Chris Etter
Pawnee,IL
Summary
Strategic and results-driven Manager with over 30 years of leadership in manufacturing, continuous improvement, quality assurance, and engineering. Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with 25+ years of experience deploying Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance product quality across both manufacturing and transactional operations. Recognized for building and mentoring high-performance teams, improving throughput, and delivering sustainable process improvements.
Proven track record in leading complex projects, resolving field issues, and enhancing customer satisfaction through data-driven decision-making and proactive leadership. Adept at fostering cross-functional collaboration, optimizing operations, and aligning strategic goals with day-to-day execution. A trusted and adaptable leader committed to operational excellence, employee engagement, and exceeding business objectives.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, and Continuous Improvement
Grain and Protein Technologies
04.2022 - Current
- Led the manufacturing engineering team and quality team, providing guidance, mentoring, and training to ensure the team's success and professional growth
- Plans, develops, and enhances strategies to improve production processes and product development
- Develop and implement manufacturing processes and procedures to optimize production safety, quality, and efficiency
- Plans, develops, enhances, and maintains quality, manufacturing engineering, and continuous improvement systems, providing continuous improvement to all products manufactured by operations to meet or exceed our customers' expectations
- Implement methods to inspect, test, and evaluate products and production equipment
- Manage and coordinate process improvement activities through direct staff and by influencing operations staff
- Ensuring that products adhere to quality standards
- Preparing reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing data
- Working according to deadlines for the delivery of products
- Training and managing production line staff in production practices and quality assessment of goods
- Analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to review systems, find flaws, and pose solutions to those flaws
- Train and mentor, the quality team on best practices for quality standards utilizing existing quality tools and new applicable tools
- Training and support of plant personnel for Six Sigma tools
- Train and mentor Six Sigma Green Belts & Black Belts
- Developed comprehensive training programs for continuous improvement teams to enhance productivity
- Enhanced process efficiency with detailed root cause analysis and problem-solving techniques
- Integrated data-driven decision-making to streamline operations and reduce waste
- Led cross-functional teams to drive performance improvements and achieve operational excellence
- Delivered successful projects, applying advanced statistical tools and methodologies
- Mentored Green Belts and Black Belts to advance their skill sets and project outcomes
- Standardized work procedures across departments, resulting in greater consistency and improved communication among teams
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance
- Controlled costs to keep business operating within budget and increase profits
- Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention
- Leveraged data and analytics to make informed decisions and drive business improvements
- Set aggressive targets for employees to drive company success and strengthen motivation
- Established performance goals for employees and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones
- Organized professional development programs for staff, leading to improved performance and skill sets
Engineer, Warranty & Quality
AGCO
11.2020 - 03.2022
- Investigate warranty issues within the manufacturing plant and RMA for disposition and root cause and provide data summaries for engineering evaluations
- Maintain and monitor warranty databases, ensuring appropriate and timely responses and corrective actions
- Compile and present warranty summary data, including monthly cross-functional meetings
- Assist quality engineers with problem-solving and resolving quality issues, including analytical support
- Training and support of plant personnel for Six Sigma tools
- Train and mentor Six Sigma Green Belts & Black Belts
- Developed innovative solutions to improve system efficiency and reliability
- Enhanced product quality by implementing rigorous testing protocols
- Led cross-functional teams for successful project execution
- Generated technical reports for customers
- Determined design criteria or specifications
- Coordinated activities with suppliers, contractors or other departments
Manager, Quality and Process Improvement & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Bunn
07.2013 - 06.2020
- I developed, trained, and mentored various corporate engineering staff on the Design FMEA and Process FMEA
- I developed a process to increase the root cause analysis skills of the quality departments at multiple sites to eliminate many recurring nonconformances
- Supporting quality improvement and control functions with business process re-engineering
- Providing industry-specific designs and quality processes to cope with quality aspects
- Assisting the organization to learn and implement Six Sigma processes for having a flexible operations management system
- Demonstrating quality concepts and procedural developments to handle advanced manufacturing processes
- Training on quality tools is part of the body of knowledge from the ASQ Certified Quality Engineer and Quality Technician toolbox
- Improved team performance by motivating staff and setting clear goals
- Streamlined operations for enhancing workflow efficiency
- Fostered positive workplace culture with open-door policy
- Achieved business goals with effective leadership and strategic vision
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery
- Investigate warranty issues within the manufacturing plant and RMA for disposition and root cause and provide data summaries for engineering evaluations
- Provided technical assistance when necessary in order to resolve complex product issues
- Developed strategies for resolving customer complaints quickly and efficiently
- Identified potential problems and recommended solutions for improving the quality of products offered by the company
- Analyzed customer feedback and identified areas of improvement in the product support process
- Cultivated culture of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement while providing operational leadership
- Maintain and monitor warranty databases, ensuring appropriate and timely responses and corrective actions
- Compile and present warranty summary data, including monthly cross-functional meetings
- Assist quality engineers with problem-solving and resolving quality issues, including analytical support
- Training and mentoring of plant quality personnel for Six Sigma tools as well as Green Belts & Black Belts
- Developed innovative solutions to improve system efficiency and reliability
- Enhanced product quality by implementing rigorous testing protocols
