EDWARD KENNEDY 2702 Stratford Drive  *  Temple, TX 76502  *   [Send email to request phone number] 42-1422  * 
 [Send email to request phone number] 21-5657  *  1 of 2 

Accomplished and proven manufacturing EXECUTIVE with over 20 years of experience
driving continuous improvement, productivity, quality, and profit margin growth
across a wide range of operating environments. Adept at building, leading, and
empowering high-performance teams; leading product introductions; and
implementing automation and tracking/monitoring systems in order to meet and
exceed both manufacturing goals and business objectives. An innovative and highly
skilled leader with extensive knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous
Improvement, Kaizen Events, One-Piece Flow, Just-in-Time, Kanban, Visual
Management, Workstation Optimization, and Employee Involvement. Additional areas
of expertise include:

P&L Responsibility  *  Customer Service  *  Systems Implementation/Integration 
*  Inventory Control  *  Labor/Union Relations
Operations Management  *  Process Improvement  *  Team Facilitation  *  Total
Quality Management  *  Cost/Budget Control
Strategic Planning  *  Project Management  *  Training/Development  * 
Communications  *  Warehousing/Shipping  *  Engineering

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS

 *  Turned around a company  's manufacturing operation from a -0.3% operating
margin (prior to taking over) to a +14% operating margin over the span of four
years. 
 *  Led the launch of a company  's largest product line (over 50 models), which
included a capital investment of more than $700K   * the innovative product line
and design was above the level of all competitors. 
 *  Successfully completed two major plant redesigns to meet the seasonal demand
and product fluctuation from year to year. First, from a traditional manufacturer
to a product line manufacturer; and second, an evolution to a    Star Product
Concept    (with predictable change areas and low-volume/volatile demand areas).
Overcame oppositions to each change and established Artco-Bell as a lean
manufacturer.
 *  Directed the design, development, and deployment of over 50 Continuous
Improvement Kaizen Events (training package) that improved schedule adherence,
streamlined floor space, decreased accidents, reduced inventory, and decreased
costs. Laminate Area: reduced costs by 15% and improved productivity by 20%;
Chair Line: streamlined operators from 12 to 8 while increasing yield from 1,400
to 1,900; Student Desk Line: reduced operators from 8 to 4 while increasing
output from 800 to 960 desks.
 *  Achieved a Complete and On Time (COT) rate of 98% after working with IT to
develop an Available to Promise scheduling system that allowed the company to
give promise dates to customers.
 *  Reduced the labor needed for the summer peak season as well as increased
storage accuracy 75% after redesigning the warehousing and shipping system   *
implemented both new internal computer system and standard operational procedures
with the operators, including auditing procedures.
 *  Produced annual savings of $300K through the vertical integration of
fabrication parts into a company  's welding work cells. Led ten breakthrough,
Continuous Improvement Kaizen Events that reduced total cycle time (up to 40%),
floor space (up to 46%), linear feet of travel (up to 61%), and labor (up to 30%)
across multiple production lines. 
 *  Increased first-pass yield by 12% in three months after initiating quality
efforts/focus in final assembly.
 *  Obtained 100% certification of fabricated parts at the four sigma level with
51% certification of overall parts and assemblies after implementing Statistical
Process Control (SPC) division-wide. 

