CHAD R.

THRASHER
8 County Road 232
Corinth, Mississippi 38834
Home: 662-287-3047
Mobile: 662-415-3476
E-mail: cthrashe@bellsouth.net

OBJECTIVE
Manufacturing operations or engineering position requiring strong leadership skills, proven problem solving ability, along with an
aptitude for technical issues.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Proven management and operational skills developed through a succession of increasingly responsible manufacturing positions.
P&L responsibility. Management style emphasizes achievement through teamwork. Strong technical “hands on” background.
Experience includes operation turn around and product line startups.

EXPERIENCE
AL-KO KOBER CORPORATION June 1999-December 2008
Plant Manager (Baldwyn, Mississippi)
Manufacturer of Brake Drums and Axle Assemblies. Hired 6-months after start of operation.
• Developed production schedule that includes: inventory levels and demands, axle build specifications and shipping information.
It provides a comprehensive but simple method of providing required production information to the shop.
• Established quality control system consisting of: in process operator inspections and audits, shipping inspection and material
trace-ability. This has resulted in a 0.7% scrap rate.
• Developed labor standards for all processes.
• Implemented cost monitoring for all machining processes.
• Implemented CNC machining processes, plant was started with multi-spindle manual Bullard machines.
• Retrofitted several 1960’s drilling machines with new work-holding, programmable logic controllers and tooling as a low cost
alternative to purchasing new machines.
• Automated machining processes over a 4-year period resulting in 60% reduction in labor costs.
• Tooled several foundries for our castings, insuring supply and competitive pricing. Most tooling cost paid by Foundries.
• Redesigned numerous castings for reduced weight resulting in material cost savings.
• Redesigned 7000-lb. Brake drum for increased strength to obtain 8000-lb rating, reducing cost of 8000-lb drum cost by 50%.
• Because of low labor content and casting cost, we have remained competitive with offshore sources and are in process of tooling
up to sell brake drums to Europe.
• Designed and implemented automated axle camber and weld load test machine. This machine improved axle beam quality.
• Assisted AL-KO Oklahoma and California plants to improve production processes.
• Awarded Mississippi Governors Award for Small business in 2007.

THE HEIL COMPANY November 1994 to June 1999

HEIL TRAILER INTERNATIONAL August 1998 to June 1999
Plant Manager (Trailmaster, Fort Worth, Texas)
Manufacturer of aluminum and stainless steel Tank Trailers and Aircraft Refuelers. Plant P&L responsibility for $30 million, 150-
employee operation.
• Improved communication of customer quality requirements and revised production processes, resulting in 90% reduction in
major defects on stainless steel trailers.
• Implemented master production scheduling and relocated subassembly manufacturing processes to point of use. This allowed a
40% reduction in W.I.P. inventory and a 22% reduction in cycle time.
HEIL ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIES, LTD. November 1994 to August 1998
Plant Manager (Truck Equipment Division, Tishomingo, Mississippi)
Manufacturer of carbon steel and aluminum Dump Truck Bodies and Hoist Assemblies. Plant P&L responsibility for $24 million,
135-employee operation.
Turned around operation by providing comprehensive direction with primary focus in the following areas:
• Revised inventory control practices by making use of existing MRP system and implementing: JIT manufacturing, Kan Ban,
consignment steel inventories and aggressive management of finished goods. This resulted in $2.5 million reduction in total
inventory (50% reduction).
Chad R. Thrasher page – 2
• Reduced manufacturing cycle time from 7 to 3 days by: standardizing engineering/production control packages, improved
production scheduling, reduced W.I.P. inventory and cellular manufacturing. This resulted in a reduction of order delivery time
by 50%.
• Initiated quality control program including establishment of corrective action board, operator training and inspections, staff
audits and metrics, resulting in warrantee cost reduction of $80K (33% reduction).
• Introduced labor cost reduction initiatives including: establishment of standards and measurements, revised manufacturing
processes, training and cellular manufacturing, resulting in annual savings of $420K (20% reduction in labor costs).
• Revised employee handbook, implementing fair and consistent labor policies and procedures that improved employee morale as
demonstrated by a 33% reduction in absenteeism and turnover.
• Developed safety program, resulting in 46% reduction in OSHA reportable lost time accidents.
• Introduced new products, resulting in sales growth of 33% with largest customer.
• Chosen as “Supplier of the Year” by largest customer, rated “A” in quality and delivery.

HUGHES AIRCRAFT COMPANY March 1993 to November

1994
Integrated Products Team Manager
HAMI facility, Forest, Mississippi
Manufacturer of Mark 48 ADCAP Torpedo. Responsible for Afterbody Assembly and Test Department and Engine Test Facility, 50
employees.
• Resolved latent engine design problems with carbon seat that had caused shut down of production deliveries.
• Evaluated and modified production processes, resulting in: improved quality, reduced cost and cycle time.
• Established work teams that enabled elimination of two supervisory positions.

MARINE MECHANICAL CORP. (former: TECHNAUTICS, ARGO-TECH, TRW) June 1981 to March
1993
TAPCO facility, Cleveland Ohio
Manufacturer of Aircraft Fuel Pumps, Torpedo Propulsion Assemblies and Nuclear Control Rod Drive Mechanisms.
Quality Engineer (1990-1993) Mark 50 torpedo program quality assurance.
Participated in cross-functional team tasked with resolving design and manufacturing process issues during startup of program.
• Revised “oxidant tank assembly” design and manufacturing process issues, eliminating major production bottleneck.
• Resolved casting welding and machining processes that resulted in salvage of $600K scrap castings.
• Qualified second source vendors for critical material needs.
Senior Test Engineer (1986-1990)
Responsible for design, construction and maintenance of assembly and test facilities used for production and R&D. Supervised up to
ten technicians and contractors.
• Performed upgrade of aircraft boost fuel pump test facility, adding automated controls, improving systems accuracy, while
reducing operating costs.
• Built Mark 48 ADCAP torpedo assembly and test facility to support startup of program.
• Designed numerous electo-mechanical and hydraulic control and data acquisition systems.
Test Engineer (1983-1986)
Test Technician (1981-1983)
EDUCATION
Associate Degree, Electronic Engineering, Lakeland College, Mentor, Ohio 1981
CMI, Continuous Measurable Improvement, Hughes Aircraft 1993
IPT, Integrated Products Team, Hughes Aircraft 1994
World Class Manufacturing, Richard Schonberger 1997
Managing Safety, systems that work for operations managers, Dupont 1997
The Dale Carnegie Course, 1998
Programmable Logic Controllers, North East Community College, Booneville, Mississippi 2007

REFERENCES
Elwood Smith 405-826-0674 Elwood is the retired former President of AL-KO Kober Corp.
Walt Kuhns 412-334-6023 Walt is the former V.P. of Operations at Heil Environmental Industries (I worked for Walt at Heil,
Hughes Aircraft and Technautics)
John Reiss 601-469-1740 John is in Management at the former Hughes Aircraft Company (now owned by Raytheon)