Sean Hedden has over 20 years of experience in lean manufacturing, reducing costs and waste through techniques like value stream mapping and 5S. He has held several engineering and management roles implementing lean initiatives to improve production rates, quality, and profit margins. Currently he works at Gold Eagle Co. leading organizational change and fostering a lean culture to achieve manufacturing excellence and annual cost savings.

1. 1
Sean Hedden
Sean Hedden
21W624 Glen Valley Drive Home (630) 474-6003
Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137 Shedden04@gmail.com Mobile (630) 935-2947
QUALIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS:
· A results-oriented Lean Manufacturing professional, with over twenty years experience eliminating waste,
supply chain constraints and improving efficiencies in both high and low volume environments.
· Proven record of success increasing production rates and profit margins while reducing costs: Lean certified
to effectively reduce waste and increase operational efficiency (Toyota Production System, Value Stream Mapping,
5S, Standardized Work & Visual Management)
· Enthusiastic, goal-driven change agent with an attention to detail track record, an eye for operational excellence while
serving as an advocate for voice of the customer (Six Sigma Green Belt certified).
History of building relationships and motivating colleagues to achieve measurable success in deadline-driven
environments.
· Strong interpersonal skills, executive presence and ability to coach and counsel senior management in policy
deployment and change management.
CAREER OVERVIEW:
Gold Eagle Co., Chicago, IL (July 2015 – Present)
Engineering Manufacturing
Joined Gold Eagle to lead organizational change by fostering a lean environment while establishing GMP's to
achieve Manufacturing excellence. Responsible for creating sustainable results through coaching and training cross
functional teams on tools to drive cultural changes in both process and resources to improve year end business
metrics. The department is responsible to provide 200K of annual savings in addition to reducing time-to-market
for new product development.
- Support Executive management; due diligence, cost analysis, for strategic acquisitions to strengthen brands.
- Drive Lean Initiatives for Gold Eagle by implementing robust engineered solutions to increase product quality
through Amazon sales channel.
Curtiss Wright, Arlington Heights, IL (March 2008 – June 2015)
Sr. Manufacturing Engineer / Value Stream Manager
Manage value streams to drive efficiency in costing and labor standards for 30MM hybrid power electronics
division. Lead change agent in organization responsible to mentor and coach adoption of lean culture to associates
and managers.
- Oversee all aspects of cell design and layout to reduce waste and carry minimal inventory for JIT
operations; reduced inventory levels by 2 million dollars.
- Manage teams through Kaizen events on line balancing and operator loading to increase production
output 300 percent.
- Conduct weekly meetings to identify continuous improvement opportunities presented on A3 forms serving
as the project charter with status and action items listed for team members upon project approval.
- Project management responsibilities include quoting new programs, cost/benefit justifications, business
process mapping, APQP resource planning and execution through program life cycle.
- Support Lean Council for Curtiss Wright Organization and lead 5S committee to drive core values.
Manufacturing Engineer (September 2007 – March 2008)
Joined the Arens team to acquire a 10MM company offsite in California. Responsible to learn the product portfolio
onsite, orchestrate moving the operation and successfully launch upon arrival.
- Coordinate and direct the improvement of the value streams by bringing manufacturing back to the US;
reducing cost and eliminating long lead times.
- Orchestrate the launch of low volume high mix model product requirements.
- Changed the work execution from batch building to single piece flow decreasing order lead-time and work
in process.
- Reduced changeover time by 80% using SMED techniques.

2. 2
Sean Hedden
Accomplishments:
· Exceeded customer’s expectation; refined production process to provide one years worth of product in 3 months
totaling 24MM; completed task early and under budget with no additional resources added.
· Transformed a manual, hand written, production-tracking system by developing a digital traceability database
interfaced to an ERP system using .Net application and creating paperless production lines.
· Instrumental in launching an inverter line for Norwegian Car Company, Think Global’s electric car; “City”.
SUMMIT POLYMERS INC, Chicago, IL (October 2005 – September 2007)
Manufacturing Manager / Launch Champion
Tier one supplier of interior components to Ford located at Chicago Manufacturing Campus (Ford assembly plant).
Responsible for integrating and launching new model year programs, maintaining all assembly equipment as well
as coordinating the procurement of new machinery in compliance to TPS (Toyota Production Systems).
Develop and design production flow through facility in a Pull system triggered by, a real time, production
broadcast, packaged in sequence and shipped hourly to Fords production line.
- Oversee all aspects of 2008 program launch requirements and ensure a successful integration of new product
capability into current equipment. Create business plan documents for Manufacturing process and forecasts
on current production to multi-stage development strategy throughout product rollout.
- Conduct cost / benefits analysis, energy consumption surveys, break-even analysis and P&L statements.
- Design and incorporate Heijunka box visual management to level production as well as manage all kanban
boards in plant for over all effectiveness.
MICROPLASTICS INC, St. Charles, Illinois (March 2004 – June 2005)
Project Manager / Automation Engineer
Responsible for control system design, specification, wiring, programming, simulation and validation of
assembly line and test equipment. Coordinated and conducted training of shift personnel and supervisors on
appropriate practice procedures using lean manufacturing initiatives. Executed all aspects of project
management duties, including: tracking bill of materials, timeline of project, generating work instructions,
process control procedures and preventative maintenance schedules.
- Programmed Fanuc robots, servos, SCADA, HMI and Cognex vision systems to conduct quality audits.
- Served as a liaison in a cross-functional product development team providing design for manufacturing input
to increase complete project efficiency and communications.
- Plumbed airlines, solenoids, and wired electrical monitoring circuits complying with OSHA safety standards.
- Used creativity to retrofit and improve upon existing equipment by modifying fixtures and processes.
- Lead engineer within company for solder applications.
Accomplishments:
· Successfully acquired PPAP approval status as project engineer in charge of a 3.5M project for General
Motors. Project consisted of a 13 station, fully automated, assembly line with a 7.5 second cycle time.
· Met and maintained customer’s quality criteria of allowing no more than 3% fall-out.
VANART ENGINEERING, Franklin Park, Illinois
Project Manager, Progressive Dies (1993 - 2000)
Managed resources for a team of 5 staff members. Acted as a liaison with freelance designers and internal
departments on project status and opportunities for increased efficiency. Organized and planned
creative and technical aspects of new tools, encompassing workflow, expediting and out-sourcing.
- Devised tooling modifications and procedures to successfully increase production runs from 300 to 600%.
EDUCATION:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Conferred, May 2010
Lean Certification & Six Sigma Green Belt
DeVRY University, Addison, IL Conferred, October 2003
Bachelor of Science, Electronics Engineering Technology
Graduated with honors (Cum Laude 3.53/4.0)