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

ARTCO-BELL CORPORATION / a division of SAGUS International (Temple, Texas)
General Manager 2007-2009
Directed the overall manufacturing, warehousing/shipping, engineering,
accounting, and customer service operations for this $70M classroom furniture
manufacturer with 350 employees (including 290 union personnel) as well as 150
additional seasonal personnel. Manufacturing included metal fabrication, tube
bending, electrostatic powder coat finishing, welding (manual and robotic),
nickel plating, injection molding, upholstery, wood shop, and assembly. Oversaw
P&L and a $50M annual operating budget with $1.5M for capital.
 *  Ensured that all new bill of materials (BOM) and existing BOMs were accurate
within a high-volume environment by developing and implementing a BOM audit
program.
 *  Released the industry  's first fire-retardant stack chair that passed the
TB CAL 133 (after 18 months of investigation and testing) along with a robust
student desk line and activity tables.
 *  Started the company  's monthly newsletter and established the   ˜Spirit of
Artco-Bell  ' Award (for positive behavior). Increased internal communications
and developed an employee call-in number that announced planned and unplanned
schedule changes.
 *  Spearheaded the initiative to obtain GreenGuard certification for all of the
company  's products (in response to competitors). 
 *  Achieved an improved response time of one hour (to get raw materials to
their proper department), eliminating delays, after designing a new receiving
process, creating standard operating procedures, implementing bar coding, and
establishing a performance measurement/tracking system.
EDWARD KENNEDY  [Send email to request phone number] 42-1422  *   *  2 of 2
ARTCO-BELL CORPORATION / a division of SAGUS International (Temple, Texas)
General Manager Continued
 *  Decreasing the time to get orders into the system as well as streamlined
related personnel by 16% after implementing a paperless customer service system
along with visual management tools.
 *  Contributed to increasing efficiencies from 82% to over 100% by instituting
a productivity tracking report for each department.
 *  Led various additional initiatives: created a   ˜green team  ' to improve
environmental footprint (purchased electricity from a company that provided
energy from green sources); saved $30K annually and cut inventory by 70% by
negotiating the return of molds to China; and redesigned packaging to better
protect products and improve warehouse stacking.
 *  Developed an alternative source for desk pedestals in San Antonio, Texas
(instead of China) following a spike in steel prices and a tax change in China on
sub-assemblies.
 *  Created a mini-   Quality Training Session    with the quality department
that focused on the importance of product quality with product diagrams of top
items to identify (inspect).

Vice President of Manufacturing 1996-2007
Provided leadership to manufacturing, warehousing/shipping, engineering, and
quality control   * including a 315 workforce (with 290 union employees) and a
$20M operating budget with $1.5M in capital.
 *  Increased injection molding capacity by 50%+ by adding additional two
machines and streamlining the operation. After completely replacing all robotic
welding machines (12), improved productivity 20%. Increase output/yield 30% by
upgrading both plating lines along with additional capital enhancements.
 *  Led manufacturing through a major system conversion from BPCS to QAD,
streamlining the systems of the company  's three divisions into one; gathered
and defined the new system  's requirements.
 *  Built both a Tool Room and a Quality Department from the ground up   *
including a 2,000 square foot testing lab to achieve BIFMA standards as well as a
10,000 square foot tool room for preventative maintenance. Maintained a strong
quality control focus and ensured production specifications were met.
 *  Improved tracking and reduced inventory by utilizing Kanban scheduling and a
Wait/Work Board in Fabrication.
 *  Played a key role assuming manufacturing leadership of American Desk
(competitor) and integrating their products into Artco-Bell  's facility   *
during the transition, was in charge of all manufacturing of three separate
plants.
 *  Successfully negotiated four collective bargaining agreements with the local
union (International Machinist Union)   * established a merit-based increase
system for the union along with other changes that strengthened the company.
 *  Improved safety and reduced recordable injuries by 60% through key changes
in machine guarding practices as well as tow motor safety   * started a
cross-functional safety committee that investigated and followed up on all
accidents.
 *  Introduced a higher value product line (Prodigy) that positioned the company
into a different/stronger price point.

HILL-ROM COMPANY / a division of Hillenbrand Industries (Batesville, Indiana) 
Director of Manufacturing * Bed Division 1993-1996
Led the overall manufacturing operations of a division with gross sales of $280
million, 350 employees including 240 union members, and a $24M operating budget
with $2M for capital (part of a global manufacturer of hospital care handling
systems with $900M in revenue). Oversaw planning and scheduling, manufacturing
engineering, industrial engineering, design engineering, quality assurance,
production, and procurement.
 *  Reduced average finished goods inventory (Advance, Century, and Manual Bed
lines) by 35% by working to ship dates and maintaining 100% on-schedule
adherence. 
 *  Saved $100K in fixed costs by implementing pull systems in the Fabrication
Area.
 *  Implemented numerous new products, including Eurobed, Advance 2000 (Three
Motor), Advance 2000 (Four Motor), Advance ZoneAire (at the four sigma level, a
company first), and Long Term Care Product.

Manager of Assemble-to-Order Project 1992-1993
Recruited and built a project team to execute a new manufacturing strategy of
Assemble to Order (ATO); performed strategy design/development, assessment, and
implementation. Co-led the Employee Involvement Steering committee. Developed
guidelines for Involvement and Self-Directed Work teams.
 *  Successfully implemented ATO concepts into the Overbed Table Line, which
reduced