- Led cross-functional teams for successful project execution
Manager, Site Continuous Improvement & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Clopay
09.2012 - 06.2013
- Develop and teach Lean and Six Sigma curricula with global colleagues, including Lean Management, Autonomous Maintenance, SMED, 5S, SPC, Hypothesis Testing, and Designs of Experiments
- Promote and lead activities that identify all forms of waste through Value Stream Mapping, 5 Why/Cause Mapping, and Kaizen
- Training and support of plant personnel for Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma tools
- Assist in developing and maintaining Global Lean Standards
- Designed and successfully launched Total Productive Maintenance program at multiple sites across North and South America
- Collaborate with plant, regional, and global colleagues to seek, share, and implement Best Practices
- Designed custom training materials tailored to specific audience needs, fostering an environment conducive to learning and development
- Led cross-functional teams to complete projects within budget and time constraints successfully
- Train and Mentored Green Belts and Black Belts in Lean Six Sigma principles, enhancing their skills and contributing to overall organizational success
- Enhanced customer satisfaction with timely delivery of high-quality products through efficient project management techniques
- Implemented effective change management strategies that minimized disruption during periods of organizational transformation
- Analyzed data trends to identify opportunities for cost reduction, leading to significant financial savings for the organization
Manager, Product Development & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Lennox Hearth Products
04.2011 - 05.2012
- I oversaw the entire corporate quality management system, ensuring all products met stringent quality standards
- I led the reliability engineering team, focusing on enhancing product durability and performance through rigorous testing and evaluation
- Additionally, I directed continuous improvement initiatives to optimize processes and increase operational efficiency across the organization
- I also managed the Sustaining Engineering departments, ensuring that existing products received the necessary support and updates to maintain their competitiveness in the market
- Led a team of 10, including Quality Managers, Mechanical Engineers, Designers, Engineering Technicians, and Cost Reduction Engineers
- We managed high-profile quality issue resolutions with the respective location Quality Managers
- Wrote corporate quality policies to attain agency satellite approval from the certification agency, allowing the agency to accept internal testing and documentation to gain agency certifications
- Established an Engineering Change Request / Deviation process to document changes, ensuring all changes were considered and the documented approvals
- Developed standardized methods for Product Engineering, including DFMEA, PFMEA, Corrective Actions, etc., by writing new processes
- I collaborated with Manufacturing and Product Engineering to develop drawing standards
- I worked with suppliers to address quality and engineering print requirements, including the supplier's approval, ensuring quality components to maintain a reliable product
- I managed the corporate Quality Reporting Report system, including identification, corrective actions, verification of corrective actions, and reporting solutions to customers
- Implemented innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs
- Trained and mentored staff for skill enhancement and professional growth
- Oversaw budget management to ensure alignment with financial objectives
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery
- Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development
Manager, Continuous Improvement and Reliability Engineering & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Lennox Hearth Products
Nashville, TN
02.2010 - 03.2011
- Managed the corporate quality, reliability, and continuous improvement activities
- Reorganized and managed the corporate Quality Reporting Report system, including re-writing the identification process, corrective actions, and customer follow-up, instituting standard methods for quality reporting
- I developed and executed statistical analysis training, increasing the analytical ability of the team
- Formalized the new product development process by creating a Gantt chart for new product development, including the marketing process
- Effectively managed high-profile quality issue resolutions and reported to the Engineering Director and VP / GM
- Improved team performance by implementing strategic initiatives and fostering a collaborative environment
- Developed training programs for enhancing employee skills and knowledge
- Achieved targets consistently, leading a team of diverse professionals
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals
- Fostered innovation by encouraging creative problem-solving among team members
- Developed comprehensive training programs for operations and maintenance staff, enhancing their skills in reliability best practices
- Improved incident management workflows by creating comprehensive documentation on troubleshooting procedures and common issues resolution steps
- Developed custom scripts/tools as needed to automate routine tasks, increasing overall team productivity and efficiency
- Contributed to the ongoing refinement of internal processes and procedures within the site reliability engineering discipline through regular reviews, updates, and knowledge sharing activities
- Implemented cost-saving measures by optimizing resource utilization across cloud-based infrastructure environments
- Ensured compliance with relevant industry regulations regarding data privacy standards by actively participating in audits assessments
- Conducted root-cause analyses after major incidents to identify areas for process improvement or technical enhancement opportunities
Education
High School Diploma -
Huntingdon High School
Huntingdon, TN05.2025
Skills
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Leadership
- Operations Management
- Quality assurance
- Engineering methodologies
- Project management
- Staff development
- Risk management
- Team building
- Coaching and mentoring
- Team leadership
Certification
- Six Sigma Black Belt, 07/2000
- Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, 04/2021
Timeline
Manager, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, and Continuous Improvement
Grain and Protein Technologies
04.2022 - Current
Engineer, Warranty & Quality
AGCO
11.2020 - 03.2022
Manager, Quality and Process Improvement & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Bunn
07.2013 - 06.2020
Manager, Site Continuous Improvement & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Clopay
09.2012 - 06.2013
Manager, Product Development & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Lennox Hearth Products
04.2011 - 05.2012
Manager, Continuous Improvement and Reliability Engineering & Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Lennox Hearth Products
02.2010 - 03.2011
High School Diploma -
Huntingdon High School
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