JAMES GAZDICK

3541 W 500 S * La Porte IN * (h) 219-324-9151 * (c) 270-994-0291 * jga69e9e@west

post.net
EXECUTIVE PROFILE
OPERATIONS * MANUFACTURING*PROCUREMENT*SERVICE
Elevated Profitability * Increased Productivity / Efficiency * Minimized Costs *
Enhanced Competitiveness
Highly accomplished, profit driven operations strategist with superlative record
of elevating profitability while streamlining organizational functionality. Exp
ertise in implementing new processes, establishing and enforcing quality standar
ds, and motivating dedicated teams to achieve peak performance levels. Proficien
t at maintaining or increasing quality and production levels while significantly
reducing cost. Dynamic change agent with demonstrated talent for conducting tot
al operations overhauls while maintaining throughput. Dedicated to ensuring high
est quality safety standards to comply with OSHA regulations. Trusted business p
artner, determined to contribute directly to both short- and long-term company o
bjectives.
Selected Achievements
* 18 years of continuous career growth with a leading manufacturer of Housing an
d Recreational Vehicles.
* Reduced warranty cost from 0.5% of sales in 2006 to 0.34% of sales in 2007; ac
hieved savings of $160K.
* Led manufacturing team in the planning, development, and achievement of INSHAR
P (Indiana Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) certification.
* Grew startup facility to generate $41M / year.
* Generated $250K profit in Q2 of production startup operation by investing heav
ily in quality training.
* Incorporated quality improvement processes (QIP) to achieve 93.1% customer sat
isfaction index, the highest CSI of 23 facilities throughout the U.S. in 2005.
* Led production startup of two manufacturing facilities and managed production
across two separate divisions (Fleetwood Homes of KY and Fleetwood Homes of Texa
s).
* Set startup productivity record that generated $250K in profits in second quar
ter of operation.
* Initiated new product development; maintained advantage over competitors by co
llaborating with Engineering to ensure quality and quickly transition from desig
n to production; reduced prototype development time by 25%.
Areas of Expertise
* Strategic Planning * Metrics / KPI Introduction * New Product Development
* Turnaround / Change Leadership * Financial Management / P&L * Materials Manage
ment
* Process Re-Engineering * QA / QC / QIP * Project Management
* Team Building / Leadership * Safety Initiatives / OSHA * Customer Relations
* Communications * Regulatory Compliance * Cost / Warranty Reduction

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
HY-LINE ENTERPRISES, HOLDINGS, LLC
Elkhart, IN
$15M manufacturer of custom Park Models, Park Trailers, Travel Trailers, and 5th
Wheels
Operations Manager
2008 -
Present
Oversee and hold full P&L authority for a 60 employee, multi-facility operation.
Manage 5 direct reports that include manufacturing, procurement, service/warra
nty, and engineering managers.
* Instrumental in reduction of material costs in Park Trailer line that equated
to a 3% reduction in material cost per unit. Yearly savings approximately 337K.
* Initiated and developed new Park Model product introduction, and coordination
of new plant start-up.
* Developed Service department; establishing and incorporating new standard oper
ating procedures. 2009 results - reduced warranty cost of 21.7% per unit.
* Introduced new hourly pay structure that increased the average hourly wage 3.2
% in 2009; yet reduced labor content per unit by 1.42%. Reduction in overall lab
or costs of approx. $213,000.
STRICK CORPORATION Monroe, IN
$100M regional manufacturer of semi-trailers
Plant Manager 2006 to 2008
* Oversee and hold full P&L authority for a 350+-employee, multi-shift operation
; hired and manage nine direct reports, 300 production professionals, and mainte
nance personnel.
* Schedule production across all functions, including assembly and steel / alumi
num fabrication; increased production rates by 3.6% within two years.
* Reduced warranty cost from 0.5% of sales in 2006 to 0.34% of sales in 2007; ac
hieved savings of $160K.
* Saved net $180K year by developing and implemented new leadership structure th
at reduced manufacturing management by 33% while maintaining established quality
and productivity standards.
* Drove development team to incorporate updated manufacturing technologies into
processes; achieved 3% labor reduction per unit, and 50% decrease in materials h
andling to attain total savings of $164K / year.
* Implemented safety and quality processes to achieve 52% reduction in injury cl
aims; decreased costs from $97K / year to $37K / year within two years. INSHARP
certification, July, 2008..
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES 1988 - 2005 Riverside, CA
$2.2B industry-leading housing and recreational vehicle manufacturer
Plant Manager - Homes of Kentucky ($35M division) 2005 to 2006
* Orchestrated all facility operations; hired and supervised eight direct report
s and staff of 180, held full P&L authority for $7M budget, and guided productio
n scheduling plus all maintenance and service functions.
* Generated $250K profit in Q2 of production startup operation by investing heav
ily in quality training.
* Incorporated quality improvement processes (QIP) to achieve 93.1% customer sat
isfaction index, the highest CSI of 23 facilities throughout the U.S. in 2005.
* Initiated new product development; maintained advantage over competitors by co
llaborating with Engineering to ensure quality and quickly transition from desig
n to production; reduced prototype development time by 25%.
* Built highly effective teams and developed associates into quality supervisors
through rigorous program of continued training and coaching.
Production Manager - Homes of Kentucky ($30M division) 1998 to 2004
* Grew startup facility to generate $41M / year.
* Hired, trained, mentored, and supervised 180 supervisors and production worker
s while managing a $3M budget.
* Set startup productivity record that generated $250K in profits in the second
quarter of operation.
* Coached new production supervisors on each discipline of home construction, in
cluding individual department setup, process flow, and establishment of safety,
quality and productivity goals; achieved 100%+ production efficiencies within 90
days of implementation / start-up.
* Established and enforced facility-wide OSHA compliance; incorporated weekly de
partment audits and ongoing training to achieve lowest accident frequency in cen
tral region of Housing Division in 2003 and 2004.
* Developed a plan to train associates at various manufacturing sites, incorpora
ting job process requirements for each construction process. Assigned individua
l coaches to conduct extensive one-on-one training.
Assistant Plant Manager - Homes of Texas ($40M division) 1996 to 1998
* Selected for transfer to Housing Division to lead production initiatives in a
successful facility startup.
Production Manager - RV Division / Trailers of Nebraska ($500M division) 1992 to
1996

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

B.S. School of Technology - Industrial Supervision * Purdue University
Extensive Quality Assurance training, including:
Philip Crosby Quality College / Workshops Fleetwood Quality Improvement
Process Training
Leadership training:
FranklinCovey - Seven Habits of Highly Effective People