Daniel Universal works in Canton, Mississippi, a 4.6 million square foot vehicle assembly plant, employing 6,300 individuals. The facility produces the Nissan Altima, Sentra, Armada, Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Murano & Commercial Van. We are a 3 shift operation, with an annual production capacity of 455,000 units per year. Mr. Universal is a competent trusted leader who builds credible teams. He is a first-class motivator who works with a passion to deliver results. Proven track record of leading cultural change and developing an organization focused on process excellence and continuous improvement. Accomplished operations manager with ability to translate strategy and opportunity into operational results that successfully support business and financial objectives. Has 22 years of experience in Product Design, Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Quality and Program Management. Specialties: Lean Manufacturing Toyota Production System Nissan Production Way Process Optimization Theory of Constraints Project Management Program Launch Shainin Red X Problem Solving Six Sigma - DMAIC Methodology Quality Management Systems Total Productive Maintenance P&L Responsibility EBITDA Growth Capture Management Powertrain Machining Assembly Operations Motivational Leadership Employee & Labor Relations Change Management Strategic Planning Value Creation Product Planning

Senior Manager - Product Quality Assurance / Program Management @ - Reported to Director of Quality. Established a comprehensive plan to improve J.D. Power & Consumer Reports Initial Quality Surveys that focused on practical problem solving, change management, process capability & quality management systems with customer satisfaction being the #1 priority. - Facility awarded J.D. Power and Associated 2010 Initial Quality Mid-Sized Car [ Altima ], 2012 Highest Ranked Appeal SUV [ Armada ] and 2010/11 Consumer Reports Top Pick Family Sedan [ Altima ]. - Improved "On-Time" delivery performance. Analyzed value stream maps to optimize process flow, purchased vehicle tracking system & cross trained (265) repair technicians which minimized lead time while increasing DSTAR ( Delivery Schedule Time Achievement Ratio ) from 86% to 95% in 2011/2. - Re-instituted accountability and an organized environment which reduced salary & hourly overtime by more than $2.8M / year. First to achieve LOH core efficiency budget in Pre-Delivery Department. - Program Management lead for new model launch of 11MY X61F ( Van ), 12MY L42L ( Altima ), 12.5MY X61B ( Frontier/Xterra ), 13MY L12F ( Sentra ) & 14MY P42M ( Murano ). Validated quality KPI's at Digital Phase, Production Trials, SOP & SOS. Capital and Investment targets were exceeded by 12%. - Decreased warranty @ 3MIS on two highest volume vehicles from 31 PPH on Altima to 8 PPH & from 42 PPH on Frontier to 12 PPH from 2012 to 2014 through an intense focus on Straight Through Ratio. - Enhanced internal indicators to support Power 88 Mid-Term plan. Strategy developed that broke up data into two categories; Chronic & Long Tail concerns. First was attacked by addition of task force teams ( Water Leak, Harness Connections, Chips/Dents/Scratches & Fit/Finish ), that reduced DPHU from 152 to 34. - Initiated annual Innovation Conference. Latest technological products were showcased for applications in our facility. Most recent event had 65 different companies, with an attendance of 1,300 participants. From November 2011 to Present (4 years 2 months) Senior Manager - Manufacturing Assembly Operations @ - Reported to Director of Manufacturing. Accountable for (6) mid-level managers, (38) first-level supervisors & (685) technicians. Achieved & sustained department KPI’s. Operating budget exceeded $75M / year. - Developed a business plan ( road map ); set objectives, targets, strategies, control items & tracking mechanisms. Communicated to employees, obtained their input & commitment, towards a common goal. Made decisions, considered immediate & long-term implications, benefits & costs, and risks associated with alternatives. - Strengthened management safety culture. Lowered Lost Time, Recordable & Incident Rates by 46%. Measured audit effectiveness. Set-up ergonomic job rotations. - Added poka-yokes to prevent “flow-out“, removed non-torque controlled battery & pneumatic tools, installed DC electric guns & interlocked with conveyor for Automatic Line Stops. - Used Automatic Guided Vehicles, low cost automation & "Block Kitting" concepts to improve efficiency. Benefits realized; minimized waste, increased value added work content, removed (58) Direct Labor heads, reduced decision making process, simplified