Jeff Spira

Experience

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  Hydranautics

  Jan 1976 - Jan 1978

  Project Engineer

  Full technical responsibility for hydraulically powered heavy load lifting and moving systems, including stress analysis, design interface, customer interface, testing, field installation, training and commissioning. Some accomplishments included:§ Project engineer for the worlds heaviest lifting device, the 25,000 ton ship elevator in Batangas Bay, the Philippines (also worlds largest fluid power hydraulic system).§ Project engineer for the worlds biggest moving land structure, the east stands expansion of the Denver Mile High Stadium.§ Installed & troubleshot numerous hydraulic rig skidding systems for offshore drilling rigs. Show less

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  W.S. Shamban Company

  Jan 1978 - Jan 1981

  Engineering Manager

  Began as applications engineer for the company's bearing division in Newbury Park, CA responsible for customer interface and bearing applications recommendations and engineering. Promoted to Engineering Manager of Variseal division in Denver, CO where was responsible for 8 person engineering department and three person quality control department. Later transferred to Aerospace division in Santa Monica as assistant to the soon to be retired corporate V.P. of Engineering where was responsible for special engineering trouble shooting projects for the company's eight divisions. Some major accomplishments included:§ Developed the method of contact pressure to accurately predict seal leakage, wear and life.§ Design and development of a totally new engineering thermoplastic extrusion process with three production machines.§ Helped close the single largest order in the company's history in a joint call with the sales department. Show less

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  DEL Industries, Inc.

  Jan 1981 - Jan 1984

  General Manager

  Full P&L responsibility for a small leisure product manufacturer. Responsible for all aspects of engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, scheduling, sales, and personnel for 15-person company. Some major accomplishments included:§ Complete turnaround from a 12% loss, when took over, to 20% pre-tax profit two years later.§ Designed, developed and introduced 5 new products to the company's existing two-product line.§ Introduced computerized Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Inventory Control. § Began international sales effort to smooth the highly seasonal nature of the business. Successful in building sales in Southern hemisphere areas (Australia & South America) resulting in lengthened effective year and greatly improved profits. Show less

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  J. Spira & Associates

  Jan 1984 - Jan 1992

  President

  Owner & Manager of manufacturers representative, engineering services, and custom machine design company. Responsible for machine design, product design and sales for the aerospace, energy and industrial markets. Some accomplishments included: § Sale, design, development and testing of several computer controlled special testing machines to major companies including McDonnell Douglas for flight control servo-actuator testing.§ Sale, design & development, and testing of a number of computer controlled manufacturing machines.§ Development of the Los Angeles and Orange County sales territories for aerospace hydraulic valves and components. Increased sales in the territory from nothing to in excess of $50,000 per month in a single year. Sold to both Prime Contractors (Douglas, Rockwell and Northrop), and sub contractors, such as Parker Hannifin, Sterer, and Sargent.§ Design of several complete new product lines for manufacturing companies including the Greene Tweed MSE seal line.§ Designed, as a consultant, several liquid pumps for aerospace hydraulics and fuel systems.§ Designed several fluid power actuators and valves for aerospace and military application including pyrotechnic actuators for missile systems. Show less

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  Unit Design

  Jan 1992 - Jan 1994

  President

  Full P&L responsibility for a small electronics manufacturing equipment manufacturer. Involved in all aspects of the business including sales, engineering and manufacturing. Hired, fired and reviewed all staff and management level personnel. Responsible for directing all company activities to turn the company around from a declining to a growth position. Some accomplishments included:§ Complete reversal of declining business in the first six months to a growth position finishing the first year with double the sales of the previous year, while simultaneously turning the bottom line from a loss to near even followed by a profit in the second six months.§ Personally took charge of all foreign sales and established five new Far East distributors in the first six months resulting in growing sales where there were none.§ Responsible for introducing four new products to the company's existing five-product line-up to convert the business from a component supplier to a full system supplier. Show less

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  Elpac Electronics, Inc.

  Jan 1994 - Jan 1996

  General Manager

  Full P&L responsibility for a small two facility (Irvine and Tijuana) ISO 9001 electronics components manufacturer for aerospace, medical and industrial OEMs. Directed all aspects of the business including sales, engineering and manufacturing. Hired, fired and reviewed all staff and management level personnel. Responsible for directing all company activities. Acted as General Manager, Engineering Manager, Quality Manager and Sales Manager. Some accomplishments included:§ Complete reversal of continuing declining business for five years to a growth of over 15%.§ Personally took charge of sales department and pursued a number of new growth market niches including modern lighting systems and electric vehicles.§ Began a program culminating in the establishment of an operating automated Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) system for manufacturing.§ Expanded existing Mexican maquiladora to include full final testing with improved quality & reduced cost. Show less

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  Celtic Products, Inc.

  Jan 1996 - Jan 2008

  President

  Startup and full P&L responsibility for an automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial components manufacturer. Performed all aspects of company development from the business plan generation to detail manufacturing equipment design including sales, engineering, quality, manufacturing, finance, and management of every detail of the organization. The company received a major 5-year tier 1 supply contract to supply steering bearings to General Motors. Some accomplishments included:§ Managed profitable for every year since the creation of the company, including the first. Most years showed a pre-tax profit in excess of 30%§ Creation of systems in compliance with QS 9000 and ISO 9001 from work instructions through complete certification. Rewrote and obtained certification to ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 9001§ Negotiation & management of a multi-million dollar, five year contract with the largest automotive supplier.§ Detail design and construction of all custom automated assembly machines, automated inspection machines and computerized data collection gauging systems resulting nearly halving overall manufacturing labor costs. Show less

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  Spira International, Inc.

  Jan 2002 - now

  President

  Owner and Chief Executive for an Engineering and Consulting firm in Huntington Beach California. Specializing in Marine Equipment, Alternative Energy transportation equipment, and manufacturing systems both in the US and offshore.

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  ABCI Consultants

  Jan 2012 - Mar 2020

  Senior Partner

  ISO 9001, AS 9100, AS 9120, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, IATF 16949, ISO/IEC 17025, OSHAS 18001, ISO 22301, ISO 27001 implementation and consulting. Specializing in getting small and medium sized companies business ISO registered. Also formally trained ISO Lead auditor to assist companies in maintaining internal audits and management reviews of their quality systems.