order to resolve any issues related to product quality.
- Conducted internal audits of processes, products, and systems to ensure compliance with quality standards.
- Established key performance indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of the company's quality management system.
- Collaborated with R&D teams to establish quality criteria for new products, ensuring design for quality and manufacturability.
Quality Assurance and Sanitation Manager
Pinnace Foods / Conagra Brands
- Quality Assurance and Sanitation Manager for the St
- Elmo facility
- From May of 2015 through December 2016, I was also the Salad Dressing Processing Manager responsible for daily production after the start up of the Wish-Bone project
- The main responsibilities were to troubleshoot existing problems with the batching equipment
- Participated with the development of the new product startup documentation for the Wish-bone transition, including an allergen changeover matrix, Food Safety Plan and Quality Plan development and implementation for salad dressing, and standard work for the lab, sanitation, and the salad dressing processing area
- Management of the Sanitation Department and maintenance of the Master Sanitation Schedule
- Management of the SQF program, including HACCP and Food Quality plans for syrups and sauces
- Startup of an onsite internal microbiology lab for testing finished goods, raw materials, and environmental samples
- Conducted company Quality & Food Safety audits at sister facilities in conjunction with the Director of Quality.
Quality Assurance & Food Safety Manager
Wellpet / Wellness Pet Food Company
- Responsible for the Quality Assurance and Sanitation Department
- Oversaw the process to build an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory located on site
- Maintained all certifications / accreditations for the plant, and scheduled all third party and customer audits
- Developed plant standard operating procedures and implemented ISO 22000
- Monitored the in process and packaging lines to ensure company and customer specifications were followed
- Oversaw all testing based on customer and corporate established specifications
- Completed supplier audits for raw materials
- Responsible for team development and training in accordance with plant standard operating procedures.
Quality Assurance Manager
A&P Growers / Horizon Growers
- Quality Assurance Department and Sanitation Department management
- Oversaw the project to build an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory (Argent Analytical Labs) located on site
- Responsible for maintaining all certifications / accreditations for the plant (Organic and BRC) and lab (A2LA), and I scheduled all third party and customer audits
- Monitored the in process and packaging lines to ensure company and customer specifications were followed
- Directed all testing based on customer and internal specifications
- A&P Growers was purchased by Horizon Growers in August 2009, and is a pistachio processing plant that processes, roasts, and packs primarily pistachios; almonds and macadamia nuts
- Responsible for harvest quality control testing and logging of results by grower and field i.d.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Agriculture And Biology
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL05-1995
Skills
- HACCP
- Food Microbiology
- SQF / BRC
- Documentation Control
- Quality Management Systems
- Product Development
- Manufacturing Processes
- Continuous Improvement
- Product Inspection
- Customer Complaint Resolution
- Corrective and Preventive Actions
- Quality Assurance Techniques
- Quality Metrics Development
- Quality Training Programs
- Quality Risk Assessment
Profile
HACCP, Food Microbiology, SQF / BRC, Bachelor of Science, Agriculture & Biology, Western Illinois University, 08/1990, 05/1995
Languages
English
References
- Reference Name, hello@reallygreatsite.com
- Reference Name
Timeline
Director of Quality and Sustainability
Branding Iron Holdings
10.2023 - Current
Quality Assurance Manager
Branding Iron Holdings - Holten Meat
02.2019 - 09.2023
Quality Assurance and Sanitation Manager
Pinnace Foods / Conagra Brands
Quality Assurance & Food Safety Manager
Wellpet / Wellness Pet Food Company
Quality Assurance Manager
A&P Growers / Horizon Growers
Bachelor of Science - Agriculture And Biology
Western Illinois University