re-balance complexity, improved part presentation & associated material handling. - Raised plant cost competitiveness level through DSTR & CPU / MHU reductions. Pulled out fixed heads, trapped labor & reduced over speed. Re-allocated elements, saved $14M in 2008/9. - Mitigated constraints to attain scheduled delivery commitments. Department had been missing build by 1,200 vehicles a month. Boosted revenue by $3.6M a month in 2010/11 as a result. - Mentored, supported & motivated high potential team members. Hired/promoted staff as required. Taught Emotional Intelligence & Situational Leadership concepts. - Selected to participate in global CFT, challenged VP’s on policies & procedures. Proposals submitted; Capacity Utilization / Volume Flexibility, Equipment Sourcing Options, New Model Budget Setting & Over Specification as it relates to high costs. From January 2008 to November 2011 (3 years 11 months) Superintendent - Production / New Model Launch Coordinator @ - Reported to Senior Manager of BIW & Final Assembly. Applied Lean Manufacturing Principles in safely producing high quality, on-time products to meet customer and profitability expectations at Warren Truck Assembly Plant. Established production metrics & performance standards for a staff of (9) supervisors & (242) associates over a three shift operation. Annual operating budget of $34M. - Trained & certified Shainin Red X Journeyman ( Black Belt ). Leveraged Toolbox ( Pareto, Isoplot, Strategy Diagram, Multi-Vari, Concentration Diagram, BOB/WOW, Tolerance Parallelogram, etc. ) to converge on source of variation; scrap was decreased by $5.75M in 2006/7. Projects concluded; thrust face & spherical radius. - Identified bottlenecks that had constrained throughput. Formed problem solving teams, planned & prioritized work with PDCA’s, then allocated required resources; JPH jumped by over 40% in 2005. - Determined optimal buffer space between operations so process could continue without being blocked or starved. Balanced trade-off between costs for those buffers and increased WIP vs benefits of additional throughput due to de-coupling on retooled WK ( Grand Cherokee ) line. Schedule attainment sustained over 98% vs. an 84% rate the previous calendar year. - Integrated 5-S principles into daily requirements; thereby providing a safe, clean, efficient arrangement where tools, equipment & materials have a specific location. DART Rate improved by 29%. - Bench marked Visual Management tools such as standardized work displays, foot printing & scoreboards to identify abnormalities which required immediate corrective action. - Spearheaded small team concept of job rotations & shared roles / responsibilities, which reduced absenteeism by 18% & enhanced morale via operator involvement. - Employed “ Bank of One ”strategy to reduce non-conforming parts & verified with Layered Process Audits. Utilized mutilation teams & disciplined quality gates to contain defects in station. From December 2005 to January 2008 (2 years 2 months) Manager - Manufacturing Engineering / Project Management @ - Managed Engineering Operations at Detroit Axle Plant with responsibilities for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost & Morale. Led, coached & supervised a team of (32) Manufacturing Process, Electrical Controls & Plant Facility personnel that exceeded departmental goals by 25%. - Supported Project Management of 2004 HB ( Dodge Durango ) & 2005 ND ( Dodge Dakota ) Launch; by coordinating design, build & approval of machining equipment, fixtures, gages & cutting tools. - Planned, developed & implemented program plans to fulfill contract & business requirements within approved budget & schedule constraints. Managed revenue, profit & financial goals to support overall business. - Accountable for key Project Management metrics; Voice of Customer Elements, Work Breakdown Structure, Integrated Product Teams, Integrated Master Plan & risk management. - Trained & certified as Shainin Red X Apprentice ( Green Belt ). Using this data driven problem-solving approach, we minimized departmental scrap cost by $2.4M in 2003/4. Projects concluded; oversized bores, thin flanges & shaft length. - Developed a standardized check list to assess, respond & resolve quality issues related to workability / craftsmanship, automated devices, mis-builds, online re-processes & in-system damage at the station level; which reduced Station Direct Run Loss by 38% & Customer Satisfaction Audit Scores by 46%. - Introduced & modernized tooling, which resulted in a cost reduction of $1.6M in 2003/4. This included; HSS & carbide drills, CBN / PCD inserts & milling cutters. - Eliminated (31) heads