Expert Details
Process Engineering, Project Engineering, Project Management
ID: 735083
Minnesota, USA
Currently enrolled: Masters of Engineering, Sustainable Engineering Systems Program
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1983 | Degree: Bachelor of Science | Subject: Chemical Engineering | Institution: University of Wisconsin- Madison |
| Year: 2019 | Degree: Master of Science | Subject: Sustainable Systems Engineering | Institution: University of Wisconsin - Madison |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2013 to 2016 | Employer: Land O' Lakes | Title: Senior Process Engineer | Department: R&D |
Responsibilities:Overseeing process/products in the “Superspreads” group.Modifying process flow to enhance efficiencies and yields in the plants. Provided troubleshooting support for the plant to help reduce system run issues. Enhancing controls in current process to better calibrate/measure product quality. Investigating instrumentation, both on line and off line, that may be employed in current process flow, for control of process and products. Understanding inputs such as mixer speeds to outputs such as product stability. Established alarming (control system) on critical process parameters, to bring attention to system control, reducing product variability. Working to establish criteria to better understand emulsion characteristics, providing guidance in producing products that are more stable both in process and on the shelf. Recommended new PD pumps for process after past PD pump supplier was no longer able to provide equipment. Researched, tested and recommended particle analyzer, to be used in emulsion testing (wet), and particle measurements (dry). Lead R&D engineering effort in the successful startup of new lines (2) and products run on these lines for butter and butter spread products. Supporting group (product developers) in process engineering function for new product development and current product manufacturing. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2013 | Employer: Buhler, Inc | Title: Quotation Officer / Engineer | Department: Supply Chain |
Responsibilities:Responsible for process flow development and pricing of equipment and engineering services during project initiation stage for Milling, Specialty Milling, Feed, Extrusion, and Oil extraction business units. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2012 | Employer: General Mills | Title: Principal Engineer / Technology Manager | Department: Process Systems Development |
Responsibilities:Led successful Process Design effort on the commercialization of a vegetable texture improvement process for retorted entrees and frozen vegetables. Succeeded in producing a “firmer” vegetable product/ingredient. Bench, to Pilot Plant to Production.Led successful Process Design effort in the transition of an existing baking mix to zero trans fat formulation, resulting in cost avoidance of $2MM capital investment. Bench to Pilot Plant to Production. Led successful Process Design effort, and Process Engineering effort for integration of fruit snacks at a contract facility. Resulted in additional product capacity of 10MM LBS, and $500M initial cost savings (50% toll reduction). Also improved contract facilities existing material feed proportioning and mixing operations. Lead Process Design Engineer on a “fruit bar” project which resulted in a more reliable and accurate feeding of dried fruit materials. Process to be the new standard of dried fruit systems. Improved reliability reduced variability and increased up time. Lead Process Engineer / Project Engineer in the investigation, testing and installation of Optical Sorting Equipment on Vegetable Blanching / IQF processing lines. Product quality improvements, increased throughputs, and reduced labor costs were all realized, along with significant reductions in system waste. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2003 to 2005 | Employer: General Mills | Title: Principal Engineer / Technology Manager | Department: R&D Cereal Division |
Responsibilities:Extrusion System Platform Lead.Ensured system readiness for on-site startups during integration of Whole Grain formulation onto Twin Screw Extruder platform for cereal products. Completed product migration from existing cooking platforms – to Twin Screw Extruder platform, in support of operations needs. Migration allowed reduction in necessary capital investments of $12MM. Integral part of the extrusion platform strategic planning team. Planned and implemented international production start up of “Domestic” cereal, on CPW - Mexico, Twin Screw Extruder system in support of Twin Screw cereal capacity needs, eliminating the need for immediate $5MM “Domestic” Twin Screw Extrusion system capital investment. Key R&D team member in the support of supply chain initiatives for cereal products (new and existing), as it pertained to the Extrusion System Platform. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2003 | Employer: General Mills | Title: Senior Engineer | Department: R&D Cereal Division |
Responsibilities:Twin Screw Rate Improvement Initiative Lead in Process Design – Engineering/R&D effort in doubling rates (2X) to Twin Screw Extrusion system products. Doubling of rates allowed for a $10MM reduction of planned capital equipment investments.Modified Process Flow for existing products during the Pillsbury integration, allowing for a reallocation of $4MM in integration capital spending. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1997 to 2000 | Employer: General Mills | Title: Senior Engineer | Department: R&D Cereal Division |
Responsibilities:Worked primarily on fruit snack platform products.Initiated process fluid rate control and temperature control improvements in cooking unit operation, improving product quality, and eliminating need of additional systems, through increased asset utilization. Introduction of multi-color product – new product introduction. Improved cooling unit operation on existing product lines, increasing up-time of downstream unit operations, resulting in increased packaging rates. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Affiliations American Society of Chemical Engineers |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Certified Professional Project Management (CPPM) HACPP |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
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| Expert holds two US patents. Multiple Invention Records submitted to General Mills IP. |
Additional Experience
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Training • Attended Oils Seminar at Texas A&M • Attended Butter Course, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison • Completed 6-Sigma Course online – Green Belt. • Certified Project Management Professional / December 2012. • Project Management Skills for New Product Development / May 2011 • HACCP & Food Safety Training. • Design of Experiments (Internal GMI and Stat-Ease). • Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Taguchi Methods. • Workflow Management Concepts and Techniques. • Evaporation and Evaporators. • Reliable and Economical Pneumatic Conveying Systems. • Designing Problem-Free Bins and Hoppers. • Heat Transfer and Psychometrics of Air Drying. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| Additional Professional Experience General Mills, Minneapolis, MN Senior Process Engineer (L4)– Capital Projects, domestic / international locations Process Engineer (L3) – Capital Projects Process Engineer (L2) – Systems Improvement Group Unisys Corporation (formally Sperry Corporation), Minneapolis, MN Semiconductor Operations – Process Engineer – Diffusion Unit Operations |