Quality Assurance Professional / Laboratory Manager / Analytical Chemist
SUMMARY
A multi-plant Quality Assurance Professional / Laboratory Manager / Analytical Chemist with strong suits in technical expertise and creative leadership, innovative planning/decision-making, and analytical problem-solving, driving quality improvements in processes, procedures and ultimately the bottom-line. Known for progressive laboratory management, design/development of Non-Conformance and Cost of Quality CAPA system, Continuous Improvement efforts, implementation of Six Sigma Projects and ISO Quality Systems, successful leadership of SAP and LIMS rollouts, and improved Regulatory Compliance and Training. ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).
STEPHANIE PLOEGER, ASQ CQE
1211 Mordecai Drive
Raleigh, NC 27604
Phone: 910.987.8534
sploeger@nc.rr.com PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
BORDEN CHEMICAL, INC. / HEXION SPECIALTY CHEMICALS, Fayetteville, NC 1990 – 2006
Regional Quality Assurance Manager
• Supervised QA/QC activities, labs and technicians for nine chemical plants, integrating acquisition sites into the ISO-certified Quality System. Planned and equipped new and remodeled labs.
• Designed a Lotus Notes-based NCR / Cost of Quality / CAPA system adopted by 20+ plants in US and Canada.
• Improved efficiency of QC labs, reducing testing time by as much as 800% with significant savings in labor costs. One method change improved accuracy while reducing analytical feedback time to production from 5 hours to just 30 minutes allowing improved process control and a reduction in scrap and rework. The company’s savings multiplied when this improvement was adopted by 6 other plants that manufactured the same product.
• Developed interactive State and Federal regulatory training material that improved trainee participation, subject matter retention and compliance and was incorporated into the Division Safety Manual.
• Generated SQA data and charts to report process status to internal and external customers and drive improvements.
• Administered air monitoring and industrial hygiene programs for multiple plants. Introduced method that reduced monthly test time from 2 days to 2 man-hours with tremendous savings realized when 20+ other plants adopted it.
• Served as Subject Matter Expert on team evaluating test measurements to determine capabilities and limitations.
• Consistently tapped to lead or participate in process development, implementation and improvement teams including SAP Technical Team, LIMS Development and Implementation Team, Customer Partnership Teams, Continuous Improvement Teams, Internal and External Quality Audits, and Steering Committees.
• Led SQA/SPC and Continuous Improvement efforts for process and product improvements in multiple plants.
• Appointed by plant management to assume responsibility for Transportation activities as a result of the untimely death of the Shipping Manager.
Quality Assurance Laboratory Supervisor
• Supervised the QA/QC department for one of Borden’s largest manufacturing facilities.
• Served as an auditor on Borden’s Internal Quality Audit team - assuming a leadership position in Customer Quality Audits and ensuring compliance with ISO- requirements.
• Developed instrument preventive maintenance, calibration and control procedures, standard operating procedures, checklists, technician certification programs and training manuals that became primary facets of the division Quality Management System.
• Provided Standard Method development and new equipment evaluation, purchase, start-up and training including Nitrogen and CHN Analyzers, GC, HPLC, Viscometers, Auto-titrators, pH meters, AA, UV-Vis spectrometers, Solids Analyzers, Refractometers, Surface Tension Analyzers, Karl Fisher titrators.
Quality Assurance Senior Lab Technician
• Provided routine and non-routine Quality Assurance testing and monitored Certification of shipments.
• Worked with Production and R&D to optimize product formulations, specifications and processing instructions, obtain disposition of non-conforming materials and reduce rework.
• Performed instrument maintenance and method development.
• Participated in DOE for one of the site’s continuous processes which significantly improved yield.
• Trained and certified lab technicians and production technicians in Standard Test Methods and SOP’s.
Project Manager
• Six Sigma Project Implementation Leader – first project resulted in $500K annual savings for site
• Regional SAP Implementation Leader – seamless startup for five regional plants
• Regional LIMS Implementation Leader – configuration, training and rollout for five plants
Regional Shipping Manager
• Coordinated all transportation activities for site representing approximately 11,500 outbound and 7,500 inbound shipments annually including hazardous and non-hazardous bulk tankers, railcars, and TL and LTL modes. Monitored the accuracy of SAP transactions associated with receipts and goods issue.
• Organized and directed Shipping and Receiving Department including dispatchers, loaders, private and contract tank truck fleets and drivers and coordinated order fulfillment activities with Scheduling, Procurement, Production, QA, Sales and Customer Service. Successfully managed workforce reduction and redistribution of duties resulting from reorganization.
• Managed site regularly inspected by OSHA, DOT, FRA and FAA with no findings during tenure. Served as certified site expert in OSHA, DOT and IATA compliance and training.
• Led improvement efforts, developing an interactive intranet order and dispatch management tool highlighting at-risk shipments. Improved customer/carrier orientations, team Training Manual and SOP’s, non-optimal freight cost reporting, department housekeeping and safety performance.
• Ordered, tracked and managed major raw materials using SAP and Railtrac software.
• Reduced transportation-generated customer complaints by 75% as a result of improvement efforts.
• Served as an active member of the site Safety Team.
Regional Supply Chain Manager
• Coordinated Supply Chain functions within the Eastern US Region during ERP/MRP project implementation.
• Facilitated transition from private truck fleet to dedicated carriers as a Six Sigma Project Implementation Leader resulting in savings for one site of $500K annually with no negative impact on a highly sensitive customer base.
• Saved $1.5MM annually for a single site with better planning, inventory reductions, transportation mode changes, safety stock projects and optimal carrier assignments.
JOHNSON MATTHEY, INC., West Deptford, NJ 1981 – 1987
Instrument Chemist II
• Analyzed precious metal samples of routine and non-routine nature utilizing AA, ICP, XRF, emission spec, physical testing, surface area analyzers, metal area analyzers, particle size analyzers, fire assay and wet methods and prepared standard materials.
• Developed test methods, documentation and training, and conducted special projects.
ASHLAND CHEMICAL COMPANY, Dublin, OH 1981
Chemist, Research and Development Center
• Prepared and characterized various polymer samples by NMR spectroscopy.
EDUCATION
B.S. Chemistry, Magna cum Laude, Capital University, Columbus, OH
Attended Graduate school at night while working fulltime, Analytical Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
American Society for Quality CQE Exam Preparatory Course
Six Sigma Implementation Leader Training
Emergency Response and Media Training
Statistical Process Control / Deming Philosophy / TQM / Lean Manufacturing / Team Dynamics Training
TSI Certified DOT Trainer and OSHA / IATA Certified Trainer / attended IMDG Training
Internal Quality Auditor Training
Member American Chemical Society (ACS), Board Member Raleigh Section American Society for Quality (ASQ)