Jody Hepler

Experience

• 

  Donaldson

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2016

  Oversaw end-to-end capital plan, forecast, ROI delivery at program and project levels. Led a team of 9 project management and engineering leaders for the company’s flagship product line. This included budgetary and P&L responsibility.• Oversaw product design, value engineering, manufacturing process development, production optimization, equipment automation, procurement, vendor, and execution. • Co-authored Global Capital Program Management Procedures for projects greater than $500K to provide a standardized approach.• Achieved 5-year PowerCore® product plan by directing the capacity expansion of 4 new production lines and increasing existing production capabilities by 25%+. Show less

  • Sr. Manager Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

    Jan 2009 - Jan 2016

  • V.P of International

    Jan 2007 - Jan 2009
• 

  Millennium Control Systems

  Jan 2016 - Feb 2018

  Director Of Operations

  Supervised company operations on a daily basis including IT, hardware engineering, project management, purchasing, manufacturing, quality, safety, and resourcing. Dealt efficiently with escalations, difficult situations, and people under pressure. • Initiated contract management production business process for repetitive commercial-based industrial products decreasing production lead times by 50%.• Grew manufacturing capability 3-fold while implementing lean principles resulting in efficient production and increased safety. • Built a PMO based project management function including structures, processes, and templates and helped develop a company-wide program management methodology. Show less

• 

  Mid-West Forge Corporation

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2019

  Sr. Program Manager

  Served as the lead for industrial class 8 customers in both a Tier 1 and Tier 2 capacity. Coordinated and directed manufacturing activities and secondary suppliers from request for quote to end of program. This includes ensuring quotes, feasibility studies, APQP compliance, and overall performance meets or exceeds expectations.• Accomplished combining customer EDI system generated PO releases, forecast parts, and paper PO releases into a single Excel-based MRP process tool. • Developed visual management status board showing consolidated view combining past dues, open orders, and forecasted demand against inventories planned builds.• Created and implemented a finite-based production scheduling methodology that upgraded the existing run order system to more accurately predict manufacturing. Show less

• 

  Minich's Inc.

  May 2018 - now

  VP of Operations | Lean Six Sigma Practitioner
• 

  Bevcorp LLC

  Jan 2019 - Jan 2020

  Director Of Operations

  Assisted in transitioning company to a growth position. Responsibilities included profit and loss for filling, change part, retail parts, and FCI industrial machining. Supervised engineering, manufacturing, assembly, quality, supply chain, and logistics. • Introduced a Hosian Kanri based X matrix strategic planning methodology, allowing for break-through and annual performance objectives to be defined and measured.• Implemented a training program for all direct reporting managers to introduce the benefits of lean thinking and manufacturing principles to the organization. • Established or revised multiple core processes, including engineering design and checking, corrective preventative action request (CPAR) quality system, 8D corrective action, and Epicor ERP process improvements. Show less

• 

  System Seals Inc

  Jun 2021 - now

  • Vice President of Manufacturing

    Nov 2023 - now

  • Director of Operations Wind Division

    Jun 2021 - Nov 2023