R. Bruce Buchanan has over 25 years of experience in quality assurance, project management, and operations management for the Department of Defense. He currently serves as the Deputy Program Manager for the Harris TARS Program, where he oversees day-to-day operations and identifies process improvements. Previously, he held quality assurance and project management roles on other defense programs, where he developed metrics to improve performance, implemented process best practices, and ensured compliance with ISO standards. Buchanan also has experience as an F-15E weapons systems officer and instructor pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

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Newport News, VA
R. Bruce Buchanan
R.Bruce.Buchanan@gmail.com Mobile: 757-725-6001
Deputy Program Manager
SUMMARY of QUALIFICATIONS
 ASQ Certified Quality Manager
 Team Leadership
 LSS Green Belt
 Strategic Planning
 ISO 9001 Lead Auditor
 Air Force Flight Operations
WORK HISTORY
Deputy Program Manager, Harris TARS Program, Newport News, VA 8/2016 – present
Manages, operates, and supports the day-to-day activities of all Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS)
facilities, employees, finances, and equipment to achieve successful mission operations and meet all contract
specifications. Identifies, documents, and recommends process improvements and/or potential savings to
the TARS program. Aggressively pursues timely responsiveness to Contracting Officer (CO) or government
program management requests. Closely monitors and accurately documents cost reimbursable, site and
PMO expenditures, and cost projections. Ensures technical reports are provided as required by the CO.
Evaluates project performance and reviews performance of subordinate managers and subcontractors to
ensure achievement of project objectives in a cost-effective manner. Provides guidance, monitoring, and
direction to subcontractors and evaluates subcontractor performance
Quality Assurance Manager/Lead Auditor, Harris TARS Program, Newport News, VA 5/2014 – 8/2016
Managed the Quality Assurance Department for $62.5M per annum FFP operations and maintenance
program involving flight, maintenance and technical operations at eight sites.
 Developed metrics and KPIs resulting in 5.5% radar data quality improvement over one year
 Using Lean Six Sigma techniques, determined root causes and solutions to equipment failures and
external corrective actions (CARs). No CARs after 5/2014
 Achieved 100% award fee score for period Oct 14 – Mar 15
 Implemented best practices process; identified/ applied site practices to program improvement initiatives
 Effected supplier surveillance standards and methods--resulted in changes to material testing and
manufacturing techniques in response to material deficiencies
 Initiated risk based thinking to prepare for ISO 9001:2015 transition
QA Manager/Deputy Program Manager, ExelisFOL-BOS program, Newport News, VA 10/2012 - 5/2014
Managed Quality Assurance Department for $16.2M per annum FFP base ops support (BOS) program.
 Successfully guided the program through an ISO 9001 re-certification audit and surveillance audit
with only two minor non-conformances
 Decreased Governemnt corrective actions over 80%
 Used statistical process control techniques to achieve 76% improvement in mean repair time metrics
and reduce upper control limit 79%
 Assisted the Program Manager (PM) with the development, implementation, coordination, and
management of an Air Force installation BOS contract. Program achieved all “Excellent” CPARS for
FY13; achieved 100% award fee credit one period, 90%+ award fee credit two consecutive periods
Operations Manager, Inspector General Staff, (QA Mgr/Lead Auditor), Langley AFB, VA 2008 – 6/2012
Led 27 cross-functional operations experts in performance improvement inspections of multi-functional
operations. Managed personnel, schedules and resources for Quality Assurance of Air Combat Command
programs, a nationwide 133K person, $1.65B organization.
 Led team, discovered and corrected more than 400 readiness/compliance non-conformances at
organizations of up to 14K staff
 Audited compliance/readiness; diagnosed root causes of problems, suggested solutions to operations
leaders. Improved effectiveness/compliance by an average of 10% in 55 operations programs

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 Delivered ACC Commander (CEO equivalent) an accurate report of units' combat capability, compliance
and trends. Reviewed and revised deliverables prepared by team. Analyzed data to identify trends,
strengths, problems and risks
 Saved over 75 workdays annually for Operations Branch; analyzed requirements, improved inspection
processes and revised inspection instructions for more efficient inspections
 Evaluated, edited and re-wrote quality policies and procedures for alignment with ACC objectives;
established measures of success and means of assessing them
 Wrote and presented QA/QC training materials; mentored new auditors and inspectors through
training period
Deputy Director/Exchange Officer, AOC Development, (Project Manager), Australia 2005 - 2008
Delivered 3-year project to develop the multi-functional operational capability of the Royal Australian Air Force
Air Operations Center (AOC) ahead of schedule despite 100% staff turnover. Programmed, planned and
evaluated resources, training and activities. Established policies and procedures for performance and control of
program functions and technical support.
 Planned/managed $180K annual training and $141K test budgets; achieved all goals within budget.
Presented decision briefs to senior leaders; obtained approval for project plans and change requests
 Built team of 6 direct reports and up to 12 cross-functional experts from other directorates;
coordinated work priorities, monitored methods, procedures, and programs
 Directed strategic planning with more than 15 experts: communicated vision, analyzed environment,
determined tasks, and prioritized and scheduled resources. Commended for “first ever for RAAF”
 Standardized ad-hoc process; developed policy, collaborated with stakeholders, wrote concept and
processes, convinced stakeholders and senior leaders to implement; approved for test and evaluation
10 months after arrival
Assistant Operations Officer, F-15E Instructor/Evaluator, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, 2004 - 2005
Improved mission effectiveness from 73% to 77%, the best-ever result for a $70M flying operations
program encompassing 35K missions and 55K hours for 48 instructors and 88 students. Recognized as
“Instructor Weapon Systems Officer (IWSO) of the Year,” #1/29 IWSOs in the selectively crewed F-15E.
 Overcame 2-week/$2.7M variance to achieve 14% increase in on-time training production
 Achieved the highest on-time rate in group; reorganized officer evaluation program, drafted and edited
performance reports, and recommended promotions and decorations for 35 rated officers
Flight Commander, F-15E Instructor, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC 2002 - 2004
Named “Flight Commander of the Year.” Mentored, trained and developed 31 rated student officers.
 Planned and scheduled student training, monitored progress and transformed sub-standard performance;
each officer graduated on time despite 30% of instructors on deployment
Weapon Systems Officer/F-15E Instructor, various locations/duties worldwide 1989 - 2002
 “Superior rating…7/8 areasoutstanding/excellent” in surety inspection. Improved performance of
multi-function 4.5K-person organization from “marginal;” award for “Outstanding Achievement”
 Performance under pressure – flew over 100 combat missions in the F-15E over Iraq and the Balkans,
earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism in combat
 Scheduled 436 combat missions; 100% of tasking fulfilled
 Managed and improved processes to pass three inspections with “Excellent” rating; supervised
nuclear weapons safety, security and reliability programs for major US Air Force installation overseas
EDUCATION
 Master of Public Administration, University of Oklahoma, 1999
 Bachelor of Arts, Geology, Occidental College, 1984
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Certified Lead Auditor for Quality Management Systems, RAB/QSA (Exemplar Global), 2014
 LSS Green Belt, Exelis, 2014
 Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, ASQ, 2013