The candidate has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing leadership roles, including senior management of multi-plant operations. He has a track record of transforming struggling manufacturers into market leaders through strategies like Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement. Currently, the candidate works as Site Director for a large chemical company, where he has led successful improvement projects saving millions. He believes his experience implementing strategies like SMED and extensive background in project management qualify him for the current opportunity.

1. Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself to you. I believe I have the
capabilities and qualifications to meet your business requirements.
I have over 25 years of progressive responsibility and leadership experience in the
manufacturing of both consumer and commercial products, and project/engineering
management. I have established a successful track record through the development of
people, products, and processes. I continue to leave a positive mark on all the places I
work through the use of innovation, creativity, and leadership.
I have been in senior manufacturing management roles for over 15 years with successful
multi-plant management responsibility and experience. I have been involved in
manufacturing continuous improvement work my entire career and have a broad
background in the implementation and transformation deployment of TQ/CI, Lean, and
Six Sigma concepts. While working at Scott Paper Company, the company hired Dr.
Shigeo Shingo to provide consulting and training support. Dr. Shingo was one of the key
people involved in the Toyota Production System. One key area I was exposed to by Dr.
Shingo was SMED quick change-over concepts. While at Scott, I developed a new large
packaging and material handling facility that utilized SMED and Lean concepts. The
project was a tremendous success and became the model for future installations. Since
then I have implemented and utilized SMED concepts on many projects.
While working for the Newark Group as a Division Manager, over a period of years, I
transformed the division from a sub-standard manufacturer to a world-class market leader
with best in industry quality. This required applying Lean/Six Sigma, and Best Practices
and improving their manufacturing processes to perform at better than best available
technology levels utilizing proprietary improvements, most of which I developed. To
date I have saved over $20 million dollars from improvement projects that I personally
developed and led.
I currently work for Huntsman International, a $14 billion dollar chemical company as a
Site Director of a 100+ acre facility. I started with Huntsman as a Manufacturing
Excellence and Transformation Leader specifically to learn the McKinsey & Company
Lean deployment strategy and method which Huntsman has utilized. My first assignment
was to be on a Lean Transformation Team for our Turin, Italy plant. In a three month
improvement wave we identified over 3.7 million euros in savings. After that
assignment, I was promoted to Site Director and have begun transformation work at the
Easton, PA site.
Although I have a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, I also have many years of
electrical experience in factory automation, industrial controls and electrical components.
I have an extensive background in project management and project scheduling including
business critical (24/7) and large CapEx projects. Years of being involved with budgets,
P&L statements and working with Accountants has also given me an appreciation and
understanding of sound financial concepts. Likewise, years of working with sales and
customers, has made me sensitive to the voice of the customer and the fitness for
use/quality of the products we supply them. I also have experience working with

2. marketing, R&D, engineering, and new product development to create new profitable
products.
I have had multi-million dollar budgeting, P&L, and capital planning responsibilities. I
have managed Plant Managers, Manufacturing Managers, Maintenance Managers,
Engineers, Designers, and outsourced contract resources. I have been responsible for
division level management for up to seven facilities. I have worked under traditional and
matrix type organizational structures and in cross functional teams and I am very good at
developing strategic and tactical plans utilizing tools such as critical path scheduling in
the process.
I have led the development of “Best Practices” and innovative and creative improvements
to products, and processes, and equipment. I have experience moving from a large batch
production mentality into a JIT/Lean philosophy with extremely quick turn-around times
while increasing productivity, efficiency, quality, and lowering operating costs. I have a
working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, TPS, TPM, SMED, 5S, Quality Systems, and
Continuous Improvement Concepts. I have been externally trained and certified at a
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt level. I am also very familiar with OSHA and compliance
issues for manufacturing plants, and I am certified by OSHA at the 30 Hour Certification
Level. I have a passion for safety and have improved the safety record at every facility I
have worked at.
I am experienced, comfortable and effective at interfacing and communicating with all
levels of management, company, and customer functions from Boards/CEO to plant floor
hourly employees and on to the customers. I have a strong working knowledge of proper
Manufacturing, Engineering and Design/CAD concepts (Autocad/Solidworks),
Maintenance, Facilities, Machine Shop practices, Developing and Building Machines and
Production Lines, Industrial Electrical and Process Control functions and Product and
Process Development and Optimization. I am a hands-on, get involved and get results
type of person, who doesn't get hung up on job titles but does whatever it takes to get the
job done and achieve results. I am driven by common sense, strategic thinking and have
been described by many as being professional, diplomatic, a team player, and a very
honest person with integrity.
These characteristics have made my employers and me successful and I hope they would
also be the right “fit” for your organization.
Thank you for your consideration of my qualifications. I look forward to hearing from
you concerning this position.
Sincerely,
Richard R. Clark
RichardRClark@aol.com