through process improvements, layout rearrangements & additional automation resulting in a total cost reduction of $3.8M in 2003/4. - Increased Direct Run FTC from 87% to 94%, by designing Error & Mistake proofing features into products & processes, which provided " Built-In-Quality " & decreased plant PPM levels by 42%. - Used Kepner Tregoe Problem Solving Analysis Tools to resolve "Special Cause" deviations. From June 2003 to December 2005 (2 years 7 months) Manager - Maintenance & Reliability / Central Facilities @ - Facilitated, directed & trained (6) supervisors and (128) UAW skilled tradesmen at Mack II Engine Plant. Obtained maximum utilization of people & equipment engaged in 3.7L V6 Engine Assembly to conform with vehicle quality standards, scheduled volume & budgeted costs. - Utilized OEE, MTTR & MTBF data to develop & implement a TPM program resulting in throughput improvements of 26%. Initiated zero breakdown Kaizen activities such as vibration analysis, oil analysis, infrared inspection, ultrasound & particle dye tests. - Led continuous improvement activities that contributed to a 12% productivity increase. Labor Hours Per Engine was reduced from 4.24 to 3.76, which put us in 3rd place for 6 Cylinder OHC segment in the 2003 Harbour Report. - Placed visual indicators on equipment such as gage level markings, lube points & valve normally open / closed tags to make inspection easier. Displayed visual abnormality tags to indicate equipment opportunities such as leaks, wear and tear & malfunctioning components. Achieved 99% PM compliance. - Created an environment where communication & trust is conducive to improved job satisfaction. Encouraged participation in MQAS & PQI which strengthened employee involvement by 30%. - Provided detailed line-ups of weekly maintenance activities & follow-up issues. - Procured OEM supplier services & obtained replacement / spare parts as required. - Maintained facility compliance to all OSHA & ISO 14001 requirements. - Completed the following technical training classes; 1. CNC Programming " Turn G Code " ( GE Fanuc ) 2. Power Mate D Servo & Spindle Maintenance ( GE Fanuc ) 3. Industrial Hydraulics ( Vickers ) 4. Industrial Pneumatics ( Rexroth ) 5. Machine Tool Turret Technology ( Sauter ) 6. Lubrication Systems ( Trabon ) 7. Robot Programming ( ABB ) 8. High Speed Spindle Bearing Technology ( NSK ) 9. Modicon PLC Programming ( Square D ) 10. Machining Principles & Cutting Tool Technology ( Carboloy ) 11. GD&T Principles ( Meadows ) From July 2000 to June 2003 (3 years) Senior Engineer - Manufacturing Process / Tooling @ - Worked with Product & Manufacturing Engineering, Suppliers and New Model Groups to estimate, design, develop and launch Facilities and Tooling to support product design changes, platform capacity expansions & future vehicle programs. - Completed PN-96, UN-93 & FN-145 Facilities / Tooling Cost & Timing Studies. Evaluated part design at concept stage to resolve manufacturing feasibility issues. - Purchased $125M in new equipment from APN phase through runoff and installation. - Reviewed equipment specifications for safety, capability, reliability & durability. - Acquired; CNC mills & lathes, spline rollers, induction hardeners, straighteners, drills, grinders, polishers, washers, stud presses, conveyors, overhead gantries & robots. - Launched highly flexible Lean Manufacturing systems & focused on process-driven product design, process were quickly retooled by using CNC's to adjust fixtures & tailstock centers. - Conducted gage development & purchased gages for New Model Programs. - Limited past things-gone-wrong by developing PFMEA’s that met design intent. - Coordinated (25) skilled trades in the installation of new equipment during set-up & launch. Established training matrix for production personnel. Stocked required spare parts. - Implemented a Quality Control Plan per APQP guidelines for Axle Shaft & Gear Business Units. This included; Process Illustrations, Control & Reaction Plans, Repair & Acceptance Standards, Process Flow Diagrams and Operation Sheets. - Verified supplier’s quality processes have been executed via PPAP submission & production processes are capable of producing quality parts in sufficient quantity. - Researched, wrote & implemented cost savings projects which eliminated $38M in LOH. - Reduced process Lead Time by 45%, while eliminating waste & non-value added activities. - Improved machine reliability & up-time by preventing problems from re-occurring using 5-Why root cause analysis, thus identifying & eliminating repetitive problems. From May 1997 to July 2000 (3 years 3 months) Engineer - Product Design & Development @ - Designed, developed, tested & released 4.6L V8 engine components and sub assemblies for Cost, Quality & Performance specifications. Prepared drawings, Bill of Materials and Engineering Change Notices & resolved technical challenges. - Worked with corporate Vehicle Platform Engineers in development of DOE’s that optimized fuel economy by 23% & met required emission targets. - Completed structural dynamic Finite Element Analysis calculations on engine components to ensure that they were light enough to keep vehicle weight down, yet still capable of handling additional loads. - Collaborated with Noise Vibration Harness Engineers to isolate mechanical vibrations thereby reducing structural noise 14%, through implementation of enhanced materials to absorb energy. - Optimized valve & plug locations which improved airflow & combustion 22%, using Computational Fluid Dynamic numerical methods and algorithms. - Participated with Reliability & Durability Engineers to reduce Warranty issues related to EPUS, C/100 & P/$10K @ 12MIS by $6.5M in 1995/6. Developed corrective action plans as required. - Investigated cost reduction design proposals for current MY production engines with Resident Engineers at Romeo Engine Plant; saved $750K in 1994/5. Supported pre-production build, reduced launch curve by achieving full production 2 months earlier than planned. - Put together DFMEA's with stress analysis team members to prevent crankshaft fractures by improving fillet radius parameters and tensile & fatigue bending strength. - Conducted tolerance stack up of engine components to assess manufacturability of design before production, ensuring consistent fit & verifying schemes before product goes into production. - Constructed & executed comprehensive DVP&R's involving coordination of cross functional resources. - Selected as one of Ward's 10 Best Engines in 1997. The selection takes into account power and torque output, NVH levels, technical relevance & basic comparative numbers. From January 1994 to May 1997 (3 years 5 months) Supervisor - Production ( Co-Op Student / Internship ) @ - Reported to General Supervisor of Heat Exchangers. Managed hourly work group of (35) technicians; provided guidance, leadership and motivation to ensure that all productivity goals were achieved. - Focused on leading safety indicators, as opposed to lagging; such as orientations conducted, inspections completed and root cause analysis on "near misses" to test integrity of existing controls. Accident rates from prior year [ 1992 ] were decreased by 65% using this proactive approach. - Set up zone tracking boards, disciplined quality gates and recurrence prevention activity to prevent defects from being passed on to downstream processes. Improved internal indicators by 16% in Basic Audit and 24% in Functional Audit. External warranty claims were reduced by $400K in 1993. - Relocated off-line pressure test repair area in-line to provide quicker feedback. Removed (2) heads/shift, for an overall reduction of (6) heads. Lowered scrap costs by $150K as a result of better leak detection. - Streamlined equipment set-up and heater core changeover process, which reduced overtime by 20%. Worked to continuously improve pipe and form adaptability, allowing for a quicker connect interface, which further removed waste and led to a $125K improvement in operating supply budget in 1993. - Adjusted manpower & layouts due to changes in line speed & JPH. Updated Standard Operations Sheets & completed job observations to ensure allocations were aligned with QS9000/TS16949 systems. - Troubleshot & analyzed problems to exceed delivery schedule. Increased daily rate from 2,280 cores/shift to 2,639. Maintained work flow by examining steps of process, setting process variables, observing control points & monitoring resources. Created detailed training plan & scheduled accordingly. - Administered fair and consistent corrective discipline when needed. Adhered to local and national agreements. Decreased number of grievances issued by union from 98 to 75 from previous year's total. From January 1993 to December 1993 (1 year)

Master of Science (M.S.), Engineering Managment - Production Systems, 3.3/4.0 @ State University of New York at Buffalo From 1991 to 1993 Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Manufacturing / Industrial Engineering, 3.0/4.0 @ State University of New York at Buffalo From 1986 to 1991 Regents Honors Diploma @ Niagara Catholic High School From 1982 to 1986 Daniel Universal is skilled in: MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Visio, MS Project, MS Access, AutoCAD, Minitab, Windows OS, C++, Pro/Engineer, 5S, APQP, Access, Analysis