Melinda Hudgens
Quality Assurance Manager
Summary
Outgoing Quality Assurance Manager with over 20 years of managerial experience in the food industry. Committed to high standards of product inspections and customer service with extensive knowledge of QMS. Adept at collaborative with various departments for comprehensive quality control.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Manager, Quality Assurance
Leprino Foods Company
8 2017 - Current
- Corporate role managing internal and external customer relationships, performing product evaluations for consistency, addressing customer complaint.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
- Collaborate with PD, Technical Services, and plant on trends and projects.
- Project Manager of PD transitions, Quality Program implementation, etc
- Work with Sr. Leadership on trends, issues, and product performance.
- Monitored and analyzed business performance to identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments using BI tools,
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
Quality Execution Sr. Supervisor
Leprino Foods Company
12.2012 - 07.2017
- Responsible for leading seven supervisors and 120 indirect reports for Performance, Microbiology, Analytical Cheese, Analytical Nutrition, Hold and Release Cheese and Nutrition, and Quality Systems groups
- Strengthened cross-functional collaboration, leading to more cohesive teamwork and better overall results.
- Implemented cost-saving initiatives, reducing operational expenses without compromising quality or productivity by streamlining operations.
- Developed key metrics for QE Lab performance and reliability, coached and developed future leaders, performed continuous improvement studies to increase department efficiency, led plant in updating Food Safety program
- Resolved conflicts proactively by facilitating open communication among team members and actively addressing underlying issues. This lead to a GINA award for leadership (peer based nomination with only 1% of all company employees awarded)
Quality Execution Supervisor
Leprino Foods Company
10.2011 - 11.2012
- Responsible for leading Hold and Release team for cheese production
- Worked with Processing and Cheese Operations to ensure all quality issues are addressed properly and timely
- Worked with corporate on exceptions and other quality issues
- Achieved higher efficiency with team by cross training all direct reports and setting standard work.
Quality Assurance and Technical Services Director
Fantasy Cookie Company
07.2006 - 04.2011
- Responsible for implementing quality systems to ensure compliance to all specifications and all federal, state, and county regulations
- Duties include training and maintaining all QA related programs including, but not limited to, GMP, Pest Control Program, Supplier Approval and Verification Program, Allergen Program, Sanitation, Food Safety, and Quality Testing Program
- Perform co-packer audits and qualification audits to ensure compliance to company specifications
- Responsible for organic program
- Responsible for scale up interface of new products including all technical activities relating to new products
- Lead and train auditors for GMP and systems audits
- Maintain co-packed technical reference manuals
- Responsible for all third party audits and customer audits
- Responsible for SQF implementation
- Responsible for administration of ICIX system, iKosher (Kof-K).
Quality Assurance Manager
Coca-Cola Enterprises
11.2024 - 06.2024
- Managed quality assurance supervisors and technicians to ensure compliance to all specifications and regulatory compliance
- Responsible for maintaining Sanitation program, Pest Control Program, Food Safety Program and Quality Assurance Program
- Upgraded quality standards to ensure compliance with Coca-Cola's Quality System certification (ISO implementation)
- Managed all line testing through SPC programs and ensure process capability for all lines
- Duties also included establishing training programs for statistical process control, HACCP for food safety, and training program for new and experienced lab technicians
- Responsible for water quality management (laboratory testing, analysis, and third party result interpretation) and maintenance activities of water plant
- Performed root cause analysis on all quality issues for continuous improvement
- Responsible for all corporate and co-packed audits to ensure compliance.
Quality Assurance Manager
Sunsweet Growers, Inc
01.2002 - 10.2004
- Managed quality assurance laboratory and team of supervisors and technicians to ensure specification and regulatory compliance
- Duties included maintaining and training programs on all Quality Systems including HACCP, Allergen, and GMP programs for beverages and dried fruit products
- Led, trained, and instructed all quality systems related programs yearly
- Audited domestic and international co-packers to ensure compliance with company standards
- Coordinated any line certifications or qualifications and performed commercial sterility testing to ensure food safety and production standard compliance
- Performed regular gap assessment audits to ensure continual improvement of department
- Liaison for co-packed operations.
- Led audit team on quarterly internal audits
- Performed root cause analysis and responded to international and domestic customers' complaints and resolved quality concerns and defects.
- Investigated customer complaints and performed corrective actions to resolve quality issues.
- Also managed two analytical laboratories
- Responsible for quality systems audits through AIB, ASI, NSF, IFS, DFA, and all federal (FDA and DHHS) audits
- Responsible for creating and maintaining department budget within 5% variance.
QA Supervisor/Food Technologist
Bell-Carter Olive Company
07.2000 - 11.2001
- Managed five laboratories and supervised QA inspectors
- Coordinated all regulatory compliance for canning (USDA, Dept
- Of Health and Human Services)
- Managed and administrated all ISO related activities including internal audit program, ISO transition program, process improvement, etc
- Led, trained, and instructed HACCP Program, GMP program, and all quality related programs
- Performed analysis on customer complaints, hold product, internal audit results, corrective actions, and corrective action reports
- Manage and track calibration and certification of all equipment throughout plant
- Conducted research in relation to raw and processed olives
- Assisted in sanitation certification with AIB for maintenance of superior rating
- Participated in all customer quality and sanitation audits
- Coordinated with other departments on all programs for process development, waste reduction, and waste water treatment.
Senior Food Technologist
ABCO Laboratories, Inc
09.1999 - 06.2000
- Assisted in SOP and SSOP training and creating of protocol
- Other duties included sample collection and testing raw materials and finished products to ensure food quality and consistency
- Performed analytical testing of ingredient content (ash, arsenic, sand, heat) through HPLC or GC, and measuring concentration of other ingredients (vitamin C, nitrites, turmeric, etc)
- Also assisted in conducting microbiological assays
- Coordinated with R&D in setting product specifications
- Researched and tested other approved methods of testing for additional assessment of materials
- Spearheaded efforts to improve overall food safety and quality systems, resulting in a reduction of product recalls and increased customer satisfaction.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Food Science And Technology
University of California - Davis
Davis, CA 05.2001 - 05.1998
Skills
Vendor relationship building
Team Leadership
Project Management
Strategic Planning
Relatedskillstrainingcertification
- Better Process Control Certification
- HACCP/PCQI certified
- ISO Lead Auditor Certification
- SAP proficient
- SQF Lead and Practitioner
- QMS Systems
- Six Sigma and CI Analytics
- Genesis
- ICIX administrator
- MS Office Proficient
- Strong Interpersonal Skills
Certification
Better Process Control School
Timeline
Quality Assurance Manager
Coca-Cola Enterprises
11.2024 - 06.2024
Quality Execution Sr. Supervisor
Leprino Foods Company
12.2012 - 07.2017
Quality Execution Supervisor
Leprino Foods Company
10.2011 - 11.2012
Quality Assurance and Technical Services Director
Fantasy Cookie Company
07.2006 - 04.2011
Quality Assurance Manager
Sunsweet Growers, Inc
01.2002 - 10.2004
Bachelor of Science - Food Science And Technology
University of California - Davis
05.2001 - 05.1998
QA Supervisor/Food Technologist
Bell-Carter Olive Company
07.2000 - 11.2001
Senior Food Technologist
ABCO Laboratories, Inc
09.1999 - 06.2000
Manager, Quality Assurance
Leprino Foods Company
8 2017 - Current
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